Course Course Title Term Academic Year

number
MECH390 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING FALL 2022
DESIGN PROJECT

Course Instructor Office Email Office Hours

Dr. Ayhan Ince EV4.121 ayhan.ince@concordia.ca Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:00-
3:00pm

Conditions Specific to Remote Teaching and Assessment

1. All students are expected to have access to a computer with following capabilities:
a. reliable internet connection
b. camera and microphone (your computer and/or cellphone)
c. document scanning application such as Adobe Scan app
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adobe.scan.android&hl=en_CA
)

2. All students should install VPN for remote desktop access to Concordia University
computer labs
https://www.concordia.ca/it/support/connect-from-home.html
Once you have VPN connection to Concordia University, you can access to all available
software in Gina Cody School labs by following the process described in:
https://www.concordia.ca/ginacody/aits/support/faq/connect-from-home.html

3. Download Microsoft Office 365: https://www.concordia.ca/it/services/office-365-

education.html

4. All students are expected to do online, timed exams

a. Both midterm and final exams will be through Moodle Quiz using live-invigilation

(Alternatively) Both midterm and final exams will be through Concordia Online
Exam (COLE) platform using an auto-proctoring solution. Students are encouraged
to visit practice exam site to become familiar with the system.

For live ZOOM based exams

Please note the following with respect to online live proctored exams:
• That the exams will take place during the exam period at the designated date and
time set by the professor (midterm) or the Exams office (final). All exam times will
be set to Eastern Standard Time.
• That your image, voice and screen activity may be recorded throughout the
duration of the exam.
• That you must show your Concordia University Identification card to validate your
identity. Alternative government-issued photo identification will be accepted,
though it is not recommended. Only identification in English or French will be
accepted.
• That any recording made (if one is made) will only be viewed by authorized
university personnel (no external entity has authorization to review the recording).
• That you will be responsible for ensuring appropriate, properly functioning
technology (webcam, a microphone, appropriate browser and an ability to
download any necessary software, as well as a reliable internet connection with a
minimum of a 3G connection).
• For your online examination(s), you will need to download the appropriate browser
lockdown technology and use Zoom. Protocols for entering the examination will be
provided by your professor.
• That you should enter the virtual test site and become familiar with the software
that will be used for your exam before starting the exam.
• That you will need a quiet place within which to take the exam. Earplugs or noise-
cancelling headphones that are not connected to a device may also be used to allow
you to focus for the duration of the exam.

For live auto-proctoring with COLE based exams

Please note the following with respect to online live proctored exams:
• That the exam will take place during the exam period at the designated date and
time set by the professor (midterm) or the Exams office (final). All exam times will
be set to Eastern Standard/Daylight Time.
• That your image, voice and screen activity will be recorded throughout the duration
of the exam.
• That you must show your Concordia University Identification card to validate your
identity. Alternative government-issued photo identification will be accepted,
though it is not recommended. Only identification in English or French will be
accepted.
• That any recording made will only be viewed by authorized university personnel
(no external entity has authorization to review the recording).
• That you will be responsible for ensuring appropriate, properly functioning
technology (webcam, a microphone, appropriate browser and an ability to
download any necessary software, as well as a reliable internet connection with a
minimum of a 3G connection).
• That you are very strongly recommended to enter the virtual test site found at the
COLE website and become familiar with the software that will be used for your
exam before starting the exam.
• That you will need a quiet place within which to take the exam. Earplugs or noise-
cancelling headphones that are not connected to a device may also be used to allow
you to focus for the duration of the exam.

2
 b. Course instructor reserves the right to conduct an individual oral examination
to verify student’s response to online exam questions

5. Academic Integrity
Violation of the Academic Code of Conduct in any form will be severely dealt with. This includes copying
(even with modifications) of program segments. You must demonstrate independent thought through your
submitted work. The Academic Code of Conduct of Concordia University is available at:
https://www.concordia.ca/conduct/academic-integrity.html

It is expected that during class discussions and in your written assignments you will communicate
constructively and respectfully. Sexist, racist, homophobic, ageist, and ablest expressions will not be
tolerated.

All students must read and sign the Expectations of Originality form and submit the signed copy in the report.
6. Third-party software/website and personal information
Note that, as a part of this course, some or all of the lectures and/or other activities in this course
may be recorded. Recordings will be focused on the instructor and will normally exclude students.
It is possible, however, that your participation may be recorded. If you wish to ensure that your
image is not recorded, speak to your instructor as soon as possible.
Also, please note that you may not share recordings of your classes and that the instructor will
only share class recordings for the purpose of course delivery and development. Any other sharing
may be in violation of the law and applicable University policies, and may be subject to penalties.

7. Third-party software/website usage for work submission

Students are advised that external software and/or websites will be used in the course and
students may be asked to submit or consent to the submission of their work to an online service.
Students are responsible for reading and deciding whether or not to agree to any applicable terms
of use. Use of this software and service is voluntary. Students who do not consent to the use the
software or service should identify themselves to the course instructor as soon as possible to
discuss alternate modes of participation that do not require them to give copyright or the right to
use their work to a third party.
By using the external software or websites, students agree to provide and share their work and
certain personal information (where applicable) with the website/software provider. Students are
advised that the University cannot guarantee the protection of intellectual property rights or
personal information provided to any website or software company. Intellectual property and
personal information held in foreign jurisdictions are subject to the laws of such jurisdictions.
8. Third-party software/website usage for work submission
Students are advised that external software and/or websites will be used in the course and
students may be asked to submit or consent to the submission of their work to an online service.
Students are responsible for reading and deciding whether or not to agree to any applicable terms
of use. Use of this software and service is voluntary. Students who do not consent to the use the
software or service should identify themselves to the course instructor as soon as possible to
discuss alternate modes of participation that do not require them to give copyright or the right to
use their work to a third party.
By using the external software or websites, students agree to provide and share their work and
certain personal information (where applicable) with the website/software provider. Students are
advised that the University cannot guarantee the protection of intellectual property rights or
personal information provided to any website or software company. Intellectual property and personal
information held in foreign jurisdictions are subject to the laws of such jurisdictions.

