Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering · 4 credit hours
Instructor: M Arshad Zahangir Chowdhury
Course Description: Introduction to the design of mechanical components and integrated assemblies. Loads, stresses, and strains. Failure phenomena and material selection. Mechanical components including shafts, couplings, bearings, gears, springs, clutches, brakes, screws and fasteners, and bonded joints.
Course Objective: This course is designed to introduce the student to the design process through a thorough study of mechanical design. Problem definition and solution requiring both analysis and optimization are emphasized, while studying both the fundamentals of mechanical design and specific mechanical components.
Assessments: Homework, in-class assignments, in-class and final exams.
Offerings: I have offered this course 11 times: Summer '23, Fall '23, Spring '24, Summer '24, Fall '24, Spring '25, Summer '25, Fall '25, Spring '26, Summer '26, Fall '26 (Ongoing) .
Prerequisites: MATH-2400 Introduction to Differential Equations, ENGR-2530 Strength of Materials (or similar). Expected background: knowledge of statics, dynamics, differential equations, linear algebra, and programming (Python/MATLAB).
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
The course follows the sequence of topics below (readings refer to Collins; subject to change).
| Topic | Collins Reading |
|---|---|
| Course intro: design principles, design process, safety, ethics, units, safety and reliability, tolerances and fits; force-deformation and stress-strain analysis: equilibrium, 3D stress & strain tensors, principal stresses/strains, elastic stress-strain relations | Ch. 1, pp. 859–863, 4.1–4.4, 5.2, 2.4, 2.12–2.16, 6.7 |
| Materials selection, creep, thermal strain; analysis for common loading applications: axial, bending, torsion | Ch. 3, 2.4, 2.7, 4.1–4.4 |
| Strain energy and Castigliano's method for load-deflection analysis | 4.5 |
| Pre-loading concepts, residual stresses | 4.5, 4.8, 4.9 |
| Failure analysis: static stress-based criteria for ductile and brittle materials | — |
| Stress concentration considerations, fracture mechanics (static loading) | 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 2.7, 2.6, 2.8 |
| Dynamic loadings: shock and impact, wear | 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 2.7, 2.6, 2.8 |
| Contact mechanics; bearings: sliding contact, rolling element | 4.6, Chs. 10, 11, 5.6, 5.7 |
| Fatigue — stress-life approach: 1D fluctuating stress, fatigue strength and modifying factors, modified Goodman theory for non-zero mean stress, cumulative damage, rainflow cycle counting, 3D fluctuating stress; fracture mechanics approach: crack initiation, Paris Law for crack propagation | 5.6, 5.7 |
| Shaft design: static and cyclic loading, deflection, couplings, shrink fits, flywheels and high-speed rotors | Chs. 8, 9, 18 |
| Gears: gear types, geometry, nomenclature, gear trains, planetary trains, gear train ratio and power analysis, gear materials and strength, stress analysis, AGMA standard | Ch. 15 |
| Fasteners: threaded fasteners, rivets, welds | Ch. 13 |
Interactive tools for working through Elements of Mechanical Design calculations.
Grayed cells fill automatically from symmetry (τij = τji). Units: any consistent stress unit (MPa shown); results carry the same unit. Everything updates live.