Undergraduate Course: Mechanical Engineering 2 (MECE08016)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the concepts of designing and building mechanical components and devices, as well as providing the foundations for development of ethical awareness and important professional skills such as working in groups and communication. These skills are developed further in the course Mechanical Engineering 3. |
| Course description |
Indicative lecture outline (Mech Eng)
The sequence and style of lectures may vary but this should be a representative list of topics to be covered. All of these topics will be linked explicitly to the practical work and/or projects.
Lecture 1 (1 hr): Introduction to the course, explanation of the different parts of the course and the reflective report.
Lectures 2 & 3 (2 hr total): Classroom-based introduction to 'how machines work' (bearings, gears, pulleys, friction) and the mechanical engineering skills to be acquired in the labs.
Lecture 4: Communication skills - how to write a report and give presentations. Including guidance on the responsible use of AI in line with university policy and best practice. Building on and reinforcing the topics taught in the first-year engineering courses.
Lecture 5: Continuous Professional development - what it is, why it matters and how to record it
Lecture 6: Introduction to the design process. The design-build-test learn cycle. More advanced discussion of models of the design process follows in Conceptual Design for Mechanical Engineers in year 3.
Lecture 7: A practical view of design. Manufacturability, materials, stresses, material selection, design for manufacture, wear, fits, finishes, tolerances, dimensions and other practical topics. Complements topics introduced this year in Materials 2, which are built on further in the following year in Manufacture 3 and Conceptual Design for Mechanical Engineers.
Lecture 8: Security-conscious engineering. See subject benchmark statement for Engineering for helpful guidance on security in this context (https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/sbs/sbs-engineering-23.pdf?sfvrsn=7c71a881_4)
Lecture 9: Diversity in design and engineering. Exploring 'design for all' i.e. how we need to take into account that different end users have different needs. Also covering inclusivity in terms of the engineering workforce and professional issues, although only briefly as this will be expanded upon in year 3. Note: the ideal projects will include an element of 'design for all' where students can demonstrate an understanding of the needs of diverse users.
Lecture 10: Quality control and quality management. Examples of ways in which engineers can ensure quality control; brief introduction to the concept of standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Lecture 11: Managing an engineering project and working in groups. Practical guidance on how to plan a project (including Gantt charts and risk management) and manage group work. Discussion of how to treat other group members respectfully, with reference to School guidance.
Lectures 12 & 13: Technical drawing & CAD. Builds on the introduction given in year 1, prepares for year 3 'backbone' course and Manufacture 3. Further study materials to be provided to support development of necessary CAD skills - e.g. Autodesk training material. CAD will be used in the semester 2 project.
Lecture 14: Ethical engineering - examples of ethical dilemmas in engineering and the importance of professional codes of conduct (e.g. from IMechE and IET)
Lecture 15: Engineering for a sustainable future - introducing the UN sustainable development goals and discussing sustainability in engineering (positive and negative examples)
Lectures 16-18: Discussion of interesting case studies of engineering scenarios related to the course, with a focus on issues such as ethical dilemmas, engineering failures, sustainability and diversity. The scenarios will be selected to complement the design and build projects, enriching student understanding of the topics on which they will reflect in their individual submissions.
In addition to the above, the students will work in groups and undertake design-build-test-learn activities.
This course is not available to students for whom it is not a compulsory part of the programme.
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Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 4,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 25,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 30,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
115 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework 100% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of mechanical engineering to tackle the challenge of an open-ended design problem, using appropriate design tools (e.g. CAD) to develop solutions to satisfy competing demands; the student will be able to evaluate the impact of solutions (environmental, societal and otherwise).
- Perform practical tasks in the context of mechanical engineering, including the use of workshop tools, displaying where appropriate a discerning understanding of the underlying theoretical background.
- Think critically about issues around ethics, sustainability, security and diversity, as well as about the development of their own skill set, which will involve producing reflective reports and recording continuous professional development.
- Work inclusively in a group to complete tasks/projects on schedule, applying appropriate engineering management principles and displaying awareness of potential risks; reflect on own and group performance.
- Communicate concepts within or beyond the project team.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Mechanical,Design |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Zak Campbell-Lochrie
Tel:
Email: zcampbel@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Maryna Vlasova
Tel:
Email: mvlasova@ed.ac.uk |
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