Assessment Of Project Completion For Capstone Design Projects

AC 2012-3439: ASSESSMENT OF PROJECT COMPLETION FOR CAP-
STONE DESIGN PROJECTS
Mr. Stephen W. Laguette, University of California, Santa Barbara
Stephen Laguette is currently a lecturer at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in the College of
Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) and the Technology Management pro-
gram, and is responsible for the undergraduate M.E. capstone design program. He received his B.S., M.S.
in M.E. from the University of California, Los Angeles. His professional career has included executive
research and development management positions with a number of medical device companies. He has
been responsible for the creation of complex medical devices with more than 15 U.S. patents issued in a
variety of surgical fields. He has been responsible for the identification of new technologies and the review
of new business opportunities. His responsibilities have included transitioning projects into development
and potential commercialization. He has identified and successfully created research programs with lead-
ing academic institutions and formed strategic alliances with other high technology companies. He has
served as a Director with the Design in Engineering Education Division (DEED) for the American Society
of Engineering Education (ASEE). His academic interests include capstone design and the development
of high performance student teams. He also remains active in the field of medical devices as a consultant
for new ventures and investment firms. Phone: 805-893-2652; Email: laguette@engineering.ucsb.edu;
Mailing address: Stephen W. Laguette, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California,
Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-505.
c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012
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Assessment of Project Completion for Capstone Design Projects
Abstract
The Capstone Design project has become a significant educational experience for the student in
the preparation of their professional skills and the application of their growing technical
expertise. The typical design process experience includes Problem Definition, Concept
Generation, Preliminary Design, Detail Design, and Communication of Results. However, the
end result of this process is ultimately Solution of the Problem which often receives little
attention in the academic setting.
A successful Capstone Design program including companion design courses has been developed
that has become an integral and important component of the Mechanical Engineering curriculum
at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A variety of challenging projects are created each
year to appeal to varied student academic and career interests. Students work in teams with the
assistance of a faculty advisor to tackle a significant Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design
project. The design experience and course experience includes defining the problems to be
addressed with formal Design Requirements and identifying how the problems will be solved
with a formal Project Plan. As the design and the project evolve, the course experience includes a
Design Review and an Engineering Report. For those students that have not had the benefit of
professional work experience or internships, these course deliverables provide an initiation and
foundation for their professional engineering careers.
Objective assessment of the course deliverables is difficult for Capstone Design projects and
courses. There is excellent published literature that provides guidance based upon learning
outcomes and the design process. The design process within the Capstone course may be
conducted in three assessments including Problem Scoping, Concept Generation and Solution
Realization. There is some published literature regarding scoring rubrics that are helpful for
assessing communication skills as demonstrated in a report or presentation for course grading
purposes. However, there is a noted absence regarding the expectations and assessments
regarding the final outcome of the design project, Solution of the Defined Problems (or Solution
Assets).
Little attention has been given by instructors and as a result little guidance has been provided to
the students regarding the expectations and assessment of Project Completion within the context
of Solution Realization for Capstone projects. The Capstone project provides a unique
experience regarding problem solving for the student. The students and teams should be held
accountable in providing a formal definition of expected Project Completion outcomes and
should provide objective evidence of problems solution and project completion. This paper will
address the course deliverables and experiences of the demonstration and assessment of Project
Completion as it has evolved. The evolution of the course deliverables now more clearly
addresses Project Completion and Problem Solution. Students and teams have demonstrated the
ability to define the problems that need to be solved and now must clearly provide objective
evidence of solving the problems that have been defined. This assessment is conducted separate
from the quality of communication skills typically assessed by a final report or design review.
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Introduction
The Capstone Design Projects course is now required for all senior Mechanical Engineering
students at the University of California, Santa Barbara and is taken in the final year for two units
each quarter. This course was developed1,2
to provide the students an experience of working as a
project team to address a practical and significant design and build project. The importance of
individual roles and responsibilities while working as a team is emphasized.
Students work in teams of three to five with the assistance of a faculty adviser. Engineering
deliverables in the form of Prototyping, Testing, Modeling, and Analysis are required each
quarter. Engineering communication in the form of oral presentations, design reviews, and
reports is addressed throughout the course and project experience. We emphasize a practical,
hands-on experience, and integrate analytical and design skills.
