Engineering Design, Project Management, and Motor Control Basics

Control System Fundamentals

A controller actively changes the motor output to move the system closer to a desired value, known as the set point.

Stepper Motors

Steppers are motors that rotate a specific number of degrees in response to control pulses. The number of degrees in each step is motor-dependent, typically ranging from 1 to 30 degrees.

Steppers commonly used with Arduino include:

• Bipolar: Typically with four leads attached to two coils.
• Unipolar: Five or six leads attached to two coils.

The Role and Skills of an Engineer

Engineering Purpose

Engineers work with people and negotiate with others to build projects. They must convince stakeholders to build according to their design and direction.

Essential Engineering Skills

• Project management
• Team skills
• Communication
• Problem-solving

The Engineering Design Process

Stages of Design

1. Conceptual Design: Focuses on simple solutions and estimates, not detailed specifications.
2. Detailed Design: Requires all necessary specifications and details.

Six Key Design Steps

1. Client Needs: Define the requirements.
2. Planning: Select the team, define goals, and create a project plan.
3. Research: Investigate similar situations, determine the best solution, and document the results.
4. Alternatives: Brainstorm options and document all alternatives.
5. Evaluation: Evaluate alternatives, recommend an option, and document the decision.
6. Final Report: Summarize the project, identify the preferred option, and explain the rationale.

Project Management Fundamentals

Defining Project Success

Successful projects are defined by meeting criteria related to:

1. Cost, Time, and Quality
2. Environment
3. Ethics

The Triple Bottom Line encompasses criteria 1, 2, and 3.

General project criteria include technical feasibility, financial viability (money), environmental impact, and ethical considerations.

Role of Managers

Managers:

• Supervise and make tasks manageable.
• Obtain necessary resources.
• Focus on the final goal.
• Motivate the team.
• Possess technical skill.
• Adapt to change.

Common Reasons for Project Failure

• Vague goals
• Inadequate planning
• Insufficient communication
• Lacking skills and experience

Project Tools and Documentation

Gantt Chart

A Gantt Chart addresses the time required for individual work elements and provides a project timeline.

The Engineering Logbook

A logbook reflects on progress, documenting what is working well, what is not, and where and how to improve.

Teamwork and Continuous Improvement

Key Elements of Teamwork

Effective teamwork requires:

• Understanding each other.
• Clear communication.
• Identifying basic roles.
• Writing a team contract (covering group purpose, policies, roles, and procedures).
• Giving and receiving feedback.
• Learning from each other.
• Expecting conflict (and debating issues constructively).
• Splitting up work fairly.

The Learning Cycle (Plan-Act-Observe-Reflect)

This cycle drives continuous improvement:

1. Plan: Initial design phase.
2. Act: Detailed design and implementation.
3. Observe: Monitoring what is happening.
4. Reflect: Resolving issues and developing a new approach.

Action Plan Implementation

An Action Plan identifies what has been done, by whom, when, and where. Tasks should be checked at the next meeting to ensure completion.

Brainstorming Techniques

To conduct an effective brainstorming session:

• Generate ideas within a set time limit.
• Write down all ideas.
• Evaluate the list according to the task requirements after the generation phase.

Note: Do not talk about or elaborate on ideas during the generation phase, as this takes time and encourages premature criticism.