Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

Minimum English Language to IELTS 6.0 or Pearsons 54 or equivalent. Satisfy progression or admissions requirement for entry to Stage 4 of CEng-accredited MEng Honours or MSc degree programme (or EU Bologna-compliant equivalent) by satisfactory completion of Stage 3 or Bachelor degree equivalent at NQF Level 6 normally with three years of prior study related to this topic

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The module provides the knowledge and skills to design, select production routes and assess the in-service behaviour of mechanical power transmissions and equipment, especially rotary drive systems, across a range of driven loads to a given performance specification.
Alongside design calculations and analysis, knowledge will be given to select manufacturing methods, material and heat treatments, surface treatments and to understand quality assurance requirements and failure modes
Overall, the module provides the breadth of knowledge to design a mechanical power transmission system.

Outline Of Syllabus

Drive systems are integral to many machines and products, providing reliable and efficient energy transfer. This module deals with the systems and the detail engineering to design successful transmissions. The main topics will be:
•       An introduction to drive systems and components.
•       Principles of drive system and component specification and selection.
•       Design approaches for power transmission assemblies using shafts, gears, bearings, and housings, considering the ease of manufacture and assembly.
•       A review of gear drives and gear types including their main characteristics, kinematics, geometry, and manufacturing routes.
•       Design of spur and helical gears using, including calculations from international standards.
•       Design and selection of shafts, splines, and connectors.
•       Bearing selection supported by calculation, with a focus on rolling element bearings.
•       Understanding and recognition of transmission component failure modes, supported with hands-on practical lab sessions.
•       Material selection, manufacturing routes, and the impact of these on failure modes.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On completion of the module, knowledge will have been provided to:
•       Understand and describe drive system components and their capabilities and limitations (M1).
•       Understand the kinematics of spur and helical gears and the relationships to their correct use and implementation, design, and analysis (M1, M2, M3, M5).
•       Understand the importance of quality control in the design and manufacture of power transmission components (M1, M2, M14).
•       Understand the fundamentals that underpin bearing technology and correct selection of bearings, with a focus on rolling element bearings (M1, M2, M3, M5).
•       Understand the appropriate selection of materials, heat treatments and surface treatments and the impact of these on performance and failure modes (M13, M14).
•       Understand the use of specific international standards in the overall design and manufacture of mechanical power transmission components, including where there may be limitations in the methods (M4).

Intended Skill Outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
•       Recognise and create design layouts of mechanical power transmissions (M2, M3, M5).
•       Design supporting mechanical power transmission components including shafts, splines, and connectors. (M2, M3, M5).
•       Design detailed spur and helical gears (M2, M3, M5).
•       Correctly select rolling element bearings to meet design needs (M2, M3, M5).
•       Specify material, manufacturing routes and surface treatments and understand the impact of these on failure modes (M13, M14).
•       Identify a range of failure modes in a variety of power transmission components, from a range of applications (M12).
•       Develop a detail design of a geared mechanical power transmission to a performance specification and construct a technical report on the design (M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M9, M13, M14, M17).

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module uses lectures and course material as an efficient way to introduce the students to new topics and to provide a firm foundation for the subject and to meet the intended knowledge outcomes.

The intended skills outcomes are met through a combination of practical classes, applied software learning and tutorials covering the application of calculation and design methods.

The practicals give a facility tour, demonstrations and exercises that allow students to gain hands-on experience examining many types of drives system designs, component types, experience several drive systems operating and understand failure processes.

The gear software skills learned during the course represent the industry standard transmission design software and allows selection of optimal gear designs (applying knowledge from lectures) required in the gearbox assignment.

The tutorial classes allow students to apply knowledge and consolidate learning.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The teaching approach ensures that students have feedback and consolidation of learning through the use of Vevox in-class quizzes as the module progresses. Combined with practical and tutorial sessions, these will assist students to focus their guided independent study.

A complete specimen exam paper is provided to give examples of the question types that will be utilised in the Inspera exam that attracts 70% of the available marks.

The open-book Inspera exam is invigilated, on-campus, allowing the students to demonstrate the application of the knowledge they have been taught. This exam will assess the intended knowledge outcomes using varying question types such as multi-choice, calculations and essay. Numerical questions are not awarded marks for working due to the open-book nature of the exam, but follow-up questions are used to enable students to demonstrate critical analysis and knowledge of results.
The gearbox assignment, attracting 30% of the available module marks, meets the intended skills outcomes. This applies the taught material and leads the students to a greater depth of understanding of the detail design of components and selection and matching of drive systems. The output of the gearbox assignment includes appropriate designs and system diagrams, calculations and evidence of appropriate decision making, all presented in a final professional report. The design work includes the use of commercial design software which is introduced throughout the module. Students require a good understanding of the lecture material to successfully complete the assignment and have opportunity to reference external material and show critical analysis of this in their work.

General Notes

N/A