UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG

COURSE OUTLINE AND INFORMATION FORM - 2013

Course

MECN2005

Mechanical engineering laboratory I

Co-ordinator

Dr C Law

Office location SWE105

Other staff

Prof. T Kim, Prof C Polese, Dr J Mutu, Dr F

Keinhoffer, Mr T Frangakis

Email address craig.law@wits.ac.za

Pre-requisites

PHYS1014

Co-requisites

Course website

MECN2000, MECN2006, MECN2010,

MECN2011, MECN2013

SAQA credits 5

Course goals
The abilities and associated skills that are to be developed in this course are those required in the running of experiments and
communication of experimental investigations. In particular the course aims at demonstrating the importance of data acquisition
and the subsequent analysis of data. It encourages the students to apply their knowledge gained from the prescribed
experimentation lectures (MECN 2005) during their experimental sessions in the mechanical engineering laboratory.
The course is intended to form a firm foundation for future experimental studies crucial to both the following third year laboratory
course and the final year research projects. The course is also aimed at promoting the accurate communication of experiment
results and this is dealt with in detail in the lectured part of the course. Note experiments do not coincide with engineering science
lectures.

ECSA outcomes assessed at exit level

Not assessed at exit level

ECSA Knowledge areas and weight

Engineering sciences

90%

Complementary studies

10%

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Course outcomes
Instructional objectives
At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:
Understand the fundamentals of the risk assessment process
Follow a structured experimental procedure
Prepare experimental equipment for data acquisition purposes
Take measurements to the best available precision and record the data
Perform data analysis on the recorded data, including uncertainty propagation
Appreciate and exploit the capabilities of selected engineering software packages
Produce components of a technical report to specification

Ability development
This course is intended to develop the abilities and skills required for:
The successful execution and analysis of an experiment,
Making use of a laboratory logbook,
Data processing, analysis and presentation,
The drafting of technical reports as per school guidelines.

In addition to the development of experimental methods, this course also serves as a vehicle for the development of
communication skills as part of the Complementary Studies knowledge area. Communication skills are gradually developed in the
area of research writing over a number of different courses. This course (MECN2005) serves as an introduction to the
developmental process. The student is required to answer specific questions relating to measured data. The answers to the
questions become the blueprint for a discussion that properly describes and assesses experimental data. The student is thereby
taught the process of constructing a useful discussion. In subsequent third year courses (MECN3003/6/7), the student will be
expected to develop his or her skills beyond the introductory level in a semi-structured environment. At the 4th year level
(MECN4006) these skills are developed to their exit level. This requires that the student be capable of effectively communicating
the context, aims, method, results and conclusions of his or her research project which takes place in an open-ended, unstructured
environment.

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Assessment
Composition of the final course mark, total of 100%

Short laboratory reports

50%

Examination November

50%

Dates and details of tests and examination arrangements

The date and time of the final exam in November will be determined by the Examinations Office. The examination will assess all material
presented in lectures and all laboratory exercises.

Calculator restrictions
Category 3: no restrictions on calculating and data storage devices.

Formula sheet restrictions

None allowed

Assessment criteria
All students are required to participate in all aspects of the laboratory programme. The laboratory exercises will require a prelaboratory test, and a short report on each experiment performed. The short reports may be hand written and will concentrate on a
different aspect of a technical report for each submission. Any submission must be NEAT, LEGIBLE and CLEARLY
IDENTIFIED.

Satisfactory participation (SP) requirements

Students are required to participate fully in all aspects of this course. Failure to do so will be noted and marked accordingly (zero
for failure to participate). An aggregate mark of at least 50 % must be obtained for the short laboratory report component. Failure
to attend two or more laboratories will result in DP refusal. THERE ARE NO SUPPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENTS FOR THIS
COURSE!

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Detailed contents
The course will consist of the following components:
The Planning and Execution of Experiments.
Dimensional Analysis, Similitude and Scale Modelling.
Characteristics and Presentation of Data.
Variability and Uncertainty of Data.
Technical Research Reporting.
Laboratory Measuring Systems.
Experimental laboratory work in each semester.
Risk Assessment associated with each laboratory experiment.

Prescribed and/or recommended reading and/or recommended equipment

Prescribed text: None
Recommended text: Kirkup L, Experimental Method: An Introduction to the Analysis and Presentation of Data, Wiley

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Teaching and learning process

Learning process
Printed notes will be issued to support the lectures. Students are expected to make additional notes and to refer to books in the
library appropriate to the topic discussed during lectures. A laboratory log book will be provided; students are expected to
complete the experimental handout by consulting literature sources. Attendance at all laboratory sessions is compulsory. Students
will be given one afternoon in which to conduct each experiment.
Experimental student groups will be assigned by the course coordinators.
At the completion of the experiment the student will be required to complete the handout given to them and this short report will
be taken in at 17:00 by each experiment demonstrator to be marked. Any short reports handed in late will not be marked. It is
crucial that the student collect all short reports for the future writing of the formal long reports.
Any instances of plagiarism will handled in accordance with the University policy on plagiarism and copyright infringement.
(Zero for a first minor offence, anything else will be referred to the School plagiarism committee.)

Time requirements
Lecture hours:

10

(13 lectures of 45 minutes duration in first semester)

Lecture self-study hours:

10

(1 hour self-study for each hour of lecture)

24

(8 laboratory sessions of 3 hours each)

Tutorial hours:
Tutorial self-study hours:
Practical/laboratory hours:
Assignment/project hours:

Examination preparation hours:

10

Total hours:

54

Times and venues

Semester
1

2 Day

Topic

Time

Venue

Friday

Core material

12:30 - 13:15

CB241

Special arrangements

Monday

Laboratory

14:15 - 17:00

NWE

as per lab schedule

Friday

Laboratory

14:15 - 17:00

NWE

as per lab schedule

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