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ME 328.3
Mechanical Engineering Laboratory II
Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Saskatchewan
January 2015
Name:
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. COURSE OBJECTIVES ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 2 2. LABORATORY SAFETY ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 2 3. ACADEMIC HONESTY ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 3 4. GENERAL COURSE ORGANIZATION ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 4 5. THE LABORATORIES ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 6 6. EVALUATION AND MARK DISTRIBUTION ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 7
6.1 Introduction to Manufacturing Processes: M4, M5, M6 & M7 Labs ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 7 6.2 Formal Reports ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 7 6.3 Notes regarding deadlines ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 8 6.4 Log Books ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 9 6.5 Term Test ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 10
7. LABORATORY SCHEDULE ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 11 8. APPENDIX A: LOG BOOK GRADING GUIDELINES ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 14 9. APPENDIX B: GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF FORMAL REPORTS ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 17
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ME 328.3 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY II
1. COURSE OBJECTIVES
The Department of Mechanical Engineering believes that a strong laboratory program is an essential component of the training of an engineer. In the third and fourth year of the Mechanical Engineering program, all laboratories associated with core classes are organized into three courses, ME 318, ME 328, and ME 418.
The laboratories will prepare students to…
1. measure fundamental quantities such as pressure, temperature, force, acceleration, etc.,
2. identify the strengths and weaknesses of theoretical models by observing the behaviour of physical systems,
3. collect, analyze, and interpret data and form appropriate conclusions from the data,
4. identify unsuccessful experiments and unrealistic measurements,
5. understand the role of uncertainty in the measurement process,
6. demonstrate independent thought and creativity,
7. communicate effectively and develop sound report writing skills,
8. work effectively in teams,
9. identify health and safety concerns, and
10. demonstrate the highest professional ethical standards.
2. LABORATORY SAFETY
Safety during the laboratory sessions is extremely important. It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the laboratory program, including the students, to ensure that all experiments are performed in a safe manner and that all potential hazards are identified and mitigated.
The laboratory manual entry for each experiment begins with a list of the specific hazards associated with that experiment. The laboratory demonstrator will review this list at the beginning of each laboratory session. All safety precautions identified (e.g. safety glasses) must be observed at all times. Students refusing to observe these safety precautions will be asked to leave the laboratory and will be marked as “absent” for that session.
The following general laboratory safety practices must also be observed.
1. Be aware of evacuation routes from the room you are working in. Evacuation maps are posted by the door of each room.
2. Be aware of fire extinguisher locations in each room.
3. Do not wear loose fitting clothing to the laboratory sessions. Long hair should be restrained and loose jewelry should be secured or removed.
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4. Food is not allowed in any of the laboratories.
5. Horseplay will not be tolerated in the laboratory.
6. Closed toed shoes and pants or a full length skirt/dress must be worn in the laboratory, NO sandals or shorts are allowed.
If you have concerns with any safety issues during the course of the laboratory, please bring them to the attention of the Laboratory Demonstrator immediately. If the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, please bring it up with the Departmental Assistant assigned to the laboratory. If you are still not satisfied, please talk to the Course Coordinators.
3. ACADEMIC HONESTY
Academic honesty is an extremely important aspect of the laboratory classes in the Mechanical Engineering program. Students are expected to behave with integrity at all times and in all aspects of their study. The University is very serious about fostering a climate of academic honesty and is strongly encouraging vigilance in its enforcement. Furthermore, engineering is a publicly regulated profession and professional engineers are bound by a code of ethics which states that engineers “shall conduct themselves in an honourable and ethical manner, upholding the values of truth, honesty and trustworthiness, and shall safeguard human life and welfare and the environment”1.
In the context of the laboratory program, students should be particularly aware of issues surrounding the proper treatment of data and plagiarism of formal reports. It is unethical to alter your experimental data in any way that goes beyond standard practices of data processing. For example, converting your data from one system of units to another before presenting it is acceptable. However, scaling or shifting your data merely to produce a better match to other data or to a theoretical expression is not acceptable. Instead, you should present the data as it was measured and explore potential reasons for the discrepancy in your discussion.
The formal reports that you hand in must be your own work. Plagiarism of written work is a serious case of academic dishonesty. Since one of the most important objectives of this course is to help students develop their report writing skills, it is imperative that the work they present is their own. Your formal reports will be compared to others submitted this year and to those submitted in previous years.
Laboratory Demonstrators have been instructed to refer all instances of suspected academic dishonesty to the Course Coordinators. If the Course Coordinators feel that the instance of cheating was inadvertent or unintended, they will, in most instances, request that the work in question be resubmitted. However, if they feel that the incident is serious enough to warrant a penalty of some kind, they will report it to Dean’s Office with a request that a formal hearing be arranged. The hearing board will determine the penalty to be assessed. The procedures followed by the hearing board are detailed in the University Council document entitled “Student Academic Dishonesty Rules of the University of Saskatchewan Council” (see link below).
1 pp 37, The Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act (Regulatory Bylaws), The Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of Saskatchewan, December 2004.
