48610 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Assessment Task 2: Computer Aided Design – Autumn 2024

Worth 20% of your total assessment for this subject.

Instructions how to solve your assignment

Please read this whole document carefully before starting the assessment task.

How to complete your work

There are 3 alternative ways to complete your assignment using SolidWorks

1)  locally on a UTS FEIT Lab Computer - you must be logged in with your UTS Student login

2)  on/via FEIT WorkSpace – you must be logged in with your UTS Student login

Make sure that you are always using the same version of SolidWorks to avoid file issues.

Any work not completed in one of the ways described above will not be marked.

You don’t have to complete the assessment task all in one go but you must do all your work on the assessment task as described above. Why this requirement? In the past, some students have tried to simply copy another student’s files and submit them as their own. I’m sure you don’t want students like that getting the same mark as you if you do all the work yourself. We have a macro that we will use to check who has worked on your files. This is currently our best way of making sure that this doesn’t happen but still giving you the freedom of being able to work on the assessment task in your own time. (In the past, students have been required to complete the whole task in one 1 hour Lab class.)

How to name and manage your files

Important file management. Before you start modeling, create a folder called SWfiles_XXXXXXXX , but replace XXXXXXXX with your student ID (preferably, create the folder in your Documents folder on your WorkSpace ‘cloud’ storage so you can work on your files anywhere and at any time you have internet access. SeeWhere can I save my files?on the WorkSpace website). Create and save all your assessable SolidWorks files in this folder. Name your parts and files with the names shown in the table below (on the next page). Do this from the start. Do not just rename your files at the end as this will break the associative links between part, assembly and drawing files.

Failure to follow these instructions may result in delays to marking your work and possibly initially receiving zero marks.

It is recommended to keep a backup copy of your working folder on your own storage (e.g. personal device, USB memory stick or your own personal cloud storage). See How can I upload or download a file to or from WorkSpace?for instructions on how to do this. You will need to do this when it comes time to submit your work to Canvas for assessment. It’s best to avoid working directly to your local hard-drive or USB. I have set up the submission link (see Process For Submitting Your Work at the end of this document) so you can submit unlimited attempts (only the last submitted attempt is marked). So I suggest that as you complete each major section of the task, you zip your folder and upload it to the submission link on Canvas.

SAVE your work REGULARLY and FREQUENTLY.

The Task:

A simplified pulley assembly is partially dimensioned as shown below in both assembled and exploded views. Use SolidWorks to create:

•      the bracket and roller parts,

•      an assembly model, and

•      drawings for the bracket part and roller assembly

There are two different configurations. See the table below. You are assigned one of these configurations

based on the last digit of your student ID. If you do not use your assigned configuration you risk scoring zero for the assessment.

The diagram above is only partially dimensioned with typical dimensions as shown. You choose whatever dimensions (to the nearest mm) you like for the missing dimensions, as long as the parts have approximately the same proportions as the model shown here. Part models must be fully geometrically and dimensionally constrained.

For the purposes of this assessment task, use ‘bottom-up’ assembly modeling, i.e. build ALL of your parts first and then assemble them together. (Note: you only need to create ONE bracket that you insert twice into the assembly.) Do not try to make the dimensions of the individual parts dependent on each other. For example, if you change the diameter of the ends of the roller, the diameter of the hole in the bracket should  not automatically update to match it. (It is possible to make your model automatically update in this way, but at this stage of your learning I want you to be able to demonstrate basic ‘bottom-up’ assembly modeling before going on to more advanced methods).

Further instruction on Design Intent: Sketch profiles must be fully defined with geometric and dimensional constraints. Your part models must capture the following design intent: symmetry of parts, axial alignment of cylindrical parts, axle hole concentric with bracket top round, holes equidistant from adjacent edges. For example, if we change a dimension of one of your parts, the width of the bracket say, we should not have to change any other dimension to restore symmetry to the part. If we change the radius of the fillet on the bracket the other fillet should change also. If we change the location distance of one hole in a set (say one of the holes in the roller) we shouldn’t have to individually change the others to match. You do not   need to use equations to achieve the design intent described above. If your model does not properly include ‘design intent’ you will not gain full marks. Refer to Guidelines for Good Solid Modelling Technique and Applidyne CAD and Drawing Best Practices Guide both available from Canvas.

Tutors will be available in the Lab classes to assist you, however, it will be assumed that you have completed the recommended SolidWorks tutorials and sections of the LinkedIn Learning SolidWorks Essential Training course. If it becomes apparent that you have not done these the tutor will instruct you to do those first and will assist someone else who has.

The table below indicates what is required (assessment criteria) and the marks for each.

Assessing your solution:

See this video that shows how we will be assessing the design intent of your models.

Process for submitting your work:

When you have finished the assessment task, the SWfiles_XXXXXXXX folder (your folder name should have   your student ID instead of XXXXXXXX) should contain the files as shown in the table above. There should be five files. If there are more than five you have done something improperly. If there are fewer than five,

something is missing. Your parts, assembly and drawing files should have been named with the names shown as instructed on page 1.

   Right click on the SWfiles_XXXXXXXX folder and select 7-Zip (or other zipping software) and select Add to “SWfiles_XXXXXXXX.zip” .

   Login to Canvas and go to this subject. Go to Assessment Tasks. Submit SWfiles_XXXXXXXX.zip file via “Assessment task 2: Computer Aided Design (CAD) assignment”.

   Do NOT rename files outside of SolidWorks (see LinkedIn Tutorial).

This website shows some general advice and tips & tricks of using FEIT WorkSpace.