Mechanical & Materials Engineering

Engineering Building, Suite 400

www.me.pdx.edu
503-725-4290

Course: EAS 199A, Engineering Problem Solving 1

Credits: 3
Required/Elective: Required
Prerequisites: College Algebra
Meeting times: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 – 3:50 PM
Web site: http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/eas199/A
Instructor: Gerald Recktenwald

Course Description
EAS 199A, 199B, and 199C provide an introduction to skills, modern tools, teamwork, design
methodology and professional practices of a typical mechanical engineer. In EAS 199A, students learn to
analyze, fabricate and troubleshoot electromechanical systems. Students learn programming and solid
modeling. They use written and oral communication as part of assignments and class projects.
Textbook and other required course materials
There is no textbook. Reading materials and class notes are provided on the class web site. Students are
required to have their own laptop computer that they bring to class. Specifications for the laptops are given
below. Students must purchase a microcontroller project kit called the Arduino Inventor’s Kit. The kits are
available at the Portland State Bookstore.
Performance Assessments
Student achievement of learning objectives is assessed with homework, quizzes, exams and Homework 20%
projects using the weighting scheme shown in the table to the right. Weekly assignments Quizzes (2) 20%
require students to bring working programs and/or circuits to class. Exams will require Midterm exam 20%
students to show knowledge by writing programs and building circuits. Students will Fan Project 10%
complete two projects – a desktop fan, and a water pump – that will involve design analysis, Pump Project 10%
fabrication, testing, and in the case of the desktop fan, programming. These projects will be Final exam 20%
completed in teams of two, with both students sharing the same grade.
Computer Requirements
Students are required to have their own laptop computer. Laptops running the latest versions of Windows,
or Macintosh operating systems are acceptable. Regardless of the operating system chosen, students are
expected to be able to maintain and use their computers to complete the homework assignments in the
class. The instructors and Teaching Assistants cannot offer tutoring or support for operating system
maintenance. Students will need to have a recent version of the Microsoft Office software suite. Students
will need to run Excel, and PowerPoint during in-class exercises and presentations. Students will need to
demonstrate proficiency with Excel during quizzes and exams. Students will need to use Solidworks to
complete homework assignments.
The Maseeh College has two general purpose computing laboratories, one in Engineering Building (EB)
room 325 and the other in Fourth Avenue Building (FAB) 55-17. See cat.pdx.edu/labstatus and
cat.pdx.edu/students/labs.html for more information. Solidworks and Microsoft Office are
installed on the computers in the EB 325 lab.
Toolkit
Students are required to assemble a set of hand tools to be used in completing homework assignments and
in-class exercises. Students are expected to bring the tools to class. The list of tools is specified on the class
website, http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/eas199/A/equipment.
Liability Release
Students will be working with hand tools, power tools and electronic equipment during class, and as part of
completing homework assignments and projects. This equipment is typical of that used by practicing
engineers and engineering technicians in the normal course of performing their job duties. Students will be
 provided instruction in the safe use of these tools and equipment. As a condition of taking the class,
students must agree to sign a form that releases Portland State University and its staff from liability for
injury caused during the use of the equipment
Learning Objectives:
The following table lists the learning objectives for the course, and the corresponding ABET Program
Outcomes. Students who successfully complete the course will be able to demonstrate the learning
objectives. ABET is the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (www.abet.org) that
establishes nationwide standards for engineering programs. The table shows how the specific goals of this
class relate to the larger objectives of the BSME program, and hence the ABET Program Outcomes. A list
of ABET Program Outcomes is available at http://www.me.pdx.edu/programs/undergrad/objectives.php.

ABET
Learning Objectives: Program
Students must demonstrate the ability to: Outcomes
1 Analyze DC circuits with Ohm’s law, and Kirchoff’s voltage and current laws a
2 Build and debug electrical circuits on a breadboard a,b
3 Write and debug programs for the Arduino microcontroller platform, and to
use those programs to read data from sensors and to control LEDs, transistors a,k
and motors.
4 Read hand sketches and machine drawings. a, b, k
5 Use Solidworks to make two-dimensional sketches, three-dimensional solid
c, k
models, dimensioned part drawings, and assembly drawings.
6 Safely and effectively perform drilling operations with a manual milling
k
machine.
7 Fabricate small mechanical components and assemble those components in to
k
a working electromechanical systems.
8 Perform mathematical analysis and plotting with Excel. b, k
9 Apply principles of mass and energy conservation to the operation of a
a, e
centrifugal pump
10 Measure performance of a water pump, and analyze the results using least
b
squares curve fits.
11 Make presentations and short written reports in a professional format. g
12 Work in teams to complete projects that involve fabrication, assembly and
d
testing of small mechanical systems.

Topics Covered
The following list shows the topics covered in each class meeting. Note that this schedule may change
during the term as necessary to insure student learning.

