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2020 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering

Creative Design of Mechanical Systems

Academic unit or major
Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
Instructor(s)
Tohru Yagi / Hiroki Akasaka / Kazuyoshi Fushinobu / Hiraku Sakamoto / Takushi Saito / Toru Omata / Tadahiko Shinshi / Yasuko Yanagida / Yoichi Murakami / Tetsuo Sawada / Hirotatu Watanabe
Class Format
Experiment
Media-enhanced courses
-
Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)
5-8 Tue (I3-201A,201B,201C,301,302,303)
Class
-
Course Code
MEC.Q301
Number of credits
002
Course offered
2020
Offered quarter
3-4Q
Syllabus updated
Jul 10, 2025
Language
Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

In this class, a group of students, approx. 12 people, will plan and design a new creative and mechanical system meeting user needs. Students will acquire basic practical skills in designing, drafting and building of products.

1. Ability to set up problems based on surveys of users and sites used
2. Creative thinking for problem solving
3. Planning and designing ability to form ideas
4. Technology that accurately conveys content to instructors through presentations and design reviews

Course description and aims

1. You can discover problems from the user's perspective through ethnographic surveys and interviews.
2. In order to solve problems, you can grasp problems from multiple points of view, and give ideas for problem solving with flexible and free ideas.
3. Rather than just finishing up with ideas, you can think technically how to actually create something realistic.
4. It is possible to create a highly complete design proposal by repeating the process of creating a prototype in the form of an idea, extracting problems, and improving it.

This subject corresponds to the acquisition of;
8. Ability to plan and execute projects in coordination with others

Student learning outcomes

実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)

This course will be offered using some examples of a project management, since one instructor has experience in a private industry.

Keywords

Planning・Designing, Creativity, Design thinking, Prototype, Group working, Processing technique, Control technology, Total Scholastic Ability

Competencies

  • Specialist skills
  • Intercultural skills
  • Communication skills
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

The course is centered on group work in groups of 10 people. Each group will propose a concept, manufacture a prototype, and give a presentation. Please work on concept proposal and prototype manufacturing assignments both during class and as homework. Students will manufacture the actual mechanical system in Creative Design Project of Mechanical Systems (MEC.Q311.A).

Course schedule/Objectives

Course schedule Objectives
Class 1 Grouping and Introduction 　－ Checking tools and devices, Safety instruction, Announcement of Theme Propose a method to solve a problem every group. Investigate the existing items
Class 2 Team building　activity Build up teamwork mind
Class 3 Proposal of Concept 　－ Ethnographical research and users observations in real life Draft a concept to solve a problem. Investigate real users and their life.
Class 4 Sketching 　－ sketches, storyboards Visualize the effect of advantage for the users.
Class 5 Quick and dirty prototyping Make mock-up with paper and old junk
Class 6 Poster preparation Prepare Poster preparation
Class 7 3 idea presentation Poster presentation
Class 8 Summerizing 3 idea presentation, Selecting 1 idea per section3 Note for function/specification/modules Summarizing 3 idea presentation, Selecting 1 idea per section3, Assigning members to each module.
Class 9 Introduction to mechanisms and machines Concept design for each module. Build a prototype.
Class 10 Materials, Fastening and joining parts Concept design for each module. Build a prototype.
Class 11 Actuators Concept design for each module. Build a prototype.
Class 12 Pitch Present the current ideas and obtain feedback. Concept design for each module. Build a prototype.
Class 13 Bearings, couplers, gears, screws, and springs Concept design for each module. Build a prototype.
Class 14 Design review and clean-up Discussion at table

Study advice (preparation and review)

Textbook(s)

Not specified. (The lecture materials will be distributed at beginning of this Course or can be downloaded on the web site of OCW.)

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Hoshino, Tadashi, Hassouhou Nyumon, Nikkei Bunko ,　ISBN-13: 978-4532110772，(Japanese)
Dustyn Roberts, Making Things Move DIY Mechanisms for Inventors, Hobbyists, and Artists,　ISBN-13: 978-0071741675，
Matsuoka et.al., M Method Design thinking on Multispace, Kindaino Kagakusha, ISBN-13: 978-4764904446，(Japanese)
Karl Ulrich, Steven Eppinger, Product Design and Development, McGraw Hill Higher Education; 5th Revised Ed, ISBN-13: 978-0072296471

Evaluation methods and criteria

Notebook 30%, Quiz in class 20%, Design review 50%

Related courses

  • MEC.Q311 ： Creative Design Project of Mechanical Systems
  • MEC.Q201 ： Introduction to Mechanical Systems
  • XEG.B101 ： Engineering Literacy 1
  • XEG.B102 ： Engineering Literacy 2
  • XEG.B103 ： Engineering Literacy 3
  • XEG.B104 ： Engineering Literacy 4
  • MEC.Q310 ： Machine tool and Safety training

Prerequisites

Students are required to have taken Engineering Literacy (XEG.B101, 102, 103, 104) and Introduction to Mechanical Systems (MEC.Q201.R), or have equivalent knowledge. As the number of practical training devices is limited, priority will be given to students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering if capacity is exceeded.