Master of Mechanical Engineering

The aim of this subject is to provide an introduction to modelling the stresses and deformations that occur when axial and flexural loads are applied to a body in static equilibrium, as well as the translational and rotational motions that eventuate in a body subject to different load applications. The learning will be conducted in the classroom and lab, utilising team-based approach and principles of active learning.

The subject provides the basis for all the mechanical engineering subjects that follow. The calculations introduced in this subject are the most common type of calculations performed by professional mechanical engineers in all sectors of the industry.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Topics to be covered include free-body diagrams; equilibrium of rigid bodies; stresses and strains; coordinate systems; statically indeterminate systems; flexure; particle kinematics; particle kinetics; impulse and momentum; rigid body kinematic and dynamics; angular impulse and momentum; work and energy.

View detailed information in the Handbook

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Foundations of Electrical Networks develops an understanding of fundamental modelling techniques for the analysis of systems that involve electrical phenomena. This includes networks models of “flow-drop” one-port elements in steady state (DC and AC), electrical power systems, simple RC and RL transient analysis, and networks involving ideal and non-ideal operational amplifiers.

It forms the foundation of many engineering subjects exploring fundamental concepts in electrical and electronic engineering.

The subject will cover key electrical engineering topics in the areas of:
Electrical phenomena – charge, current, electrical potential, conservation of energy and charge, the generation, storage, transport and dissipation of electrical power.
Network models – networks of “flow-drop” one-port elements, Kirchoff’s laws, standard current-voltage models for one-ports (independent sources, resistors, capacitors, inductors, transducers, diodes), analysis of static networks, properties of linear time-invariant (LTI) one-ports and impedance functions, diodes, transformers, steady-state (DC and AC) analysis of LTI networks via mesh and node techniques, equivalent circuits, and transient analysis of simple circuits;
Electrical power systems – overview of power generation and transmission, analysis of single-phase and balanced three-phase AC power systems.

Analysis and design of networks involving ideal and non-ideal operational amplifiers.

This material will be complemented by exposure to software tools for the simulation of electrical and electronic systems and the opportunity to develop basic electrical engineering laboratory skills using a prototyping breadboard, digital multimeter, function generator, DC power supply, and oscilloscope.

Please view this video for further information: Foundations of Electrical Networks

View detailed information in the Handbook

The aim of this subject is to equip students with computational tools for solving common physical engineering problems. The focus of the lectures is on archetypical physical engineering problems and their solutions via the effective implementation of classical algorithms.

Indicative content: basic programming concepts and construction such as: arrays, loops, conditional statements and functions; numerical computation techniques such as: root finding, systems of linear algebraic equations, least squares, interpolation, differentiation, integration, numerical integration of ordinary differential equations and two-point boundary value problems, numerical stability and convergence, numerical schemes using Fourier analysis

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces important mathematical methods required in engineering such as manipulating vector differential operators, computing multiple integrals and using integral theorems. A range of ordinary and partial differential equations are solved by a variety of methods and their solution behaviour is interpreted. The subject also introduces series including the concepts of convergence and divergence.

Topics include: Vector calculus, including Gauss’ and Stokes’ Theorems; systems of homogeneous ordinary differential equations, including phase plane and linearisation for nonlinear systems; Laplace transforms; series, including Taylor series and power series; Fourier series and Fourier integrals; second order partial differential equations and separation of variables.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject consists of three distinct and fundamentally related topics -

• An introduction to the fundamentals of materials science will be given on atomic structure and bonding, crystal structures and defects, elastic and plastic deformation, dislocations and strengthening and failured (fast fracture, fatigue and creep)

• The mechanics of materials section will extend the concepts of material mechanical behaviour by detailing elastic/inelastic behaviour and introducing the concepts of stress and strain analysis. Topics covered may include the definition of principal stresses, plane stress, plane strain, two-dimensional stress and strain analysis, torsion, pure bending, transverse loading, Mohr’s circle, failure criteria, inelastic behaviour, residual stress

• This subject will also provide an introduction to finite element analysis (FEA) and its application for stress-strain analysis. Particular emphasis will be placed on the fundamental mechanisms by which materials fail under loading.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Mechanics: the definition of principal stresses, plane stress, plane strain, two-dimensional stress and strain analysis, torsion, pure bending, transverse loading, Mohr’s circle, failure criteria, inelastic behaviour, residual stress.
• Materials: atomic structure and bonding, crystal structures and defects, elastic and plastic deformation, dislocations and strengthening and failure (fast fracture, fatigue and creep).
• Finite element analysis (FEA): FEA procedure, application of FEA to discrete systems and continuous bodies.

Please view this video for further information: Mechanics & Materials

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This course is an introduction to basic principles of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. These two subjects are introduced together in a single course, reflecting the large degree of cross-over in applications and basic first principles between the two subjects.

Fluid mechanics is a very important core subject, influencing a diverse range of engineering systems (aircraft, ships, road vehicle design, air conditioning, energy conversion, wind turbines, hydroelectric schemes to name but a few) and also impacts on many biological (blood flow, bird flight etc) and even meteorological studies. As engineers, we are typically concerned with predicting the force required to move a body through a fluid, or the power required to pump fluid through a system. However, before we can achieve this goal, we must start from fundamental principles governing fluid flow.

Thermodynamics could be defined as the science of energy. This subject can be broadly interpreted to include all aspects of energy and energy transformations. Like fluid mechanics, this is a hugely important subject in engineering, underpinning many key engineering systems including power generation, engines, gas turbines, refrigeration, heating etc. This unit again starts from first principles to introduce the basic concepts of thermodynamics, paving the way for later more advanced units

This course aims to develop a fundamental understanding of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, based on first principles and physical arguments. Real world engineering examples will be used to illustrate and develop an intuitive understanding of these subjects.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Topics include:

Fluid Mechanics - fluid statics, static forces on submerged structures, stability of floating bodies; solid body motion; fluid dynamics; streamlines; pathlines and streaklines; conservation of mass, momentum and energy; Euler's equation and Bernoulli's equation; control volume analysis; dimensional analysis; incompressible flow in pipes and ducts; boundary layers; flow around immersed bodies; and drag and lift.

Thermodynamics - heat and work, ideal non-flow and flow processes; laws of thermodynamics; Carnot's principle; Clausius inequality; direct and reversed heat engines; thermal efficiencies; properties of pure substances; change of phase; representation of properties; steam and air tables; and vapour equation of state, ideal gases.

Please view this video for further information: Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will cover the modelling of a range of physical systems across multiple domains as ordinary differential equations, and then introduce the mathematical techniques to analyse their open loop behaviour.

Topics include:

• Development of low order models of a range of electrical, thermal, mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic dynamic systems
• Different representations of these systems (time and, frequency domains) and transformations between them (Laplace, Fourier and Z-transforms)
• Representations of systems – transfer functions, Bode plots, state space, block diagrams, etc
• Identification of linear time invariant systems (least squares identification)
• Relation to time domain properties of open loop responses – stability, oscillations, etc.

MATLAB will be used throughout the course to complement the presented concepts.

Please view this video for further information: Systems Modelling and Analysis

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces students to the conceptual engineering design process, emphasising the real-world application and hands-on experience using machine elements. The subject will cover how machines work, including the fundamentals of relevant mechanical and electronics elements to realise autonomous mechanical and mechatronics systems.

