Teaching Responsibilities 

• DEPR8412 - Design Project (Capstone module)

  • Topics:

    • Design Titled: Design of a contactless electromagnetic calliper retarder for high-speed applications: 

The implementation of eddy current braking systems offers a unique solution to prevent frequent maintenance due to wear, performance degradation during repetitive high-speed applications and expensive actuation mechanism designs involved with friction brakes. Improvements to the forementioned brake degradation can be accomplished by frictionless braking, which is permitted by applying braking force via eddy currents that are induced by electromagnets. This design project aims to develop a contactless electromagnetic eddy current (ECB) retarding system that is compatible with the typical geometry of a commercial passenger vehicle’s disc brakes. The working principles of ECB’s will be used to deliver sufficient braking performance for high-speed passenger vehicle applications whilst reducing the exponential decay of braking torque.

• • • Design Titled: The design of a wind turbine gearbox

The current global energy crisis requires a drive towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy generation. This design project proposes a modular geartrain design for a 2 MW horizontal axis wind turbine designed for a South African climate, with an emphasis of low maintainability and serviceability. 

• • • Design Titled: A parametric design of a Parkinson's eating utensil 

Parkinson's disease can be defined as an age-related and neurodegenerative syndrome that is characterised by rhythmic, unintentional and oscillating movements of a body part. These can often significantly impair motor functions, impacting the independence and quality of life of Parkinson's patients. This design project focusses on the parametric design of a eating utensil that accounts for the user's tremors through damping mechanisms to restore a certain level of autonomy of affected users.

• REPO8412 - Research Project (Capstone module)

  • Topics:

    • Research Titled: Experimental testing and validation of additive manufactured lattice structures for shoe sole design

Traditional footwear manufacturing methods are increasingly challenged by a demand for customised and intricately designed shoe sole designs. These new designs offer a level of complexity to traditional manufacturing processes to limit compromising strength, elasticity, comfort, and structural integrity to shoe soles. Additionally, with increased use of additive manufacturing methods and materials to generate custom designs, it is proposed solution to these challenges. This investigation entailed the compression test analysis on 3D-printed shoe sole specimens of different lattice structures to evaluate the mechanical performance. The primary objective of this investigation validate the existing characterisation of 3D-printed lattice structures and their functional performance to determine the benefits of hybrid lattice structure implementation within high-performance footwear. The experimental validation allows for a comparison between shoe soles manufactured by conventional means and the newly proposed 3D printed designs.

• • • Research Titled: Assessing the Machining Parameters on the Fatigue Performance of EN19 Shafts

EN19 (AISI4140) is widely used in high-stress shafting and tooling applications. As part of the IIE MSA Fatigue Research Project, this project aims to provide an in-depth experimental investigation of machining parameters on the surface characteristics of machined EN19 hourglass cantilever fatigue specimens and their respective rotating-bending fatigue performance.

• BCSD7311 - Basic Concepts in Structural and Machine Design

  • Module Purpose: 

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to engineering design processes, principles, work environment, material selection,  and static and dynamic stress analysis for simple structural and machine components and assemblies that include shafts and rolling element bearings and beams. Students will be exposed to key criteria of fatigue failure in shafts and bearings for correct sizing, material selection and manufacture.

• • Module Outcomes:

    • MO01 Apply design criteria and concepts in solving engineering problems.

    • MO02 Analyse and design structural components using elementary design theories.

    • MO03 Perform basic calculations on mechanical assemblies.

    • MO04 Determine the safe operating specifications for basic structures. 

    • MO05 Understand the basic properties of materials and their application.

• • NQF level: 7

  • Credits: 12

• • Number of Students: 21

  • Class average: 52%

  • Pass rate: 67%

• DEPR8412 - Design Project (Capstone module)

  • Topics:

    • Design Titled: All-terrain wheelchair: 

General-purpose wheelchairs are not designed to handle challenging road conditions, often resulting in damaged wheelchairs, further limiting the user's mobility. This design project entails designing an all-terrain wheelchair design suited for rural regions. The design should conform to the applicable standards.

• • • Design Titled: The design of a structural lower-limb prosthetic component

Structural lower limb prosthetic components experience high-stress loading conditions and are prone to fatigue failure, requiring frequent replacement. Most prosthetic producers utilize male and female pyramid socket adapters to join and align the structural components of prosthetic limbs. This design project entails the design of a noble, universal structural component for a lower-limb prosthetic limb to conform with the ISO 10328 standard.