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Here are some resources related to academic honesty.
1. University of Saskatchewan Academic Honesty Website http://www.usask.ca/honesty/ 2. Student Academic Dishonesty Rules of the University of Saskatchewan Council
http://www.usask.ca/university_council/reports/09‐27‐99.shtml 3. APEGS Code of Ethics: http://www.apegs.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=19 4. Acadia University Honesty Tutorial. This link provides a very clear description of plagiarism.
http://library.acadiau.ca/tutorials/plagiarism/
4. GENERAL COURSE ORGANISATION
1. Each student works in a group of four members. Group membership will be assigned by the Course Coordinators.
2. A day or two prior to the scheduled laboratory period, all group members must read the relevant portions of the lab manual. If necessary they should also read the background material in the library, consult the professor in charge on any questions of procedure or analytical technique, or meet with the Departmental Assistant or Laboratory Demonstrator to become familiar with the equipment. The preparatory stage is crucial to an effective lab. A few minutes of preparation before the lab begins can save hours of time and frustration later.
3. The laboratory period is three hours long and the effective use of the 12 or 15 person‐hours available during this period will normally be more than enough to complete the required work. For some experiments, members will find it more effective to work as a group, discussing issues sequentially and entering appropriate information in their log books as the work proceeds. For other experiments, it will be necessary to divide the work among members of the group with one member being responsible for the analysis, one for measurements, etc. In order to become familiar with all aspects of the experiment, group members may wish to switch tasks during the period. Groups cannot afford to waste time in the lab period and the demonstrator should be consulted immediately if difficulties arise.
It is suggested that the last thirty minutes or so of the period be spent developing an outline of the lab report and collating and entering data, analyses and points for discussion in the log books. Spread sheets for data reduction should be employed at every opportunity. The organization of the lab period is the responsibility of the group leader.
A few of the labs involve more calculations and/or measurements than can be completed in a three‐hour period. For these labs, it will be necessary for the group to meet outside the lab period to complete the work and log book entries.
4. Each student is responsible for submitting two formal reports. To the extent possible, the lab leader should be the person who will write up the formal report. A memorandum containing a schedule for each group including the dates on which the labs are performed, a list of the lab leaders and the formal reports for which they are responsible should be submitted to the Course Coordinators no later than January 12, 2015. Students should try to choose formal labs separated by several weeks to spread out their work loads.
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5. Each student is required to keep a log book in which the work of the group during each laboratory period and the work necessary to complete the analysis of data outside the lab period is recorded. Log books will be collected at the end of the laboratory period. Graded log books will be available for pick up 24 hours later. It is acceptable to add information and/or calculations to your log book after it is returned to you, but your grade will be based solely on the information you record during the laboratory period. If you anticipate needing information from your log book during the time when it is in being marked, please make a copy of the relevant portions.
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5. THE LABORATORIES
The following table contains a list of the laboratories that will be performed by each student in ME 328. If you have any questions about the equipment for a laboratory, please contact the Departmental Assistant. If you have questions about the background theory, please contact the faculty member responsible for the laboratory.
Table 1: List of the Laboratories to be performed in ME 328.3.
Lab Title Room Departmental Assistant
Faculty
E2 Hardenability (The Jominy Test) 2C25 Zhao Odeshi
E3 Welding Metallurgy 1B89 Zhao Yang
F1 Operating Characteristics of a Centrifugal Pump 1B39 Deutscher Guo
F2 Pipe Networks 1B39 Deutscher Sumner
F3 Flow Measurement in a Boundary Layer 1B30 Deutscher Sumner
F6 Wind Turbine 1B83** Fauchoux Retzlaff
M4 Economic Considerations in Manufacturing I See website Peace n/a
M5 Economic Considerations in Manufacturing II See website Peace n/a
M6 The Programming of a Computer NumericallControlled (CNC) Machine I
See website Peace n/a
M7 The Programming of a Computer NumericallControlled (CNC) Machine II
See website Peace n/a
S4 Deflection of a Cantilever Beam 1B86 Peace Szyszkowski
S6 Bolt Preloading 1B89 Peace Szyszkowski
S7 Failure Analysis 1B83 Peace Oguocha
S8 Non‐Destructive Testing (NDT) 1B83 Peace Odeshi
**F6 is primarily an out door lab, please dress appropriately.
**F6 will be held in room 1B30 for the March 12th session.
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6. EVALUATION AND MARK DISTRIBUTION
The raw grades in this course will be determined using the weights indicated in the following table. The coordinators may adjust the final grades to ensure consistency with the literal descriptors in the University Calendar ( http://www.usask.ca/calendar/exams&grading/gradingsystem/). This adjustment will not affect any student’s ranking in the class. Students who fail to submit the required number of reports, the Manufacturing Assignment or their log book will receive a grade of less than 45% in the course.