The ME Capstone Design Projects include the following types of projects:
1) Industry Partner projects are supported by gifts to the program. Students have an
opportunity to work on practical design projects and to interact with outside engineers.
2) Research Partner projects are supported by research or University funding to support
current University research projects. Students have an opportunity to work with leading
international researchers, graduate students, and research laboratories.
3) Student Organizations and Design Competitions include Engineers Without Borders
and SAE design competitions.
4) Student and Faculty Created Projects include creative and challenging projects with an
entrepreneurial perspective.
A variety of challenging projects are created each year to appeal to varied student academic and
career interests. Student project selection and team formation can be a challenging and time
consuming process that is critical to the success of the design project and course experience.
Successful student teams should include enthusiastic, motivated and engaged students3,4
. This
paper will not address how that projects are selected as this has been previously reported3,4
.
The typical design process experience includes Problem Definition, Concept Generation,
Preliminary Design, Detail Design, and Communication of Results5
. However, the end result of
this process is ultimately Solution of the Problem which often receives little attention in the
academic setting.
There is excellent published literature6.7
that provides guidance based upon learning outcomes
and the design process. Common design phases, processes, and products for Capstone projects
has been described8
and provided a foundation for the course experience. Classroom learning
activities have also been described9
.
There is some published literature regarding the review and assessment of design projects.
However, there is a noted absence regarding the expectations and assessments regarding the final
outcome of the design project, Solution of the Defined Problems (or Solution Assets). An
attempt to assess design outcomes10
has been described in an attempt to measure the “goodness”
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of a design outcome. A Customer Satisfaction Survey and Design Quality Rubric were used.
Although of limited use these instruments fail to capture and assess the Solution Assets with
Solution of the Problem. The use of scoring rubrics for the assessment of senior design projects11
has been described. However, use of these rubrics are focused more upon “…streamlining the
assessment process, resulting in a reduction in faculty assessment workload.” The assessment of
the quality of student design reports12
using rubrics has been described. These rubrics, however,
are limited to evaluating reports and indicated that refinement was necessary. An attempt to
assess creativity in design assessment13
has been the focus of interesting research but does not
yet provide practical assessment methodology. The use of Management By Objective (MBO) has
been reported14
and provides good insight into the use of students establishing self goals and
evaluation of goal achievement. The use of scoring rubrics that are helpful for assessing
communication skills as demonstrated in a report or presentation for course grading purposes has
also been reported15
.
Literature of particular interest describes assessments for three performance areas in Capstone
Engineering Design16
. The authors defined four areas of performance:
1) Personal Capacity
2) Team Processes
3) Solution Requirements
4) Solution Assets
Assessment instruments have been developed for three of the four performance areas with
Solution Assets remaining to be addressed.
This paper is intended to address the development and evolution of the course deliverables as
they relate to the design process, the course experience and Project Completion. Difficulties were
encountered and addressed over the years regarding the assessment of the final outcomes of the
design projects. The evolution of the course deliverables now more clearly addresses Project
Completion and Problem Solution. The Capstone design project provides a unique experience
regarding problem solving for the student. This paper will provide examples of course
deliverables and provide some guidance for other programs to consider.
Capstone Design Projects Course Outcomes and Objectives
The Capstone Design Projects course is typical for a course of this type. The topics covered by
the course include:
- Formation of Teams
- Development of a Project Plan
- Design Research
- Development of Concepts and Designs
- Design Development
- Prototyping
- Design Analyses
- Testing and Evaluation
- Final Design
- Engineering reporting including presentations, design reviews, and technical reports
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The course grading was originally in-progress grading for the Fall and Winter quarter. A final
grade was determined in the Spring quarter after completion of the project and all course
deliverables. After determination of the final grade, this was reflected retroactively for the Fall
and Winter quarters. This created administrative issues and created an atmosphere of delayed
achievement with a negative impact upon the course. In-progress grading was abandoned after
the second year of experience in favor of well defined course deliverables with team grades and
individual grades determined each quarter.
The development of standardized course deliverables for each academic quarter with a variety of
challenging projects was required in the academic setting. Common design phases, processes,
and products for Capstone projects has been described8
and provided a foundation for the course
experience and the development of course deliverables (see Table 1 and Table 2).
