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 Thursday, January 9th for our first lecture! We're looking forward to seeing you there!
Labs and Discussions will begin meeting NEXT 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.
You have a Homework assignment due early next week.
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
Lecture

First Lecture!

Slides / Files

Design-Build-Test-Communicate Demo

Discussion

Discussion will start next week.

Lab

Lab will start next week.

Week 2

Announcements
Welcome to Week 2!
This week, we'll introduce the ROV project and ROVs in general. ROVs are Remotely Operated Vehicles: an underwater robot that you drive using a controller.
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 first ROV assignment: your Individual Design Proposal (IDP).
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 1

Lecture

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

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Beginning of Term Survey

Lecture

Learn what goes in your Individual Design Proposal.

Slides / Files

Discussion 1: Introduction 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 ROVs

Tour the lab, learn about hydrostatics with a simple underwater vehicle, and see a demo ROV in action. Complete Homework 1 before lab!

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Meet the IAs!

Come meet our IAs and ask them questions about the class, the university, internships, whatever you want!


5:00-6:00pm

1544 North University Building (NUB)

Week 3

Announcements
Welcome to Week 3!
Discussion and Lab will NOT meet in person this week. Due to the MLK Day symposium, we are not able to hold our Monday discussion and lab as scheduled. To be fair to all students, we will have all our discussion and lab work be asynchronous this week via Homework 2.
With your IDP coming up, we'll talk about how you make design decisions and what sort of tools you can use to help with this process.
We'll also learn more about how ROVs move through the water and how you can use that knowledge to inform the design you decide on for your IDP.
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
Lecture

Introduction to Design: Objectives and Constraints

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Homework 2

Tandem Lesson

Due Thursday, Jan 23 →

Memo Practice

Lecture

Intro to ROV Hydrodynamics and Controls

Slides / Files

ROV Controls Activity

Discussion 2: Memo Practice [ASYNC]

Via the Memo Practice assignment on Canvas, do some asynchronous practice with the memo format as you start putting together your IDP.

Slides / Files

Lab 2: Intro to 3D Modeling with Onshape [ASYNC]

Get set up with Onshape and learn about how to do some 3D modeling with this online program. Submit items to Homework 2 for credit.

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Week 4

Announcements
Welcome to Week 4!
We'll be talking more about what real-world lessons we can learn from existing ROVs and experiences that other people have had with prototypes and design challenges.
We'll also be going into more detail about the technical prose (aka "writing") and visuals that are so important in technical communication.
We're back in person for discussion and lab this week, just in time to check in on your IDP progress and practice soldering some electronics!
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!
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 3

Lecture

ROVs in the real world, technical prose, visuals

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Lesson

Lecture

Prototyping lessons from industry, hydrodynamic stability

Slides / Files

Discussion 3: Individual Design Proposal Check-In

A lot goes in to your IDP. Go over all the requirements and make sure you're not missing anything!

Slides / Files

Lab 3: Controls and Hydrodynamics

Learn how the location of the thruster affect an ROV's movement through water. Learn about soldering and practice with the ROV control system by making a basic control circuit.

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Week 5

Announcements
Welcome to Week 5!
Sakthi is holding an Individual Design Proposal Workshop on Sunday. Get feedback on your Individual Design Proposal before you submit it, or just use this as scheduled time to finish up your proposal. See the Canvas announcement for details!
You'll be making a lot of visuals for your presentations in this course, so let's find out 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. 😉
The ROV project will have a number of design reviews to help your team stay on track. We'll go over what needs to be done for each design review and start getting ready for your first review!
Interesting Link of the Week

This article about the need for more people trained in maritime-oriented jobs from our own Prof. Matt Collette shows how interconnected the maritime industry is, both globally and in terms of the different types of people needed to keep everything moving across our waters.

Container ship Sirrah, IMO 9255402, Unifeeder at container terminal Tollerot, port of Hamburg-1029240 Image: Wikimedia Commons
Assignments Due

Homework 4

Individual Design Proposal

Lecture

Meet your team, visuals workshop / CRAP

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Lesson

Lecture

ROV Project Design Reviews

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Team Check

← SUNDAY

Individual Design Proposal Workshop

Sunday, Feb 2, 1-3pm

B505 Pierpont

Discussion 4: Combining Ideas

Learn about combining ideas and prepare for your PDR

Slides / Files

Lab 4: 3D Modeling with Our ROV Parts

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

Lab Checklist

Lab Instructions

Week 6

Announcements
Welcome to Week 6!
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.
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.
Formal technical presentations take a lot of work. We'll talk about how your team can make an excellent DDR presentation.
Interesting Link of the Week

Why are visuals so important in presentations? Because they convey both your data and why your audience should care about that data. This article on the myth of letting data "speak for itself" shows how important it is for you to put your conclusions and take-aways right there in the visual along with the data itself.

 two lines respresenting the deflection of a beam over time, theoretical vs. measured. There are labels pointing to the lines describing how the lines differ at various points and why. Good visuals have lots of helpful labels! Image: Laura Alford
Assignments Due

Homework 5

Lecture

ROV Prototype Calculations

Slides / Files

Assignments Due

Tandem Early Check

Lecture

Formal technical presentations and the Detailed Design Review (DDR)

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

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 and by appointment. So, if these times don't work for you, please email me!


