Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Project Ideas

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around generating ideas for a Mechanical Engineering senior design project. Participants explore various concepts, project requirements, and personal interests while considering the constraints of working individually and budget limitations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses the need for project ideas that can be completed individually, highlighting their intermediate knowledge in AutoCAD, mechanics, materials, and manufacturing.
  • Another participant suggests that working in a multidisciplinary team could enhance the project outcome, although acknowledges the individual requirement.
  • Multiple participants inquire about the necessity of creating a working model, project deadlines, and budget constraints, emphasizing the importance of these factors in project selection.
  • There is a proposal for a project involving a high-voltage tazer spear tip designed to incapacitate large fish, which raises questions about project feasibility and ethical considerations.
  • Participants discuss the time commitment for the project, with one indicating a willingness to spend around 360 hours over 30 weeks, and express openness to incorporating electrical components alongside mechanical designs.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the classification of certain designs as weapons, with suggestions to reframe terminology to avoid regulatory issues.
  • One participant mentions the importance of project management skills in addition to technical work, suggesting that planning and execution should be included in the project scope.
  • There is a mention of a potential resource in a participant's friend who has a machine shop, indicating a collaborative approach to brainstorming ideas.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a variety of ideas and concerns, with no clear consensus on a specific project concept. The discussion remains open-ended with multiple competing views on project direction and feasibility.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not established clear guidelines on what constitutes acceptable project designs, particularly regarding the use of items that may be classified as weapons. There are also unresolved questions about the feasibility of certain proposed designs and the implications of project management responsibilities.

Who May Find This Useful

Students in mechanical engineering or related fields seeking inspiration for individual design projects, as well as those interested in project management within engineering contexts.

umair21
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Hey guys, I am currently studying Mechanical Engineering in the UK. For my final year, we have to basically invent or design something that hasn't been invented before or improve something that's already been invented.Now unlike my cousin who's studying Aerospace Engineering in the US, he told me that for his senior project, he will be working with a group of 5 people, who specialize in different disciplines of engineering like electrical, industrial, mechanical etc. So basically I have to work alone on my final year project. I would say I have Intermediate knowledge on Auto Cad,Mechanics, Materials and Manufacturing. What do you guys suggest ? and the costs of whatever I work on is coming out of my pocket. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could give me an Idea that's possible within the limitations of the specialties I mentioned above.
 
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Does your program not provide the possibility of doing a team assignment? It can be valuable to work on a team (especialIy a multidisciplinary team) and you may achieve more through teamwork and brainstorming.

That being said if you must work alone, I would recommend choosing a project in a hobby area of yours. Try to choose something in an area of interest that has the possibility of design optimization.
 
Does the project require you make a working model? Got plenty of ideas to toss at you, but should be something in your area of interest. Estimated time you are expected to apply to project? When is it due? Budget limits?
 
Linghunt said:
Does the project require you make a working model? Got plenty of ideas to toss at you, but should be something in your area of interest. Estimated time you are expected to apply to project? When is it due? Budget limits?
Yes the project requires a working model, the deadline is may 2015 and my budget is under $1600
 
That's plenty of time and $$, What about an estimate for how much time you want to spend on it. Ball park, say 40 hrs, 100, 400 , etc.

Are you more interested in a design will multiple parts and tolerating aspects, or maybe a design dealing with metal forming and material compression limits.

Do you want design to include electrical hardware or just mechanical?

I got one design in my list of things to do is a HV tazer spear tip, looking to paralyze the nervous system of large fish when they are shot with a pole spear. Fish can get over 500 lbs. Not that is the project, but I have a list of concepts and ideas that are not typical.

What are the baseline rules for your project, Working with me or my buddy engineers against what is allowed?
 
Linghunt said:
That's plenty of time and $$, What about an estimate for how much time you want to spend on it. Ball park, say 40 hrs, 100, 400 , etc.

Are you more interested in a design will multiple parts and tolerating aspects, or maybe a design dealing with metal forming and material compression limits.

Do you want design to include electrical hardware or just mechanical?

I got one design in my list of things to do is a HV tazer spear tip, looking to paralyze the nervous system of large fish when they are shot with a pole spear. Fish can get over 500 lbs. Not that is the project, but I have a list of concepts and ideas that are not typical.

What are the baseline rules for your project, Working with me or my buddy engineers against what is allowed?
Well I'm looking to spend around 360 hours or 30 weeks and there are no rules and restrictions, I can get help from other engineering students but projects are individual and I don't mind working with electrical hardware along with mechanical and a design with multiple components with tolerating aspects. By the way I'm not allowed to make ammunition lool.
 
umair21 said:
Well I'm looking to spend around 360 hours or 30 weeks and there are no rules and restrictions, I can get help from other engineering students but projects are individual and I don't mind working with electrical hardware along with mechanical and a design with multiple components with tolerating aspects. By the way I'm not allowed to make ammunition lool.

Ammunition means use of gunpowder? Not what I was considering., but would be fun as well. Polespears and spearguns hopefully not considered a no no. 360 hours, going to have to consider one of the harder design challenges.

My BSME bud Joe, who also has a machine shop in his garage should be back in a few days from vacation trip. He might have some different ideas for you to choose from. Joe is worse than me for crazy ideas.

Since you are new to the prototype design mode, Let me consider it will take you 180 hrs of work, the 180 additional hours will towards learning and redo type activities.

Be a good idea for you to wear the project manager cap as well, typically you don't learn this in school but on the job. Planning, Estimating, and Executing a project is just as important as doing the technical fun stuff. I would recommend this be added to the scope.
 
Linghunt said:
Ammunition means use of gunpowder? Not what I was considering., but would be fun as well. Polespears and spearguns hopefully not considered a no no. 360 hours, going to have to consider one of the harder design challenges.

My BSME bud Joe, who also has a machine shop in his garage should be back in a few days from vacation trip. He might have some different ideas for you to choose from. Joe is worse than me for crazy ideas.

Since you are new to the prototype design mode, Let me consider it will take you 180 hrs of work, the 180 additional hours will towards learning and redo type activities.

Be a good idea for you to wear the project manager cap as well, typically you don't learn this in school but on the job. Planning, Estimating, and Executing a project is just as important as doing the technical fun stuff. I would recommend this be added to the scope.
I don't know the exact policy on spear guns and gun powder but so far attending the university's senior engineering project events for the past couple of years, I haven't seen anything like that or anything that resembles a weapon of any kind and definitely work experience I think is as important as class work. I'm also applying for an internship which can only help me do a better job with this senior project and time management skills. I'm really looking forward to what you guys suggest and thank you for contributing so far.
 
Weapon is such a general term. All of these items are weapons; pencil, baseball bat, roll on coins, aluminum flashlight, screw driver, almost anything.

Most in general public have no clue what a speargun or pole spear is. Call the speargun "a Stainless steel shaft acceleration device."

If you leave the word gun out of it it will confuse them. Don't know about UK, but these tools for getting fish are not regulated her, except by Game and Fish rules.

Could go with something different as well, like a micrometer to measure multi-start threads. Not sure it's even possible.
 
  • #10
Did you come up with a concept? Not heard from you in a while.
 

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