Engin 103
Project 1
Design, Build, and
Demonstrate the Utility and Impact of Gears on Civilization.
Demonstration of the Beat
Phenomenon in Bi-motor Engines
In this project, you are required to
work in teams to design, build and demonstrate the utility and impact of gears
on civilization in the first day and demonstrate the beat phenomenon as related
to synchronization in bi-motor engines. More information will be posted on this
web page (already updated, see below).
The
beat phenomenon can be observed when the two engines of a bi-motor airplane are
turning at slightly different frequencies. This situation can be modeled with
two toy engines with helices. The engine rotations are periodic oscillations in
time that can be described by sinusoids, for example:
cos(ω1t)
and cos(ω2t) where ω is the angular frequency that is
related to the frequency f by ω=2πf. The signal that comes to our
ears is a superposition of these two, by trigonometry we can write:
cos(ω1t)
+ cos(ω2t) = cos[(ω1 – ω2) t/2)] × cos[(ω1 + ω2)
t/2)]
The
intensity that we hear is the square of this superposition, which shows an oscillating amplitude with a frequency of ω1
– ω2. This frequency is much lower than the individual ω1 and
ω2, resulting in an
audible oscillation that we hear, which
is the beat phenomenon.
Total materials cost should be lest
than $30, copies of receipts to be submitted with project reports.
Each team will do a 5 minute
presention on their device in each day which includes an introduction (what
they did, how they made it, etc.) followed by the demonstrations. The webpage
on the project, along with the project report will be due the class after the
second day of the presentations (please check the e-syllabus for exact dates).
A progress report on the project will be due about a week before the first of
the two presentation days (please check the e-syllabus for exact date). The
project report is expected to be a good written document (see Good Writing
Practices), and graded under three categories: correct grammar and neat
presentation; logical arguments and structure; accurate report of the team
project, completeness, and no plagiarism. Project report will be submitted in
hardcopies with member signatures and also in electronic form (see Computer Files:
Names and Electronic Submissions). A complete report should include the
following sections:
-Introduction: brief description of
project objectives in your own words, background information needed for the
design, work distribution among the team members, and timelines for the
different parts of the project: research, design, building, testing
-Design and building: descriptions
of the different phases until your team achieved the final design, this section
should include sketches and diagrams, how the
different hardware components were selected to achieve the goals, the list of
components with specification and prices.
-Analysis: comments on the results
obtained, pinpointing causes that lead to certain behaviors, possible
improvements. It should also include a brief manual of operation,
troubleshouting list, and appropriate recognition of other author’s materials
if used in your project.
-Conclusion: overview of the team
achivement and lections learned for the future.
Grades will be computed as follows:
|
Items |
Points |
||
|
Project
completed and presented |
50 |
||
|
Project
performance (perform tasks specified) |
10 |
||
|
Good
design |
10 |
||
|
Project
presentation and webpage |
10 |
||
|
Written
reports |
Progress
report |
5 |
|
|
Project report: will not accepted without all member’s
signatures on percentage of participation |
Grammar
and presentation |
5 |
|
|
Logical
arguments; structure |
5 |
||
|
Accurate
and complete |
5 |
||
|
Total
project grade |
100 |
||