M4, M5, M6 & M7 Labs 20% Formal Report #1 10% Formal Report #2 10% Log Books 20% Term Test 40%
100%
6.1 Introduction to Manufacturing Processes: M4, M5, M6 & M7 Labs
The “Manufacturing” laboratories account for 20% of the final grade in the course. They introduce students to basic economic and timeline principles in the operation of a machine shop, as well as the manual programming of a CNC machine. Students are evaluated on an individual basis for the manufacturing assignment given at the end of Lab M7. Students are permitted to work in groups, however all work must be done individually – i.e. co‐operating on sections is ok, but splitting the work so that one member does part A, a second member does part B and so on is NOT acceptable. Students should reference the other students they worked with on the front cover of the assignment.
6.2 Formal Reports
Each formal report is worth 10% of the final grade in the course. All reports must be typeset on letter size paper using one‐inch margins on all four sides. The font size must be 12 pt and you must use a “1.5 line” line spacing. The following page limits will be strictly enforced. Information beyond these page limits will be disregarded during evaluation. More detailed information on the structure of the formal report is given in Appendix B Formal Report Guidelines.
Table 2: Page Limits for formal reports in ME 328.3.
Summary 1 page
Introductory Material (Including introduction, theory, apparatus, procedure, results. Not including table of contents, list of figures etc.)
8 pages
Discussion of Results No limit
Conclusions No limit
Appendices No limit
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6.2.1 Draft:
The review of draft reports is the responsibility of the laboratory group.
6.2.2 Final version – hard copy: Due 2 weeks after lab period
The deadline for final reports is two weeks after the scheduled laboratory period.
Final reports are filed until all reports for a particular laboratory are submitted. It may not be possible to return reports submitted towards the end of term until after the examination.
6.2.3 Final version – electronic copy: Due 2 weeks after lab period
In addition to the hard copy version of your report, you must also submit an electronic copy. Please name this file using the lab number and your name with the following convention: LabNumber.Firstname.Lastname (e.g. S6.Jamie.Smith). This file must be emailed to [email protected] by midnight on the due date. Please make the subject line of this email "ME 328 Lab Report – S6” (for example). All reports should be submitted in .doc format. Both the hardcopy and electronic version of the report must be submitted by the due date, and must be identical.
6.3 Notes regarding deadlines:
The final version of your report will be assessed a penalty of 25% if submitted up to 24 hours after the time it is due. Reports submitted beyond this 24‐hour period will not be marked and will receive a grade of zero. All items are due at 4:30pm on their due dates. Students who fail to submit the required number of final reports, or who fail to submit the Manufacturing Assignment will receive a grade of less than 45% in the course.
If circumstances arise which make it difficult to submit a report on schedule, permission to submit a late report should be obtained from the Course Coordinators. In normal circumstances, extensions will only be given for medical or compassionate reasons. The week of midterms does not count with respect to the 2 week due date. For example if you conduct an experiment on the Thursday prior to midterm week, it would be due in 3 weeks as the week of mid terms does not count. Similarly if your report is due on Wednesday during mid‐term week it would be due the following Wednesday. Reports due the week of the mid‐term tests can be submitted the following week. Submit final reports to the Course Coordinators (hand‐in box outside of 1B71). Remember to indicate the group number, the members of the group, and the date the lab was performed on the title page.
Submit the final report to the Course Coordinators (hand‐in box outside of 1B71). Remember to indicate the group number, the members of the group, the date the lab was performed, and the date submitted on the title page.
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6.4 Log Books
Each student is required to keep a log book. This book must be a hard covered notebook with non‐removable pages such as the “Physics Notebook” which may be purchased at the “Centre Shop (Place Riel), the “Tuck Shop”, (Arts Building) or the “North 40” (Agriculture Building). They are suitable for recording notes, observations and data, and for sketching diagrams, graphs and tables.
A complete entry in the log book should include a brief statement of the purpose of the experiment, brief notes and questions recorded during the reading of the lab manual and other background material, notes and answers to questions recorded during a meeting with the faculty member, departmental assistant and/or the lab demonstrator, sketches of the apparatus, an outline of the procedure and notes taken to supplement the procedure described in the manual, a summary of data and calculations, and notes of significant observations, points for discussion and conclusions. These last two items are very important. An entry in a log book is complete when it contains enough information for the author to write a lab report without reference to any source other than the lab manual.
The log books of Professional Engineers are frequently entered as evidence in a court of law. The court requires pages to be numbered consecutively and each page to be dated. Information in the log book should be legible and neat. Errors must be crossed out and not erased. Notes in point form are appropriate, as are free‐hand sketches of apparatus, specimens, graphs and tables. Copies of computer programs and output should be glued to the page. Xerox copies of discussion and conclusions are not permitted. Note that it is not necessary to include all of the data generated by a computer program in a log book. Selection and editing is frequently required.
The only material the student is allowed to bring to the examination is the log book, the lab manual and their Manufacturing Report. It is therefore important that the information in the log book be complete and organised in a fashion to allow quick reference and recall of relevant detail. For the longer experiments, the entry may not be completed for two or three days following the lab period.
The following are some specific points to remember when making log book entries.