Students will engage in problem clarification, ideation, concept evaluation, and prototyping, developing tangible prototypes through iterative design and testing. The design process includes evaluating concepts against environmental, socio-economic, and human factors.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject provides an introduction to automatic control systems, with an emphasis on classical techniques for the analysis and design of feedback interconnections. The main challenge in automatic control is to achieve desired performance in the presence of uncertainty about the system dynamics and the operating environment. Feedback control is one way to deal with modelling uncertainty in the design of engineering systems. This subject is a core requirement in the Master of Engineering (Electrical, Electrical with Business, Mechanical, Mechanical with Business and Mechatronics).

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Topics include:

* Modelling for control, linearization, relationships between time and frequency domain models of linear time-invariant dynamical systems, and the structure, stability, performance, and robustness of feedback interconnections;

* Frequency-domain analysis and design, Nyquist and Bode plots, gain and phase margins, loop-shaping with proportional, integral, lead, and lag compensators, loop delays, and fundamental limitations in design; and

* Actuator constraints and anti-windup compensation.

This material is complemented by the use of software tools (e.g. MATLAB/Simulink) for computation and simulation, and exposure to control system hardware in the laboratory.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject builds upon previous fluids subjects, providing students with the basic skills necessary to calculate fluid flows around bodies. Broadly speaking the subject is divided into two units; Unit 1: potential flow and Unit 2: compressible flow. These could equally be described as subsonic and supersonic aerodynamics respectively. Fluid flows have broad reaching applications in many engineering systems and examples as broad as building ventilation, mixing, as well as meteorological applications are considered in unit 1. The supersonic course is more firmly concentrated on aeronautical / astronautical applications.

Both units will start from the basic equations of motion governing fluid flow, and build a useable set of tools that enable the students to calculate flow fields in potential and supersonic flows. This approach will give students a clear sense of the origins of the tools that they use, and also a clear sense of the limitations. Such knowledge is necessary since these theories provided much of the backbone to early computational fluid dynamics packages used in industry.

The two units are strongly linked by the same goal. Throughout the potential flow unit, we build slowly from first principles, proving the utility of potential flow solutions, adding building block flows until eventually the course culminates with a demonstration of how these techniques can be used to calculate the flow (and lift coefficient) of subsonic airfoils. The supersonic unit follows a similar approach, building from first principles, until we eventually develop a set of tools that enables the calculation of the flow (and lift coefficient) of supersonic airfoils. In doing so, students will be introduced to many aspects of supersonic aircraft design.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

This subject introduces students to analysis techniques used in subsonic and supersonic flows. Topics covered include (Unit 1) basic introduction to inviscid flow with and without vorticity; concepts and analysis using stream function and velocity potential; incompressible viscous flow past bodies with vortex shedding; magnus effect; complex velocity potential; (Unit 2) speed of sound; aerodynamic heating; normal and oblique shock waves; expansion fans; theories of thin airfoils; shock expansion theory; boundary layer and shock wave interactions; the `sound barrier’; experimental techniques.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This course explores the processing, structure, and properties of various materials including metals, ceramics, and polymers. It will also introduce the theories, techniques, and applications involved in processing of materials and the resulting microstructures. Emphasis will be placed on bridging the gap between material science and engineering practices by focusing on how materials are processed to achieve desired properties with potential applications and computational simulations. Students will gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential for careers in mechanical as well as manufacturing engineering, and other related fields.

Please view this video for further information: Materials Engineering

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

There are 2 related, major topics of study in this subject. Each of these topics will analyse aspects of important thermodynamic devices and will then be integrated to analyse their combined effects in selected devices:

• Cycle analysis: gas turbines, refrigeration and steam cycles
• Heat transfer: conduction, convection, radiation and heat exchangers

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Heat transfer: 1-D conduction, external convection, internal convection, heat exchangers and thermal radiation
• Cycle analysis: Brayton cycles, turboject cycles, Rankine cycles, refrigeration cycles

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This course will build on the fundamental theories defined previously in Mechanics & Materials. Two principal theories in the determination of stress within a structure are energy methods and three-dimensional analysis.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Topics covered in this course will include engineering plasticity, design of pressure vessels and pipes, thick-walled cylinders, shrink fitting, duplex pressure vessels, inelastic deformation, residual stresses, membrane theory of shells of revolution, yielding, rotating shells, local bending stresses, stress analysis of rotating discs with and without holes, shrink fitting, initial and ultimate yielding, fracture mechanics and fatigue, and introduction to the finite element method.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject continues from Engineering Mechanics to deepen the understanding of (momentum-based) Newtonian Mechanics. It focuses on the study of the motion of rigid bodies in 3D space in kinematics, kinetics and finally the Newton Euler approach of obtaining the equation of motion as well as collision of rigid bodies. Extension to multi-body systems is introduced in each concept. System analysis is introduced by focusing on a case study of gyroscopic motion.

Kinematics of rigid bodies:

• Non inertial coordinate systems
• Rotation representation
• Angular velocity and acceleration in non-inertial frame
• Constraints.

Rigid Body Kinetics

• Kinetics of rigid bodies:
• Inertia tensor, principle axis
• Parallel axis theorem.

Newton-Euler Approach to obtaining equation of motion.

Collision of Rigid Bodies:

• Impulse-momentum principle
• Collision of point masses (particles)
• Collision of unconstrained rigid bodies
• Collision of constrained rigid bodies.

Gyroscopic motion.

Please view this video for further information: Dynamics

View detailed information in the Handbook

As manufacturers compete in the global market, their success largely depends on the ability to reduce time in the product development process, improve product quality and productivity, lower cost in the manufacturing process, fulfil customer's requirements and address environmental concerns. Therefore, this subject aims to equip students with a systematic approach to undertake abstract and concrete design tasks, considering the broader engineering environment and the ability to select suitable manufacturing processes to realize their designs.

Topics include an overview of the theory of design and concurrent engineering, conceptual and detailed design based on customer requirements, design for manufacturing and assembly, cost-effective design and environmentally conscious design. This project-based subject allows students to work individually and in a team environment to design and manufacture a functional product.

Please view this video for further information: Design and Manufacturing Practice

View detailed information in the Handbook

In this subject, students will actively engage in an interdisciplinary, collaborative and project-based learning environment, offering insights into the professional nature of engineering work. Through a real-world project, students will gain hands-on design experience addressing a complex challenge. The project will require students to integrate discipline knowledge and apply professional skills like teamwork and communication.

Students will experience the entire engineering design process, covering problem definition, ideation, concept development, analysis, prototyping, testing and iteration. The project provides practical experience, equipping students with tools and methods to address complex challenges. Students are expected to integrate diverse perspectives, considering factors like stakeholders, sustainability (including environmental and social issues), safety, feasibility, and technical and ethical considerations.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The subject involves undertaking a substantial group project (typically in groups of three students) requiring an independent investigation on an approved topic in advanced engineering design and / or research. Each project is carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff and where appropriate an industry partner.

The emphasis of the project can be associated with either:

• A well-defined project description, often based on a task required by an external, industrial client. Students will be tutored in the synthesis of practical solutions to complex technical problems within a structured working environment, as if they were professional engineering practitioners; or
• A project description that will require an explorative approach, where students will pursue outcomes associated with new knowledge or understanding, within the engineering science disciplines, often as an adjunct to existing academic research initiatives.

It is expected that the Capstone Project will incorporate findings associated with both well-defined professional practice and research principles and will provide students with the opportunity to integrate technical knowledge and generic skills gained in earlier years.

The project component of this subject is supplemented by a lecture course dealing with project management tools and practices.

Please note:

Students enrolled in the suite of Master of Engineering programs must be within the final 112.5 points of their degree to enrol.

Students enrolled in the Master of Industrial Engineering must be within the final 100 points of their degree to enrol.

