MECH-416-chenx-2026-01-22-04-22-56
Title of Course [Mechanical Systems Design I ]
Prefix and Number MECH416[M]
Semester and Year Fall, 2026
Number of Credit Hours 3
Prerequisites MECH 310; MECH 404; MECH 414 or concurrent enrollment
Course Details
Day and Time: Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:20-5:35PM
Meeting Location: VECS105
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor Name: Dr. Linda Chen
Instructor Contact Information: VECS301U, (360)546-9117, chenx@wsu.edu
Instructor Office Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays, 9-10:30AM
TA Name: None
TA Contact Information: [office location, phone, email]: N/A
TA Office Hours: N/A
Course Description
416 [M] Mechanical Systems Design I 3 First term of the year-long capstone design; integrative design in mechanical engineering; multidisciplinary design project considering technical and nontechnical contexts. Typically offered Fall.
Course Materials
Books: None
Other Materials: None
Fees: None
|
Course Learning Outcomes (students will be able to:) |
Activities Supporting the Learning Outcomes | Assessment of the Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
|
Critical and Creative Thinking: Analyze needs to produce problem definition for thermal and mechanical systems. Carry out the design process (such as concept generation, modeling, evaluation, iteration) to satisfy project requirements for mechanical systems. |
Design Process, Project Management, Teamwork-Ethics, DFM/Ergonomics, Engineering Economics. |
Group Project Report, Progress Reports to both Instructor and Project Sponsor, Comprehensive Individual Report. |
|
Information Literacy: Examine economic tradeoffs in engineering designs. Find, evaluate, and use resources to learn new material not taught in class. List sources for continuing education. Recognize the responsibility for learning and importance of lifelong learning. |
Design Process, Project Management, Teamwork-Ethics, DFM/Ergonomics, Engineering Economics. |
Group Project Report, Progress Reports to both Instructor and Project Sponsor, Comprehensive Individual Report. |
|
Communication: Share responsibilities and information on schedule with others on the team. Produce a variety of documents, particularly project proposals, using appropriate formats, grammar, and mechanics with discipline-specific conventions including citations. |
Project Scoping, Requirements Development, Design Iteration, Preparation of Technical Documentation, Coordination with Industry Sponsors, Preparation for Design Reviews and Presentations. |
Group Project Report, Group Project Presentation, Progress Reports to both Instructor and Project Sponsor, Comprehensive Individual Report. |
|
Quantitative Reasoning: Apply quantitative principles and methods to solve real-world problems. Interpret quantitative information such as data, graphs, and models.
|
Design Process, Project Management, Teamwork-Ethics, DFM/Ergonomics, Engineering Economics.
|
Group Project Report, Progress Reports to both Instructor and Project Sponsor, Comprehensive Individual Report. |
|
Diversity: Participate in the development and selection of ideas. Interact with industry. |
Project Scoping, Requirements Development, Design Iteration, Coordination with Industry Sponsors. |
Peer Review Form, Progress Reports, Comprehensive Individual Report. |
|
Integration of Learning: Synthesize knowledge to address complex real-world problems. |
Design Process, Project Management, Teamwork-Ethics, DFM/Ergonomics, Engineering Economics. |
Group Project Report, Group Project Presentation, Progress Reports to both Instructor and Project Sponsor, Comprehensive Individual Report. |
| Dates | Lesson Topic | Assignment | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
Sponsor Project Seminars | Summary of industry-sponsored projects | Seminar Reports |
| Week 2 [dates] |
Sponsor Project Seminars | Summary of industry-sponsored projects | Seminar Reports |
| Week 3 [dates] |
Sponsor Project Seminars | Summary of industry-sponsored projects | Seminar Reports |
| Week 4 [dates] |
Teamwork, Project Management, Technical Communication | Industry Project Interest Survey | Student Info Sheet |
| Week 5 [dates] |
Coordination with Industry Sponsor | Progress Meetings | Progress Reports |
| Week 6 [dates] |
Project Scoping, Design Requirements Development | Progress Meetings | Progress Reports |
| Week 7 [dates] |
Concept Generation | Progress Meetings | Progress Reports |
| Week 8 [dates] |
Design Iteration | Progress Meetings | Progress Reports |
| Week 9 [dates] |
Detailed Design | Progress Meetings | Progress Reports |
| Week 10 [dates] |
Preliminary Design Review | Preliminary Design Review Meeting | Preliminary Design Review Presentation |
| Week 11 [dates] |
Minimum Viable Products | Progress Meetings | Progress Reports |
| Week 12 [dates] |
DFM/Ergonomics | Progress Meetings | Progress Reports |
| Week 13 [dates] |
Engineering Economics | Progress Meetings | Progress Reports |
| Week 14 [dates] |
Final Design Review | Final Design Review Meeting | Final Design Review Presentation |
| Week 15 [dates] |
Final Design | Final Design Deliverables to Sponsor | Final Design Presentation, Final Project Report, Comprehensive Individual Report |
Expectations for Student Effort
For each hour of lecture equivalent, students should expect to have a minimum of three hours of work outside of class.
Grading [add more lines if necessary]
| Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc) | Points | Percent of Overall Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance and participation at the weekly project | 5 | 5% |
| Performance on weekly assigned tasks | 20 | 20% |
| Review of individual performance | 25 | 25% |
| Final report and presentation | 35 | 35% |
| Interaction with the project sponsors | 10 | 10% |
| Group interaction | 5 | 5% |
| Grade | Percent | Grade | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| A |
94-100% |
C | 74-76% |
| A- | 90-93% | C- | 70-73% |
| B+ | 87-89% | D+ | 67-69% |
| B | 84-86% | D | 60-66% |
| B- | 80-83% | F | below 60% |
| C+ | 77-79% |
[Note: 89% earns a B+ and 90% earns an A-; a grade of 89.5% will be rounded to 90% based on standard rounding rules.]
Attendance and Make-Up Policy
Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings. However, in the event a student is unable to attend a class, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor as soon as possible, explain the reason for the absence (and provide documentation, if appropriate), and make up class work missed within a reasonable amount of time, if allowed. Missing class meetings may result in reducing the overall grade in the class.
No make-up assignments will be given unless a medical or other verified emergency is the reason for missing the assignment.
Academic Integrity Statement
You are responsible for reading WSU's Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law. If you cheat in your work in this class you will:
-Receive a grade F
-Be reported to the Center for Community Standards
-Have the right to appeal my decision
-Not be able to drop the course of withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished
If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do in this course, ask me.
If you want to ask for a change in my decision about academic integrity, use the form at the Center for Community Standards website. You must submit this request within 21 calendar days of the decision.