1. Leave the first few pages of the log book blank for a table of contents. 2. Date all work. Individually date and number pages. 3. Provide an outline of the experimental procedure or refer to handouts. Especially note any
deviations from the procedure in the lab manual. 4. Effective notes should be taken while the laboratory demonstrator is reviewing the theory,
background information, and/or procedure for the lab. It is not acceptable to obtain a copy of the demonstrator’s notes and paste them into your log book.
5. Always draw a sketch of the equipment used and provide relevant dimensions. 6. Title sections. (e.g. System Head Calculations) 7. Always show units of measured and calculated data. 8. All data MUST be entered directly in the log book. You can not record data on a scrap piece
of paper, typeset the data, print it out and paste it into your log book. You can reformat data already recorded in your log book and paste it in if you wish.
9. Plan data tables before starting the experiment.
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10. Tables should be titled and/or a description of content provided. 11. Indicate whether data is measured or calculated. 12. On graphs of measured data, recorded points must be identified. 13. When possible compare your results with published or known data. 14. If your results are not working out, seek advice from one of your instructors. 15. Note that log books may contain material which has been crossed out or crossed out and
corrected.
Log books are submitted to the Laboratory Demonstrator at the end of the lab period to be graded. The marked log books will be returned within 24 hours to the filing cabinets located in room 1B30. Log books are evaluated for completeness, overall organization, legibility, quality of the data, and quality of the discussion and conclusions. It is acceptable to add further information and/or discussion after your log book is returned to you, which may be helpful for the final lab exam. A detailed description of the grading guidelines that will be used for the logbooks is given in Appendix A of this manual.
6.5 Term Test
This 3‐hour test is scheduled for the afternoon (2:30‐5:30) of the last day of classes (Wednesday April 8, 2015). The only reference materials permitted during the exam are the laboratory manual, your log book and your manufacturing report, no other formal reports are allowed at the exam.
7 LABORATORY SCHEDULE
The laboratory schedule includes provision for 28 student groups. It is arranged so that Groups 1 to 8 conducts their experiments on Monday and Wednesday, Groups 9 to 16 on Wednesday and Friday, and Groups 17 to 28 on Tuesday and Thursday. All laboratories start at 2:30 p.m.
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Group: Monday ‐ Wednesday 2:30‐5:30 Due
Date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Date
Jan. 5
7 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4
12 S7 S7 F1 F1 Jan. 26
14 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5
19 S7 S7 S6 S6 Feb. 2
21 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6
26 F1 F1 S6 S6 Feb. 23
28 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7
Feb. 2 F1 F1 S6 S6 S7 S7 Mar. 2
4 S6 S6 F1 F1 S7 S7 Mar. 4
9 Mid‐Term Week ‐ No Labs
11 Mid‐Term Week ‐ No Labs
16 Mid‐Term Break
18 Mid‐Term Break
23 S8 S8 E2 E2 S4 Mar. 9
25 S4 E3 E3
Mar. 11
Mar. 2 F2 F2 S8 S8 E3 E3 S4
Mar. 16
4 E3 E3 E2 E2 S8 S8
Mar. 18
9 E3 E3 F2 F2 S8 S8 S4
Mar. 23
11 E2 E2 F2 F2
Mar. 25
16 F3 F3 S4 F2 F2 F6 F6
Mar. 30
18 F3 F3 Apr. 1
23 S4 F6 F6 F3 F3 E2 E2 Apr. 6
25 F6 F6 Apr. 8
30 F6 F6 S4 F3 F3 Apr. 8
Apr. 1 S4 Apr. 8
6
8
8 FINAL LAB EXAM
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Group: Wednesday‐Friday 2:30‐5:30 Due
Date 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Date
2 No Classes
Jan. 7 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4
9
14 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5
16 F1 F1 S6 S6 S7 S7 Jan. 30
21 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6
23 S6 S6 S7 S7 Feb. 6
28 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7
30 S7 S7 S6 S6 F1 F1 Feb. 27
Feb. 4 F1 F1 Mar. 4
6 S7 S7 F1 F1 S6 S6 Mar. 6
11 Mid‐Term Week ‐ No Labs
13 Mid‐Term Week ‐ No Labs
18 Mid‐Term Break
20 Mid‐Term Break
25 S8 S8 E2 E2
Mar. 11
27 S8 S8 E3 E3 E2 E2
Mar. 13
Mar. 4 F2 F2 S4
Mar. 18
6 S4 E3 E3 F2 F2 S8 S8
Mar. 20
11 E3 E3 S4 S8 S8
Mar. 25
13 E2 E2 S4 F2 F2
Mar. 27
18 S4 F2 F2 E2 E2 F6 F6 Apr. 1
20 F3 F3 F6 F6 S4 Apr. 3
25 F3 F3 S4 E3 E3 Apr. 8
27 F6 F6 F3 F3 S4 Apr. 8
Apr. 1 F6 F6 F3 F3 Apr. 8
3 Good Friday
8
8 FINAL LAB EXAM
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Group: Tuesday ‐ Thursday 2:30‐5:30 Due
Date 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Date
Jan. 6 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4
8 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5 M5
13 F1 F1 S7 S7 S6 S6 Jan. 27
15 S6 S6 S7 S7 F1 F1 Jan. 29
20 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6 M6
22 F1 F1 S6 S6 S7 S7 Feb. 5
27 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7 M7
29 S7 S7 S6 S6 F1 F1 Feb. 26
Feb. 3 S7 S7 S6 S6 F1 F1 Mar. 3
5 F1 F1 S6 S6 S7 S7 Mar. 5
10 Mid Term Week ‐ No Labs
12 Mid Term Week ‐ No Labs
17 Mid Term Break
18 Mid Term Break
24 S8 S8 F2 F2 S4 E2 E2 Mar. 10
26 S8 S8 S4 E3 E3 E2 E2 Mar. 12
Mar. 3 F2 F2 S4 S8 S8 E2 E2 F2 F2 E3 E3 Mar. 17
5 S4 F3 F3 E2 E2 S8 S8 F2 F2 Mar. 19
10 F3 F3 E2 E2 S8 S8 S4 Mar. 24
12 E2 E2 S4 F6 F6 F2 F2 E3 E3 S8 S8 Mar. 26