Students are to take Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 and then subsequently continue with Engineering Capstone Project Part 2 in the following semester. Upon successful completion of this project, students will receive 25 points credit.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Please refer to ENGR90037 Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 for this information.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject provides an introduction to modern control theory with a particular focus on design of advanced control laws via state-space methods and optimal control. The role of feedback in control design will be reinforced within this context, alongside the role of optimisation techniques in control system synthesis.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Topics include:
State-space models - first-order vector differential/difference equations; Lyapunov stability; linearisation; discretisation; Kalman decomposition (observable, detectable, reachable and stabilisable subspaces); state-feedback and pole placement; output-feedback and observer design in both continuous-time and discrete-time.
Optimal control - dynamic programming; linear quadratic regulation in both continuous-time and discrete-time. Model predictive control in discrete-time; moving-horizon with constraints.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject seeks to -

• Build a thorough understanding of the theoretical and conceptual basis upon which the practice of financial project analysis is built and its application to engineering
• Satisfy the practical needs of the engineering manager toward making informed financial decisions when involved in an engineering project
• Incorporate critical decision-making tools that engineering managers can bring to the task of making informed financial decisions.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The subject involves undertaking a summer-intensive research project requiring an independent investigation on an approved topic within one of the research groups in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. It is primarily intended for Master of Mechanical Engineering and Master of Mechatronics Engineering students. Each project is carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff and where appropriate, a delegated co-supervisor from the research group. To enrol in this subject, the student must first discuss with and obtain approval from a potential supervisor.

Through regular supervisory meetings, the students will be guided through the research process. This will include understanding existing literature; problem formulation; experiment design; data acquisition, analysis and synthesis. The emphasis here will be on attempting something novel, leading to new knowledge or understanding.

It is expected that the Summer Research Experience subject will incorporate findings associated with both well-defined professional practice and research principles and will provide students with the opportunity to integrate technical knowledge and generic skills gained in earlier years.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

The study of fluid dynamics is one of the fundamental disciplines in Mechanical Engineering. In the first part of the course, students will learn about boundary-layer theory, which is a key element of aerodynamic design. A guest-lecture series on wind engineering will build on this knowledge to give students a perspective on one of the most important forms of renewable energy in our society today.

In the second part of the course, students will learn about data acquisition and analysis. These skills are required of engineers working with the technology of today and into the future. The course will help students understand the costs, difficulties and possibilities afforded by sensor systems and instrumentation, with applications for, but not limited to, fluid dynamics.

INDICATIVE CONTENTThis subject will cover selected advanced topics in fluid mechanics. Building on previous fluids courses, the subject is broadly split into two units, although content of these will overlap.

Unit 1: Turbulence and boundary layers. Topics covered include Navier-Stokes equations applied to wall-bounded flows, similarity solutions of the boundary-layer equations, Blasius solution, Falkner-Skan solution, separated flows, turbulent boundary layers, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, dimension analysis, pipe friction, Von Karman momentum integral equation, roughness.

Unit 2: Experimental techniques. Through a series of lectures, labs and assignments, students will be introduced to key concepts of experimental (and numerical) techniques related to fluid mechanics. Topics will include: data analysis (to include correlations, discrete Fourier transform, energy spectra); Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV); hot-wire anemometry; advanced potential flow numerical techniques.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject is an introduction to combustion theory and applications. In the first part we discuss combustion fundamentals, including thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, conservation equations, and application of these principles to solve simple flames and reacting flows. In the second part we discuss combustion engines and the combustion phenomena in spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Chemical thermodynamics and kinetics - flame temperatures, Gibbs free energy and equilibrium, chemical kinetics, combustion mechanisms of common fuels.
• Governing equations - mass, momentum, species and energy conservation for idealized reactors and simplified reacting flows.
• Flames - theoretical analyses of laminar flames, premixed flame (flame speed, quenching, flame stabilization), diffusion jet flame (flame geometry, conserved scalar, soot formation).
• Reciprocating engines - engine cycle analysis, turbulent combustion in spark ignition and diesel engines, cylinder-pressure analysis, pollutant formation and emission control, alternative power-trains and fuels.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This course will expand on the basic principles established previously in Solid Mechanics.

Methods of three-dimensional stress and strain analysis will be extended to allow the student to obtain solutions using analytical and/or numerical methods. These will include the analyses of principal stresses and strains, three dimensional Mohr’s circles, strain gauge experimentation and failure criteria. In addition, this unit will focus on plastic deformation of solids, including the analysis of residual stresses and the collapse load of structures. The responses of materials to fatigue and fracture, as well as their creep and viscoelastic behaviour, will also be explored. Finally, this unit will provide a number of examples of experimental applications of solid mechanics analysis based on modern research techniques.

The goal of Advanced Solid Mechanics is to consolidate the solid mechanics principles presented in the student’s Engineering degree, and the equip students with skills required to solve a range of engineering problems they have not seen before. In addition, this subject seeks to teach a number of modern research methods, techniques and skills by drawing on biomechanical research in the field of solid mechanics, and the major challenges in the field.

INDICATIVE CONTENTThe following topics, delivered through lectures, guest seminars, group problem solving activities, and tutorials, will be assessed:

• Three dimensional stress-strain analysis (weeks 1-2)
• Strength theories and yield criteria (weeks 3-4)
• Plastic behaviour of materials (weeks 5-6)
• Fracture Mechanics(weeks 7-8)
• Contact (weeks 9-10)
• Creep and Viscoelasticity (week 11)
• Biomechanics (week 12)

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject continues from Dynamics to deepen the students’ understanding of Engineering Mechanics, specifically focusing on Analytical Mechanics:

• Kinematics and Generalised Coordinates.
• Virtual Work and Virtual Displacement, Generalised Force.
• Energies: Kinetic, Potential.
• Lagrange approach: dealing with constraints.
• Lagrange’s Approach to obtaining equation of motion.
• Comparison to Newton-Euler Approach.
• Hamiltonian Mechanics.
• Linearisation of system dynamics about equilibrium points (system stability about equilibrium points.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Engineers explore performance limits, pushing engineering materials while ensuring reliable operation. This subject introduces the internal structures of materials that provide the required mechanical properties. It will also present a modern computational materials framework—now used in leading engineering companies—to model material deformation and predict failure.

This subject will emphasise the relationships between microstructure and properties, highlighting their crucial roles in elastic and plastic deformation, time-dependent deformation (creep), and material failure. In weekly workshops, students will actively explore and test the structure-property relationships through hands-on activities. They will also learn step-by-step modern Python tools to analyse and predict material behaviour and structure. The student project will empower them to examine current capabilities for predicting the mechanical behaviours applicable to various materials, including metals, functional materials, composites, and polymers.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS and INDICATIVE CONTENT

In this subject students should gain an understanding of the structure and function of the skeletal, muscular, and sensory systems of the human body.

Students should also be able to formulate simple, integrative models of the human neuromusculoskeletal system; and to use computational models of the human body to analyse muscle function during activities like standing, walking, running and jumping.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject introduces students to the analysis of soft tissue and cellular biomechanics.

The human body is mostly composed of soft tissues. These tissues and their cells respond to or generate mechanical forces to sustain human health. For example:

• Heart muscle cells generate forces to pump blood.

• The stomach generates pulsatile forces that help food digestion.

• Cancer cells move and spread through the body by generating mechanical forces.

Soft tissue mechanical properties change in cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal dysfunction and cancer. Therefore, studying the biomechanics of soft tissues and cells is essential to health and disease management.