1 Introduction, Ohm’s Law

2 Resistors in series and parallel
3 Multimeter demo, build an LED circuit on a breadboard
4 Kirchoff’s Voltage Law, simple analysis with Excel
5 Begin Arduino programming, Kirchoff’s Current Law, binary numbers
6 Arduino programming for controlling a small DC motor, structured Excel
7 Plotting in Excel, introduction to servo motors
8 Plotting in Excel, Arduino servo control, 2D drawing in Solidworks
9 Soldering the DC motor. Finish Solidworks drawing
10 Midterm
11 Desktop fan wrap-up. What is design?
12 Least squares linear regression
13 Desktop fan presentations and R2 coefficient for linear regression
14 Introduction to pump fabrication
15 Pump fabrication, linear least squares fitting to exponential and power-law functions
16 Pump assembly and testing
17 Pump testing
18 Pump presentations
19 Course wrap-up, review for final exam.
Computer and E-mail Accounts Student Groups and Professional Organizations
If you haven’t done so already, please go to the CADLab Participation in student and professional groups can be a
located in EB 325 to activate your engineering account. If valuable part of your education experience. Membership
you need help in using this account, please see the attendant gives students opportunities to get to know fellow students
or send an e-mail to [email protected] better, meet and network with professionals, collaborate in
You should regularly check your CECS e-mail account solving real engineering problems, learn about internship or
([email protected]). Important information and job possibilities, socialize and have fun. Consider becoming
announcements are delivered to that e-mail address. If you active with a student organization, such as the following:
wish, you can forward your CECS email to another email • American Society of Mechanical Engineers Student
account that you check regularly. Group (ASME): http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~asme/
• Society of Automotive Engineers: Viking Motorsports:
Code of Conduct http://vms.groups.pdx.edu/
The PSU Student Conduct Code prohibits all forms of • Engineers without Borders: http://www.ewbpsu.org/
academic cheating, fraud, and dishonesty. Details can be
found on the PSU web page for the code of student Most professional organizations have monthly meetings and
conduct, http://www.pdx.edu/dos/codeofconduct. encourage student participation by providing discounts for
Allegations of academic dishonesty may be addressed by the lunch and dinner meetings. These meetings provide
instructor, and/or may be referred to the Office of Student opportunities to network with potential future employers,
Affairs for action. Acts of academic dishonesty may result learn about scholarships, and increase your technical
in a failing grade on the exam or assignment for which the knowledge. Take a look at these organizations as a starting
dishonesty occurred, disciplinary probation, suspension or point:
dismissal from the University. Questions about academic • American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
honesty may be directed to the Office of Student Affairs: Oregon Section: http://asmeoregon.wordpress.com/
http://www.ess.pdx.edu/osa/).
• Society of Automotive Engineers, Oregon Chapter:
http://www.oregonsae.org/
Classroom Rules and Behavior Expectations
The classroom is a professional space and professional • Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Columbia River
conduct is expected. Please silence your cell phone and Section - http://www.swe-columbia-river.org
refrain from text messaging during class and exam times. • Engineers without Borders, Portland Chapter:
Treat your fellow students and the instructor with respect http://www.ewbportland.org/
and please use appropriate language at all times. Additional
rules may be added at the instructor’s discretion. Library and Literature Research
Ubiquity of the Internet makes it very tempting to think that
Ethics and Professionalism all necessary resources for a term project will be available in
As future professional engineers you should plan to take the full text after typing in a few words at google.com. This is
FE Exam (see the Oregon State Board of Examiners for not the case. You will often need to go to the library, use
Engineering and Land Surveying at www.osbeels.org), and library search tools and read physical books and articles
you should be familiar with the ASME Code of Ethics contained in refereed/archival journals.
(http://files.asme.org/ASMEORG/Governance/3675.pdf),
which includes the following: Be sure to make use of the Vikat library catalog accessed via
the PSU library home page at http://www.lib.pdx.edu/.
Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor and
dignity of the engineering profession by:
Also available on the library home page are Full Text
Electronic Journals and a list of on-line Databases.
1. Using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement
of human welfare; Databases to try are EI Compendex
2. Being honest and impartial, and serving with fidelity
(http://www.ei.org/ev2/ev2.home) and Lexis-Nexis.
their clients (including their employers) and the Access to these databases is free for PSU students, but you
public; and must be using a computer on campus or via a proxy over an
3. Striving to increase the competence and prestige of Internet connection. To log on to the PSU proxy server use
the engineering profession. https://login.proxy.lib.pdx.edu/login.

Campus Resources Campus Safety

As a PSU student, you have numerous resources at your Student safety is paramount. The Campus Public Safety
disposal. Please take advantage of them while you are here. Office is open 24 hours a day to assist with personal safety,
A small sample is listed below: crime prevention and security escort services. Call 503-725-
• MME Website: http://www.me.pdx.edul 4407 for more information.
• Career Center: http://www.career.pdx.edu/
• Center for Student Health & Counseling: For Campus emergencies call 503-725-4404.
http://www.shac.pdx.edu/
• The Writing Center:
http://www.writingcenter.pdx.edu/
• PSU Disability Resource Center: 435 SMU - The PSU
Disability Resource Center is available to help students
with academic accommodations. If you are a student
who has need for test-taking, note-taking or other
assistance, please visit the DRC and notify the
instructor at the beginning of the term.