Internet Tools for Machine Design

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to provide academic support to the oldest discipline of Mechanical Engineering, namely "Machine Design". The rapid pace of technological development drives every individual, especially students. The industrial revolution in the first half of the 19th century contributed greatly to the advancement of Mechanical Engineering. The theories and experimental data from that time, some developed almost a hundred years ago are still in use in the original form while others have evolved to keep up with the times. This thesis attempts to bring some of that classical machine design theory into a modern user-friendly form that is portable across the Internet. Here the user will be presented with an interactive menu of topics of Machine Design where each is split sub-categorically as Theory and Application. According to the choice made, short excerpts of theory are presented on the chosen matter. The theory will include but not be limited to the important relationships relevant to the design of the particular machine element. After the review of the Theory, the user will be able to navigate to the application where the relationships from the theory will be awaiting user input in the form of solvers. Since the primary emphasis of the thesis is about cultivating knowledge of the underlying theory, the applications will not be self-correcting or self-assuming. The user will need to understand the relationships sufficiently well prior to using the applications to solve homework or design assignments. The created Toolbox is available to all registered users through a login access. The user can then choose to review theory or directly access the applications of the described theory. The thesis successfully demonstrates the use of the Internet as the media for education.