Soft tissues experience forces drastically differently to bones and engineering materials due to their soft nature. Standard engineering analysis methods that are adopted for bone biomechanics are not useful. This subject will introduce students to the right theoretical and experimental mechanical analysis framework to study soft tissue and cellular biomechanics. Students will learn the computational methods underlying finite element modeling, which is needed to perform accurate biomechanical analyses of soft tissues and cells.

By the end of this subject, students will be proficient in advanced biomechanics concepts, which are essential to study soft tissues and cells. The subject will routinely expose students to applications of the subject concepts through case studies in cardiovascular biomechanics, cancer and tissue engineering. Guest lectures will be provided by industry, clinical and research experts who work in or apply principles of soft tissue and cellular biomechanics.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Cell and tissue biomechanics
• Finite element modeling
• Mechanical characterisation of soft tissue and biomaterials
• Applications of biomechanics in industry and healthcare.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject provides an insight into the complexities and challenges of making business decisions in an Australian setting. Working in small teams, students will conduct research, analyse, evaluate and propose practical solutions to an assigned business planning or business development exercise. This will be supported by online modules and seminar work equipping the students with knowledge of approaches, tools and techniques for completing the task and an understanding of report formats appropriate for conveying the results. During the practicum, in-depth research will be undertaken in identifying the scope, opportunities constraints and recommendations of the exercise. Students will learn to: work with unstructured and incomplete information in Australian business settings, to develop research and networks to support their enquiry, to work successfully in teams, to present their findings and seek and receive constructive feedback in a range of settings. Students will also be encouraged to plan, reflect and modify their approaches to improve the outcomes of their efforts in managing the business project.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject provides an insight into the complexities and challenges of making business decisions in an international setting. Students will be assigned in small groups to research a business problem in an international context. Working in teams, they will conduct research, analyse, evaluate and propose practical solutions to an assigned business planning or business development exercise. This will be supported by online modules and seminar work equipping the students with knowledge of approaches, tools and techniques for completing the task and an understanding of report formats appropriate for conveying the results. During the practicum, in-depth research will be undertaken in identifying the scope, opportunities, constraints and recommendations of the exercise. Students will learn to work with unstructured and incomplete information in international business settings, to develop research and networks to support their enquiry, to work successfully in teams, to present their findings and seek and receive constructive feedback in a range of settings. Students will also be encouraged to plan, reflect and modify their approaches to improve the outcomes of their efforts in managing the business project.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces the basic principles, analysis methods, and applications of optimisation and machine learning to engineering systems; encompassing fundamental concepts and practical algorithms. It covers the fundamentals of continuous optimisation followed by machine learning basics for engineering applications.

The concepts and methods discussed are illustrated in multiple application areas including Internet of Things (IoT), smart grid and power systems, cyber-security, and communication networks.The concepts taught in this subject will allow a better understanding of continuous optimisation and machine learning for systems engineering.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Topics covered may include:

• Fundamentals of continuous optimisation: convex sets and functions; local vs global solutions, constrained optimisation and Lagrange multipliers; linear, quadratic, and nonlinear programming
• Basics of machine learning encompassing supervised and unsupervised learning: binary classification, linear and nonlinear regression, kernel methods, and clustering.
• Specific machine learning methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVMs), Neural Networks (NNs), k-means clustering, and reinforcement learning.
• Applications to Internet of Things (IoT), smart grid and power systems, cyber-security, and communication networks.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This course provides an introduction to an important contemporary statistical toolset for applications including data science, machine learning, signal processing, financial engineering, biomedical engineering, communication systems and other high-dimensional statistical applications. The course will cover topics including introduction to random matrix theory models in engineering; eigenvalue distributions; finite-dimensional and large-dimensional techniques, covariance estimation, principal component analysis and spectral clustering. These topics will be supplemented by applications across a range of traditional and emerging domains involving big data sets.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS:

This subject focuses on the software and algorithms (i.e., artificial intelligence) that enable robotic systems to move autonomously through their environment and perform tasks. The key focus of this subject is the foundations of robotic systems that use software to move autonomously through their environment. This subject focus on the software & algorithms that enable the robot to perform tasks autonomously. Hence, this subject focused on artificial intelligence (AI) software & algorithms for robotics. The first main aim of the subject is to provide a foundation of the feedback loop that is core to all AI-enabled robots, namely: sensors measure the world around the robot; AI algorithms decide what action to take; the robot enacts that action by moving its joint or wheels; and the loop repeats endlessly. The second main aim of the subject is to provide implementation experience with cutting edge AI algorithm applicable to consumer and industrial robotics, where we consider both model-based method and reinforcement-learning methods.

INDICATIVE CONTENT:

Topics covered are at the intersection of automatic control and artificial intelligence, including:

• Cyber-physical feedback system formulation, such as: black-box and grey-box modelling, stability and robustness safety requirements, hierarchical and network control architectures.
• Safety and convergence guarantees for model-based methods, such as: learning models from data; adaptive control schemes; stability and robustness of PID and MPC control approaches.
• Connections between optimal control and reinforcement learning formulations for robotics.
• Reinforcement learning for robotics, such as: actor-critic methods, on-policy versus off-policy learning, sample efficiency, transferring simulation-based learning to real-world robots

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIM

Within this subject you will learn how to use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to solve practical industrial and research related fluid flow and heat/mass transfer problems. The major assessment within this subject is a capstone project, requiring a CFD treatment of a major piece of equipment related to your degree discipline area. This project may be industry or research based. Learning is supported by a number of structured group-based workshops completed throughout the semester, requiring completion of associated on-line quizzes. Guest lectures from academia and industry will share insights into how they use CFD in their research/workplace.

SUBJECT CONTENT

The content of this subject is split between two related modules:

1) Fundamentals of CFD: Within this module we will cover the mathematical basis of modern CFD methods, using MATLAB as a programming tool to demonstrate specific fundamental concepts. Specific topics include overview, conservation laws, advection-diffusion equations, differencing schemes, finite volume method, stability analysis, error analysis, boundary conditions and solution algorithms for solving Navier-Stokes equations.

2) Applications of CFD: This module will be based around the industry-relevant CFD package ANSYS Fluent. Specific topics include: How to run a basic simulation, meshing, laminar 2D and 3D flows, boundary conditions, discretisation methods, visualisation, turbulence, disperse multiphase flows, free-surface multiphase flows, coupled heat and mass transfer, chemical reactions, use of CFD in industry and research.

Please view this video for further information: Computational Fluid Dynamics

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject is available as an elective in many of the Faculty of Engineering and IT Masters programs. It is aimed both at students who have immediate entrepreneurial intentions and at students who may be considering starting their own business at some point in their careers. The subject is designed to introduce all participants to their potential as entrepreneurs. By developing their own enterprise proposal within small groups, students will learn and demonstrate various processes by which successful new ventures move from idea to launch.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Business modelling, opportunity analysis, value creation, financial management, sources of finance, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurial behaviour, successful engineering entrepreneurs.

TEACHING METHOD

The teaching method is based around a structured process of mini-lectures, class exercises, and active hands-on learning by doing. Intensive field research and minimum viable product development are very important to the subject. Learning is further enhanced through meetings with the lecturer and review by peers.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject provides a general introduction to the many issues that need to be considered when examining the global energy system.

These include -

• A brief history of different forms of energy and energy technologies
• The historical relationship between energy use and industrialisation
• The social, environmental and economic costs and benefits of different forms of energy and energy technology
• An introduction to energy resources and resource economics
• A brief review of the costs of different forms of energy
• Historical, current and projected energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutant emissions
• Opportunities for greenhouse gas mitigation.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject involves students undertaking professional work experience with a Host Organisation, generally at the Host Organisation’s premises. Students will work under the supervision of both an academic mentor and an external supervisor at the Host Organisation.

