Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Tribology pervades all facets of industry and is of vital importance in mechanical, manufacturing and medical engineering. A disproportionate number of machine problems and failures can be attributed to scarce understanding of tribological principles, which, combined with poor design and maintenance practices, results in substantial productivity losses. Education in the control of friction also offers new opportunities for energy conservation, addressing the ever increasing concerns related to energy sustainability and quality of the environment. This final year unit builds on previous mechanical design units in the course by enabling you to apply tribological principles for optimising the performance and reliability of mechanical devices. It also develops your analytical skills in identifying and resolving problems as part of maintaining existing mechanical systems.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to introduce you to the fundamental principles of tribology and to apply these principles to problem solving and design, in a framework that is relevant to modern mechanical, manufacturing and medical engineering applications.

Objectives

On successfully completing this unit you should be able to:

1. analyse and solve plant and equipment related problems using tribology principles,
2. optimise the design, operation and maintenance of machinery.

Content

The content of this unit is designed to give you a broad understanding of tribology principles that complement knowledge acquired during the engineering course.

1. Fundamentals of surfaces in contact
2. Lubricant properties and chemistry
3. Regimes of lubrication
4. Lubrication in mechanism design
5. Rubbing solids, materials & wear mechanisms
6. Human & prosthetic joints, nanotribology, environmentally friendly lubricants

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The content of this unit is delivered through lectures, tutorials and laboratories; 4 hours of class contact is allocated for each week, comprising:

Lectures - 2 hours/week
Tutorial - 1 hour/week
Laboratory - 1 hour/week equivalent

Lectures cover theoretical aspects of the subject. The unit website will provide additional information to support the lectures, such as course notes and recommended reading material.

Tutorials enable you to reinforce your understanding of the theory in a supervised environment where tutorial staff can provide immediate guidance and support. Tutorials also provide feedback on your progress, and benchmarks for the level of understanding expected for satisfactory performance in the unit. Quizzes and problem-based learning examples will also be presented from time to time in lectures and tutorials, in which you may participate either individually or as a member of a group.

Laboratories provide you with the opportunity to experience hands-on the principles studied in lectures and tutorials. Laboratories will be conducted in groups of about five students. In order to accomplish the given tasks you will find it necessary to work in collaboration with other students. You will be encouraged to discuss your observations with all group members, in particular, how each observation relates to the theory taught in lectures. You will need to communicate the outcomes in both oral and written forms to the laboratory demonstrator.

Assessment

Assessment is designed to develop various graduate capabilities in conjunction with the unit outcomes. It includes This includes individual and group work, written reports and discussion.Feedback on achievement of outcomes can be obtained:

• at lectures and tutorials through general comments directed to the class


• by asking the teaching staff directly


• through written comments on project reports returned to students before the end of semester


• by means of private consultation with the teaching staff through appointments or email.

Assessment name: Laboratory practical report
Description: Conduct lab practicals on friction and lubrication
Relates to objectives: 1. analyse and solve plant and equipment related problems using tribology principles,
2. optimise the design, operation and maintenance of machinery.
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Throughout semester

Assessment name: Group project report
Description: Prepare numerical model (solution) of bearing using Reynolds' equation.
Relates to objectives: 1-2
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 6

Assessment name: Examination (Theory)
Description: Explain and solve problems related to friction, wear and lubrication.
Relates to objectives: 1-2
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of semester exam

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Mandatory:
Lecture notes and slide presentations from the Blackboard website

Recommended:
Stachowiak G.W. and Batchelor A.W. (2005) Engineering Tribology, 3rd Edition, Burlington MA: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann
Bhushan B. (2002) Introduction to Tribology, New York: John Wiley
Hargreaves D.J. (1995) Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication in the Design of Machine Elements, Brisbane: QUT Press

Risk assessment statement

You will undertake lectures and tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

You will be required to undertake practical sessions in the laboratory under the supervision of the lecturer and technical staff of the School. In any laboratory practicals you will be advised of requirements of safe and responsible behaviour and will be required to wear appropriate protective items (e.g. closed shoes or steel capped shoes).

You will undergo a health and safety induction before the commencement of the practical sessions and will be issued with a safety induction card. If you do not have a safety induction card you will be denied access to laboratories.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 30-Apr-2012