Table 1. Common Design Phases. Processes, and Products for Capstone Projects8
Design Phases Design Processes/Activities Design Products
Problem Scoping
Analyze Product Opportunity
Clearly Define the Problem
Product Opportunity Proposal
Problem Definition
Concept Generation
Generate Alternative Concepts
Select Concept
Concept Variants
Concept Selection
Solution Realization
Design Product
Communicate Design
Final Design
Final Design Communication
Table 2. Design Process and Solution Assets assessment instruments8
Design Phases Design Process Assessments Solution Assets Assessments
Problem Scoping
Problem Scoping Process
- analyzing product opportunities
- defining the design problem
Problem Definition
- communication of problem definition
- quality of the problem definition
Concept Generation
Concept Generation Processes
- generating alternative concepts
- selecting a concept
Selected Concept
- communication of the selected
concept
- quality of the concept
Solution Realization
Solution Realization Processes
- designing product solution
- validating product solution
Proposed Solution
- communication of the design solution
- quality of the solution
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The academic ME Capstone course activities are the same for all projects and project types:
Fall Quarter Activities
- Project selection, Formation of Teams
- Design Research
- Prototyping, Testing, Modeling and Analyses
- Development of Concepts and Designs
- Development of Project Plans
- Development of Product Design Specifications
- Project Presentation
Winter Quarter Activities
- Design Development activities
- Project Planning Activities
- Preliminary Design Review
- Engineering Project Report
Spring Quarter Activities
- Design Development Activities
- Project Planning Activities
- Complete Project Binder
- Completion of Design Project
- Poster Competition
Course Deliverables
The initial development of our Capstone Design Program has been described1
. The initial
emphasis was on creating challenging projects. The course was created to provide the students an
experience of working as a project team to address a practical and significant design and build
project. The importance of working as a team with individual roles and responsibilities within
the team was emphasized. A broad selection of projects, common course deliverables and
common expected completion dates would provide a structured format for the student efforts and
faculty evaluations.
The conceptual basis for the course experience is simplistically depicted in Figure 1.
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Team Dynamics
Design & Build Plan & Communicate
Figure 1. LEARN BY DOING!
This very simple figure is used to graphically reinforce the critical aspects of the Capstone
Course experience for the students. The basis of the course experience places an emphasis upon
“Team Dynamics” through performance and achievement. The students and teams are advised
at the start of the course that excellence may only be achieved by excelling at both “Design &
Build” and “Plan & Communicate”. The “Design & Build” deliverables include the
engineering deliverables of Prototyping, Testing, Modeling and Analysis. The “Plan &
Communicate” deliverables include engineering communication including project plans, design
specifications, presentations, design reviews, and reports. The project and course deliverables are
completed as a team. The students and teams are advised at the start of the course that the best
way to ensure success is though teamwork. The team must demonstrate achievement with the
design and build of their end project and must communicate their results and achievements. A
clear distinction is established at the very start of the course between “Design & Build” and
“Plan & Communicate”.
As may be seen by reviewing the Fall, Winter, and Spring course activities, The Fall activities
place a heavier emphasis upon “Plan & Communicate” course deliverables. The Winter
activities witness a transition with equal emphasis between “Plan & Communicate” and
“Design and Build”. The Spring activities place a heavier emphasis upon the “Design & Build”
course deliverables.
The design process within a Capstone course has been described and may be conducted in three
assessments9
including Problem Scoping, Concept Generation and Solution Realization. Within
this context, the Fall activities may be best described as Problem Scoping, the Winter as Concept
Generation and the Spring as Solution Realization.
The course deliverables for the Fall quarter include the development of a Project Plan document,
a Product Design Specifications document, the start of a Project Binder that includes copies of all
documents, reports, drawings, and meeting minutes. A Project Presentation is conducted at the
end of the quarter with the students and teams presenting the results of the efforts regarding the
Problem to be addressed, how the Problem will addressed, and the Concept Generation for
Solution of the Problem. Templates are provided for the students and teams for the Project Plan
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document, Product Design Specification document, Meeting Minutes, Presentation, and Binder.
Templates are also provided for the generation of formal Test Methods and Test Reports.