By completing their internship as part of this subject, students will receive support in navigating their placement, guidance on maximising their learning from the experiences they gain and training in how to use these experiences when seeking employment.

This subject uses structured reflection to help students develop the professional skills and competencies required by engineers and IT professionals. Each student is allocated an academic mentor to assist them in their development and support their well-being.

Please view this video for further information: Internship

View detailed information in the Handbook

A central innovation task is to identify the real problem that lies beneath the surface-level symptoms. Another is to find the best solution to that underlying problem. Professional work is often the same. Clearly defined tasks can frequently be delegated to a machine or a technician. Furthermore, because innovation problems are big and messy, we often need diverse teams to solve them. This subject aims to give you theoretical frameworks, practical insights, and preliminary skills to solve ambiguous problems and to work successfully in teams.

You will develop these understandings, insights and skills by working on two projects.  In the first, your multi-disciplinary team, supported by a mentor, will propose an innovation that helps a partner (industry, hospital, not-for-profit, start-up, the University) address a strategic challenge.  Through that project, you will learn the “what and how” of delivering innovation-like projects – understanding the relationship between your challenge and the organisation’s strategy; designing, securing, and conducting interviews; analysing qualitative data to generate insights; ideation and creativity techniques to create value; stakeholder management; working in an intense team on an ambiguous problem; visual and oral communication.  In the second, you will develop the ability to apply to the same concepts to yourself – How will you know what you want and need?   How will you know if you need to change?  How will you innovate yourself as your interests, needs, and work world shift?

We aim for you and your team to own your project and your learning.

Design Innovation and Leadership (DIAL) is delivered by the University's multi-award-winning Innovation Practice Program. To learn more about the Program, including a video about the subject, the range of organizations that have participated as sponsors, examples of past projects, and to hear students talk about their experiences in the predecessor subject, CIE/CIP, please go to the Innovation Practice Program’s website.

All project sponsors will require that students maintain the confidentiality of their proprietary information.  The University will require all students (except those working on projects sponsored by the University itself) to assign any Intellectual Property they create (other than Copyright in their Assessment Materials) to the sponsor of their project. The projects may vary in the hours needed for a successful outcome.

Master of Engineering students please note: This subject has been integrated with the Skills Towards Employment Program (STEP) to create a straightforward pathway for completion of the Engineering Practice Hurdle (EPH). See the STEP page for more information.

Please note: If you commenced a Master of Engineering degree prior to 2025, DIAL qualifies for the selective slot previously held by Creating Innovative Engineering. Engineering students who commenced in 2025 or later may only take DIAL as an elective.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The subject involves undertaking a substantial research project requiring an independent investigation on an approved topic in advanced engineering research and / or design. Each project is carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff and where appropriate, an industry partner.

The emphasis of the project is associated with a problem formulation that will require an explorative approach, where students will pursue outcomes associated with new knowledge or understanding, within the engineering science disciplines, often as an adjunct to existing academic research initiatives.

It is expected that the Engineering Research Project will incorporate findings associated with both well-defined professional practice and research principles and will provide students with the opportunity to integrate technical knowledge and generic skills gained in earlier years.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The subject involves undertaking a summer-intensive research project requiring an independent investigation on an approved topic within one of the research groups in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. It is primarily intended for Master of Mechanical Engineering and Master of Mechatronics Engineering students. Each project is carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff and where appropriate, a delegated co-supervisor from the research group. To enrol in this subject, the student must first discuss with and obtain approval from a potential supervisor.

Through regular supervisory meetings, the students will be guided through the research process. This will include understanding existing literature; problem formulation; experiment design; data acquisition, analysis and synthesis. The emphasis here will be on attempting something novel, leading to new knowledge or understanding.

It is expected that the Summer Research Experience subject will incorporate findings associated with both well-defined professional practice and research principles and will provide students with the opportunity to integrate technical knowledge and generic skills gained in earlier years.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

Fluid flow and its applications are widespread in nature and everyday life. The scientific investigation of these naturally occurring air and water flows, especially those affecting the environmental quality is known as Environmental Fluid Mechanics. Given the fast-paced changes in our environment and their societal impacts, it has become imperative for engineering students to have a comprehensive understanding of environmental fluid mechanics. This subject is aimed at shedding light on a variety of environmental systems, such as the atmosphere, oceans, lakes, streams, and building ventilation. As such, it has been crafted with the intention of being both engaging and relevant for students specializing in Physics, Engineering, or the physical aspects of marine or climate science.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

This subject focuses on the fluid dynamics of various processes, which can span from the minute turbulent eddies at the millimetre scale to the large-scale dispersion of pollutants, contaminating a region extending over several kilometres. The prime components of the flows addressed in this course are buoyancy effects and fluid motions resulting from density differences. These differences in density may arise from variations in temperature, solute concentration, composition, or due to the occurrence of phase change.

The subject kicks off with a comprehensive overview of the fluid mechanics field and an explanation of the physics dictating fluid flow. These physical principles are then applied to numerous examples, encompassing free-surface flows, gravity currents, stratified flows, gravity waves, convection and heat transfer, and rotational effects.

The course is structured into five modules. Module 1 provides a grounding in the Basic Laws of Fluid Mechanics. Module 2 delves into Surface Waves in fluid. Module 3 investigates Free Surface and two-layer flows, while Module 4 explores Stratification and Convection. Finally, Module 5 examines the Rotational effects on fluid dynamics. In parallel, the students will utilise an environmental flow software to carry out a project that forms the major assessment

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

The subject aims to introduce the students to the automation technologies, specifically: robotics and process automation. The use of robots and automated systems in carrying out various tasks will be discussed and the fundamental computational techniques associated with the operation of a robotic manipulator and a general automated system will be introduced. The subject will familiarise the students with the roles, strengths, and capabilities of robotics and automation technologies, as well as how to achieve the said capabilities.

INDICATIVE CONTENTRobotics: manipulator kinematics, including inverse and direct kinematics, manipulator velocity and static forces, trajectory planning, manipulator dynamics, linear control of manipulators and robot designs and robotic programming.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject deals with principles of physical sensing mechanisms, sensor data processing, sensor networking. It provides an appreciation of challenges in designing and implementing sensor-based solutions in a range of applications.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Topics covered include:

• Sensors (construction and characteristics)
• Filtering of sensor outputs
• Sensor networks (communication between sensors and coordination of a large number of sensors)
• Case studies.

Please view this video for further information: Sensor Systems

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces performance, stability and control of a range of aerospace vehicles. It will cover the modelling of aerospace physical systems as ordinary differential equations, and then introduce mathematical techniques to analyse and control their behaviour.

The topics covered in this subject include:

• The fundamentals of flight dynamics for flight vehicles in the atmosphere. This will describe the flight dynamic models and stability of flight vehicles.
• The fundamentals of spacecraft dynamics for six degree of freedom space vehicles. This will describe basic orbital mechanics and the translation and rotation of rigid bodies.
• Other key topics that will be considered are control and estimation methods to stabilize flight and orbital vehicles, an introduction to inertial navigation systems and vertical take-off and landing aircraft models.

MATLAB will be used throughout the course to complement the presented concepts.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is concerned with the modelling and analysis of vibrating systems. It provides tools to analyse a range of systems in which vibration occurs, including the vibration of systems in which aerodynamic forces are also important (aeroelasticity).

The topics covered in this subject are:

The vibration of a single mass-spring-damper system. This will include the calculation of its natural frequency, its free vibration, and its response to forcing.

