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To introduce you to the design process for mechanical systems and components.

1. Design process and sustainability.
2. Mechanical engineering.
   • Thermodynamics.
   • Mechanics.
   • Materials
3. Review of key machine elements.
   • Tribology.
   • Bearing and shafts.
   • Gears and belt drives.
   • Clutches and breaks.
   • Springs and fasteners.
   • Frames and enclosures. 
4. Sensors and actuators.
5. Design communication.
6. Design management.

On successful completion of this module you should at an introductory level be able to:

1. Understand and apply appropriate codes of practice and international standards related to mechanical design.

2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the mathematics and scientific principles related to the analysis of machine elements, components, and systems.

3. Design and realise a physical system or component to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.  

4. Understand the importance of engineering drawings, especially general assembly and detailed component drawings, as a formal means to communicate technical requirements for assembly and process designs.

5. Manage the engineering design process, identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems and evaluate outcomes.

To provide an introductory understanding of the basic principles underpinning the operation of the gas turbine engine. This includes a familiarisation of engines for aircraft and industrial applications and major issues associated with both.

• Theory -  Basic thermodynamics, ideal gas turbine cycles, isentropic flow in a duct of varying cross-sectional area, compressor, combustor and turbine efficiencies, the real cycle.
• Jet Engines - The thrust equation, specific fuel consumption, nozzle exit conditions, reheat, turbojets, turbofans and low specific thrust engines.
• Industrial Gas Turbines - Simple cycle, cycles with reheat, intercooling and heat exchangers, combined cycle gas turbines.
• Engine Selection - The specific fuel consumption. Specific thrust/power diagram, analysis for different bypass ratios.
• Gas Turbines Design - Description of different gas turbine engine models and their fitness for the mission at hand.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. Recognise the different types of gas turbines.
2. Appreciate the selection of equipment for different applications.
3. Be able to carry out thrust, power and efficiency calculations.
4. Understand the basic operation and function of the components.

To provide an introduction to the whole field of aeronautical engineering, to set the context of the industry to which students will belong.

• Civil aircraft types.
• Military aircraft types.
• Types of freighters and helicopters.
• Types of guided missiles.
• The design and production process.
• Structure principles.
• Propulsion systems.
• Mechanical systems.
• Flying controls.
• Avionics.
• Formulation of requirements.
• Derivation of specification.
• Interpretation of specification into project design.
• Analysis of design solution.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Have some knowledge of all facets of the aeronautical industry. 
2. 2. Understand the reasons which lead to the choice of configurations of civil and military aircraft, helicopters and guided weapons.
3. 3. Be familiar with the layout of aircraft structural systems and components.
4. 4. Be able to make simple calculations as part of an aircraft conceptual design process.
   
   

To provide non-specialists with a basic knowledge of fluid properties and characteristics and their interaction with exposed bodies, leading to a basic understanding of aerodynamic principles across a wide range of engineering fields.

Fluid Properties and Basic Flow Equations - Definition and examples of a fluid, liquids and gases, pressure, density, temperature, gas laws, energy, momentum, thermodynamic properties, flow conservation equations, viscosity, Reynolds number, compressibility, Mach number. Hydrostatic equation, Bernoulli’s equation. Static, dynamic and total pressure. The Pitot-static tube.

Aerodynamic Analysis - Importance of the non-dimensional form versus dimensional data. Geometric terms relating to aerofoil and other immersed bodies (streamlined versus bluff). Characteristic Area, Speed, Density. Aerodynamic pressure distributions - dimensional and non-dimensional - leading to force and moments coefficients w.r.t Incidence. Reynolds number, Typical low speed aerofoil and bluff body characteristics - pressure distribution - the six components, emphasizing lift, drag and pitching moment.

Viscosity and the Boundary Layer - Boundary layer concept and structure. Laminar and turbulent flow and transition. Growth of boundary layer on a flat plate. Shear stress and skin friction. Boundary layer thickness (displacement, momentum), Reynolds number dependence. Body profile dependencies. Effects on pressure distribution and Forces produced. Components of Drag.

Aircraft - Axes, controls, force and moment components. Vortex Flow and Aerofoil Circulation. Vortex structure. Vorticity and circulation. Aerofoil starting vortex. Aerofoil circulation and lift. The link between viscosity, vorticity and circulation. Low speed 3D wings, span and aspect ratio effects, spanwise loading, vortex models. Drag components and characteristics. Wing stall and stall control - high lift devices - types and how they function - effects on lift, drag and pitching moment with incidence.

