ENEM20004 - Finite Element Methods for Engineering Design

General Information

Unit Synopsis

This project-based learning unit will use cutting-edge computational design techniques to solve complex multidisciplinary problems in mechanical, structural and electromechanical engineering. You will formulate innovative design ideas for authentic applications and use latest finite element simulation software to obtain accurate insights into how they will perform in practice. You will be introduced to the variational principles in statics and dynamics of structures and machines, Finite Element Methods and analysis procedures, principles of multivariate analysis, and parametric design optimisation techniques. You will apply these procedures to model and simulate a variety of problems at the interface of mechanical, structural, electrical and mechatronics disciplines. You will achieve hands-on experience in using an industry standard finite element analysis software package.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 8
Credit Points 12
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.25
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites There are no pre-requisites for the unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 3 - 2025

Term 3 - 2025 Profile

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 12-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

This information will not be available until 8 weeks before term.
To see assessment details from an earlier availability, please search via a previous term.

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

To view Past Exams,
please login
Previous Feedback

Term 2 - 2021 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 100.00% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 50% response rate.

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: Have Your Say
Feedback
Unit provides a good balance of theory and practice
Recommendation
This practice will be continued and will be progressively enhanced in subsequent offerings
Action Taken
This practice will be continued and will be progressively enhanced in subsequent offerings.
Source: Have Your Say
Feedback
More guidance required in assessments
Recommendation
This issue is being addressed in the current installment. Students will be encouraged to seek clarifications as required.
Action Taken
This practice will be continued and will be progressively enhanced in subsequent offerings.
Source: Have Your Say
Feedback
The unit doesn't suit online study
Recommendation
Students who face challenges pursuing this unit online will be offered additional zoom sessions as and when required.
Action Taken
This is a continuing problem but the UC has scheduled several one-on-one ad hoc tutorial sessions to help students facing such difficulties. This practice will be continued in future offerings as well.
Source: Have Your Say
Feedback
Conflicting submission dates for some assessments.
Recommendation
Ensure that the submission dates are consistent and uniform in the unit profile and unit Moodle in future offerings.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say
Feedback
Online learning limits students to using the student version of the software.
Recommendation
Frequent closures of campuses due to COVID-19 forced students to switch to the student edition of ANSYS. This invariably limits problem sizes. Encourage students to understand/recognise the significance of solution methodologies using simple models than large scale models.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: Have Your Say
Feedback
The unit content is quite vast for a 12 cp unit.
Recommendation
Review the unit content and exclude some content related to design exploration and statistical design methods in FEA.
Action Taken
In Progress
Unit learning Outcomes
This information will not be available until 8 weeks before term.
To see Learning Outcomes from an earlier availability, please search via a previous term.