The vibration of mass-spring-damper systems with multiple degrees of freedom. This will include calculation of the system’s natural frequencies and mode shapes, its free vibration, and its response to forcing.

The vibration of continuous systems in engineering applications. This will include the vibration of strings and beams (for which there is one spatial dimension); and the vibration of membranes and plates (for which there are two spatial dimensions).

Aeroelasticity and its relevance in aerospace applications. We will consider the simultaneous influences of mass, stiffness and aerodynamic forces and how they can combine to give rise to aeroelastic phenomena. We will look in particular at the conditions under which i) divergence and ii) flutter can occur.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will cover the aerodynamics and thermodynamics of aircraft gas turbines and rockets and provide the tools to design and evaluate the performance of jet engines. It will also present the current environmental impacts of aviation and paths for more sustainable aviation.

Topics include:

• Understanding the requirements and background of jet engines, in particular how the requirements translate to the design of an engine.
• An overview of the key aerodynamical aspects of aircraft relevant to the propulsion system and how jet engines create thrust.
• Engine performance parameters. These are discussed in the context of thermal, cycle and propulsive efficiencies.
• Principles and layouts of jet engines. Different classes of engines will be looked at, such as turbojets, turbofans, and bypass ratios, turbine inlet temperature will be discussed.
• Fundamentals of compressible flow relevant to jet engines will be discussed, including stagnation quantities and choked nozzles.
• Dimensional analysis and non-dimensional variables of engines.
• How to configure compressors and turbines, with consideration of blade profiles, flow coefficient, cooling and losses.
• Environmental impacts of aviation and challenges and strategies for more sustainable aviation.
• Rocket propulsion: what are the performance parameters and what are the benefits of staging?

View detailed information in the Handbook

Upon completion, students are expected to gain an overview of a major area of artificial intelligence known as deep learning, including Convolutional and Recurrent Neural Networks, Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Students will also learn computational intelligence methods of optimization and modelling. An ongoing focus will be the applicability of these methods to engineering systems. Students are expected to practice some of the methods they learn on real and synthetic data and appreciate the strengths and limits of the approaches they learn.

A variety of topics in computational intelligence are expected to be covered, with selections to be made from 1) neural networks including generative networks, deep neural networks and convolution neural networks, 2) learning methods including unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning and semi-supervised learning, 3) appreciation of other Computational Intelligence methods: fuzzy systems and evolutionary algorithms and 4) an introduction to stochastic dynamic programming and its relationship to AI. Mechatronic applications in broader terms and case studies from other relevant areas of engineering will be discussed.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Industries widely apply systems engineering for various projects (e.g., product design, process improvement) to handle the system complexity and to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency through the project life cycle. This subject offers a practical introduction to the system engineering principles in an industrial context. The lectures and project work will expose students to the various stages of the systems engineering process and a range of simulation techniques.

Topics covered are grouped in four modules: 1) fundamentals of systems engineering; 2) functional analysis and conceptional modelling; 3) model implementation and discrete event simulation; and, 4) model validation and system evaluation. This subject will include a high level of industry engagement. Real world problems and industry projects will be used as learning instrument to provide first hand experience and to reinforce the system thinking as engineers. Industrial speakers are also invited as guest lectures to provide broader examples of engineering projects.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Over the history of industrialisation, the manufacturing industry has developed and deployed a diversity of manufacturing processes and technologies to fulfil ever-increasing demands from society for products and service. The aim of this subject is to provide students with the capacity to understand conventional and advanced manufacturing processes, as well as the ability to determine appropriate process pathways of processes for producing specific products.

This course consists of three main modules: 1) Fundamentals of manufacturing, materials and testing methods; 2) Conventional manufacturing processes and technology (e.g. machining, casting, forming and joining);3) Advanced manufacturing processes and technology (e.g. advanced machining, additive manufacturing, surface technology, micro and nano fabrication technology). This subject has a series of laboratory exercises that provide hands-on experience with manufacturing in real-life scenarios.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Digitalisation affects all aspects of the value chain and all levels of business. This subject embraces the wide range of industrial developments related to digital transformation such as industrial internet-of-things (IIOT) and digital twins. Digital transformation of industrial systems is defined as the application of digital information (from multiple sources, formats, owners) for the enhancement of manufacturing processes, value chains, products and services.

This subject consists of four modules. The first module provides an overview of the technologies, approaches, applications and rationale for modern digital systems deployments in industry. The following three modules then focus on three distinct dimensions to digital transformation in industrial systems that have been identified: Vertical Systems Integration (connecting production to the business), Horizontal Systems Integration (connecting a manufacturer to suppliers, customers and partners) and End-To-End Systems Integration (connecting concept, design, prototype and product development). Each of these modules will examine industrial challenges, solution areas, relevant technologies and applications.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Automation and Information Technology (IT) is essential for the survival of a company within the current manufacturing environment. This subject takes a hierarchical view of manufacturing operations which are associated with a task, part, product and order completion. After a broad introduction to the role of automation in industry and beyond, this hierarchical approach to considering manufacturing operations is discussed. The subject discusses, in turn, the different requirements for manufacturing automation and information systems that are required to manage each of the different levels of the hierarchy culminating in an examination of automation and information systems beyond the factory as they apply to an industrial supply chain.

Topics covered are grouped in terms of the different levels of the operational hierarchies, starting at the lowest level of device control and automation and working through to control and information requirements of the organisation and its supply chain. This subject will incorporate real-world problems and industrial grounding activities to reinforce aspects of the work practically.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Since the first industrial revolution, industrial engineering has evolved as a major engineering and management discipline, the effective utilization of which has contributed to our increased standard of living through increased productivity, quality of work, and improvements in the working environment. This subject is being introduced to offer students an overview of industrial engineering as well as its core principles and approaches, allowing a deeper understanding of the role of industrial engineers in society and organisations.

This subject introduces concepts and most common approaches of industrial engineering, allowing students a wider view of their role. Topics covered are grouped in four modules: (1) history and fundamental concepts of industrial engineering; (2) principles and techniques of lean production; (3) facility planning and production flow design; and, (4) work measurement and ergonomics. A diversified set of classroom and industry activities help to consolidate the concepts and illustrate their applicability, preparing students for the upcoming subjects of the course and enabling a wider view of industrial engineering.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Reliability and quality are essential elements for today's products, processes and services, since failure in achieving either one can have major consequences. This subject aims to offer a comprehensive overview of methodologies and tool to evaluate and demonstrate reliability and quality of components, equipment, processes and systems, supporting more assertive decision-making from engineers who wish to build a competitive edge in a wide variety of industries.

This course consists of four main modules - 1) Probability and engineering statistics; 2) Reliability and maintenance engineering; 3) Quality management and process control, and 4) Design of experiments. Topics include basic probability rules; random variables and distribution functions; functions of random variables; ANOVA; design of engineering experiments; methods of reliability; management and applications to quality control and the reliability assessment of the product in an engineering industry.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Humankind faces global challenges related to economy, ecology and socio-policy, e.g. population growth, climate change, and unequal development. Unsustainable consumption and production patterns have resulted in substantial economic and social costs and may endanger life on our planet. Engineers and scientists have developed methods and tools to evaluate and implement technological and societal processes to tackle the challenges of sustainability. Therefore, this subject aims to develop a holistic view of engineering the entire life cycle of a product or service from raw material extraction, production, usage to disposal.

