University of Michigan

ENGR 100-600

Intro to Engineering, Underwater Vehicle Design

Canvas
Google Drive
Piazza
PrairieLearn
Tandem

Week 1

Announcements
Welcome! We're glad to have you in ENGR 100-600!
Please join us on Tuesday, August 26th for our first lecture! We're looking forward to seeing you there!
Labs and Discussions WILL MEET this week. Remember to wear long pants and closed-toed shoes to lab!
This is a course about Technical Communication (amongst other things!) and technical communication is all about conveying your way cool ideas to whoever you're trying to explain your cool ideas to. That means knowing your audience and creating engaging text, visuals, audio, and video! Check out the Interesting Link of the Week to see a good example of technical communication for a general audience.
We've posted the first three weeks' schedule here, and we'll try to keep "three weeks ahead" for you throughout the semester.
Interesting Link of the Week

This video from National Geographic about James Cameron's descent to the Mariana Trench is an excellent example of technical communication for a general audience. The video uses an engaging mix of clear text, simple graphics, real-life video, easy-to-grasp facts, arresting music, and an inherent time scale (via the vertical scrolling) to convey the sense of what it would be like to descend to the Mariana Trench -- the deepest part of the ocean that we know about.

 Wooden sign saying 'Welcome to Challenger Deep' with a text box that says 36,070ft. A 3D model of a submersible is shown; the submersible kind of looks like a green gatorade bottle with some windows and various gadgets sticking out of it.Image: National Geographic
Assignments Due

Homework 1

This is a short assignment to give you some context before you go to lab this week. It won't take long to do, we promise!

Lecture

First Lecture!

Slides / Files

Design-Build-Test-Communicate Demo

Lecture

The ROV Project: Lots of designing and building, lots of documentation!

Slides / Files

Discussion 1: Intro to Technical Communication

Learn what technical communication is all about, and then learn how your audience impacts your communication style. Practice your new skills with professional emails!

Slides / Files

Lab 1: Orientation and Buoyancy

Tour the lab and learn about hydrostatics with a simple underwater vechicle.

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Week 2

Announcements
Welcome to Week 2!
We'll be learning about some basic hydrodynamics concepts, like drag and thrust, and how the placement of your thrusters impacts how you can control your ROV.
We'll also talk about a specific kind of informal technical communication report called a memo and how you can use a memo template to set up your own reports, including your Individual Design Proposal!
Stay on top of your work! We're starting to get into a routine of assignments that are due. Make sure you complete these on time for full credit!
Join the course late? Not to worry! Email the instructors to introduce yourself and then check Week 1 for links to things you need to get caught up on.
Interesting Link of the Week

Try out an ROV driving simulator for some frustrating fun 😊

First, watch the demo video
Then, try it out! (this might work best in Chrome)

🗨 Dr. Alford says: Feeling angry after trying to drive this ROV around? ME TOO! Think of how you could design an ROV that is easier to control! 🎉

a computer graphic of a bunch of dials, switches, and buttonsImage: Unicom Communications
Assignments Due

Homework 2

This is Labor Day. If you don't want to do this assignments today, just do it early! There's no penalty for submitting things early.

Lecture

Intro to ROV Hydrodynamics and Controls

Slides / Files

ROV Controls Activity

Lecture

The Individual Design Proposal

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Beginning of Term Survey

Discussion 2: Memos

Learn about memo format for informal reports and practice using a template to create a proposal.

Slides / Files

Lab 2: Controls & Hydrodynamics

Investigate a demo ROV and practice soldering by building a basic control circuit.

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Week 3

Announcements
Welcome to Week 3!
We'll talk about how hydrodynamic stability is (or maybe is not!) a design decision for your ROV. And we'll hear from a variety of guests about ROVs out in the real world the value of creating prototypes.
We'll also talk about how you can create clear visuals and text to help convey your idea for an ROV design!
Join the course late? Not to worry! Email the instructors to introduce yourself and then check Weeks 1 and 2 for links to things you need to get caught up on.
Interesting Link of the Week

This student-facing post from Arizona State University talks about office hours: why to use them, how to prepare for them, etc. We hope you'll come visit us in our office hours, and we want to emphasize that you can come to discuss course-related questions or concerns, but you can also come to ask us about majors, about your resume, etc. We are very excited to meet with you 1:1!

 a student getting help from an IA about their 3D model of the ROV payload Image: courtesy of Robin Fowler, Ian Rosenberg, and Lyn Tran
Assignments Due

Homework 3

Lecture

ROVs in the Real World, Technical Prose, Visuals

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Lesson

Lecture

Hydrodynamic Stability, Guest Lecture on prototyping in the real world

Slides / Files

Discussion 3: IDP Check-In

Memo Body and IDP check-in

Slides / Files

Lab 3: 3D Modeling

Learn how to create a basic 3D model of an ROV in Onshape.

