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Activity 3.1b

Activity:  what do engineers do? Spend 30 minutes (and no more) searching the internet (using your preferred type of search engine) to find an example of an engineering project.

I have chosen to research projects both physical and research only that are currently taking place to try and help aviation fuel efficacy while reducing greenhouse gases. Lots of companies are looking into different ideas and concepts, NASA have shown a lot of interest and discussed ideas around electric flight projects. This is a good future concept but requires a lot of planning.

More simple fixes have been discussed by company’s such as Airbus who have created and started to put there A320neo aircraft into service. The aircraft is an adaption of there A320 model. They contain geared turbofans which means a lot less fuel is burned equally making the aircraft more environmentally friendly but also cheaper to operate. Finally, airlines 4 America signed a contract to create jet fuel from non-food plant oils and have targeted 50% or higher reductions in greenhouse gas per gallon of fuel.

Making changes to the fuel we use during flight has many benefits but to conclude…

-        Sustainable alternatives help to strengthen environmental records.

-        Help reduced price volatility.

-        Enhance energy security.

Interesting Links. 

http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/10/16/the-airbus-a320neo-arrives-at-spirit-airlines-inco.aspx - A320neo.

https://www.energyglobal.com/downstream/clean-fuels/20092016/jetblue-secures-sustainable-alternative-jet-fuel-deal-4112/ - A4A Fuel.

http://cleantechnica.com/2016/08/08/5-crazy-or-not-so-crazy-green-aviation-concepts/ - Nasa Ideas.

Activity 2.5

A.)  What do you think are the relative contributions of the raw materials and the machinery to the final cost of the pen to the customer? 

The relative contributions within the manufacturing process of the ball point pen will include some of the materials that are used. For example, the brass ball is manufactured in bulk but to such precession that the machinery involved will be extremely expensive; Furthermore, the brass used to produce the ball point will be the main cost within a singular pen. However, with the balance of the computer controlled lathe meaning production can continue at a rapid pace the price of the material is near enough balanced when in perspective off how many can be produced at once.

 Moreover, the plastic that is used during production has to be made into multiple parts for the pen for example you have the outer barrel, the ink tube and the plastic plugs that the ink tube fits into. Each of these items will require a separate manufacturing process, so as much as the plastic may not be too costly in the grand scheme it will actually be one of the biggest costs due to the number of varied components it has to produce. To conclude the machinery used within the production process will be by far the biggest cost which will in pact more what the customer is paying for than the actual pen product. However due to the demand the machines are able to meet, the cost of production balances by the amount of pens the machines are capable of producing in a short amount of time.

B.)   

      When is most investment required for producing the pen.

The main investments required for producing a pen will be within the cost of buying and the upkeep of the machinery. This also has other investment requirements such as a facility to hold the machinery. Additionally, if the machinery goes wrong at any point how much will this cost to fix, will someone be employed with the purpose of keeping the machines working?

 If analysing the investment purely based on the product, then the most investment will come when producing the steel balls. All though this is done via machinery thinking of the entire production process including getting the brass to the point where it can start to be moulded into the ball shape, makes this the longest process from starting point to final product. It is also the most significant part of the pen and precision at assembly point is key.

Week 3 Planned time table including study breakdown and Maths support lecture on 17th. 

Activity 3.2 – Resources for Engineering.

Question: Look at the following examples of a data sheet for a particular model of washing machine. Pick out two examples of quantitative data and two examples of qualitative data about the machine.

Quantitative.

•       “Energy consumption 135kw h/annum, based on 220 standard washing cycles for cotton programmes at 60c and 40c at full and partial load, and the consumption of the low-power modes. Actual energy consumption will depend on how the appliance is used.”
  
•       “Water consumption 9460 1/annum, based on 220 standard washing cycles for cotton programs at 60c and 40c at full and partial load. Actual water consumption will depend on how the appliance is used.”
  

Qualitative.

•        “Free-standing”
  
•        “Trade Mark – Bosch.”
  

Activity 3.1

Question: Suggest examples of engineering which tried , but failed to meet a particular need. 

My Example: De Havilland Comet

Wikipedia Link….: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Comet

Other interesting Links….: http://lessonslearned.faa.gov/ll_main.cfm?TabID=1&LLID=28&LLTypeID=2

Summary Why I have picked this.

I have chosen to focus on the De Havilland comet as my example of extremely successful engineering but also had equal catastrophic failures. These failures were later  re designed and contributed towards most base model of most modern day aircraft.

One of the most famous issues with the De Havilland was the fact the aircraft was designed with square windows. The problem with this design started to become evident when an aircraft test was carried out under water to demonstrate a similar level of compression to what the aircraft would have to withstand during flight. The experiments soon demonstrated how the square window design upon the aircraft could not deal with the stress In such a localised area. Unlike modern day aircraft where the stress and strain can freely transfer around the oval shape the square windows simply formed an intense pressure of strain in one small area. The stress was so intense on the localised areas that it began to change the way in which the material characteristic acted which eventually resulted in in-flight break ups of the cabin fuselage leading to multiple fatal crashes.