Low Aspect Ratio wings - Comparison with medium/high aspect ratio wings - example of uses and essential characteristics. Compressibility and Isentropic flow relationships, compressible form of Bernoulli’s equation. Effects on flow development and lifting surface characteristics. Transonic Flow Characteristics. Transonic flow regime. Drag divergence and Critical Mach number. Shock wave development on 2D aerofoil. Linearised similarity rules, leading to the basis of supercritical wing design. The Supersonic Flow and onwards.

Modelling methods - Simple ‘everyday’ methods/approximations. Wind tunnel, 2nd Generation models, CFD Modelling.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Comprehend the fundamental nature of fluids including the distinction between liquids and gases.  
2. 2. Have an appreciation of aerodynamic properties and how these are handled in combination, when characterising a flowfield and the mutual effects between the flow and immersed bodies. 
3. 3. Understand the essential nature of viscosity on aerodynamic behaviour and its influence at flow boundaries and upon the greater flowfield.  
4. 4. Understand the nature of compressibility and its influence on aerodynamic behaviour and appreciate the development from the low speed regime into high subsonic, transonic and supersonic speeds.
5. 5. Recognise the importance of the non-dimensional form when handling aerodynamic properties and characteristics.

To introduce students to the techniques of detail stressing as practiced in the aerospace industry and to develop a professional approach to the execution & presentation of airframe stress analysis.

Introduction: Function of the stress office. JAR’s and MOD requirements. Concepts of limit, proof and ultimate conditions. Material strength definitions. Equilibrium of plane components. Reserve Factor.

Bolted joints, principles of design and classification. Three-dimensional equilibrium, loads within bracket systems. Combination of shear and tension on bolted attachments.

Strength prediction for riveted joints, application to cleats. Joints with offset load, elastic load distribution, effects of yielding.

Strength of lugs, bearing, tension and shear-out. Effects of pin bending. Lug combinations.

Review of beam theory. Construction of shear force and bending moment diagrams, determination of maxima and minima. Point and distributed loading.

Review of Engineer’s Theory for prediction of bending stress. Second moment of area, parallel axes theorem. Application to club foot fittings and stress pads.

Shear and torsion of thin-walled sections. Complementary shear stress. Derivation of shear flow. Strength of attachments in fabricated sections.

Stress resolution, principle stress, and maximum shear stress. Application to combined bending and shear stresses in beams, combined bending, and torsion of shafts.

Buckling of struts, use of data sheets. Consideration of control push rods. Effects of eccentricity and lateral loading. Local instability of thin sheet, effective width.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Calculate the stress and strain of simplified structures under typical load including tension, compression, torsion, bending and shear.
2. 2. Calculate the critical buckling load for struts with various boundary conditions.
3. 3. Determine the stress distribution in joints.
4. 4. Define the limit load, and calculate design reserve factor.
   
   
   

To enable the students to understand the basic structure of engineering materials and how the structure determines the properties of the materials and the applications for which the material is selected.

To provide an understanding of the theories of fatigue and fracture mechanics and show how those concepts are applied to the design and testing of aircraft structures.

An Introduction to materials: classification of materials; atomic structure and interatomic bonding; structure of crystalline solids; phase diagrams; mechanical properties of materials; processing of metals, ceramics and polymers.

Material Properties & Selection: selection principles; classes of material properties; design limiting properties.

Failure modes and deformation: yield criteria.

Fatigue analysis: S-N curve approach; mean stress and notch effects; Miner’s cumulative damage rule.

Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM): concepts of stress intensity factor, fracture toughness and fracture criteria, residual strength calculation; prediction of fatigue crack growth using the empirical laws.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Understand the basic principles of material structures on a micro and macro scale and be able to relate microstructure to mechanical performance.
2. 2. Understand the range of properties for the different material classes and justify the selection of a material for a particular engineering item with respect to a specification.
3. 3. Have a broad knowledge of how changes in chemical composition and microstructure are applied to improve material properties (strengthening methods, alloying etc).
4. 4. Be aware of the importance of design against fatigue, especially for the aircraft structures.
5. 5. Know how to use the theory of LEFM to estimate residual strength and crack propagation life of a structure.

To revise and enhance your mathematical understanding, confidence and skills, as relevant in the fields of your proposed MSc courses and engineering in general.

Mathematics I

The module will consist of lectures supported by weekly tutorials. Exercises with solutions are supplied to reinforce the lecture material.

You will have met much of the material in this module as part of your undergraduate study. The module will therefore give them an opportunity to revise previous skills and then to expand upon your knowledge of the topics to a greater degree.