This subject consists of four main modules 1) sustainable development and life cycle thinking; 2) life cycle analysis tools, 3) eco-design and cleaner production, and 4) closed-loop economy. This subject will engage students with the state-of-the-art research development and leading industrial practices in topics such as product life cycle management, life cycle assessment, sustainable manufacturing, circular economy etc. Guest speakers are also invited to provide broader examples from a global perspective.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Mechatronics Systems Design uses a project-based learning approach to enable students to experience the integrated design process of mechatronics systems and acquire relevant knowledge and skills. Students will come to appreciate various components of mechatronics systems, such as sensors and actuators and will learn the fundamental principles, operating characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of these components.

Students will learn about important aspects of the design process, including integrated iterative design, division a system into sub-systems, component selection and sizing, and the inclusion of various considerations into a quantifiably justified design.

The subject also provides wider background knowledge of mechatronics, exposing the students to the current state-of-the-art and current challenges. Continuous assessment based on design exercises with increasing degrees of complexity will bring the lecture material into practice.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

The study of fluid dynamics is one of the fundamental disciplines in Mechanical Engineering. In the first part of the course, students will learn about boundary-layer theory, which is a key element of aerodynamic design. A guest-lecture series on wind engineering will build on this knowledge to give students a perspective on one of the most important forms of renewable energy in our society today.

In the second part of the course, students will learn about data acquisition and analysis. These skills are required of engineers working with the technology of today and into the future. The course will help students understand the costs, difficulties and possibilities afforded by sensor systems and instrumentation, with applications for, but not limited to, fluid dynamics.

INDICATIVE CONTENTThis subject will cover selected advanced topics in fluid mechanics. Building on previous fluids courses, the subject is broadly split into two units, although content of these will overlap.

Unit 1: Turbulence and boundary layers. Topics covered include Navier-Stokes equations applied to wall-bounded flows, similarity solutions of the boundary-layer equations, Blasius solution, Falkner-Skan solution, separated flows, turbulent boundary layers, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, dimension analysis, pipe friction, Von Karman momentum integral equation, roughness.

Unit 2: Experimental techniques. Through a series of lectures, labs and assignments, students will be introduced to key concepts of experimental (and numerical) techniques related to fluid mechanics. Topics will include: data analysis (to include correlations, discrete Fourier transform, energy spectra); Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV); hot-wire anemometry; advanced potential flow numerical techniques.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces performance, stability and control of a range of aerospace vehicles. It will cover the modelling of aerospace physical systems as ordinary differential equations, and then introduce mathematical techniques to analyse and control their behaviour.

The topics covered in this subject include:

• The fundamentals of flight dynamics for flight vehicles in the atmosphere. This will describe the flight dynamic models and stability of flight vehicles.
• The fundamentals of spacecraft dynamics for six degree of freedom space vehicles. This will describe basic orbital mechanics and the translation and rotation of rigid bodies.
• Other key topics that will be considered are control and estimation methods to stabilize flight and orbital vehicles, an introduction to inertial navigation systems and vertical take-off and landing aircraft models.

MATLAB will be used throughout the course to complement the presented concepts.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is concerned with the modelling and analysis of vibrating systems. It provides tools to analyse a range of systems in which vibration occurs, including the vibration of systems in which aerodynamic forces are also important (aeroelasticity).

The topics covered in this subject are:

The vibration of a single mass-spring-damper system. This will include the calculation of its natural frequency, its free vibration, and its response to forcing.

The vibration of mass-spring-damper systems with multiple degrees of freedom. This will include calculation of the system’s natural frequencies and mode shapes, its free vibration, and its response to forcing.

The vibration of continuous systems in engineering applications. This will include the vibration of strings and beams (for which there is one spatial dimension); and the vibration of membranes and plates (for which there are two spatial dimensions).

Aeroelasticity and its relevance in aerospace applications. We will consider the simultaneous influences of mass, stiffness and aerodynamic forces and how they can combine to give rise to aeroelastic phenomena. We will look in particular at the conditions under which i) divergence and ii) flutter can occur.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will cover the aerodynamics and thermodynamics of aircraft gas turbines and rockets and provide the tools to design and evaluate the performance of jet engines. It will also present the current environmental impacts of aviation and paths for more sustainable aviation.

Topics include:

• Understanding the requirements and background of jet engines, in particular how the requirements translate to the design of an engine.
• An overview of the key aerodynamical aspects of aircraft relevant to the propulsion system and how jet engines create thrust.
• Engine performance parameters. These are discussed in the context of thermal, cycle and propulsive efficiencies.
• Principles and layouts of jet engines. Different classes of engines will be looked at, such as turbojets, turbofans, and bypass ratios, turbine inlet temperature will be discussed.
• Fundamentals of compressible flow relevant to jet engines will be discussed, including stagnation quantities and choked nozzles.
• Dimensional analysis and non-dimensional variables of engines.
• How to configure compressors and turbines, with consideration of blade profiles, flow coefficient, cooling and losses.
• Environmental impacts of aviation and challenges and strategies for more sustainable aviation.
• Rocket propulsion: what are the performance parameters and what are the benefits of staging?

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

Students will learn how to structure and work with engineering contracts to deliver and procure engineering outcomes in this subject. Students will develop a working knowledge of contract administration and gain an understanding of commercial aspects of engineering. All engineers interface commercially with engineering contracts throughout their careers, and thus the application of the subject content is broad. Those seeking to work as a contractor and as a contract administrator will find a direct application of this subject’s content. Students will learn how to use procurement and contracts to develop successful engineering projects. This includes administration of the contracts and understanding the business environment where these contracts are agreed. These skills will be useful to students in their future work and apply to a wide range of engineering disciplines.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Management of engineering projects. This includes the role and responsibilities of corporate managers, market analysis, structuring of procurement options, development of contractual terms and conditions and the pricing of work.

Estimating and tendering engineering works via work breakdown structures, work method statements, risk identification and tendering principles. The study material also covers contract administration and project control functions and techniques including time and money negotiations and cash flow management.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject seeks to -

• Build a thorough understanding of the theoretical and conceptual basis upon which the practice of financial project analysis is built and its application to engineering
• Satisfy the practical needs of the engineering manager toward making informed financial decisions when involved in an engineering project
• Incorporate critical decision-making tools that engineering managers can bring to the task of making informed financial decisions.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject prepares graduate engineers to practice basic marketing in the engineering profession where there is a mutual need and reliance upon their training and skills in both engineering and marketing to satisfy the needs, wants and demands of the market, internally within the organisation, and through the entire supply chain in a sustainable manner.

This subject provides an introduction to the basic concepts of marketing, marketing management and marketing engineering. Some of the principal topics include: what is marketing engineering; differences between engineering and consumer products; designing and managing engineering services; sales engineer and managing sales force; online marketing and the internet of things; business-to-business markets; business-to-government markets; company orientation; corporate division and strategic planning; market positioning, segmentation and targeting; marketing mix (product, pricing, place and promotion); marketing plan and strategies; SWOT analysis, understand the legal, economic, sociocultural, natural and technological environments; distribution channels; communications, models and simulations; decision tools; databases and data mining, forecasting; theory and evidence-based decision making; etc. The principles of sustainability will apply throughout the subject.

View detailed information in the Handbook

In fiercely competitive global and dynamic environments, companies face increasing pressures to exceed customer expectations along multiple performance measures, such as cost, quality, flexibility and innovativeness. To outperform their competitors, many firms make the mistake of mimicking their rivals, rather than focusing on developing the organizational capabilities that competitors will find difficult to match over the long term. And although operations are at the core of a firm’s value adding activities, few firms have sought to build a sustainable competitive advantage around these capabilities.

