STEM Marin Senior Project Outline

The primary project for STEM Marin Senior Engineering is your Senior Capstone Project. By the end of this Semester,
you will have designed and built a novel product that solves a problem and adds to your own knowledge.

In order to get there, you’ll need to complete the following steps and major checkpoints:

1. Identify your area of interest, find team mates with similar interests and complementary skills and Find a
mentor: ​Identify, communicate with, and get a mentor from your area of interest to commit to advising you
throughout the year in regard to your senior project.
(DUE August 28)
a. Identify 5 possible areas of interest from the following:
i. Aeronautical
ii. Chemical
iii. Civil
iv. Computer
v. Electrical
vi. Industrial
vii. Manufacturing
viii. Materials
ix. Mechanical
x. Nuclear
xi. Biological
xii. Electrochemical
xiii. Green Energy (Environmental)
xiv. Nanotechnological
xv. Other special topics in engineering as approved by the instructor
b. Identify where you can find a mentor and how you might contact them.
c. Narrow your list to one or two mentors who you get along with well in the area(s) of your interest.

2. Finalize your topic of work and research​ with advice from your mentor and team mates. ​Write a 4-6 page
proposal ​for your topic/project.
(​DUE September 4th​)

3. Complete all eight steps of the design cycle to create your final product​. This work will be presented to a
panel of professional scientists and engineers as your final presentation. ​This will take approximately 15
weeks​. (All DUE ​Dec 11​)
a. Design Step 1:​Team up, Find a mentor, and Identify the Problem ​(September 4th, 2 wks)
i. Brainstorm
ii. Identify the problem
iii. Customer/Marketing Research
iv. Prepare a typed list of Design specifications
b. Design Step 2​: Generation of Alternative Concepts ​(September 18th, 2 wks)
i. Brainstorm to determine at least three feasible alternatives for each subfunction and assemble
the results in a classification scheme.
ii. Form three promising design concepts by combining compatible subfunction alternatives from
your classification scheme
iii. Firm up your three design concepts by sketching them in the form of concept drawings.
Functionality should be clearly indicated in the drawings through the use of labeling and text.
c. Design Step 3​: Evaluation of Alternatives and Selection of a Design Concept ​(October 2nd, 2 wks)
 i. Decide on five to seven evaluation criteria that will be used with a decision matrix to evaluate the
three concepts from the previous step.
ii. Assign weights to the evaluation criteria.
iii. Fill out a decision matrix. One row at a time, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of all the
concepts in the context of the given criterion and assign values by consensus before moving on
to the next criterion.
iv. Analyze the results of the decision matrix. Use the matrix to look for weaknesses and attempt to
correct them by combining ideas from different concepts.
v. Select the best concept.
vi. Document your evaluation process as per the example in the class handout.
d. Design Step 4: ​Detailed Design​ (October 16th, 2wks)
i. Use analysis, experiments, and models to help establish dimensions and proof of concept
ii. Prepare detailed drawings of the design concept you selected.
e. Design Step 5:​ Design Defense​ (October 30th, 2wks)
i. Prepare the visual aids for the oral, design defense. You must use presentation software.
Relevant drawings should be scanned.
ii. Practice the presentation.
iii. Deliver the oral presentation to a jury of evaluators.
f. Design Step 6: Project 3D Manufacturing ​and ​Testing (November 13th, 2 wks)
i. Milestone 1​:​ Halfway through the build of your project, it should be tested for preliminary
functionality. Before the instructor reviews your construction, you must have performed testing
and have results to show to receive feedback on improvement strategies.
ii. Milestone 2​: Conduct one or more well-defined performance tests to determine whether or not
the various subfunctions of your project work. Don’t worry about how well they work, just that they
work. Get all sub-functions working by the assigned due date.
g. Design Step 7: ​Performance Evaluation ​(November 27th, 2 wks)
i. Now worry about how well it works! Optimize the performance of your machine in preparation for
individual performance testing.
ii. Design a performance test with help from your instructor according to the nature of your project.
h. Design Step 8​: Design Report​ (December 11th, 2 wks)
i. Prepare The final design report in accordance with the guidelines discussed and detailed on the
Engineering site.