17 S4 F2 F2 E3 E3 F3 F3 F6 F6 Mar. 31
19 E3 E3 S4 F6 F6 F3 F3 Apr. 2
24 E3 E3 F3 F3 S4 F6 F6 Apr. 7
26 F6 F6 S4 F3 F3 Apr. 8
Apr. 31 F6 F6 S4 Apr. 8
2 S4 Apr. 8
7
8 FINAL LAB EXAM
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APPENDIX A: LOGBOOK GRADING GUIDELINES
Motivation One learning objective of the laboratory class is for students to develop the discipline of creating a record of their engineering work in a log book. Section 6.5 outlined in detail the expectations for the format and content of a log book entry. In the process of learning to create quality log book entries, there are three main practices to emphasize. The first is that the log book should follow an acceptable format. This includes such things as using a bound book, numbering and dating pages, keeping the entries neat and legible, etc. The second emphasis is that the log book needs to be a complete record of all relevant information pertaining to the work that was performed. For example, in the context of conducting an experiment, the log book should contain a statement of the purpose, appropriate background information, a complete description of the apparatus used, an outline of the procedure, a summary of data, and subsequent analysis and calculations. A log book is complete when it contains enough information for the author to write a formal report without reference to any other source than the Lab Manual. The last main emphasis is that the log book is a place where active thinking is recorded. Beyond just passively recording the details of the experimental setup, and the data output, etc., the student should also record their questions, insights, concerns, observations, and points for discussion. This record of engaged thinking and analysis will be the basis of the discussion section of the formal report. These three emphases are used to form the marking scheme below. The students are required to hand in their log book at the end of the lab period for marking. The lab demonstrator will mark the log book entry and return the log book within 24 hours. Students are expected to enter as much into their log book as possible before and during the lab period, however it may not be possible to finish the data analysis, calculations, discussion, and conclusions before the log books are handed in. The marker will take this into consideration and only mark what could reasonably be accomplished in the lab period. The students should finish the log book entry after receiving their books back from the marker, since a complete log book entry will be needed for the final lab exam. This strategy of marking log books after every lab period has the benefits of requiring students to update their log books in “real time” while performing the experiment, as well as providing regular feedback on how well they are doing throughout the term. Marking Grid 1. Format and Organisation (2/10) Requirements
using a bound, hardcover book such as the “Campus Physics Notebook”
all pages dated and numbered
neatness and legibility
errors crossed out and not erased
no loose material – external pages are glued in
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blank pages crossed out
sections are titled and organised
tables and figures titled and properly formatted Grade Distribution
0 1 2
Does not follow required format. Log book is illegible and/or badly organised.
Showing evidence of proper formatting, however some significant issue(s) to address.
Good compliance with required format. Log book is well organised and professional.
2. Content and Completeness (5/10) Requirements
brief statement of purpose
notes from reading the lab manual or other background material
notes taken during the lab demonstrator’s presentation
any necessary background theory (or give an appropriate reference)
sketch/photo of the apparatus with all relevant details recorded
dimensions/specifications of the apparatus
outline of the procedure (or reference the Lab Manual) and notes taken to supplement the procedure outlined in the Lab Manual
a summary of data and other important observations
data clearly labeled in tables/figures; units given for all quantities
analysis of the results and calculations Grade Distribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
An incomplete entry with serious inaccuracies or omissions in the recorded content.
Most relevant content recorded, however missing important details or containing incorrect data or observations.
All relevant information is recorded in the log book with perhaps only minor errors or omissions. Data is accurately recorded and labeled; analysis and calculations are correct.
3. Quality of Observations and Discussion (3/10) Requirements
questions from initial reading of the lab manual or other background material
observations during the experiment of any factors or problems affecting the accuracy or validity of the measured data
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comparisons between experimental results and theoretical predictions, with plausible and consistent explanations for any differences
insights and knowledge gained from the experiment that can be applied to future engineering work
points for discussion which can be further expanded in a technical report
conclusions summarising the main results and output of the laboratory experiment
suggestions for additional work or investigation Grade Distribution
0 1 2 3
Very few if any observations or points of discussion given. Very little evidence of engaged thinking.
