4-1 CHAPTER 4 Engineering Communication © 2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

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CHAPTER 4Engineering Communication

© 2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

4-2

Engineering – An Exciting Profession

• Introduction to engineering profession

• Preparing for an engineering career

• Introduction to engineering design

• Engineering communication

• Ethics


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Outline

In this chapter we will

• Discuss problem solving skills

• Show how you should present your engineering work

• Introduce you to Microsoft PowerPoint—a tool that is used commonly to give an attractive and effective presentation


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Objectives

The objectives of this chapter are to

• Introduce basic steps in engineering problem solving

• Introduce various forms of engineering written communication

Homework presentations Progress reports Technical reports Lab reports

• Introduce oral and engineering graphical communication


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Why Is Communication Important to an Engineer?

• As an engineering students you need to develop good written and oral communication skills.

• As an engineering student and later as an engineer you need to

know how to express your thoughts present a concept for a product or a service present an engineering analysis of a problem and

its solution, or show your findings from an experimental work


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Why Is Communication Important to an Engineer? (continued)

• You need to know how to communicate design ideas by means of engineering drawings or computer aided modeling techniques.

• Most engineers are required to write reports that may be detailed and lengthy may contain charts, graphs, and engineering

drawings, or may be brief and in the forms of progress reports,

memorandum, or executive summary


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Examples of Written Communication Categories

• Homework

• Weekly progress reports

• Technical reports

• Lab reports

• Design project reports


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Problem Solving – 4 Basic Steps

• Defining the problem

• Simplifying the problem

• Performing the solution or analysis

• Verifying the results


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Problem Solving

Step 1: Defining the problem

• Understand the problem what is being asked what is known what is to be determined


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Problem Solving

Step 2: Simplifying the problem

• Make appropriate assumptions

• Understanding the fundamental concepts and physical laws as well as when and where to apply them and their limitations will benefit you in making the correct assumptions


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Step 3: Performing the solution or analysis

• Select appropriate model(s)

• You may need to apply Mathematical concepts Physical laws Engineering fundamentals

• Show appropriate units

• You may need to show your results in numerical or parametric forms

Problem Solving


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Step 4: Verifying the results

• Does the answer make sense? How would you know your answer is correct?

Should you ask your professor? Should you check the back of your textbook to

match answers

• You should know the range of answers

• You should know other ways to analyze the problem

• You should know how to simplify or approximate the problem for a “ball park” answer

Problem Solving


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Homework Presentation

All homework presentation should include:

• Given: Problem statement Extracted information

• Find: What is to be determined?

• Solution Appropriate model(s) diagrams Step by step calculations Answers with proper units highlighted


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An Example of Engineering Problem Presentation


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An Example of Engineering Homework Presentation (continued)


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Progress Report

A short form of communication to others in an organization or to the sponsors of a project

•Work completed so far

•Work expected to be completed during the next reporting period

•Any problems that may have come up, and the recommended solutions


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Executive Summary

• A brief and concise form of communication to top management

• To convey the findings of a study or proposal

• Typically few pages long

• References may be made to more comprehensive reports


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Short Memos

Short memos are used to convey information in a brief way to interested individuals

An example of a memo format


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Technical Report

• Title

• Abstract

• Objectives

• Theory & analysis

• Apparatus & experimental procedures

• Data & results

Design Report

• Title

• Executive summary

• Design objectives

• Design assumptions, limitations & specifications

• Design summary

• Design drawings

Examples of Technical and Design Report Contents


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Technical Report

• Discussion of results

• Conclusions & recommendations

• References

• Appendix

Design Report

• Alternative designs

• Economic analysis

• Conclusions & recommendations

• References

• Appendix

Examples of Technical and Design Report Contents (continued)


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Technical Report – Abstract

• The most important section in any report

• Complete and concise statements including Objectives Procedures Results Conclusions and recommendations

• The last section to write


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Technical Report – Objectives

• State what is to be investigated

• List your objectives explicitly, for example, 1. , 2., 3., . . . .


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Technical Report – Theory and Analysis

• To state pertinent principles, laws, and equations (equations should be numbered)

• To present analytical models used

• To define unfamiliar terms and symbols

• To list important assumptions


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Technical Report – Apparatus and Experimental Procedures

• To present the list of apparatus and instrumentation used (include instrument range, accuracy, and ID number)

• To describe how you performed the experiment

• The experimental procedure should be itemized

• Include schematic diagram of the experimental setup


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Technical Report – Data and Results

• Present the results of the experiment in tabular or graphical forms

• The tables and graphs must include titles, column or row headings, units, axis labels, and data points clearly marked

• All figures and tables must be numbered and have descriptive titles

• All figure numbers and titles should be placed below the figures. All table numbers and titles should be placed above the tables.


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Technical Report – Discussion of the Results

• Emphasize and Explain to the reader the important results of the experiment.

• When applicable, compare experimental results with theoretical calculations


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Technical Report – Conclusions and Recommendations

• Compare your objectives with your experimental results

• Support your conclusions with appropriate reference materials

• State recommendations based on the conclusions


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Technical Report – References

Books Author, title, publisher, place of publication,

date (year), pages

• Articles Author, “title of article,” name of journal,

volume number, issue number, year, pages

• Internet materials Author, title, date, URL address


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Technical Report – Appendix

• Original data sheets

• Sample calculations

• Supplementary notes


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An Example of Lab Report Cover Sheet


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Oral Presentations

• Oral presentation Keep the audience’s attention Maintain eye contact with the audience Use humor Use good visual aides If possible get the audience involved Avoid using terminology or phrases that may

be unfamiliar to the majority of listeners


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Oral Presentations (continued)

• Length of Presentation Varies depending on the scope of the talk Usually 20 – 30 minutes

• Prepare and rehearse your presentation Ask a friend to critique your presentation Practice, practice, practice!


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Visual Aides

• PowerPoint

• Use colorful charts, graphs, & tables

• Use appropriate contrast

• Use large fonts

• Don’t overcrowded the “slide”

• Use short phrases instead of paragraphs

• If available, use models and prototypes

• If possible, use video clips and animations


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An Example of Animation

mechanical work is defined as the component of the force that moves the object times the distance the object moves

distance, d

force

work = F x d

unit: N-m, j, lb-ft….

more in physics, mechanics of materials,

structural analysis & others


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Engineering Graphical Communication

• Engineers used engineering drawings to convey their ideas and design information about products

• Engineering drawings portray vital information such as shape of the product, its size, type of material used and assembly steps

• Machinists use the information on the engineering drawings to make the parts

More in chapter

16


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Examples of Engineering Drawings

Assembly crawing of corkscrew


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Examples of Engineering Drawings (continued)

Common manufactured metal beam connectors


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Examples of Engineering Drawings (continued)

Examples of drawings used in electrical and electronic engineering


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Summary

• You should know the basic steps involved in the solution of engineering problems.

• You should realize that you must find your own ways to verify your solutions to a problem.

• You should realize that it is very important for engineers to know how to communicate well with others both orally and in written form.

• You should be familiar with various ways of giving an engineering presentation.


4-1 CHAPTER 4 Engineering Communication © 2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

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Transcript of 4-1 CHAPTER 4 Engineering Communication © 2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.