• • • Design Titled: The design of a drop testing machine

The Consumer Goods and Services Ombudsman (CGSO) has recently released new guidelines following a rise in complaints about goods damaged during transport, most of which were damaged due to impact or compression loadings. With the continual surge of online retail within South Africa, some major e-retails ship more than 35 000 orders daily, most requiring packaging. This design project aims to investigate and design a drop/impact testing apparatus to test packaging performance under varying impact loading scenarios.

• MTEC7312 - Manufacturing Techniques

  • Module Purpose: 

The purpose of this module is to develop knowledge and skills involved in manufacturing processes and machine tools to create designs for manufacture and assembly.

• • Module Outcomes:

    • MO01 Explain fundamental concepts of manufacturing.

    • MO02 Illustrate the mechanics of material removal processes.

    • MO03 Apply cutting tool technology. 

    • MO04 Master the process of machining operations and machine tools.

    • MO05 Utilise the metalworking processes.

    • MO06 Apply appropriate techniques in product design.

• • NQF level: 7

  • Credits: 12

• • Number of Students: 6

  • Pass rate: 100%

• REPO8412 - Research Project (Capstone module)

  • Topics:

    • Research Titled: Investigation of dynamic winglets on standardised wing profiles

Traditional wing designs generally incorporate winglets to enhance lift performance by limiting flow separation on the outer edges of the wing. This study aims to provide a preliminary investigation into the wing characteristics of standardised wings with dynamic winglets. The study is CFD and FEA simulation intensive.

• • • Research Titled: The investigation of compliant mechanisms as force transducers

This investigation reviews current force transducer technologies to optimise a compliant mechanism force transducer's topography to obtain a comprehensive force sensitivity range for general mechanical laboratory use at IIE MSA.

• • • Research Titled: The investigation of 3D-printed component strength

3D printing is a process subject to a large number of parameters that affect the strength, quality and print time of parts. The study is aimed at quantifying the effects of these parameters on part strength via a formalized testing procedure. Specifically, the effect of layer/print orientation on overall component strength. Further areas that may be explored are the overall efficiency of the print optimizing part strength vs. cost/time.

• SMCL7311 - Strength of Material under Complex Loading Conditions

  • Module Purpose: 

The purpose of this module is to develop knowledge and skills in order to create safe designs for complex loading conditions the strength of materials.

• • Module Outcomes:

    • MO01 Evaluate combined loading conditions.

    • MO02 Calculate 2D and 3D stresses and strains.

    • MO03 Determine the point of component failure.

    • MO04 Determine material behaviour under inelastic deformation.

    • MO05 Applying Finite Element Analysis in stress analysis.

    • MO06 Analyse the principles of beam deflections.

• • NQF level: 7

  • Credits: 12

• • Number of Students: 12

  • Class average: 51%

  • Pass rate: 59%

• TPOF6212 - Thermodynamic Properties of Fluids

  • Module Purpose: 

The purpose of this module is to develop the students’ knowledge of the properties of gases and condensable vapours and the principles governing their thermodynamic analysis.

• • Module Outcomes:

    • MO01 Explain the thermodynamic properties of gases.

    • MO02 Apply the laws of thermodynamics and relevant concepts for the heat transfer and conservation of energy for devices operating with either a closed or open system.

    • MO03 Perform kinetic energy and internal energy calculations.

    • MO04 Apply steady flow energy balance equation to solve energy balance problems in turbomachinery.

    • MO05 Apply the second law of thermodynamics in analysing the performance of commonly used engineering systems like heat engines and refrigerators.

    • MO06 Solve steam related problems.

• • NQF level: 6

  • Credits: 12

• • Number of Students: 33

  • Pass rate: 47%

• MEIF5112 - Mechanics: The Interaction of Forces

  • Module Purpose: 

The purpose of this module is to develop the ability to perform essential calculations for systems in equilibrium to adopt a logical and systematic approach to problem-solving.

• • Module Outcomes:

    • MO01 Determine normal reaction and friction forces.

    • MO02 Perform equilibrium calculations of particle and rigid bodies in various dimensions.

    • MO3 Draw free body diagrams. 

    • MO04 Explain the principle of moments.

    • MO05 Apply compound systems to various scenarios. 

    • MO06 Determine forces in trusses.

    •  MO07 Perform calculations on bending moments and shear forces in determinate beams.

    • MO08 Use appropriate methods to determine moments of inertia.

    • MO09 Apply the parallel axis theorem to given a range of scenarios.

• • NQF level: 5

  • Credits: 12

• • Number of Students: 23

  • Class average: 38%

  • Pass rate: 26%