The course deliverables for the Winter quarter include a Preliminary Design Review mid-quarter
that addresses the proposed Solution of the Problem with a selected design that is critically
reviewed by independent faculty and all project sponsors. An Engineering Report is required at
the end of quarter that addresses the probability of success or feasibility of the proposed Solution
with the expectation of finalizing their design before the final build in the Spring. The Project
Binder is also assessed. Templates and guidance are provided for the Design Review and
Engineering Report.
The course deliverables for the Spring quarter include Completion of the Design Project,
completion of the Project Binder and a Poster to be displayed at the annual Poster Competition
event. The emphasis in the Spring has always been Solution Realization. The experience of a
Design Review and an Engineering Report was previously addressed in the Winter quarter. The
course emphasis for the Spring was established with a focus on Solution of the Problem in terms
of focused student and team efforts and achievements. This was a very deliberate decision from
the very beginning of the course. Formal engineering communication of the Completion of the
Project has been captured through development of a poster. An unstructured final project review
is conducted with the team prior to the Poster Competition through review of their completed
Prototyping, Testing, Modeling, and Analysis engineering deliverables. The time, energy, and
stress associated with conducting a formal Design Review or generation of an Engineering
Report was eliminated in favor of focus upon Solution Realization and Solution Assets.
All project teams are expected to prepare and maintain an electronic copy of a Project Binder
that includes Meeting Minutes, copies of Presentations, Design Specifications, Project Plans,
Design Reviews, Engineering Reports, design output such as drawings, test reports, and
analyses. The final Project Binders at Project Completion are delivered to all sponsoring
partners, labs and researchers at the completion of the projects with all software, prototypes,
samples, and end products.
There has been some evolution of the course deliverables. This evolution has been based on
addressing improvements in the engineering deliverables of Prototyping, Testing, Modeling and
Analysis (PTMA) and ultimately Project Completion. There have been no changes regarding the
original intent of the Fall, Winter, and Spring activities regarding Problem Scoping, Concept
Generation and Solution Realization. There have been improvements in the templates and
instruction provided for the engineering communication deliverables including Product Design
Specification, Project Plan, Presentation, Design Review, the Engineering Report, and the
Project Binder. There has also been minor re-weighting of these communication deliverables.
The driving factors for changes and course evolution have been based upon addressing
improvements in Solution Realization and Solution Assets.
Originally, the course did not provide for scoring and formal appreciation of efforts regarding the
engineering deliverables of PTMA. The only evaluations and scoring for course grading
purposes was based upon the communication deliverables that were required each quarter and
that were assumed to be supported by the engineering deliverables. However, improvements
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were needed, particularly in the Fall, with increased efforts and achievements in the engineering
deliverables. In the professional setting and for the better student teams, the engineering
deliverables that are needed to support the communication deliverables are understood and
straight-forward. However, in the academic setting, unless there is a formal weighting and
scoring for grading purposes, the best way to ensure efforts and achievements is to require output
and to evaluate and score the output with a grading impact.
We have seen minor changes in the weighting of PTMA each quarter. As has been previously
described, the course and the projects transition from Problem Scoping to Concept Generation to
Solution Realization. The Fall quarter places heavier emphasis on the Plan & Communicate, the
Winter an equal balance of Plan & Communicate and Design & Build, and the Spring with a
heavier emphasis on Design & Build. Conceptually this has never changed. However, to ensure
satisfactory attention and performance by all teams each quarter regarding the engineering
deliverables associated with Design & Build, formal scoring of PTMA was originated. At
present the scoring for PTMA for grading purposes is 15% of the Fall grade, 20% of the Winter
grade, 50% of the Spring grade (Project Completion).
The evaluation and scoring of the engineering deliverables of PTMA is conducted separate and
distinct from the communication deliverables that are required each quarter. Evidence of
Prototyping must be provided by the teams in their Project Binders and end items produced.
Evidence of Prototyping activity must also be captured in their Meeting Minutes in their Project
Binders. These efforts must be supportive of their intentions regarding Concept Generation and
Solution Realization. Evidence regarding formal Testing must be provided by the teams and
documented in the Project Binders with formal Test Methods and Test Reports with templates
that are provided. Evidence of Modeling and Analysis must include the generation of drawing
and analytical models that must be supportive of Concept Generation and Solution Realization.
