CourseWiki/Engineering Fundamentals

Engineering Fundamentals

Shared mathematical and technical concepts for describing, calculating, and communicating engineering work.

Units and Measurement

Dimensional Analysis Convert quantities by multiplying by named equalities, cancelling units, and treating squared and cubed units as powers. Measurement Language Use quantities, units, symbols, and SI prefixes precisely before a drawing, program, or calculation has a chance to drift.

Motion and Rotation

Acceleration and Squared Time Calculate change in velocity over time, distinguish average from instantaneous acceleration, and convert squared time units correctly. Angular Motion Measure rotation in degrees, radians, and revolutions, then use angular velocity and angular acceleration to describe a turning shaft. Gear Ratios Follow tooth counts through pairs, idlers and compound trains; multiply stage efficiencies and choose gears to meet speed and torque limits. Motion Quantities Distinguish path length from displacement, and speed from velocity, before using time to describe a machine or vehicle in motion. Rotation and Linear Speed Turn a shaft speed into the speed of what it drives, and back again, using the radius - belts, rollers, wheels, and grinding wheels.

Force and Power

Geometry, Mass, and Force Scale CAD geometry correctly, connect volume and density to mass, and keep force and weight as separate quantities. Power and Efficiency Power is work per unit time - three equivalent ways to calculate it, the horsepower conversions, and what an efficiency figure can and cannot be. Torque Turning effort is force times radius - how to calculate it, which unit belongs to it, and why the order of the two words is not decoration. Work and Energy Force moving through a distance is work - the joule, the foot pound-force, and why an energy unit reads backwards from a torque unit.

Power Transmission

Backlash and Lost Motion After a feed screw reverses, the handwheel turns through the thread clearance before the carriage moves. Predict that dead band from clearance and lead, and finish every approach in one direction. Bearing Designations and Sizes Read a supported bearing code, then use the manufacturer's catalog for its outside diameter, width and full specification. Bearing Types and Loads Choose the motion to allow, identify the load, then compare plain and rolling-element bearings. Belt Drives Distinguish friction belts from timing belts, read belt and pulley terminology, and recognize common wear patterns. Belt, Chain and Gear Drives Choose a drive by shaft spacing, timing, speed and environment, then check its load rating and maintenance needs. Chain Drives Recognize chain components, decode ANSI pitch numbers, and distinguish ISO chain series before choosing sprockets. Gear Drives and Tooth Geometry Compare spur and helical gears, identify tooth dimensions, and match pitch and pressure angle before choosing a gear pair. Keys and Keyways in Shaft-Hub Connections Trace torque through a keyed shaft-hub joint, identify common key forms, and distinguish key fit from axial retention. Lead Screws Pitch times starts gives lead. Use lead to convert rpm into travel speed and torque into force, with efficiency applied only to the force conversion. Linear Bearing Guides Use the same degrees-of-freedom model to compare round shafts, profile rails and V-wheel carriages. Screw Threads Choose a thread form for the load, read an inch or metric callout, and identify which way a screw advances. Shaft Support and Axial Adjustment Locate one end, allow thermal movement at the other, and distinguish end play from preload.

Electrical Quantities

Current, Voltage, and Resistance The three quantities every schematic and nameplate uses, the units they are measured in, and the two equations that connect them.

Electrical Systems

AC and DC Current direction, sine-wave voltage, transmission losses, and conversion between AC and DC. Analog-to-Digital Conversion Relate an Uno R3's 10-bit ADC reading to its reference voltage, step size and approximate sampling time. Battery Capacity and Packs Convert Ah to Wh, use C-rate and current to estimate performance, and predict the effect of series and parallel cells. Battery Chemistries Compare primary alkaline, rechargeable nickel, lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, and the short history behind them. DC Motor Torque, Speed, and Power Use an ideal linear torque-speed curve to find a load point and see why peak output power occurs halfway to no-load speed. Digital and Analog Signals Decide whether a sensor communicates with two logic states, a changing voltage, or the timing of pulses. Electric Motor Principles Find the stator and rotor, then follow the changing magnetic field that keeps a motor turning. Electric Motor Types Compare how motors switch their fields, what wears, and how they control motion. Electrical Diagram Types Choose a drawing by the question it answers: appearance, connections, function, control logic, or physical location. Electrical Generation How turbines and generators turn other forms of energy into electricity, how photovoltaics differ, and how to compare a generation mix. Energy Storage Methods Pumped water, stored heat and rechargeable batteries hold energy for later use in different ways. Making and Inspecting Solder Joints Heat both parts, feed solder into the joint, let it cool without movement, and inspect the bond rather than its shine alone. Measuring Electric Circuits Connect voltage, current, resistance and continuity measurements to the part of the circuit they describe. Microcontroller Basics Read inputs, make decisions in a program, and control outputs using a classic Arduino Uno R3. Pulse-Width Modulation Explore duty cycle, frequency, average voltage and RC smoothing, then compare PWM output with ADC input. Reading Electrical Connections Follow conductors and node labels instead of judging connections by where components sit on the page. Series and Parallel Circuits Trace current paths, combine resistances, and explore how opening a switch changes voltage, current and power. Soldering Equipment and Setup Choose solder, flux, and a tip that transfers heat, then prepare a stable bench and a tinned iron. Soldering Wire Splices and Through-Hole PCBs Form a supported wire splice, insulate it with heat-shrink, or heat a circuit-board pad and lead together for a through-hole connection. Wire and Wire Gauge Separate the conductor from its insulation, and understand what a wire gauge does and does not tell you.