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Week 4

Announcements
Welcome to Week 4!
You'll be making a lot of visuals for your presentations in this course, so let's keep talking about what makes a good visual! You will also get to meet your ROV team! And we will learn about CRAP, and how you can use CRAP principles to make your ROV team's visuals not be ...crap. 😉
We'll also go over all of the Design Reviews that will help your ROV team design, build, and test a successful ROV. Starting with your Preliminary Design Review next week!
Interesting Link of the Week

Have you noticed that cargo shorts made a bit of a comeback? Perhaps it's just their time to shine again in the cycle of fashion. But maybe it's because enough people saw this analysis of the size of women's jeans pockets vs. men's jeans pockets and everyone decided they wanted to actually have pockets again. Check it out, it's a great analysis with fantastic visuals! And a history of pockets!

🗨 Dr. Alford says: Want more cool visuals? Check out another article on the same site about the best way to dice onions!

TODOJan Diehm & Amber Thomas, The Pudding
Assignments Due

Homework 4

Individual Design Proposal

Lecture

Visuals, Presentations, Pitching Ideas; Meet Your Team; CRAP

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Lesson

You will complete this lesson as part of lab this week

Lecture

Project Design Reviews

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Team Check

← SUNDAY
Individual Design Proposal Workshop

Get feedback on your Individual Design Proposal before you submit it, or just use this as scheduled time to finish up your proposal. See Canvas Announcement for more details!

Sunday, September 14th, 4-5pm

3463 Mason Hall (Central Campus)

Discussion 4: Combining Ideas

Learn about combining ideas and prepare for your PDR

Slides / Files

Lab 4: 3D Printing + Dude Tour, Operating Agreement

Take a tour of the Duderstadt Center's fabrication facilities to help understand what you might create for your custom part. Create an operating agreement to help guide your team towards a successful project.

Meet at the Information Desk on the first floor of the Duderstadt Center (DC floor map)

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Week 5

Announcements
Welcome to Week 5!
There are specific calculations that you'll need to report on for your ROV. This is a prototype ROV, so we're going to focus on some "high-level" numbers to describe the ROV.
Coming to a consensus on your team can be hard... but don't worry! We will learn some approaches that will help!
The ROV Project starts in earnest this week, with a preliminary design review. Make sure to have your slides ready for this meeting.
Lab is 3 hours this week. We need more than 2 hours to get through all of the preliminary design reviews, so we'll combine lab and discussion time this week.
Interesting Link of the Week

This article from Wired asks Does Jewelry and Big Hair Slow Down Olympic Runners? We really like how the article uses basic equations and common sense to see if there's any big differences in "operating conditions", as opposed to looking for tiny nuances to optimize. We'll be taking a similar approach with our ROV calculations.

 a stick figure running; long hair and a cape are streaming backwards Image: Laura Alford, adapted from an image by Rhett Allain in the article
Assignments Due

Homework 5

Lecture

ROV Prototype Calculations

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Early Survey

Lecture

Team Communication Styles and Coming to Consensus

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Team Check

Disc/Lab 5: Preliminary Design Review and Construction Techniques

Meet with your instructors to talk through your ROV design ideas, and learn about what can (and can't!) be built in the lab for your ROV.

This is a three hour lab. Please go to lab at the start of your discussion time.

You will spend your discussion time at the lab; discussions will not meet separately this week.

