ME5609 Rapid Response Manufacturing
Professor AYC Nee & Assoc Prof SK Ong

Term Project Description

Course tutors:

Professor AYC Nee
mpeneeyc@nus.edu.sg 6516 2892

Assoc Prof SK Ong
mpeongsk@nus.edu.sg 6516 2222

softcopy of project guidelines

1. General
The Term Project shall address, from design to disposal, of a particular product in view of the changing scenario of greater market competition and shorter lead time required to reach the market, not to forget that green manufacturing is becoming more important and can only be acceptable in certain countries. The student should analyse the traditional way of how a product is being designed, planned, fabricated, tested and disposed compared to new rapid and green methods which may be used. New procedures and estimated savings shall be reported where applicable.

Although some aspects of the lectures may come later, an overall course content has been defined, and hence the students could look up related topics before they are covered. In that sense, the project would help the course and it will not be a case of putting the cart in front of the horse or the usual complaint that "since the topics have not been covered, I won’t know how to go about this."

 

2. Arrangements
There will be 2 members to each project team. It is recommended that a regular M.Sc. (part-time) should team up with an M.Sc. (full-time) or an M.Eng. or Ph.D. student taking the course. The reason for the suggested teaming being that M.Sc. (part-time) students can use their design experience and company products as possible case studies while full-time students will not have this opportunity. If resources are available, this arrangement can be waived. Team members, however, are expected to submit individual reports. In addition, each student is required to submit a short write-up of about 750 words to highlight their role and contribution in the project.

 

3. Project schedule
The project will be based on continuous assessment over a 12-week period. The proposed schedule is as follows:

·  Team forming and project definition
Team forming and project definition should be done in the first few weeks. If teaming-up needs to be arranged, this can be facilitated by the course tutors. The project shall be based on a particular commercial product. Project proposal should obtain clearance from the course tutors via email.

 

·  Preliminary project submission
A preliminary project submission just after the mid-term break should be made. This should contain 3 to 4 pages, outlining the progress and the approach taken.

 

·  Final submission and presentation
There will be a presentation by each group after the submission of the report. The presentation shall be PowerPoint-based. Group presentation is allowed, but members should take turn to present. An executive summary should be presented to the whole class, which may raise questions during the presentation. A soft copy should accompany every PowerPoint presentation.

 

 4. Report format
There will essentially be 3 "reports" to be submitted throughout the whole course, namely (a) the preliminary project submission, (b) the final report, and (c) a short write-up.

·  Preliminary project submission
This should contain 3 to 4 pages, single-sided with 1.5 lines spacing, stating the commercial product being investigated, and outlining the progress and the approach taken.

Note: this is a team report, not an individual report.

·  Final report
The report should not contain more than 30 pages, single-sided and with 1.5 lines spacing, excluding appendices. A soft copy should accompany every report submission. A general format of this report will include abstract, introduction, background/general information, analysis, discussion, conclusion, and appendices. Flowcharts, photographs and coloured printed materials can be included in this report.

Note: this is an individual report.

·  Short write-up
Each student will submit an individual short write-up of about 750 words dealing with the following:

        1. Own contribution to and role in the project
        2. Personal view of the project
        3. Problems (if any) encountered in the course of the project
        4. Benefits (if any) derived from working on the project

 

5. Duration of term project
The deadline for the term project shall be 7 April 2006, after which there will be a penalty for late submission of reports.

 

6. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious offence. Zero-marks will be awarded if a student is found to have committed this offence.