3
CLASS, LAB AND TUTORIAL SCHEDULE
Section Day Time Location Instructor E-mail
Lecture 8:45 -
TU FB S129 Dr. Ayhan Ince ayhan.ince@concordia.ca
F 11:30
Tutorial 2:45PM -
TH H 620 Ali Khoshrou ali.khoshru18@gmail.com
FA 4:35PM
Tutorial 2:45PM -
MO MB 3.285 TBA -
FB 4:35PM
Tutorial 4:45PM -
TU H 609 Md Mehide Tusher mehidehasan132023@gmail.com
FC 6:35PM
Tutorial 4:45PM - Mehrnoosh
TH H 609 mehrnoosh.kazerooni@gmail.com
FD 6:35PM Kazeruni

COURSE CALENDAR DESCRIPTION

The design process; product cost, quality and time to market, open and concept design problems, problem
description. Geometric and type synthesis. Direct and inverse design problems. Material selection and load
determination. Mathematical modelling, analysis, and validation. Introduction to Computer-Aided Design and
Engineering (CAD and CAE). Product evaluation for performance, tolerance, cost, manufacture, assembly,
and other measures. Design documentation. A team-based design project is an intrinsic part of this course.
Lectures: three hours per week. Tutorial: two hours per week.

PREREQUISITE
ENCS 282, MECH 311, 343, MECH 344 previously or concurrently
THIS COURSE IS A PREREQUISITE TO:
MECH 490
TEXTBOOK AND ADDITIONAL COURSE MATERIALS
TEXTBOOK (Optional): “Fundamentals of Engineering Design (2nd Edition)” by Barry Hyman, Pearson,
2002.

All course notes can be downloaded from the moodle course website:
KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR ENGINEERING PREREQUISITES:
The main objective of this course is to present the basic principles employed in the design of mechanical
systems that must satisfy specific design requirements, criteria, constraint, standards, all correlated to satisfy
the desired technical performance. A design project that includes the knowledge acquired previously in
MECH344, MECH 343, MECH 244, MECH 243, MECH 311, MECH 313, MECH 211 just to mention few, will
be gradually developed during group work while certain tips will be provided during the tutorial periods. The
design project will be completed following a selected scheme such that at the end, the entire design
documentation as well as the blueprints will be ready to be presented in a final formal presentation, which will
be delivered along with the consistent written documentation. During the lecture periods, fundamental design
principles and systematic methods will be discussed and presented in real-life design examples. The
materials presented during the lectures will help grasping design principles and perform integration of
concepts from different disciplines of mechanical engineering
GRADING SCHEME
Evaluation Tool Weight
TUTORIALS 20%

4
Important: Student missing a tutorial will lose tutorial marks for that week
MIDTERM TEST 20%
Important: There will be no make-up for the term test. Test may take place online or in-person
considering the pandemic conditions. Test will be based on the textbook and materials discussed
in the class. Test will be held in the week of November 14
PRESENTATION 10%
Giving Effective Technical Presentations
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wexYJHkDXiA&feature=youtu.be)
DESIGN PROJECT 50%
Project: Design of Human Powered Special Tricycle (details given in Project Description section
in page 11 attached document)

The main part of the project report excluding Appendices should not exceed 40 pages including a
cover page, contents, a list of figures, tables and references. All materials associated with the
project from minutes of the team meeting to detailed calculations, analysis, drawings and
conceptual sketches, and etc. can be added in Appendices. Peer evaluation by team members will
be provided in the project report to divide the grades among team members based on the
contribution.
Total 100%
Note: Some students will be asked to take an additional oral exam if their tests and projects raise
concerns/questions and/or the instructor deems necessary. If so, oral exam grade will be used as their test
and project grade.
Project deliverables:
Teams will submit project deliverables using Concordia Electronic Assignment Submission (EAS) in the link
below.
http://www.concordia.ca/ginacody/aits/electronic-assignment-submission.html

SYLLABUS
Topics

1 Introduction to Engineering Design

2 Machine Design (Fatigue failure, gears, shaft design, chain and belt drives)
3 Probabilistic Considerations in Design
4 Project Planning
5 Decision making
6 Engineering Economics
7 Optimum Design
8 Case Studies
Disclaimer
THE COURSE OUTLINE MAY BE CHANGED WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN CLASS, ON MOODLE, AND/OR VIA
EMAIL. THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE MATERIALS COVERED IF SUCH NEED IS
ENFORCED BY OUT OF OUR WILL EVENTS

5
 GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES

MECH390 emphasizes and develops the CEAB (Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board) graduate
attributes and indicators:
ATTRIBUTE INDICATOR LEVEL OF
KNOWLEDGE
Investigation Background and Hypothesis ADVANCED
An ability to conduct investigations of complex Formulation
problems by methods that include appropriate Designing Experiments ADVANCED
experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and
synthesis of information in order to reach valid Conducting Experiments and ADVANCED
conclusions. Collection of Data
Analysis and Interpretation of Data ADVANCED