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Week 6

Announcements
Welcome to Week 6!
This week, you'll present your ROV design idea to course staff and make a case that you know what you'll need to do to create this ROV. This is your opportunity to get a lot of feedback on your design before you start to build it, so you can catch tricky parts early!
Discussion and lab will be all about getting your team's ROV plan in place and then getting started with building your ROV system!
Your team's Detailed Design Review is next week. Make sure your team has time scheduled to work on these slides!
Interesting Link of the Week

Did you know that Justin, our lab manager, made his own canoe and participated in the 2024 Au Sable River Challenge? Each canoe was given a GPS tracker, and this GPS data was shown live on a tracking website so that friends and family could see where each canoe was (and who was winning!). You can replay the race and get a sense of how everyone did. Justin is canoe C12, can you find him?

 Map of middle part of the lower pennisula of Michigan. A river winds across the map from left to right. An animation plays with little circles following the river at different rates. Each circle has a different label, such as C1 or C12. Image: Laura Alford, adapted from https://trackleaders.com/ausablechallenge24
Assignments Due

Homework 6

ROV Design Selection Presentation

Lecture

ROV Design Selection Q&A with Reviewers

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Lesson

Lecture

Audience Analysis, Project Planning, and Work Time for DDR Slides

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Team Check

Discussion 6: Making a Case to Justin and Your IA

In this week's lab, your team will have to convince Justin and your IA that you know what you're doing and have a plann in place to get your ROV system completed on time. Make sure you're ready for their critique!

Slides / Files

Lab 6: ROV Plan & Prep

Meet with Justin and your IA to go over your plan for building and testing your ROV. If you pass their checklist, you can start building thise week!

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Professor Office Hours

Office Hours with Prof. Alford

If these times don't work for you, just send me an email with some times that work for you. I'm sure we can figure something out!


Tuesday and Thursday after lecture

Wherever we end up talking


Friday 12:30-1:00pm

B521 Pierpont (go to the little room that's inside the ENGR 101 office hours room)

Office Hours with Prof. Fowler

I am available at these times, but if these times don't work for you, please email me!


Monday 2-3pm, Friday 1-2pm

5114 Engineering Research Building (ERB)

Office Hours with Prof. Hibbard

I am available at these times, but if these times don't work for you, please email me!


Thursday 2-3pm

5109 Engineering Research Building (ERB)

IA Office Hours

Office Hours with Lyn

I teach the Tuesday 2:30pm lab, but everyone is welcome!


Monday 2:00-3:00pm

108 GFL

Office Hours with Jack

I teach the Wednesday 10:30am lab, but everyone is welcome!


Monday 5:00-6:00pm

108 GFL

Office Hours with Sakthi

I teach the Wednesday 2:30pm lab, but everyone is welcome!


Thursday 5:30-6:30pm

108 GFL

Office Hours with Luciana

I'm the "swing IA", so I'm not teaching lab this semester, but you'll see me around helping out! Come by and say hi!


Wednesday 5:00-6:00pm

108 GFL

Course Essentials

Syllabus

All the details

Global Flotation Laboratories (GFL) Employee Handbook

Norms and expectations for "employees" of GFL, Inc., a fictional company that you will pretend to work for in this course.

People

Meet the course staff!

Technical Content

Reference material for the technical aspects of the course.

Communication Content

Reference material for the communication aspects of the course, including templates for presentations and reports.

The ROV Project

Background Content

Reference material for the technical aspects of the ROV project.

Statement of Work

Description of the ROV project and the tasks your ROV will need to complete.

Deliverables

Detailed descriptions of all of the assignments for the ROV project, including the format of the assignment, what is required for each assignment, and advice on how to do well.

ROV Parts Library in Onshape

Log in to Onshape using your U-M email address and you will have access to a set of pre-built 3D models of common ROV parts, including the payload canisters, camera, and thrusters. Please use these when creating your 3D model -- it will save you time and frustration! Note: Lab 3 walks you through examples of how to use the parts library!