Some record of active thinking and observation, however demonstrating some errors in judgment or technical understanding.
Significant evidence of quality observations and discussion, showing good understanding of the theory and sound engineering judgment.
Additional Notes
Since the labs vary in difficulty and amount of content, the laboratory demonstrator will make a judgment about what could reasonably be accomplished in the lab period when marking Content and Completeness for each lab.
A mark will be given in each of the three categories above for each lab. The laboratory demonstrator will also give feedback and explanations for why marks have been deducted.
The laboratory demonstrator will use the full range of grades above. Good log book entries will be rewarded, and high marks will not be given to poor work.
At the beginning of each lab session the demonstrator may give a short 1‐2 question quiz to verify that students are prepared for the laboratory. These quizzes will be marked on an acceptable/unacceptable basis; an unacceptable mark will result in a deduction of 0.5/10 for the log book mark for that lab period. Reading the lab manual entry in advance of the lab period should give enough information to acceptably answer these quizzes.
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APPENDIX B: GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF FORMAL REPORTS
INTRODUCTION
Engineers are expected to plan and execute tests on physical systems, use a variety of instruments and data acquisition systems, analyse systems, design improvements to them, and supervise their construction. In each of these activities they must present the plans and the results of their work to a variety of audiences, ranging from fellow engineers with comparable technical expertise to themselves, to lay men and women who have no technical knowledge and may even be hostile to acquiring any.
One of the aims of the laboratory courses in Mechanical Engineering is to give students the opportunity to develop their ability to prepare engineering reports in an expeditious, economical and efficient manner. Most readers assume that a well organised and clearly written report indicates the author is technically competent. A badly organised and poorly written report is often taken as an indication that the writer does not know what he or she is talking about. It is important that undergraduate engineers take every opportunity to develop their writing ability. This skill is a necessary prerequisite to becoming a successful Professional Engineer.
The first step in writing a report is to determine its audience. For whom is the report being written? More specifically, what level of technical expertise should be assumed of the audience? For an undergraduate laboratory report, these are difficult questions to answer. It is suggested that the report be written for an audience of fellow engineering students who are enrolled in the course, but who have not performed this particular laboratory. The report should be written at a technical level such that a student, on first reading, is given a clear idea of the purpose of the experiment, the work involved (measurements, analysis, visual examination, etc.), results and conclusions.
A set of guidelines for writing laboratory reports is given below. The choice of the word "guidelines" is deliberate. The material which follows should not be considered a formula or recipe. No such recipe exists. The writing of each report should be approached as a fresh challenge for which it is appropriate to draw on the experience obtained from writing previous reports, but for which it is likely inappropriate to imitate previous formats. The importance of brevity (and clarity) cannot be overemphasized. The reader does not appreciate unnecessary or inappropriate detail. In particular, no one appreciates reading material copied from the Laboratory Manual.
LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS
All reports must be typeset on letter size paper using one‐inch margins on all four sides. The font size must be 12 pt and you must use a “1.5 line” line spacing. If you wish, equations may be hand written but you must do so very neatly. All pages must be numbered.
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CONTENTS OF A FORMAL REPORT
The general format of the report should be as follows:
Title Page Summary (Pg. ii) Table of Contents: List of Figures; List of Tables (page. iii, iv, etc.) 1. Introduction (page 1) 2. Theory/Analysis 3. Apparatus 4. Procedure 5. Results 6. Discussion of Results 7. Conclusions References Appendices
More detailed guidelines for each of these sections will now be given.
Title Page
The title page must contain a short descriptive title, the date the laboratory was performed, the date the draft report was revised (in the case of the final report), the name of the group leader (who is assumed to be the author), and the names of the group members.
Summary
The summary appears immediately after the title page and is a brief synopsis of the entire report. It should be one page or less in length.
The summary identifies the purpose of the experiment, the most important features of the analysis, equipment and experimental procedure, summarises the discussion and the important conclusions. Results should be summarised as precisely as possible. Important numbers such as range of temperatures, speeds, percentage error, etc. should be noted specifically.
The summary is a self‐contained document and should not refer to any other part of the report. Except in exceptional circumstances, it should not contain any figures or tables. Mathematical equations should also be avoided. However, in some instances where the audience is a group of technical experts an equation provides the best means of conveying information to the reader. If one is included all symbols must be defined as part of the summary.
The writing of a summary requires the exercise of considerable judgment on the part of the author concerning the information to be included and, for this reason, should always be written last. In one sense, writing a summary is straightforward. The author is simply required to read each section of the report and summarise its important features. However, deciding what is important is often difficult. Bearing in mind the audience for which the report is intended, the summary should be as non‐technical as possible.
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Table of Contents
The table of contents gives important information to the first‐time reader as to how the report is organised. It should list all major sections including the appendices, and should contain the page numbers where each section may be found. A good example of a table of contents is reproduced on page 197 of Blicq and Morett (1998). The table of contents in normally followed by lists of figures and tables, each on a separate page.