• Matrices - Elementary matrix algebra, transpose and inverse, application to solution of systems of linear equations. Iterative methods of solution.
• Revision of Differential and Integral Calculus
• Complex Numbers - Complex arithmetic, the Argand diagram and simple locus problems, De Moivre’s theorem, roots of complex numbers.
• Standard Elementary Functions -  Elementary Taylor and Maclaurin series, ideas of limits and convergence, curve sketching.
• Polynomials and Polynomial Equations - Basic properties of polynomials, relationships between coefficients and roots, Newton-Raphson method for numerical solution of non-linear equations, polynomial interpolation, curve fitting (least squares method).
• First Order Differential Equations - Separable, homogeneous, exact and linear types. Basic numerical methods of solution.
  
  

 

Mathematics II

Previous knowledge of the topics in this module is not expected.

• Second Order Linear Differential Equations - with constant coefficients.
• Laplace transforms - Transforms of elementary functions and derivatives, use in solving differential equations. Convolution theorem and its applications.
• Further Matrices - Determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors and some applications.
• Functions of Two or More Variables - partial derivatives, the chain rule, stationary values, double and triple integrals - evaluation, change of variables, Jacobians.
• Elementary Theory of Fourier Series.

Mathematics I: On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Appreciate the concepts of convergence and error and the importance of checking the validity of any approximations used in calculation. Be able to find and correctly use the series representations of functions.
2. 2. Understand the concepts and applications of the differential and integral calculus and be able to use the various processes involved correctly and confidently.
3. 3. Be used to recognising complex numbers in the various different forms; be able to manipulate them and understand something of their use in solving problems involving real variables.
4. 4. Be able to solve certain first order differential equations and appreciate different methods for obtaining the solutions. Be aware of problems in which the mathematical modelling leads to a differential equation.
5. 5. Appreciate the use of matrices to represent data and systems of linear simultaneous equations. Be able to use matrix algebra correctly and the various methods for solving these equations. Be starting to appreciate the concept of linear dependence and independence and its implications for the solutions of equations.
   
   

Mathematics II: On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Understand the concepts of differentiation and integration as applied to functions of several variables and use them in situations which require these processes. Be able to estimate errors resulting from tolerancing, find stationary values of these functions and implement changes of variables.
2. 2. Understand the concept of an eigenvector. Be able to use analytic techniques to find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a matrix in simple cases and use them to solve certain problems.
3. 3. Be familiar with elementary Laplace transforms as one case of an integral transform. Be able to solve certain second order differential equations and integral equations.
4. 4. Understand the idea of expressing a periodic function as an infinite trigonometric series, in particular a Fourier series and know how to achieve this.
   
   
   

To give you an understanding of Computer Aided Design, how it is used in the design Process and to give you ‘hands on’ experience using a leading CAD/CAM/CAE system.

• • Introduction to CAD.
• • What is CAD?: Introduction to the main tools and techniques of CAD. Different types of CAD models and how they are created. Advanced CAD tools: Simple and advanced solid modelling techniques and new developments in CAD. Maximising the value of CAD models by integrating with other CAE tools.
• • Integrated Product Development: Introduction to some of the broader issues associated with successfully implementing CAD/CAM/CAE in industry.
• • Introduction to CATIA ( lectures + workshop sessions).
• • CATIA Functionality: Introduction to the CATIA user interface and CATIA essential concepts.
• • Hands on workshop sessions: Practical sessions introducing CATIA and covering the following modelling areas: basic and advanced solid modelling and assembly modelling.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Understand what computer aided design is and its role in the design process.
2. 2. Have an appreciation of other computer aided engineering tools and how they can be integrated with CAD.
3. 3. The appropriate modelling technique for a given product.
4. 4. Have an appreciation of how cad is implemented in industry.
5. 5. Use CATIA to create simple solid models and assembly models.

To give you an understanding of the range of calculation and programming methods available, the ability to choose a suitable one for any particular problem (with an emphasis on engineering applications), to solve problems in two languages and of the importance of documenting programs.

