ECE 4960

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ECE 4960 - SENIOR CAPSTONE DESIGN I

Designation: Required for BSEE and BSCmpE

Catalog Description:

Lec. 1. Lab. 3. Credit 2.

Prerequisites: ECE 2060, ECE 2110, ECE 3010, ECE 3300 and ISE 3920.The first in a sequence of two senior capstone design project courses. Student teams will complete an industry client-driven system design project. Teamwork, leadership, project planning and management, specification, budgeting, design review, implementation, testing, weekly reporting, documentation, and oral presentation.

Prerequisites by Topic:

1.Fundamental knowledge in the core ECE areas.

2. Understanding of basic engineering design & project management methods.

3.Experience in technical communication.

Textbook(s) and/or Other Required Material(s): None

Reference Material(s):Open literature and World Wide Web.

Topics Covered:

  1. The Design Process
  2. Ethics
  3. Contemporary Issues in Engineering Design
  4. Literature/Patent Searching
  5. Writing a Design Project Proposal & Technical Specifications
  6. Teamwork and Professional Communication
  7. Brainstorming
  8. Conceptual Design and Solution Formulation
  9. Applied Project Management & Scheduling
  10. Cost Estimating
  11. Ethical decision-making, Safety, and Risk Management
  12. Prototype Design and Testing
  13. Formal Engineering Design Review
  14. Interim Project Presentation & Written Report

Class/Laboratory Schedule:

Lecture: 1 hr/week

Laboratory: 3 hrs/week in the DENSO Capstone Design Lab

Course Objectives and Relationship to Program Educational Objectives:

  1. To design, develop, and test a significant product that meets a set of specifications. (EE/ CmpE: B,C)
  2. To work in a team environment(EE/ CmpE: D)
  3. To write formal technical reports and give oral presentations (EE/ CmpE: D)

Course Outcomes and Relationship to Program Outcomes:

A student completing this course should be able to:

  1. Perform a literature/patent search related to the project (EE/CmpE: 3,9, 11)
  2. Define a set of specifications which meet the customer’s needs (EE/CmpE: 3, 5, 10)
  3. Write a design proposal (EE/CmpE: 4, 7a, 7b, 15)
  4. Brainstorm, evaluate various design options, and make informed design decisions. (1, 4, 16, 17)
  5. Develop a plan of action… prioritizing, scheduling, and assigning tasks. (EE/CmpE: 4, 7a, 7b, 15)
  6. Produce a conceptual design within a specified time and budget. (EE/CmpE: 4, 5, 7a, 7b, 15)
  7. Work effectively in a team environment.(EE/CmpE: 4, 7a, 7b, 9, 15)
  8. Build and test a design prototype (EE/CmpE: 2a, 2b, 3, 16)
  9. Write a technical design project report. (EE/CmpE: 7a)
  10. Keep a Lab Notebook (EE/CmpE: 7a, 3, 9, 11)
  11. Make ethical decisions regarding the project (EE/CmpE: 6, 10, 17)
  12. Give a formal oral Design Review and oral interim Project Presentation. (EE/CmpE: 7b)

Outcome Assessment Tools:

  1. Written Design Proposal containing Design Specifications
  2. Laboratory Notebook
  3. Periodic Progress Reports
  4. Interim Technical Design Report
  5. Formal Design Review

Contribution of Course to Meeting the Professional Component:

Math and Basic Science: -0- hrs.

General Education: -0- hrs.

Engineering: 2 hrs. (Design: 2 hrs.)

Other: -0- hrs.

Prepared by: Dr. Ali T. Alouani and Dr. Stephen Parke on January 22, 2009