Introduction
Most introductions contain information on the purpose and scope of the experiment and provide sufficient background material to orient the reader to the concepts and analysis in the remainder of the report. The three parts (purpose, scope, and background) frequently overlap and occasionally one of them is omitted because it is unnecessary for the intended audience.
Authors should take care to develop a realistic statement of the purpose of the laboratory. The purpose may be to demonstrate a technique, provide experience with a method of analysis, to introduce material not covered in lectures, etc. Such a statement "sets up" both the writer and the reader for what is to follow and is a major factor in determining the format and style of the report. The scope outlines the type of analysis employed, the extent of measurements made (if applicable) and any limiting factors (number of samples examined, range of rpm, limits of time, etc.).
For many experiments, an introduction of one‐half page in length or less is appropriate. However, some experiments are designed to introduce techniques or information not covered in lectures. In such cases a more extensive treatment of background information may be appropriate. One possibility is to insert a separate background section following the introduction and prior to the discussion.
Body of Report
The main body of the report contains theory or analyses, data, results of tests, and other observations that are developed into the arguments and evidence necessary for a reader to understand the subject of the experiment. Rodman (1996) discusses strategies for building the main body (chronological development, subject development, and concept development). Students are advised to consult this material before writing the body of their report.
The organisation of the discussion or main body requires judgment on the part of the author and is influenced by the type of experiment (analysis and tests, demonstration, observation, film, development of a computer program), the purpose as conceived by the group, and the writing style of the authors. Choices made with respect to the ordering of ideas and the organisation of the discussion are crucial to the success of the final report.
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The Standard Format
For experiments involving an analysis, the collection of data and a comparison of the results of analysis and experiment, the "standard" format is likely appropriate. That is, immediately following the introduction the method of analysis (theory) is outlined. This section is followed by a description of the experimental investigation, including a description of the apparatus. The results of both the analysis and the experiments are then discussed. Students are cautioned not to adopt this format without critically evaluating its appropriateness. For example, the outline of the analysis normally precedes the description of the experimental apparatus. However, in some instances the analysis will be easier to understand if its context is established by describing the apparatus first. In some laboratories the analysis section, or the description of the experiment, or the presentation of results will only require a sentence or two to complete, and will not warrant a separate section in the report.
In what follows, guidelines are presented for the writing of each of the sections in a "standard" report (method of analysis, experimental investigation, results and discussion of results).
When outlining a method of analysis brevity is important. The reader should not be required to wade through pages of detail, but all assumptions and major steps of the analysis should be presented. A detailed step‐by‐step analytical development, if it is necessary, is normally put in an appendix. Note that a laboratory report should not contain a detailed derivation of expressions readily available in text books or in the laboratory manual. A reference to the appropriate text with mention of the important assumptions is all that is required. In essence, the intent of this section is to give the reader a view of the "forest" and not individual "trees."
Equations should appear on a separate line and all terms should be defined at the point where they first appear. The following example shows how an equation is incorporated into a sentence:
The total head loss hlT, between the entrance and the exit of any pipe network is defined by the
steady flow energy equation in the following form:
lT2
222
1
211
22hz
g
V
g
Pz
g
V
g
P
where P is the liquid pressure, is the liquid density,
V is the liquid velocity, z is elevation above some arbitrary datum, and g is acceleration due to gravity.
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Remember that equations are part of a sentence and should be punctuated accordingly. Note also that with some word processing packages the typing of equations is difficult and time consuming. It is much quicker to print the equations by hand and in many cases hand‐printed equations are easier to read. They are acceptable for lab reports.
In the section describing the experimental investigation a brief description of the apparatus, instruments and procedure is presented. Generally, the most efficient means of describing an apparatus and its associated instrumentation is with the aid of a diagram. Diagrams should be presented at the beginning of a description and referred to throughout. Diagrams must be clearly labeled with terms consistent with those being used in the text. The experimental procedure should not simply reproduce the information it the laboratory manual. Refer to the manual and carefully document any deviations from the procedure that were necessary. A step‐by‐step procedure can be listed in an appendix if it is considered necessary.
Normally the most important results are presented in the form of figures and tables followed by a discussion of their significance. Wherever appropriate this discussion should include mention of the experimental error in the form of percent differences, standard deviations, correlation coefficients, etc. Vague statements which attribute differences to "instrument error" or "human error" are not acceptable. If more than one graph or table is necessary to present the results it is normally easiest for the reader to follow the argument if each figure or table is presented in turn and its significance discussed. A section which presents all of the results in a series of tables or graphs, followed by a second section which discusses the results, is seldom an effective way to present an argument to a reader. In such cases, it may be better to combine the “Results” and “Discussion of Results” sections in to a single section called “Results and Discussion”.