• • Introduction / Selection of appropriate tools; Different range of solution methods for computational problems including for example; a calculator, Excel spreadsheets, Excel with VBA, MATLAB, 3rd generation languages (e.g. Fortran), object oriented languages, 4th generation languages. Choosing between solution methods for a particular problem. [1 lecture].
• • General programming principles; Formulating a problem into a logical structure suitable for solving programmatically; logic flow in programs; variables; the importance of loops; programming algorithms.
• • Structure and design of programs. [1 lecture, but also taught and reinforced throughout course by lecturing and appropriate examples].
• • Visual Basic and Visual Basic for Applications; Layout rules; simple program structure; variables; input/ouput; loops; conditionals; error checking and processing; dialog boxes; dialogs. VBA will mainly be taught linked to Excel for calculations. [Approximately 12 lecture contact hours and appropriate practical work (â…” of main course)].
• • MATLAB; Introduction; MATLAB toolboxes; environment; layout rules; simple program structure; variables; input/output; interactive tools; computation; visualising data; analysing data. Particular reference will be made to the various intrinsic functions built into MATLAB to make calculations simpler. [Approximately 6 lecture contact hours and appropriate practical work (â…“ of main course)].
• • Documentation; User documentation; program documentation [To be taught in conjunction with VBA and MATLAB sections].
  
  

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Choose an appropriate method of solving a particular computational problem using programming algorithmic principles which will be applicable to programs written in any language.
2. 2. Apply programming algorithmic principles and programming structure which will be applicable to programs written in any language.
3. 3. Use Visual Basic for Applications such that he or she is then able to write programs to perform suitable calculations.
4. 4. Use MATLAB such that he or she is then able to work interactively or write programs to perform suitable calculation, analysis, or visualisation tasks.
5. 5. Produce good and detailed documentation accompanying any program.

• To provide an introduction to the whole field of aeronautical and energy engineering.
• To provide students with a fundamental theoretical background on engineering thermodynamics and aerodynamics.
• To set the context for the requirements of the industrial sector and subsequent MSc courses that students may follow.

• Universal Laws - Energy conservation, Momentum conservation, Mass Flow Continuity, Entropy, Equation of state for perfect gases, Gas properties, First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, The concept of Entropy, Entropy. Isentropic and non-isentropic flow processes.
• Compressibility - Distinction between compressible and incompressible flows. Equation of state for gases. Speed of sound and definitions of Mach number and Reynold’s number.
• Generalised Compressible Flows - Qualitative treatment of flows with area change, friction and heat or work transfer.
• Specific One-Dimensional Compressible Flow - The energy equation; adiabatic stagnation temperature. Stagnation and static pressure. Pressure ratio as a function of Mach number for isentropic flow. Critical pressure ratio and choking. Examples. Mass flow continuity and swallowing capacity, use of compressible flow tables and charts. Steady adiabatic flow in parallel ducts with friction, the Fanno line. Examples. Steady frictionless flow in parallel ducts with heat addition, the Rayleigh line. Examples.
• Boundary Layers - Physical description of shear flows at surfaces. Boundary layer thicknesses, flow development for laminar and turbulent cases, transition. Flow development over flat plates and in ducts.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Apply the fundamental Thermofluids laws governing the aero-thermal behaviour of gases in order to analyse simple fluid flows.
2. 2. Evaluate the thermodynamic performance of heat engines based on the Brayton cycle, for stationary as well as aerospace applications.
3. 3. Analyse the aero-thermal behaviour of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) compressible fluid-flows including adiabatic, viscous, and heated/cooled flows.
4. 4. Assess the aerodynamic performance of mechanical components where compressible and flows with friction are encountered such as intakes, ducts, fans, and nozzles.

The primary aim is to enhance your academic communication, writing, presentation, and project management skills.

• • Communication: discussion skills, seminar skills, presentation skills, cross-cultural communication.
• • Writing: planning; paragraph structure; introductions; organising ideas; definitions; exemplification and support; cause and effect; situation-problem-solution; implications; evaluation, conclusions, and summaries; referencing, compiling bibliographies and avoiding plagiarism; essay versus report writing, describing charts and graphs, technical report skills including short technical report production.
• • Research methods: review of research methods and writing scientific reports, critical reading, distinguishing between weak and strong evidence, distinguishing between fact and opinion, using the Internet as a research tool and evaluating academic credibility of information on the Internet.
• • Project management: Explain the PRINCE2 project management methodology and examine its use in deferent project situations

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Show improvement in the three skills of presenting, writing, and management which will enable them to participate in their academic courses of study much more effectively. In particular they will show improvement in:
   • a. Communicating clearly in an academic environment, using reading strategies, understanding the main parts of a text, distinguishing between main points and supporting points and in reading confidently, selectively and critically.
   • b. Following and participating in seminars/discussions and show increased confidence in giving presentations and giving feedback to others.
   • c. Writing effectively and accurately in an academic context with satisfactory regard to academic conventions.
   • d. Demonstrate the use of scientific research methods at an applied level. 1.6) e. Describe basic research methods, communication presentation and writing engineering reports and thesis.
2. 2. Demonstrate principle of project management using PRINCE2 methodology.