As stated previously, the emphasis in the Spring quarter has always been Solution Realization.
The course emphasis for the Spring was established with a focus on Solution of the Problem in
terms of focused student and team efforts and achievements in terms of Design & Build. This
was a very deliberate decision from the very beginning of the course. Formal engineering
communication of the Completion of the Project has been captured through development of a
Poster and their Project Binder. The students and teams have always had the freedom to conduct
an unstructured final Project Completion review. These reviews may be conducted at an
appropriate location chosen by the team. This could be a university lab, industry partner
conference room, or other locations. We have had reviews conducted at the beach for a solar-
powered project and automotive garages for vehicles. It was desired to eliminate the stress of
conducting a formal Design Review and to eliminate the time and efforts required to generate a
final Engineering Report. The desire has always been for the students and teams to focus upon
the fabrication and completion of their end items. The final Project Completion review may be
conducted in a lab setting with display of the end items, review of test reports and analytical
considerations. The final review may also be conducted in conference room setting with
PowerPoint slides capturing achievements with the end items on display. The teams are allowed
the freedom to conduct this review without the formal structure that had previously been required
for the Project Presentations and the Design Reviews. As might be expected, an unstructured
review has encountered several difficulties over the years and has evolved. It has also been
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extremely rewarding as an instructor to witness Project Completion reviews conducted with
professional skills and expertise by a student team that will graduate within weeks and will no
longer be regarded as students but professional engineers.
Review of Completed Projects
The Capstone project provides a unique experience regarding problem solving for the student.
The students and teams should be held accountable in providing a formal definition of expected
Project Completion outcomes and should provide objective evidence of problems solution and
project completion. The students and teams have defined the problems to be solved and have
documented their Design Requirements in the form of a Product Design Specification. They have
defined the Purpose, Scope and have documented how they will solve their defined problem with
a Project Plan. They have generated various proposed solutions and concepts, have selected a
proposed solution and have critically defended their selection at a Design Review. They
formally documented their engineering efforts and achievements with an Engineering Report that
addressed the feasibility of their proposed solution and finalized their design prior to final build.
The dilemma for the course has been developing a methodology that provides for expectations
and assessments regarding the final outcome of the design project, Solution of the Defined
Problems (or Solution Assets).
The Project Completion reviews were conducted the first few years with little to no guidance
provided to the students and teams. The teams were instructed to provide objective evidence of
meeting or satisfying their Product Design Specifications and to conduct a review of this
evidence in the form of Prototyping, Testing, Modeling, and Analysis. There was such a wide
variation in the quality of the reviews that significant improvements were desired. The reviews
have ranged from some teams attempting to conduct a single performance trial during the review
to professional quality conference room presentations. For grading purposes, Project Completion
review has remained about the same at about 50% of the Spring quarter grade. However, their
engineering deliverables (or lack of deliverables) would also indirectly impact their Poster and
Project Binder scores. Lack of well defined scoring rubrics and lack of proper guidance has been
problematic.
The process has evolved to now include a Project Completion Requirements (PCR) document
that is generated by the team. A preliminary document is generated by the team at the end of the
Fall quarter. A final PCR document must be reviewed and approved by the instructor at least one
month prior to the end of the Spring quarter. The teams begin to understand the expectations for
project completion simultaneous with Problem Scoping, Concept Generation and Solution
Realization activities.
It is important that the students and teams have self-defined the expected outcomes and have
defined the objective evidence that will be generated and presented for review for the Solution of
the Problem. As noted previously, in the academic setting, unless there is a formal weighting and
scoring for grading purposes, the best way to ensure efforts and achievements is to require output
and to evaluate and score the output with a grading impact. The preliminary PCR submitted in
the Fall is worth 10% of the Fall grade and the final approved PCR is worth 5% of the Spring
grade. It is important to note that the instructor must review and approve this document in the
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Spring. It is not a simple matter of submitting a typical course assignment. There must be
agreement resolved by the team and the instructor regarding the expected outcomes and the
objective evidence to be presented.
Project Completion Requirements
The development of the Projects Completion Requirements has evolved from a simple
handwritten document generated during a meeting with the team to a template that is now
completed by the team. The current template may be reviewed in Appendix 1.