Design Define the objective INTERMEDIATE

An ability to design solutions for complex, open-ended
engineering problems and to design systems, Idea generation and selection INTERMEDIATE
components or processes that meet specified needs
with appropriate attention to health and safety risks, Detailed design INTERMEDIATE
applicable standards, and economic, environmental,
cultural and societal considerations. Validation and implementation INTERMEDIATE

Individual and team work Cooperation and work ethics ADVANCED

An ability to work effectively as a member and leader
in teams, preferably in a multi-disciplinary setting. Contribution: Practical/Conceptual ADVANCED

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Course Learning Outcome Graduate Attribute

From the linguistic description of the project, identify the type of problem, the Investigation – Background and
fundamental specifics and the laws of physics that will be applied towards hypotheses formulation
finding a solution
For the missing information in the design process, create an experiment, Investigation –
prepare and run it. Ensure the consistency of the experiments Design experiments
Use the collected data from the experiments to fill for the missing information Investigation – Conducting
and continue refinement of the design process experiments and collect data
Acquire the ability to identify the type of problem and identify for that problem Design – Define objectives
the objectives and their metrics
Acquire the ability to use the available data of a problem to formulate Design - Idea generation and
hypotheses, identify the theories and formulate a potential path to follow selection
towards a feasible solution
Identify the suitable methods that would yield towards a feasible solution of Design - Detailed design
design. Confront the solution with the measurable objectives and adjust the
solution towards higher matching of the design with the measurable objectives
Apply the solution of the design in the practical application and evaluate the Design – Validation and
overall performance of the improved design implementation
The design carried out in groups of four requires intense collaborative Individual and team work –
interaction and planning which contribute to the team strength Cooperation and work ethics
The result of the design is presented during the last week in front of the class. Individual and team work –
The peer teams will evaluate the performance of the individuals and the team Contribution: Practical/Conceptual
throughout the presentation
EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR PROJECT REPORT AND PRESENTATION
The criteria that will lead to the grade of the project are:
• An ability to generate design solutions/concepts for given design problem and to design systems,
components or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate attention to health and safety risks,
applicable standards, and economic, environmental, cultural and societal considerations

6
 • An ability to generate an original design solution considering different concept designs by taking design
requirements and objectives into account.
• Ability to apply fundamentals engineering theory/knowledge to perform load analyses on machine
elements/assemblies, stress analyses on machine elements.
• Design, size and analyze machine elements, machine element/assemblies and the complete system.
Select standard elements.
• An ability to use techniques, skills and modern engineering tools, as computer software, CAD and CAE
software necessary for modern engineering practice.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to seek and learn new material outside the class. (Demonstrate good
engineering judgment for analysis and assumptions made)
• The report assessment will take into account the completeness of the documentation (ex. table of contents,
abstract, introductions, design methodology, conclusion, references and appendices …).
• The student will be able to set to the frame of simulations/experiments to validate concepts or learn
required values of parameters that are necessary in the design process. He or she will also be able to
analyze and use the collected data.
• They will learn to define objectives of the design in the context of creating new ideas and in the context of
the design of a new application. The students will learn the necessary steps to produce a feasible design
from ideation to a final product using classical and novel design/analysis techniques and they will apply and
implement their ideas in the context of teamwork. Work effectively as part of a design team
• They will learn to divide and equitable share tasks and effectively make use of the information to conceive
and build the set objective of a design. All design skills gained will be shaping the skills of the future
professional engineer.
• Have the good communication skills: orally, graphically as well as in writing.
It is the duty of the design group members to convince the tutors and the class instructor that they have
judiciously used the knowledge acquired in the courses in the program to acquire the necessary skills
to further successfully carry out the Capstone Project.
The presentation of a team will be held for max 15 min (+ 3 min for Q/A) minutes according to the size of the
team (3 minutes for each team member). The presentation/demonstration will count for 10% of the grade.
The criteria that will lead to the grade of the presentation are:
• The strict timing of the talk 12-15 minutes for each team on the basis of 3 minutes for each team member.
Three more minutes will be allotted for questions. Cohesiveness of the group
• Capability to present the essential of the work
• Quality of the slides
• Ability to make the talk interesting.
• The success of the demonstration on site recorded

EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR TUTORIALS

The tutorial activity will be assessed by the tutor based on the following criteria:
 Active participation to the design process during tutorial period
 Readiness in the preparation of the required materials for the tutorial
 Tasks accomplishment during the tutorial period
 Correctness of the selection of the engineering tools and procedures to be followed in design
 Accuracy of the evaluation and calculations - when carried out
 Quality of the presentation of the work carried out during the tutorial period
 Interaction with the others team members
 Attitude towards the tutorial activity
 The completeness of the documentation

7
 ON CAMPUS RESOURCES
HEALTH SERVICES COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
An on-campus health clinic and health promotion center with nurses Counsellors (licensed mental health professionals) work with
and doctors. students to address their mental health and wellbeing needs.
SGW 514-848-2424 ext. 3565 SGW 514-848-2424 ext. 3545
LOY 514-848-2424 ext. 3575 LOY 514 848-2424 ext. 3555