As such, this subject emphasises the critical nature of Operations Management as an essential part of a competent engineer’s portfolio of knowledge and skills. Operations deals with the design, management and continuous improvement of business processes. It aims at providing some of the core concepts in operations that are essential for leveraging a firm’s operational capabilities to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. This course provides a logical and rigorous approach to plan and control process structure and managerial levers to achieve desired business process performance.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Over the history of industrialisation, the manufacturing industry has developed and deployed a diversity of manufacturing processes and technologies to fulfil ever-increasing demands from society for products and service. The aim of this subject is to provide students with the capacity to understand conventional and advanced manufacturing processes, as well as the ability to determine appropriate process pathways of processes for producing specific products.

This course consists of three main modules: 1) Fundamentals of manufacturing, materials and testing methods; 2) Conventional manufacturing processes and technology (e.g. machining, casting, forming and joining);3) Advanced manufacturing processes and technology (e.g. advanced machining, additive manufacturing, surface technology, micro and nano fabrication technology). This subject has a series of laboratory exercises that provide hands-on experience with manufacturing in real-life scenarios.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Automation and Information Technology (IT) is essential for the survival of a company within the current manufacturing environment. This subject takes a hierarchical view of manufacturing operations which are associated with a task, part, product and order completion. After a broad introduction to the role of automation in industry and beyond, this hierarchical approach to considering manufacturing operations is discussed. The subject discusses, in turn, the different requirements for manufacturing automation and information systems that are required to manage each of the different levels of the hierarchy culminating in an examination of automation and information systems beyond the factory as they apply to an industrial supply chain.

Topics covered are grouped in terms of the different levels of the operational hierarchies, starting at the lowest level of device control and automation and working through to control and information requirements of the organisation and its supply chain. This subject will incorporate real-world problems and industrial grounding activities to reinforce aspects of the work practically.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Since the first industrial revolution, industrial engineering has evolved as a major engineering and management discipline, the effective utilization of which has contributed to our increased standard of living through increased productivity, quality of work, and improvements in the working environment. This subject is being introduced to offer students an overview of industrial engineering as well as its core principles and approaches, allowing a deeper understanding of the role of industrial engineers in society and organisations.

This subject introduces concepts and most common approaches of industrial engineering, allowing students a wider view of their role. Topics covered are grouped in four modules: (1) history and fundamental concepts of industrial engineering; (2) principles and techniques of lean production; (3) facility planning and production flow design; and, (4) work measurement and ergonomics. A diversified set of classroom and industry activities help to consolidate the concepts and illustrate their applicability, preparing students for the upcoming subjects of the course and enabling a wider view of industrial engineering.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Reliability and quality are essential elements for today's products, processes and services, since failure in achieving either one can have major consequences. This subject aims to offer a comprehensive overview of methodologies and tool to evaluate and demonstrate reliability and quality of components, equipment, processes and systems, supporting more assertive decision-making from engineers who wish to build a competitive edge in a wide variety of industries.

This course consists of four main modules - 1) Probability and engineering statistics; 2) Reliability and maintenance engineering; 3) Quality management and process control, and 4) Design of experiments. Topics include basic probability rules; random variables and distribution functions; functions of random variables; ANOVA; design of engineering experiments; methods of reliability; management and applications to quality control and the reliability assessment of the product in an engineering industry.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Most industrial and day-to-day use objects are made of different kinds of materials. Alloys and polymers are two of the most common materials, and they will be discussed in this subject. As such, the subject is divided into two units.

In the first unit, the focus is on the understanding of microstructures and mechanical properties of selected engineering alloys. Where applicable, case studies from industrial applications and state of the art research will be incorporated to enhance learning. The mode of delivery in this unit will be a combination of conventional lectures and a deeper learning achieved at a higher level by studying cutting-edge research on advanced alloys. Understanding is gained by reading, digesting, and analysing an individually allocated research paper, leading to a professionally produced report. In addition to knowledge, they learn how research is conducted and reported.

In the second unit, the focus will be on the understanding of the underlying microstructures and macroscopic properties of polymers of relevance for their manufacturing as well as measuring techniques, followed by discussions on conventional and advanced manufacturing processes of plastics, rubbers, and polymer matrix composites. The teaching will be student-focused (active learning) and equity-based and the mode of delivery will be a combination of flipped classroom and conventional lectures. The high level of learning will be achieved through a group project, where students will be required to choose an engineered product of relevance to aerospace, space, defence, or medical industries, do research on the current manufacturing processes involved in fabricating the selected product, and discuss its pros and cons, write a professional report and present to the classroom and a mock up stakeholder team composed of teaching team and students. The assessment intends to mimic a set up within a manufacturing company, where a report to stakeholder needs to be delivered. This will, therefore, provide students with a medium to enhance their verbal & written communications and potentially other soft skills such as negotiating with a client or engaging with a stakeholder as well as engineering knowledge.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Engineers explore performance limits, pushing engineering materials while ensuring reliable operation. This subject introduces the internal structures of materials that provide the required mechanical properties. It will also present a modern computational materials framework—now used in leading engineering companies—to model material deformation and predict failure.

This subject will emphasise the relationships between microstructure and properties, highlighting their crucial roles in elastic and plastic deformation, time-dependent deformation (creep), and material failure. In weekly workshops, students will actively explore and test the structure-property relationships through hands-on activities. They will also learn step-by-step modern Python tools to analyse and predict material behaviour and structure. The student project will empower them to examine current capabilities for predicting the mechanical behaviours applicable to various materials, including metals, functional materials, composites, and polymers.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Over the history of industrialisation, the manufacturing industry has developed and deployed a diversity of manufacturing processes and technologies to fulfil ever-increasing demands from society for products and service. The aim of this subject is to provide students with the capacity to understand conventional and advanced manufacturing processes, as well as the ability to determine appropriate process pathways of processes for producing specific products.

This course consists of three main modules: 1) Fundamentals of manufacturing, materials and testing methods; 2) Conventional manufacturing processes and technology (e.g. machining, casting, forming and joining);3) Advanced manufacturing processes and technology (e.g. advanced machining, additive manufacturing, surface technology, micro and nano fabrication technology). This subject has a series of laboratory exercises that provide hands-on experience with manufacturing in real-life scenarios.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Students will develop an understanding of phase equilibria and transformations. Fundamental concepts in crystallography will be covered. Materials characterisation including phase analysis such as XRD and microstructure analysis including electron microscopy will be described. Students will be introduced to topics covering the mechanisms of corrosion and approaches to prevent it. Discussions on materials processing including casting, forging, extrusion, and heat treatment will be covered. Fabrication technologies including joining, welding, machining and additive manufacturing are described. Materials modelling including Integrated Computational Materials Engineering will be taught. Finally, students will be introduced to materials selection, design and safety.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces students to materials science and engineering by developing an understanding of the influence of interatomic bonding and atomic structure on material behaviour. Phase diagrams and equilibria as well as material mechanical, electrical and electro chemical properties will be covered. The process of developing material selection criteria and selecting materials for particular applications will be presented.

Aspects of polymer chemistry will be introduced including the influence of chemical constituents on structure–property relationships. Various types of polymerisation reactions will be covered as well as how to measure the physical properties of the resulting polymers. Physical properties will include, molecular weight, glass transition and melting temperatures, and rheology etc. The design and fabrication techniques for polymer architectures including co-polymers and introduction of crystalline domains will be covered, as well as elastomers and rubbers. A description of polymers in solution as well as polymer melts, chain entanglement and viscoelasticity will be highlighted.

The subject also covers ceramics, including zirconia as a case study. Introduction to brittle fracture including Griffith’s approach, Weibull statistics and toughening mechanisms including phase transformation will be conveyed through the zirconia case study. Carbon based materials including graphene which have exceptional properties including strength and electrical conductivity will be discussed.

View detailed information in the Handbook