Introduction

Outlines of the Part IA coursework activities and experiments are given below, together with the number of timetabled sessions allocated to them.

Also see the general information about Part I labs & coursework.

Lego Mindstorms

Part IA coursework starts with an intensive, hands-on activity using Lego Mindstorms.  For the first week, students work in groups of three to design and build a simple electro-mechanical device, based around a number of sensors and actuators. The exercise is open-ended and fun, giving an immediate awareness of the integrated nature of real-world engineering, involving software, mechanical and electrical components, teamwork, and communication skills.

There are ten timetabled hours in the lab & coursework schedule, but students may wish to allow extra time during the evenings and weekend. Team allocations will be posted on Moodle on Wednesday 7 October. The Lego lab handout (issued at the introductory lecture) includes instructions on how to sign on to Moodle.  All students should do this, and browse the project documentation on the Moodle site, during the afternoon of Wednesday 7 October. All groups present their devices, with prizes for the best systems, demonstrated to the whole year at the end of week 2.

Drawing

Each timetabled drawing session, both morning and afternoon, begins with a lecture to outline the material that will be covered in the following practical class. The Michaelmas term exercises introduce the basic principles of projection theory. The interpretation and making of mechanical drawings, including CAD, are practised in the Lent and Easter terms.

Students are expected to attend both the lecture and the following practical class. Work set for each drawing class must be handed in at the end of each session.  Students should avoid commitment to other afternoon activities on the one day a fortnight when they are scheduled to attend drawing classes (see the lab & coursework schedules). Supervisions should be timetabled to avoid afternoon lab sessions.

Most of the equipment required for the practical drawing sessions is provided.  See additional course costs for details of the drawing equipment that students are expected to have.

Exposition

The communication of technical information is developed through the exposition course which aims to improve students' presentation, discussion and writing skills. Students' lab reports on the statics experiment are critically reviewed during these sessions. In addition, each student is required to give a short (10-15 minute) talk on technical material and to take part in a debate on a current technical topic, or other appropriate activity. The topics chosen are at the discretion of the group leader. The good practice initiated during the exposition exercises is developed throughout the course, whenever students write laboratory or project reports, essays or give oral presentations on their project work.

Engineer in society, principles of design, product design project and dimensional analysis

Eight lectures are given on the role of the engineer in society, in which the wider issues that influence technical decision making are discussed. Students' assimilation of the lecture material and their reading around the subject is assessed through a report. There are also eight lectures on the principles of design, assessed through the product design project.  The principles of dimensional analysis are covered in four lectures at the start of term followed by two experiments (and questions may be set on this topic in the Part IA examinations).

NB. Attendance at all these lectures is necessary for students to complete their coursework satisfactorily. 

Computing and microprocessors

The computing course starts in each term with an introductory lecture for all students. Subsequent practical sessions in Michaelmas term provide an introduction to the system and the basic elements of the C++ programming language. The IA C++ coursework notes must be read before each practical session. Every session starts with a mini-lecture on the concepts to be developed in the hands-on time immediately afterwards. The Lent term computing practicals place emphasis on design and problem solving and also include initial briefings. Microprocessors and learning how to program them are introduced through a series of labs in the Easter term.

Students should avoid commitment to other afternoon activities on the days that they are scheduled to attend computing sessions (see the lab & coursework schedules).  Supervisions should be timetabled to avoid afternoon lab sessions. The computing course is examined in Paper 4 Mathematical Methods. An open-ended long vacation exercise (the “Mars lander”) aims to keep computing skills fresh for Part IB.

Structural design project

Creative thinking and synthesis are fostered in design projects. All students undertake a Structural Design Project. Working in pairs, they design, manufacture and test a metal structure to carry given loads at minimum cost. The structures are tested to destruction in ascending order of 'cost'. After the test, recommendations are made on how the design might be improved. Assessment is by the quality of the tested product, the quality of the drawings and the individual reports.

Integrated electrical project

In the integrated electrical project, students work in pairs to design, build and test an AM radio. This project brings together design software and working with electrical components to integrate many topics in the lecture courses on linear circuits and electronics. The project begins with a timetabled lecture for all students towards the end of Michaelmas term, and has a concentrated period of laboratory activity in the Lent Term.

Product design exercise

The students' assimilation of the material covered in the eight lectures on the principles of design is tested through a product design project where they are asked to design a device to meet a specified need. In addition to a brief report, students present their solutions in person to an audience which includes a designer from industry.

Outline of coursework activities

Term	Coursework	No. of timetabled 2-hour (morning) lab sessions + afternoons
Michaelmas	Lego Mindstorms Dimensional analysis Statics experiment Exposition Computing	5 (2 or 3 in afternoons) 2 1 8 3 + 3 afternoons
Christmas Vacation	Report on 'the engineer in society'
Michaelmas, Lent and Easter	Drawing Structural design project Integrated electrical project	9 + 9 afternoons 5 + 5 afternoons  5+ 4 afternoons
Lent and Easter	Microprocessors Computing Experiments	2 + 1 afternoon 2 + 2 afternoons 13
Easter Vacation	Product design project

 

Outline of experiments (Lent/Easter terms)

 

Students undertake 13 experiments during the Lent term and the first three weeks of the Easter term. The topics on which these experiments are based are listed below. Some experiments are 'short'. These straightforward experiments aim to give students experience of important techniques and phenomena. Each task is completed and signed up in the two-hour morning period assigned to it. 'Long' experiments normally require two hours in the laboratory to complete the investigation and record the results, with an extra two hours on writing-up and drawing conclusions, and a subsequent sign-up session.

Associated paper	Experiment number and title	Long or short
Mechanics:	1. Kinematics of plane mechanism 7. Vibration 8. Energy and power	L S S
Thermofluids:	2. Gas engine 9. Turbocharger 10. Inviscid fluid flow	L S S
Structures:	3. Elastic beams	L
Materials:	4. Plasticity and fracture 11. Non-destructive testing	L S
Electrical and information:	12. Iron-cored transformer 13. AC Power 14. Combinational logic 15. Sequential logic, memory and counting	S S S S