ACCESS CENTRE FOR STUDENTS SEXUAL ASSAULT RESOURCE CENTRE

WITH DISABILITIES Provides confidential and non-judgemental support and services to
Supports students with a variety of disability conditions (including students, staff and faculty of all genders and orientations affected by
temporary disabilities arising from illness or injury). Students sexual violence and/or harassment.
receive academic support for their educational experience at
Concordia. Jennifer Drummond, Coordinator
jennifer.drummond@concordia.ca
acsdinfo@concordia.ca 514-
sarc@concordia.ca
848-2424 ext. 3525
514-848-2424 ext. 3353
STUDENT SUCCESS CENTRE DEAN OF STUDENTS
Support network from first-year to graduation. You’ll find one-on-one Supports students to enhance their Concordia experience
tutors, study groups, workshops as well as learning and career by engaging in student life outside the classroom.
advisors
Terry Kyle, Manager
514-848-2424, ext. 3921 deanofstudents.office@concordia.ca SGW
514-848-2424 ext. 3517
LOY 514-848-2424 ext. 4239
ABORIGINAL STUDENT RESOURCE CENTRE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICE
An on-campus resource for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students that Supporting international students with immigration documents, health
helps them make the most of the many resources available at the insurance, social events, and workshops.
university. iso@concordia.ca
Orenda Konwawennotion Boucher-Curotte, Coordinator 514-848-2424 ext. 3515
orenda.boucher@concordia.ca 514-
848-2424 ext. 7327

STUDENT ADVOCACY OFFICE MULTI-FAITH & SPIRITUALITY CENTRE

Advocating for students facing charges under Provides a home for all those wishing to celebrate the human spirit
the Academic Code of Conduct or the Code of Rights and in the widest sense of the word, through programs, events and a
Responsibilities. quiet space for reflection.
studentadvocates@concordia.ca 514- Ellie Hummel, Coordinator
848-2424, ext. 3992 mfsc@concordia.ca
514-848-2424, ext. 3593

CAMPUS SECURITY CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT

Ensures the safety of our members and campus property through PARENTS CENTRE
prevention, surveillance, intervention, training, and education. Provides An accessible space for student parents to study, share
emergency medical services. interests and develop a support network.
security@concordia.ca 514- Sumaiya Gangat, Coordinator
cusp@concordia.ca
848-3717
(dial 1 for urgent situations; dial 2 for non-urgent situations) 514-848-2424, ext. 2431

ACADEMIC HONESTY AND CODE OF CONDUCT

Violation of the Academic Code of Conduct in any form will be severely dealt with. This includes
copying (even with modifications) of program segments. You must demonstrate independent
thought through your submitted work. The Academic Code of Conduct of Concordia University is
available at:

8
http://www.concordia.ca/students/academic-integrity/offences.html

It is expected that during class discussions and in your written assignments you will communicate
constructively and respectfully. Sexist, racist, homophobic, ageist, and ableist expressions will not
be tolerated.

ADDENDUM

ACADEMIC CONDUCT ISSUES THAT APPLY IN GENERAL

The basic ten rules that make you a good engineer

The B. Eng. program is set to satisfy most of the requirements for your education and prepares you for a professional
engineering career that requires dedication and knowledge. What you learn, and how you learn, will be used
extensively in your engineering profession for the next 30 to 40 years. Therefore, the four years spent in the
engineering program are crucial towards your professional formation. The first step is for you to learn to “think
like an engineer” which means:

• accept responsibility for your own learning

• follow up on lecture material and homework
• learn problem-solving skills, not just how to solve each specific homework problem
• build a body of knowledge integrated throughout your program
• behave responsibly, ethically and professionally

One of the mainstays of being a professional engineer is a professional code of conduct and as an engineering student
this starts with the Academic Code of Conduct (Article 16.3.14 of the undergraduate calendar). However, you may
encounter situations that fall outside the norm and in such cases, you use your common sense.

Further, the following issues should be given serious consideration:

1) Attendance at lectures and tutorials are major learning opportunities and should not be missed. The labs
represent a unique opportunity for you to acquire practical knowledge that you will need in your career. Class and
tutorial attendance is important for you to comprehend the discipline and make the connections between
engineering skills. You are strongly encouraged to participate in the class, ask questions and answer the instructor’s
questions. Tutorials are just extensions of the classes in which application of the concepts presented during the
lectures are presented and problems are practically solved.

2) The decision to write tests that are not mandatory is entirely yours. For example, midterm test are often stated
in many courses as optional. However, one the objectives of midterms is to check on your comprehension of the
material and allow time for whatever action is necessary (from more study time to discontinuing a course). Plan
to attend the class tests even if they are not mandatory. If you pay attention in the lectures, it will take you
significantly shorter time to comprehend the material. Note also that if you are in the unfortunate position of
being unable to write a final exam due to medical reasons and seek a deferral, this may not be possible if the
instructor has no information indicating that you have been attending the course and assimilating the material (ie
through midterms, quizzes, assignments etc).

3) Homework is usually mandatory and it has some weight in the final grade (such information is given in the course
outline). Homework may also be conceived as training material for the class tests. Under all circumstances, it is
highly recommended to carry out the home work on time and submit it on the prescribed date. Late submissions
are not granted to individual cases regardless of the reason. This is part of the training for being in the workforce

9
 where deadlines have to be met. Please, plan your work such that you submit all the assignments and lab reports
on time and in the correct place (not in the corridor or on the street!).

4) Office hours with tutors, lab instructors or class instructors are listed in the course outline/website/office doors.
Please respect these office hours and in case you have a serious conflict, contact the instructor asking for a special
time arrangement.

5) Class tests (midterms, quizzes) are not returned to the student. If you wish to see your exam paper, be aware
that most instructors allow only a narrow window of time for that purpose. For the fall term, exams may usually
be reviewed in January and May for the spring term.

6) When you see your marked work (assignments, midterms, final exam etc), be aware that you are supposed to
review your material and see the type of errors you made and if marks have been added incorrectly. This is not an
opportunity to try and “negotiate” a higher grade with the instructor. If you believe that your grade is not right,
you may apply for a formal Course Reevaluation through the Birks Student Centre.