What was changed / learnt. – Solution.

Aviation engineering and structural design learnt a huge lesson from this aircraft and that has resulted in the oval design of aircraft windows that we have today. These continue to be developed and re-designed be that in a different material or with the new features such as auto dimming which is quite a common feature upon new Boeing aircraft such as the Dreamliner.

 Had the Havilland not gone through these “Modelling cycle” practices and unfortunately the loss of aircraft no one would have found this design feature simply from drawings or concept ideas.

See attached word document with summary of strain video 2.3

Activity 2.2B.

Helpful Tips

Link: http://www2.open.ac.uk/students/skillsforstudy/helpful-tips.php

Tips:

• 80% of the result can be gained by concentrating on 20% most important tasks.
• Regularly check study calendar.
•  Highlight textbook areas that require more time / holding you up and revisit them.
• Write out assessment questions , add notes / ideas to them.
• Check rules for your assessment. ( Word count etc.)
•  

Web Page Conclusion:

• Keep on top with upcoming assessments, write the questions down and make notes as and when possible. Refer back to notes at assessment time. Highlight areas of difficulty and come back to them; don’t get stressed. Relax and move on revisit them after another activity.

Activity 2.2B.

Study Goals.

Link:  http://www2.open.ac.uk/students/skillsforstudy/study-goals.php

Time Management:

• Organising time you have put aside each day, knowing exactly what you plan on studying, for how long and where.
• Be Strict, Stick to plans and keep on track.

Tips:

• Dived work into small manageable chunks. – Break up Large tasks

Planning:

• Set Goals, Both short term and Long term.
• Create a weekly time table.
• Create daily / weekly to do lists.
•  

Web Page Conclusion:

Try making an action plan at the begging of the week, like the example given. Set small manageable goals and also target dates and completion dates.

Exercise 2.1Question: Suggest examples of products that illustrate the difference between ‘craft’ and ‘engineering’ from the following areas of industry

A.)Food

      B.)Furniture

      C.)Transport

Definition of Craft and Engineering production.

 Craft Production: “Craft production is the process of manufacturing by hand with or without the aid of tools.” –

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craft_production

 Production Engineering: “Production Engineering is a combination of manufacturing technology, engineering sciences with management science. A production engineer typically has a wide knowledge of engineering practices and is aware of the management challenges related to production. The goal is to accomplish the production process in the smoothest, most-judicious and most-economic way.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_engineering

 Food – Craft

-       Bakery – Handmade cakes or pastry’s that have been individually crafted and created.

-       Restaurant – individually constructed and designed dishes put together by hand.

Food – Engineering.

-       Sweets made on a large scale by industrial machinery.

-       Farming that uses genetically modified theory’s, or farming that is carried out on a sizeable scale.

 Furniture – Craft

-       Handmade wooden furniture, where hand tools would have been used and items individually produced not on mass scale. Often all different as designed to separate specifications.

-       Hand sewn / knitted blanks / throws – Designed and created by an individual using hand skills and technique.

Furniture – Engineering.

-       Mass produced flat pack for example ‘ikea’ the furniture would have been designed by an engineer and created using machinery on a great scale no hand craft involved.

        Transport – Craft

-       Composite components for example in the Aviation industry. The repair and structures would have been designed by an engineer however a skilled craftsman would carry out the repairs in accordance with the engineer’s theory. Moreover, this is normally carried out by a few individuals by hand involving a lot of skill and craftsmanship.

Transport – Engineering

-       Aviation industry involves engineers every day through production and fleet maintenance. For examples an aircraft engine obviously involves a huge amount of planning, theory, maths and methodology. Engineers are involved from the design process at the very start all the way through the upkeep such as Borescopes and inspections. Additionally, Engineers will continuously research something like an Engine to always find a better more effective way of adapting / creating a new variety of the product.

What one study skill will you look at improving first and why have you chosen that particular study skill?

 The first study skill I plan on focusing and improving on will be “Planning and Prioritising”. I feel I should learn to adapt my work and study life around each other as quickly as possible. I believe this will benefit and ease my work load as well as being a benefactor of reducing stress which additionally is an area I am aware I need to improve on.

·      How long do you think it will take to work through the materials appropriate to improving that particular skill, and when do you intend to do it?

I plan on continuously working on this particular skill as I feel I will always find new and effective ways of Planning and prioritising. I personally don’t consider it a skill I could ever complete but in fact one to adapt and grow upon. Using the material provided such as the “Foursquare Grid” I feel I Can use this method wisely throughout my university studies, so that I have guidelines to follow and an easy way to view tasks that I have deemed of a higher priority than others.