There are many concerns that must be addressed and include the following:
• Performance requirements as specified by the Product Design Specifications
• Objective evidence that will be generated and presented
• The repeatability or reliability of the test data that is to be obtained. Will a single trial or
data point be satisfactory? Will statistical validity be required?
• The documentation of the design that is satisfactory for the partner or sponsor
The team must clearly define the end item that will be designed and fabricated. Will this be a
proof-of-concept that may be destroyed through testing? A functional prototype capable of
limited testing? Or a production ready system capable of being installed on a production floor.
The team must clearly identify what will be produced in terms of hardware and software. Will
software code be generated to control the end item of system?
The team must clearly identify what will be verified through testing and what will be obtained
through analysis. Is physical testing possible? What is the accuracy of the testing? Is analysis
more applicable and can these analytical models be verified through testing? Is test equipment
available? Are custom designed test fixtures required?
One concern that was addressed was the improvement in testing and the documentation of
testing. Formal Test Methods and Test Reports are now required for all projects. Templates have
been provided.
All testing that is performed that is to be used as objective evidence must include:
• Use of formal Test Methods
• Use of formal Test Reports
• The minimum number of trials for any data point is three
Another concern was the absence of satisfactory documentation of the design. Many completed
projects produced a single prototype that could not be replicated from the documents provided by
the team. Many of our Industry partners were disappointed with the end documents.
All teams must now provide a Documentation package that is reviewed and approved prior to the
review by the partner or sponsor that may include:
• Instruction Manuals
• User Manuals
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• Drawing Packages
• Software or source code
Lastly and most importantly, Safety must be addressed by all teams. There must be at least one
clear deliverable that addresses Safety. Will safety guards be required to prevent injury? How
will activation be accomplished? How will materials be handled or disposed?
Each team must identify at least ten items or specifications for review and the formal evidence
that will be produced.
Example
One of the 2010/11 projects involved the design and fabrication on an Atmospheric Dispersion
Corrector (ADC) Instrument for a local telescope company.
The Purpose of the project as defined by the students in their Product Design Specification
(PDS):
A major problem for ground-based telescopes is atmospheric dispersion, which is the prismatic
effect seen to increase at greater angles with respect to straight up. As the sky is viewed closer to
the horizon, the wavelengths of light become increasingly dispersed due to this effect. The
function of an ADC is to correct for the dispersion caused by the atmosphere, allowing the light
from an observed object to be focused into a small area such as a spectroscope slit. ADCs
accomplish this by rotating two circular prisms in the telescope’s light path to specific angles
depending on the position of the telescope. Adjusting the relative angle between the prisms alters
the correction strength of the ADC.
The purpose of this project is to design and build a prototype ADC for a telescope being designed
by XXX. The prototype will be functional, but will use cylindrical aluminum blanks in place of
the precision prisms to be used in the final product. Testing methods and criteria must be
developed to demonstrate that the ADC is performing within specifications.
The original Performance requirements as defined by the team (Table 3) in their PDS:
Table 3. Team PDS Performance Requirements
Requirement Value
Prism rotation accuracy 1000 arcseconds (0.27 degrees)
Prism maximum rotation Unrestricted (360 degrees)
Prism separation (axial distance between prisms) 0-2 mm
Max length (mounting flange to outside prism) 190mm
Max diameter 200mm
Max axial prism deflection 0.001 inch
Lifetime expectancy 73,000 rotations over 20 years
Maximum maintenance frequency Semiannually (2x per year)
Max rotation speed 5 RPM
Approximate manufacturing cost USD 4000
Max weight 15 lbs
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The Project Completion Requirements (Table 4) as defined by the team in their PCR template:
Table 4. Team PCR completed template
Specification Description Value Verification Method (Test Procedure) Trials
1 Angular
Precision
The rotational accuracy
of the prisms
0.27˚ An encoder attached directly to the prisms
to verify correct prism location [TP1]
3
2 Radial Runout The Radial runout the
cell holder
0.001" Measurement of Radial Runout in Cell
Holder [TP2]
3
3 Dust seal There should be no
dust between the flange
and nearest prism.
0 Apply powdered sugar to the seal locations
and then visibly check the ADC interior
[TP3]
3
4 Home Position The ADC must be able
to locate home position
after power down and
up.