Thursday 10-11 am

5114 Engineering Research Building (ERB)

Office Hours with Prof. Hibbard

I am available at these times and via Zoom by appointment. So, if these times don't work for you, please email me!


Tuesday 11am-12pm

5109 Engineering Research Building (ERB)

IA Office Hours

Office Hours with Lyn

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


Tuesday 10:30-11:30am

108 GFL

Office Hours with Molly

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


Tuesday 4:30-5:30pm

108 GFL

Office Hours with Jack

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


Monday 4:30-5:30pm

108 GFL

Office Hours with Ian

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


Monday 12:30-1:30pm

108 GFL

Office Hours with Sakthi

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!


Friday 4:00-5:00pm

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 4 walks you through examples of how to use the parts library!

Project Timeline

Feb 3

Individual Design Proposal

Feb 10

Preliminary Design Review

Feb 24

Detailed Design Review

Mar 16

Critical Design Review Presentation

Mar 24

Critical Design Review Report

Apr 4

Final Presentation to Client

Apr 5

ROV Showcase at MHL

Apr 21

Innovation Video

Apr 23

Final Report to Executive Team

Schedule of Topics

Week 1

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
No discussion No labs
No lecture
First Day! Design-Build-Test-Communicate

Week 2

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Discussion 1: Intros, audience, emails Lab 1: Orientation & ROVs Homework 1 Due
The ROV Project
Tandem Beginning of Term Survey
The Individual Design Proposal

Week 3

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
MLK Day Symposium Events Discussion 2: Memo practice

This material will be done asynchronously as part of Homework 2. 		Lab 2: 3D modeling tutorials

This material will be done asynchronously as part of Homework 2.
Introduction to design: objectives and constraints
Homework 2 Due
Tandem Lesson Due
Intro to ROV Hydrodynamics and Controls

Week 4

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Discussion 3: IDP check-in Lab 3: Controls & Hydrodynamics Homework 3 Due
ROVS in the real world, technical prose, visuals
Tandem Lesson Due
Prototyping lessons from industry, hydrodynamic stability

Week 5

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Discussion 4: Combining ideas Lab 4: 3D modeling Homework 4 Due
Individual Design Proposal Due
Meet your team, visuals workshop / CRAP
Tandem Lesson Due
ROV Project Design Reviews
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 6

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
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 Homework 5 Due
ROV Prototype Calculations
Tandem Early Survey Due
Formal technical presentations and the Detailed Design Review
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 7

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Discussion 6: Project planning Lab 6: 3D printing, operating agreements Homework 6 Due
Team communication styles and coming to consensus
Tandem Lesson Due
Audience analysis, collaborative communication, work time with DDR slides

Tandem Team Check Due

Week 8

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Discussion 7: Making a case to Justin and your IA Lab 7: ROV plan and prep Homework 7 Due
Detailed Design Review Slides Due
Detailed Design Review (Formal Presentation) -- 8 Teams
Tandem Lesson Due
Detailed Design Review (Formal Presentation) -- The Other 8 Teams
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 9

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Spring Break!

Week 10

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Discussion 8: The Critical Design Review -- Presentation and Report Lab 8: ROV build Homework 8 Due
ROV Scaling and Handling Risk in Engineering
Tandem Lesson Due
Giving and receiving feedback, worktime with CDR slides
Tandem Team Check Due
Individual Change Recommendation Memo Due

Week 11

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Critical Design Review Slides Due
3 HOUR LAB
Disc/Lab 9: Critical Design Review

Go to lab at your regular discussion time.
Your team will be pulled out for its Critical Design Review presentation. The rest of the time is build/test time. 		Homework 9 Due
Innovation Videos
Tandem Lesson Due
Overview of MHL testing, the Final Presentation and Report, advanced topics for presentations
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 12

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
3 HOUR LAB
Disc/Lab 10: ROV testing at GFL

Go to lab at your regular discussion time. 		Homework 10 Due
Critical Design Review Report Due
Work time for evolving CDR presentation to final presentation
Tandem Mid-Term Performance Review Due
Work time for ROV deliverables
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 13

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
3 HOUR LAB
Disc/Lab 11: ROV testing at MHL

Go the MHL in West Hall on Central Campus at your regular discussion time.
Work time for final presentations
Tandem Lesson Due
Review of ROV Showcase rules & logistics, work time for final presentation with a focus on visuals
Tandem Team Check Due
Cost Worksheet Due
Final Presentation to Client Due
ROV SHOWCASE

Week 14

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Discussion 12: Planning for innovation video Lab 12: Final testing and data gathering
ROV Showcase De-Brief, talking about failure, ethics in creating videos
Tandem Lesson Due
Working meeting: innovation video and final report
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 15

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
Discussion 13: Work time for final deliverables Lab 13: ROV tear down and work time for final deliverables Innovation Video Script and Scene Descriptions Due
ABR Workshop
Tandem Lesson Due
Working meeting: innovation video and final report
Tandem Team Check Due

Week 16

Lecture

Discussion

Lab

Assignments Due
No discussion No lab Innovation Video Due
Course wrap-up and Innovation Videos!
Final Report to Executive Team Due
No lecture, classes are over
Tandem End of Term Feedback Survey Due