Other Formats
Some laboratories do not involve the development of an analysis and verification through a set of measurements. Some involve the writing of a data acquisition or other software package; others involve the examination of a series of objects; in others a film is viewed and a series of questions are answered. Some laboratories involve a minimum of "hands‐on" experience and are best treated as demonstrations. In each of these cases, the "standard" format will not be an appropriate means of describing and discussing the material. For example, some laboratories consist of a series of "mini‐labs" which cover different aspects of a single topic. Depending on the degree of independence of one part from the other, the most appropriate organisation may be a series of mini‐reports each with its own discussion and conclusions, perhaps with a common introduction and summary.
Conclusions
This section briefly states the major inferences which can be drawn from the discussion. Conclusions must be based entirely on the material presented previously in the report. No new material should be introduced in this section. In some instances it will be inappropriate to draw any conclusions from the material examined. However, it may be useful to summarise the important points from the discussion. In this case, this section is more appropriately entitled
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"Concluding Comments."
Appendices
Data not necessary to an understanding of the main body of the report but which contains details on which the main body is based are placed in the appendix. These data may include a detailed analytical development, the description of a computer program with an accompanying print‐out of the code, tables of measurements or the specifications of equipment used in the experiment.
An appendix is a self‐contained document. It should be written in a form that can be read and understood without reference to the main report. Conversely, it should be possible to read the main report and obtain a precise description of the work without referring to an appendix.
The existence of an appendix must always be mentioned in the main body of the report. Results and conclusions from an appendix must always be mentioned in the main body.
The choice of material appropriate to an appendix is frequently a difficult one for students to make. The most common error is to place too much material in an appendix and not enough in the main body. As a general rule a reader should not need to consult an appendix on first reading in order to obtain a precise description of the work. An appendix should contain sufficient information to enable the author to recall the details of the calculation, equipment or measurements six months or a year later.
References
The reference section contains a list of textbooks, journal articles, and reports mentioned in the report. It is suggested that the "author/date" system of referencing be used. This method is presented in outline form in this section. A more detailed development is presented in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA’s website has a useful tutorial that details both how to cite references and how to build your reference list. The tutorial is located at http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htm. The section on citations and reference lists begins at slide 13. A brief summary is given here.
In citing a reference in the text, the surname of the author or authors and the year of publication are inserted in the text at the appropriate point:
Smith (1990) compared the characteristic time constants ...
or
In a recent study of time constants (Smith, 1990) determined that...
If the author's name appears as part of the sentence, as in the first example cited, only the year of publication is placed in parenthesis. Otherwise both the name and date are placed in parenthesis as in the second example.
When a publication has more than two authors and fewer than six authors cite all authors the first time the reference occurs but include only the surname of the first author followed by et al.
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and the year in subsequent citations:
Williams, Besant, Sargent, and Dolovich (1991) found [first citation]. Williams et al. (1991) found [subsequent citations].
When a work has six or more authors, cite only the surname of the first author followed by et al.
When a work has no author, cite the title or, if the title is long, the first two or three words of the title, and the year. Use double quotation marks around the title.
... on free energy ("Study Finds", 1990). ... is developed in detail in the Laboratory Manual (2009, p. H1‐2).
The reference list is arranged alphabetically. Much of the detail can be understood by examining the following sample reference list which contains illustrations of references to a journal article, a book, and a book with no author.
Sample References
Journal Article:
Becker, L.J., & Seligman, C. (1981). Welcome to the energy crisis. Journal of Social Issues, 37(2), 1‐7.
Book:
Hertzberg, R.W. (1989) Deformation and fracture mechanics of engineering materials. (3rd ed.) New York: John Wylie & Sons.
Book (Corporate Author):
Department of Mechanical Engineering (2009) Mechanical Engineering Laboratory I Manual. Saskatoon, SK: Author.
Graphs, Figures and Tables
Illustrations in the form of graphs, figures, and tables are an efficient means of describing a complex set of data briefly and succinctly. Chapter 8 of Blicq & Morett (1998) is a good reference for the preparation of graphs and tables and could be consulted during the preparation of the report. Suggestions for avoiding some of the common faults of past laboratory reports are listed below:
1. Graphs, charts, and tables should be referenced in the body of the report close to where they appear and before they appear. Ideally, the discussion of a figure or table should be located on the same page or the opposite page to the figure. This arrangement enables the reader to follow the discussion without turning back and forth between pages.
2. Captions should always appear below a graph. Titles are always located above a table.
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Leave generous amounts of space between the graph or table and the written text. Graphs are numbered as figures (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.), tables as Table 1, Table 2, etc.
3. Avoid captions of the type "Plot of A versus B." Captions should describe the contents of the graph and should indicate its significant aspects. Use of the word "versus" in the title is an indication that the authors have not considered the purpose of the graph.
4. Curves derived from analytical expressions should not show points. Points represent measured data.
References
American Psychological Association. (2010) Publication Manual (6th ed.) Washington, DC: Author.
Blicq, R.S. & Morett, L. (1998) Technically‐Write! (Canadian 5th ed.) Scarborough, ON: Prentice‐Hall Canada Inc.
Rodman, L. (1996) Technical Communication (2nd ed.) Toronto, ON: Harcourt Canada.