N/A Locate home position after restarting the
controller [TP4]
3
5 Gap size Optics requires that the
two prisms to have a
consistent gap size.
2lbs Load bearing to failure, checking that extra
force exceeds cell mass [TP5]
3
6 End prism to
base distance
Optics requires that the
top prism surface to be
183mm from the ADC
mounting surface.
183mm Measure the distance from the top prism
surface to the bottom mounting surface
[TP6]
3
7 Diameter of
ADC
The ADC has a
geometric envelope
requirement, this
checks the diameter.
200mm Gauge fit the diameter using a tube [TP7] 3
8 Length of ADC The ADC has a
geometric envelope
requirement, this
checks the length.
190mm Measure the outer dimensions of the ADC
[TP8]
3
9 Deflection The ADC cannot
deflect (axially) under
any gravitational
loading.
0.001" Measurement of ADC structural deflection
under gravitational orientations [TP9]
3
10 Drawings The ADC must be able
to be manufactured.
N/A A complete set of part drawings will get
approved by LCOGT
N/A
11 Assembly
Instructions
Assembly manual for
the ADC
N/A An assembly manual will get approved by
LCOGT
N/A
12 Manual Detailed information
about the operation of
the ADC, specifically
its electronics
N/A A manual will get approved by LCOGT N/A
The team completed multiple test reports to document all results. The team conducted a
professional quality project review with a PowerPoint slide presentation at the Industry partner
facility.
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Conclusions
The evolution of the course deliverables now more clearly addresses Project Completion and
Problem Solution. Students and teams have demonstrated the ability to define the problems that
need to be solved and now must clearly provide objective evidence of solving the problems that
have been defined. This assessment is conducted separate from the quality of communication
skills typically assessed by a final report or design review.
A template has been generated (Appendix 1) that is provided to the students. A preliminary
document is required to be generated and submitted by the student team in the Fall quarter.
Instruction is provided in form of a general lecture in the Fall quarter and again in the Spring.
A final document is generated by the student team that is reviewed and approved by the
instructor at least one month prior to expected project completion. This document is referenced
by the student team to provide objective evidence of project completion.
The team completes an unstructured Project Review that must address all of the items identified
in the Project Completion Requirements. A simple scoring rubric (Appendix 2) is used to assess
the reviews.
The use of Project Completion Requirements has significantly improved the overall quality of
the completed projects and the Solution Assets. The use of formal Test Methods and Test
Reports with the provided templates has improved the quality of the efforts and supportive
evidence. Requiring a Documentation package with considerations for drawings, user manuals,
instruction manuals, assembly instructions, software code, etc has also been a significant
improvement that is much appreciated by the partners and sponsors.
The students and team are now well aware that the project is not complete with the last tightened
screw or final brush stroke. They must provide objective evidence that they have solved the
problem that they originally defined at the beginning of the project, Solution Realization.
Future Efforts
Improvements have been observed with the process. However, there is still confusion with the
student teams in the Fall quarter during regarding the difference between Product Design
Specifications and Project Completion Requirements during the Problem Scoping phase. This
becomes clearer for them as they approach the Solution Realization phase in the Spring.
However, a certain level of confusion remains for the weaker teams even in the Spring.
Improvements are still needed with the level of instruction and guidance to be provided by the
instructor and improvements may still be needed with the template.
The efforts to improve assessment of Project Completion and Problem Solution have evolved.
There is a lack of noticeable and measurable outcomes related to these changes and the impact of
these tools and templates. Indeed, this paper would be significantly strengthened with
measurable outcomes. It is now impossible to objectively assess with measurable outcomes the
impact of the changes that have been implemented. It is intended, however, that for the 2012/13
Page
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Capstone Projects that measurable outcomes will be developed though survey instruments with
the project partners and the student teams regarding the level of satisfaction related to Project
Completion and Problem Solution. It is intended that the results of these continued efforts with
measurable outcomes will be reported in the future.