7) Writing tests and exams represents a major component of your course work. These tests and exams have rigorous
requirements such as:
• No cell phone or other communication enabling tool is allowed on the student during the examination period.
• Only specified faculty calculators are allowed during tests and exams unless otherwise indicated by the instructor.
• Usually, no materials are allowed in the exam unless otherwise announced.
Get used to signing in and out of your exam. Make sure that you leave your exam papers with the invigilator. There
are rules concerning general exam issues in the UG Calendar. These requirements are there to eliminate any
possible misunderstanding and you are asked to respect the rules. Disciplinary measures are taken when the rules
are not followed.

8) Respect your colleagues and those that you meet during the class: tutors, instructors, lab instructors, technical
personnel, assistants, etc. Use appropriate communication means and language. Be considerate for all human
beings. This includes small things such as turning off cell-phones before a class begins. Concordia University is a
very diverse group of people and a very large multicultural community.

9) Communication is part of your future profession. Learn how to communicate effectively and efficiently in the
shortest time possible. Write short but meaningful e-mails, make effective phone calls, etc. If your instructor
accepts emails make sure that your request is clear with the course number and your name in the Subject line. Do
not ask for special treatment as instructors have to treat all students equitably.

10) Respect all the above and you will get closer to your future profession.

10
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT WORK FOR FALL 2022 TERM IN
MECH 390 – MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN PROJECT

Project: Design of Human Powered Special Tricycle

This term the project in MECH 390 requires imagination, creativity and acquired knowledge. The plan is to
design various concepts, select the optimum concept, validate the concept, dimension and design the
assembly and the components of such a system. It will be required to carry out calculation of stress and
fatigue, among other types of calculations. You will be using knowledge that you already have from MECH
211, MECH 213, MECH 243, MECH 244., …. to MECH 344. You will also need to consult manuals on
human factor to figure out specific required performance of humans.

If you take Machine Design - MECH 344 this term, hopefully someone in your team did it already and he/she
will be able to help with the detail calculations as the sequence in the project may be different than the one
in MECH344.

The project: design and validate a human powered special tricycle. The tricycle should be designed for a
single arm and single leg functioning disabled people as shown in Figure 1. The tricycle system needs to
be powered by a medium (50%) size person to maintain a motion on a flat hard surface by mechanical
power of a person. The person should be a sitting position while using the tricycle. The tricycle should be
sufficiently safe/stable while moving without rolling over. The maximum speed should be determined by
teams. The tricycle should be as light as possible. The tricycle will consist of major mechanical drive and
support elements such as chain drives/belt drives, gears, shafts, wheels, support links/rods/levers, ball
bearings and etc. Simplicity and cost-effectiveness aspects of the tricycle designs for steering,
locking/braking and driving mechanisms should preferred over complex and expensive designs. Originality
and feasibility of your design is very important for assessment perspective.

To understand the capability of humans, a NASA standard can be referred. You may find useful some
general information in NASA-STD 3000-3001 at: https://msis.jsc.nasa.gov/.

Textbooks on human factor may be useful too to select correct values for forces exerted by humans for
extended period of time (data which is necessary for design). Many such books are available in electronic
format and free to download. Moreover, the tricycle such designed should be self-operated by a sole person
50 percentile. Such tricycle should be portable in the trunk of a passenger car for a stowed position. You
will decide yourself which of the designs might be or might not be compatible with the present requirements.

Few potential designs may be found in the literature. You should consider that this is open-ended project
with limited design requirements provided. You need to come up with more of your own design
requirements. You should try not to inspire out of the existent designs but better work out an original design.
The originality of design is very important. This project is a group effort. You should discuss, do research
and discuss again, perform calculations, validations, take decisions and provide evidence that your
selection is the suitable one. Build a detail list of requirements. Establish which of the requirements are
conflicting and how you could address the conflicting requirements. Build a QFD chart and investigate the
potential solutions. Extension to a House of Quality may enable comparison with some existent such tricycle
designs.

This is a group project work, and everybody must contribute equally to the realization of the final output.
Teams can be aspired from existing designs to some extent, but not copy them. Originality of your
design is very important.

11
 Figure 1. A schematic of a mechanically powered tricycle for a person with only a single arm and single
leg functioning.

Design project requirements need to be thoroughly understood before various design concepts and a final
design configuration is proposed. Your team has the freedom to select any configuration design under the
provision that satisfies all design requirements and objectives. It is tempting to think of something that you
probably seen before. Probably, the schematic shown in Figure 1 will have that effect – to create a pre-
concept that you may not be tempted to analyze but consider it. If the fundamental checks are not a run, it
may be very possible that your design ends up as unfeasible somewhere midway through the term. This
is the reason for which significant attention should be given to various conceptual designs.

It is suggested you few steps to follow throughout the term. You will encounter every week the tutor who is
in charge with up to four projects (maximum four groups in the tutorial/laboratory session). Each design
group will be formed by students selected by the tutor based on their declared skills. For an example, the
students who have already taken MECH344 will be distributed in all groups as their knowledge and view is
important to the team. Same for the students who are very comfortable with CAD design or with
mathematical calculations and computer software/coding may use their skills in static and dynamic analysis
of the stability of proposed design(s) for various circumstances of service.

In the first session – when there is no background on the issue, one of the good approaches is to have a
brainstorming session. Each member of the group will have his or her time to propose a solution based on
their past experience and knowledge. One of the team members should write down these ideas. Please
note that all materials resulted from the tutorial/lab session are part of the design project and need to be
included in the appendix of the project report. For an example, the appendix 1 will include the first
tutorial/laboratory session. Hence, all that is produced during the design process – meetings, minutes,
sketches, homework – they are part of the written part of the project.