Project Timeline

Sep 15

Individual Design Proposal

Sep 23

Preliminary Design Review

Sep 29

ROV Design Selection Presentation

Oct 6

Detailed Design Review Presentation

Oct 27

Critical Design Review Presentation

Nov 14

Final Presentation

Nov 15

ROV Showcase at MHL

Dec 3

Innovation Video

Dec 8

Final Report

Schedule of Topics

Week 1

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 1 Due
Lecture1: First Day! Design-Build-Test-Communicate Discussion 1: Intros, audience, emails Lab 1: Orientation & ROVs
Lecture 2: The ROV Project

Week 2

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Labor Day Homework 2 Due
Lecture 3: Intro to ROV Hydrodynamics and Controls Discussion 2: Memo Frontmatter Lab 2: Controls & Hydrodynamics
Lecture 4: The Individual Design Proposal
Tandem Beginning of Term Survey Due

Week 3

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 3 Due
Lecture 5: ROVs in the Real World, Technical Prose, Visuals Discussion 3: Memo Body and IDP Check-In Lab 3: 3D Modeling
Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 6: Guest Lecture on Prototyping in the Real World, Hydrodynamic Stability

Week 4

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 4 Due
Individual Design Proposal Due
Lecture 7: Meet Your Team; Visuals, Presentations, Pitching Ideas; CRAP Discussion 4: Combining Ideas Lab 4: 3D Printing and Duderstadt Tour
Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 8: ROV Project Design Reviews
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 5

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 5 Due
Lecture 9: ROV Prototype Calculations 3 HOUR LAB
Disc/Lab 5: Preliminary Design Review and Construction Techniques

Go to lab at your regular discussion time.
Your team will be pulled out for your PDR meeting. 		PDR slides ready at start of your lab
Tandem Early Survey Due
Lecture 10: Team Communication Styles and Coming to Consensus
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 6

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 6 Due
ROV Design Selection Presentation Due
Lecture 11: ROV Design Selection Review Discussion 6: Audience analysis: making a case to Justin & your IA Lab 6: ROV Plan and Prep
Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 12: Audience Analysis, Work time with DDR slides

Tandem Team Check Due

Week 7

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 7 Due
Detailed Design Review Slides Due
Lecture 13: Giving and receiving feedback in collaborative communication 3 HOUR LAB
Disc/Lab 7: Detailed Design Reviews

Go to lab at your regular discussion time.
Your team will be pulled out for your DDR meeting.
Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 14: Formal technical presentations and the Critical Design Review
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 8

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Fall Break!
No discussion because of Fall Break No lab because of Fall Break Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 15: Advanced Presentation Topics, Individual Change Recommendation Memo
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 9

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 8 Due
Individual Change Recommendation Memo Due
Lecture 16: Innovation videos, worktime for CDR slides Discussion 8: CDR Check-in Lab 8: ROV Build
Tandem Mid-Term Performance Review Due
DRAFT Critical Design Review Slides Due
Lecture 17: Work time for CDR slides
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 10

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 9 Due
Critical Design Review Slides Due
Lecture 18: CDR Presentations (the first 6 teams) Discussion 9: Team Check-in Lab 9: ROV Build
Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 19: CDR Presentations (the other 6 teams)
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 11

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Homework 10 Due
Lecture 20: ROV Scaling and Handling Risk in Engineering, Final Presention and Report 3 HOUR LAB
Disc/Lab 10: ROV Testing at GFL

Go to lab at your regular discussion time.
Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 21: Overview of MHL testing, work time for final presentation and report
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 12

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
DRAFT Final Presentation Due
Lecture 22: Work time for final presentations and final reports 3 HOUR LAB
Disc/Lab 11: ROV Testing at MHL

Go to the MHL in West Hall on Central Campus at your regular discussion time.
Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 23: Review of ROV Showcase logistics, work time for final presentation and report
Tandem Team Check Due
Final Presentation Due
Cost Worksheet Due
ROV SHOWCASE

Week 13

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
DRAFT Final Report Due
Lecture 24: ROV Showcase de-brief, reminders for remaining project deliverables Discussion 12: Innovation Video Planning Lab 12: Final testing and video/pictures
Tandem Lesson Due
Lecture 25: Work time for innovation video and final report
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 14

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Lecture 26: Work time for final report and innovation video No discussion because of Thanksgiving Break No lab because of Thanksgiving Break Innovation Video Script and Scene Descriptions Due
Thanksgiving Break!

Week 15

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Lecture 27: ABR Workshop Discussion 13: Work time for final deliverables Lab 13: ROV Tear Down and Finish Documentation
Innovation Video Due
Lecture 28: Course Wrap-up and Watch Innovation Videos
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 16

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Last Day of Class! Final Report Due
No lecture, classes are over No discussion, classes are over No lab, classes are over
Tandem End of Term Feedback Survey Due
No lecture, classes are over