Page
25.227.15

Bibliography
1. Laguette, Stephen W. Development of a Capstone Design Program for Undergraduate Mechanical
Engineering. Proceedings of the 2007 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
2. Laguette, Stephen W. Integration of Industry Partners into a Capstone Design Program. Proceedings of the
2008 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
3. Laguette, Stephen W. The Development of High Performance Capstone Project Teams and the Selection
Process. Proceedings of the 2010 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
4. Laguette, Stephen W. Progress Report -The Development of High Performance Capstone Project Teams
and the Selection Process. Proceedings of the 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
5. Dieter, George E. and Linda C. Schmidt. Engineering Design. Fourth Edition. McGraw-Hill.
6. Davis, Denny and S. Beyerlein, P. Thompson, K. Gentili, L. McKenzie. How Universal are Capstone
Design Course Outcomes?. Proceedings of the 2003 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
7. Beyerlein, Steven and D. Davis, M. Trevisan, P. Thompson, O. Harrison. Assessment Framework for
Capstone Design Courses. Proceedings of the 2006 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
8. McCormack, Jay and D. Davis, S. Beyerlein, H. Davis, M. Trevisan, S. Howe, M. Khan, P. Brackin, P
Thompson. Classroom Learning Activities to Support Capstone Project Assessment Instruments.
Proceedings of the 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
9. Gerlick. Robert and D. Davis, S. Beyerlein, J McCormack, P. Thompson, O. Harrison, M. Trevisan.
Assessment Structure and Methodology for Design Processes and Products in Engineering Capstone
Courses. Proceedings of the 2008 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
10. Sobek, Durward K and V.K. Jain. Two Instruments for Assessing Design Outcomes of Capstone Projects.
Proceedings of the 2004 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
11. Estell, John K. and J. Hurtig. Using Rubrics for the Assessment of Senior Design Projects. Proceedings of
the 2006 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
12. Brackin, Patricia and J.D. Gibson. Capstone Design Projects with Industry: Using Rubrics to Assess
Student Design Projects. Proceedings of the 2007 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
13. Jablokov, Kathryn and D. DeCristoforo. Sorting Out Creativity in Design Assessment. Proceedings of the
2008 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
14. Ulrich, Vernon. Rating Capstone Students on an Industrial Scale. Proceedings of the 2008 ASEE Annual
Conference & Exposition.
15. Narayann, Mysore. Assessment Results of Senior Design Capstone Course. Proceedings of the 2007 ASEE
Annual Conference & Exposition.
16. Davis, Denny and S. Beyerlein, O. Harrison, P. Thompson, and M. Trevisan. Assessments for Three
Performance Areas in Capstone Design. Proceedings of the 2007 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
Page
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Appendix 1.
Project Completion Requirements
PCRxxxx
[Team Leader], [Team Member], [Team Member], [Team Member], [Team Member]
REV. DATE [MM/DD/YYYY]
© by Stephen W. Laguette 2011. All Rights Reserved.
Page
25.227.17

Requirements
Specification Description Value Verification Method Trials
1 Must reference formal Test Procedures
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Must be at least one
measure of Documentation
10
Must be at least one
measure of Safety
Notes:
[Insert additional information here.]
____________________________________________ _______________
Reviewed Date
© by Stephen W. Laguette 2011. All Rights Reserved
Page
25.227.18

Appendix 2.
Project Completion review scoring rubric:
Score:
90 to 100 Excellent review, high performance team, project completion, sig achievements
75 to 89 Good review, good performance and achievements, lacks some aspect
below 75 Problems are noted in the review and performance, poor achievements
Max
pts
Prototype
- Project Completion
- Performance vs. Design Req
- Innovation, Degree of Diff
50
50 Excellent efforts, complete, comprehensive,
40 Well done, minor deficiencies, not as comprehensive
30 Good efforts but missed significant achievements
20 Weak efforts, poor achievements
Testing
- Test Methods, Test Reports 25
25 Excellent efforts, supportive results, comprehensive
20 Well done, not as comprehensive or supportive
15 Good efforts but minimal support or weak methods
Modeling/Analysis
- Drawing Package
- Computer modeling
- Analytical methods
- Assembly instructions
- User manuals
- Software code
- Safety issues
25
25 Excellent efforts, Professional quality supportive docu
20 Well done, not as comprehensive or supportive
15 Good efforts but minimal support or weak quality
Page
25.227.19

Assessment Of Project Completion For Capstone Design Projects

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