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The last half hour of the lab/tutorial you should discuss in group the suggestions and identify the positive
as well as the negative points of the stated ideas. Following this discussion that will reveal a design path
direction, the group leader – voluntary or elected (each team is free to do the selection the way they find
suitable) will distribute the tasks for the week to each team member. Everyone has to come back with the
“homework done”. The process could be influenced by the tutor which has the task to answer your questions
as much as he can. If there are unanswered questions, you may go and see the course instructor.

The following weeks: the decision time. Should you have doubts, ask the tutor who might give you some
help.

The required effort needs commitment and persistence from all team members. The team members need
to keep track of the carried-out work and exchange their results with the other team members. At the end
of the project, a statement which includes the contribution of all individuals in the team measured in
percentage must be transmitted along with the project. If such statement is not included, it is
automatically assumed that there is a conflict in that team. Team members are expected to resolve any
conflicts inside the formed team. If not, they need to raise the issue with their tutor, don’t wait the end of
term, otherwise a whole team may be penalized on the basis of poor teamwork.

The first tutorial/lab session will start the 2nd week of the term and ends last week when the teams will
present the results of their work during the last class day.

Do not forget: if you need help, ask. The tutor is in the class at all times during the lab/tutorial period.

We shall assume that the teams are in commercial competition such that only pre-competitive information
is exchanged among the teams. The best designs will secure high grades.

The suggested activities described below for weeks here is not mandatory, but the suggestions made will
help you to complete the design project.

In last class day, all project files (report, presentation, analysis results, models, codes, CAD files)
to be organized under different folders and zipped and submitted through Concordia Electronic
Assignment Submission (EAS).

Below is provided the work schedule for the project. The project starts the first tutorial/lab and ends last
week when the teams will present the results of their work during the last class day.

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Week #1: During the first week, teams will be formed. The tutors will establish the teams based on individual
statements related to the skills of the team members. In principle, each team will include students with the
following skills: superior CAD aptitudes, good math and analytical skills, good programming skills,
knowledge of Machine Design. The teams are made of 4 (four) or if not possible due to the number of
students in the group, 5 (five). Never 3 or 6.

Once the teams are formed, the members will select their team leader. Be aware that the team leader is
going to put significantly more effort than the other team members as he plans, assigns tasks (for himself
as well) and takes decisions for the team, speaks for the team, is in charge with the advancement of the
project, he changes assignments among the team members, motivates the team, etc. He is also responsible
for failures if they happen.

Selection of the team leader will be made by the team members – the groups will have the first tutorial/lab
for this task as above mentioned. At the end of the two hours, each team will have a leader and the tutor
will take note of the team leaders. The tutorial/laboratory are usually made of 16 students – this means four
teams of four. It is required that a team will include four or five students without any exceptions.

Lab instructors/tutors are in the lab/tutorial to help the smooth progress of work (in case a team gets
“stacked”). Ask questions, ask opinion of the team members. As this is a group project, it is supposed
to keep the progress of work, the plans and the decisions away from the “competition” which is
represented by the other teams. They could get “inspired” from your idea and come up with a better
project than yours. When one has a reference, it is easier to figure out which of the two ideas might
be better…

During the first week, you also need to complete a review of the literature including patents or other sources
of documentation (books, articles in magazines and journals, publications in general). You may be aware
that there are software package(s) to help design the configuration. You need to deliver at the beginning
of the second tutorial a report including an analysis of the existent designs of this type and discuss the pros
and cons of the designs that are interesting for individual teams. The report needs to include all the
documents produced during the design process including minutes of the meetings that you had in the class
(tutorial) or outside the class.

As a general rule, all-tutorial reports should be presented for evaluation to the tutor in a typed Times new
Roman 12 font, 1-line space, four-page typed report (figures, drawings, sketches extra pages). When
reporting is done after two weeks, the report is allowed double size (8 pages). More pages in the report
need a rationale. Hence, the presented information should be compacted as the entire documentation will
be attached to the project documentation in the final submission. Hence please conserve the corrected
reports as they will be part of the final submission. During the last class – the week of Dec 5, the teams will
present their work – each team of four will benefit of 15 minutes to convince the audience that their solution
is the best.

Week #2: – Literature review analysis and subject in-depth understanding of the problems associated with
the design requirements. Teams are expected to generate their own design requirements with sound
engineering justification(s). Both static and dynamic stability, and performance analysis for motion of tricycle
are of great concern here. The positions these loads/forces are applied are vital to the performance.
Establish design requirements for various design solutions out of which the team will choose the most
suitable design from the technical performance perspective, safety and the original requirements. For each
specified requirement an assessment needs to be carried out and proved that the requirements are all
fulfilled. For an example, a team will establish the structure of tricycle as being light. However, some
structures and/or considered material(s) for the concept design would not withstand induced loads and
stresses, and the concept designs should be re-considered. The homework will consist of the in-depth
analysis of the selected potential solutions. Each team member will be assigned by the team leader a
subject to look into and provide the share in the weekly report. Hand calculations are expected here,
identification of the specific 50 percentile person information and basic dimensions of the tricycle are in

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principle feasible to be produced at this time. One should look at forces/loads/power that a person can
apply with a single arm and leg for powering the tricycle, someone else in the group should evaluate
performance and stability conditions and the parameters that are required to be able to perform that
evaluation. Someone else should look into the dynamic and static analysis and CG contribution to the
motion and stability.

Week #3 – Conceptual design based on the established requirements. From the work carried this week,
one should be able to identify the merit of the design. The calculations identified in the past sequence will
be used here to evaluate the suitable dimensions of the tricycle and various operating mechanisms (driving,
braking and steering one). Compromises may be required here. A small CG could ensure stability, but it
may not meet the mobility requirement of achieving the speed requirement by a sole person. The conflicting
requirements should be addressed this week of work on the project such that some specific features of the
design should be identified and used in the further work which will finalize the specific design. Be aware
that the decisions taken may be subject of change as design is an iterative process. However, every
decision at every step must be provided with a reasoning. Failure to do so might deplete the grade of your
work. It is simple to keep track or the reasoning of the decisions if one takes notes of the discussions and
the decisions. Verbally is easier to provide a rationale as writing takes more time and more reasoning.
Same type of report is included this week. Again, the four pages report is due. You may add as many pages
with sketches, calculations and drawings as necessary to make yourself clear.

Week #4 – Kinematic and dynamic analysis of the motion provided by tricycle design and all forces/loads
encountered. Selected design will influence the performance and position of the CG. Through design, the
team is making sure that the design is feasible and the tricycle mobility and stability to be maintained when
operated on the flat solid surface. This week work will require you to remember the equilibrium laws as well
as aspects related to dynamics and kinematics. Moreover, in MECH 243 and MECH344 you discuss the
impact and the laws associated with this condition. You may need to recollect those in order to perform the
necessary calculations to make sure that all requirements of the design are satisfied. By now the
configuration design may be completed and general dimensions established. Again, I point the fact that you
may need to fine tune those sizes. Same 4 pages typed report is due during the tutorial/laboratory time.
Make sure that the configuration that is proposed enables the requirements of the tricycle mobility.

Week #5 and #6 – These two weeks are dedicated to dimensioning of all components for a safety factor of
2 for both static and dynamic loading conditions. By now the set of dimensions and characteristics of the
design is converging. Your team has two weeks to work the details of the design using the knowledge
acquired in the Machine Design class. Establish if the mobility with the maximum speed of tricycle could
be achieved by human mechanical effort. These numbers may be found under the human factor books
(should you search the internet; you will find some pdf formats of books and manuals on human factor).
Please make sure that you provide references for your selections.

You need to find means to evaluate the transmitted force from the hand and leg through the mechanical
links/parts/transmission to the tricycle wheels/drive system. You need to design a suitable transmission
system to achieve required torque/load to achieve required performance. I suggest you to go with the
feasible/optimum solution. Cyclic loaded components should be considered for the fatigue criteria. You will
most likely find plenty more such sites that will enable you to perform required calculations and analysis.

You need to evaluate the stress in the mechanical components of the transmission for the type of applied
loadings. You may consider that additional forces are applied to the structure – up to the maximum force
produced by a 95-percentile man. In principle, the entire configuration design and the calculations for the
mechanical components which will lead to the working drawings are ready.

The report is double week so it requires 8 typed pages in which you need to clearly explain (you may use
extra pages for sketches and drawings to explain your design in detail). Hence, you do not need to submit
a report every week but second week.

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 Week #7 and #8 – re-perform calculation for the components based on the carried-out calculations of
dimensions in case is necessary to re-iterate your design. If not, you may proceed with the CAD design –
the design should be carried by all team members and the components will be assembled in the assembly.
You need to save the design in Solid Works. The components need to be assembled and the design carried
with solid models not wireframes.

Working drawings need to pe produced. All designs, the report, the weekly reports, are all gathered in the
report that will be submitted and also designs/calculation files in digital format to be submitted. This is mainly
the duty of the team leader who is in charge with the submission as well. Please make sure that the
documentation and the designs are recorded/saved properly as a media and a faulty recording (no
unreadable documents/files) will not be considered for the evaluation of your team.

As you advance with the design, it may be a good idea to look back into the second week report and
evaluate the progress of the design. Also, I wish to have in the weekly report a paragraph in which the team
members would state if they have learned anything so far. The statements will have no effect on grading at
all. Last tutorial/lab session is dedicated to this aspect: the learned lesson.

Week #9 and #10 – You have two weeks to evaluate the design either through manufacturing or through
simulation dependent on the pandemic situation. if the pandemic situation permits in terms of accessing to
Concordia labs/3D printers, teams will manufacture and assembly small scale (1/4) or (1/5) using 3D
printers to demonstrate a proof of concept and functionality of their design. For such case, please learn
about the capability of the 3D printers in the lab before you start manufacturing parts. Also, find and carefully
read the manual of the 3D printer. Also, please make sure that your design would not require 2 weeks of
printing. There are 4 sections aiming same objective and you have to consider availability as a resource
that needs to be counted in. The two weeks aim same objective but two are scheduled such there is enough
time for all teams to make their parts. Please note that the software used for printing will indicate the duration
of printing for a specific component. As a rule of the thumb, the small scale of parts should be built and
assembled to reduce material and built time. Such aspects will be taken into consideration in the evaluation
of the project. The final assembly should be carried out. One sole report of four pages or less is required
after the two weeks of fabrication and assembly.

If accessing to Concordia labs/3D printers are not permitted, teams will create dynamic model(s) to show
simulation of their design. As you may imagine, there are many software (ADAMS, DADS, Working Model)
available to simulate and analyze your design. Mobility and stability analysis represents a great mean to
validate the design through simulation. Should you do not find available software ready-made that could
help you with the task, you may use general purpose analysis software such as Working Model (you made
use of it in Theory of Machines and Mechanisms – MECH 343). Even better, you may use the equations
that you wrote for the design, you may assess mobility, motion, power and load analysis by modifying
various design parameters. The scope of this exercise is to evaluate the performance limits of your final
design. Hence, one could figure out how much the CG and weight should affect performance. Further, one
could learn under what circumstances the tricycle will become unsafe and unstable, conditions induced by
the user and external factors. More such “what if” cases are welcomed to check the capability of your
design. Double validation – validation through solving the equations backed by software will be highest
graded. Also, more limit situations a group will analyse, higher grade will receive. As usual, the report at
the end of the two weeks contains 8 pages plus drawings and sketches.

Week # 11 – This is the last week of project. The project write-up should be started by this week. One
aspect that needs to be addressed this week is to review the learned lesson. As you know, this project is
in the curriculum to prepare you for the capstone project. The capstone project follows more or less same
kind of sequence and it has very strict deadlines.

This course was introduced more than 10 years ago following a request of the accreditation team at the
time. Interesting enough is the fact that the teams as formed by the tutors in MECH 390 are usually same

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in the capstone project course MECH 490 where teams are formed by the initiative of the students. People
who work together for some time come along and find easier to collaborate as the team members know
each other and came to know their strengths and weaknesses. More or less, same things happen in the
company where you will commence your professional career at the end of the program.

Week # 12 –You need to use some time to evaluate your design evolution – if any – during the course. It
is extremely important to discuss the challenges that you encountered and how you addressed them if you
did. Look back and evaluate if you did learn and what you did learn during the project period – classes,
tutorial and individual work. You may comment what was right and what was not. This is not the class
evaluation but the “learned lesson” analysis time. Try to look back and see what should make this project
a better experience. Also, do not forget to fill in the statement of work – in which each team member signs
in with his agreed-by-everyone in the team his or her contribution.

Finalize the writeup of the project and build the required submission file. The project deliverables will be
submitted before the presentation which is tentatively scheduled during the week of Dec 5 in the last class
day (9:00am – 4:30pm).

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GENERAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

This is an open ended -project, therefore no specific design requirements provided, but some general
design requirements are listed below to provide some ideas for teams here to consider, however teams are
expected to generate specific design requirements for feasible tricycle design for intended use.

The tricycle should be safe and stable from operation point of view when moving.

The selected material and design should enable to achieve a maximum selected speed without any
structural damage.

The engineering fundamental rules of design require that a product should be conceived for the best
required performance at the lowest cost and weight to ensure the commercial success of the product

The design should be performed such that the tricycle and its components will last X years for operation
conditions as stated below:

- Operation of Y hours per day, Z days per year for X years.

- Tricycle should climb a certain percentage of slope
- Targeted safety factor will be determined by teams
- Maximum weight of designed tricycle will be determined by teams
- Tricycle is safe for a single user
- Portable to be transported in the trunk of a passenger car

Make sure that the dynamic loads would not be problem for safety and stability of the design and its
components.

Should you identify other specific requirements, enlist them and produce the evidence that the tricycle is
safe for a user.

We shall assume that the teams are in commercial competition such that only pre-competitive information
is exchanged among the teams. The best designs will secure high grades.

It is expected that each team member will carry out his or her work such that the contribution to the final
design is equally shared. This is the reason for which the last page of each written project must include
a statement of work page in which all team members must sign the statement of contribution to the
completion of the project. Team project grades will be adjusted in accordance with team member(s)
contribution.

The structure of the report is recommended to be as it follows

Good luck with the project!

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Project Report

The main project must include the following items in the report:

• Cover page with the title of the project, the team name and the members of the team with their ID
number. You must write the following statement: “We certify that this submission is the original work
of members of the group and meets the Faculty's Expectations of Originality”, with the signatures
of all the team members and the date.
• Abstract
• Table of contents
• List of figures and tables
• List of symbols and abbreviations – if necessary
• Introduction: here the rationale of the work, the objectives and the targeted measurable scope of
the design should be described.
• Design methodology (the main body of the report) including the identification of need, design
requirements, project planning, design options/concepts, proof of all decision as taken during the
design process (decision making), detail explanation on how requirement have been met through
the selected solution/optimum design, modeling/simulation analysis, originality of your team
project, …
• Conclusion of the work and your findings and discoveries during the tenure of the process of design
must be included and clearly explained. Each of you will perceive a different challenge and face a
different challenge. Each member of the team should write about this experience and how he/she
could do better than the first try. The report is free format. As a major hint, it must include all the
information that clarifies the design solution that you have selected. This includes explanations and
proofs, calculation, references, the best practice, etc. However, all decisions should be clearly
explained and reasoned.
• List of references
• Appendices: Materials may be consulted to check the validity of the results, etc. Content for the
appendices could include patent search results, working drawings, schematics, computer code,
rejected concepts, bill of materials, front pages of key data sheets, laboratory reports from the
evaluation and so on. All drawings in Solid work need to be included in the report. The report is
submitted in electronic format. All tutorials and the mini-projects will also be included in the
appendices. The individual notebooks will also be included in the appendices.
• According to the recommendations, the main part of the report excluding Appendices should not
exceed 40 pages. The last page will include a statement of all four (or five) team members
who need to declare that the work is original – not copied. Meanwhile, a distribution of the
work carried out by each team member must be clearly shown. The sum of all percentile
contribution will be of 100%. Each team member needs to sign that he/she agrees with the
statement. The statement page is extremely important in the report.
• Prepare the presentation – assign tasks to the team members (consider a 3 minutes talk per team
member). Practice the presentation and get ready to deliver it (during the last day of class).

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