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PORTFOLIO 1 ENG 5001 PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN ENGINEERING

Vineeth Sharma [email protected]

Contents

Page No.

Abstract

1

1. Engineers Australia’s Stage 1 Competencies for Professional Engineers……….2

1.1 Knowledge and Skill Base……………………………………………….2

1.2 Qualities of a Usq Graduate……………………………………………. 4

2. Projects from the Past ……………………………………………………………5

3. Learning Study Plan………………………………………………………………6

4. Professional Engineering and Study in Australia…………………………………8

5. Engineers without Borders: Projects……………………………………………...9

6. Teamwork Skills…………………………………………………………………10

7. Engineering Method: Socio-Cultural Aspects……………………………………12

8. Continuing Professional Development ……………………………………………13

9. EWB Project in Bambui, Cameroon: The Ewb Challenge……………………….13

9.1 Individual Work Done In the Design Project, Drainage Systems………..15

9.2 List of Stakeholders………………………………………………………15

9.3 Group Work Accomplished In Design Area 6………………………… 16

9.3.1 Stakeholder Communication…………………………………. 16

10. Major Engineering Project within Australia……………………………………23

10.1 Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Project, Victoria……………………23

10.2 Comparison between FBURA Project and EWB Project in Bambui…..26

11. References………………………………………………………………………28

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PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN ENGINEERING

ABSTRACT

What is it that allows prospective engineering professionals become what they intent to be? What are the requirements? ‘Competencies’ identified by the Engineers Australia provide authentic and comprehensive answers to the above questions, one of the many significant achievements made by the organization in the field of engineering. The first part of this portfolio is a reflective writing on two elements of competencies (chosen from ‘Knowledge and Skill Base’, a sub-section of the Stage 1 Competencies) that I, as an engineering professional believe that I possess. The second part, titled as ‘Qualities of a USQ Graduate’ is an attempt to reasonably explain how sensible it is for me to address myself as a USQ student/graduate. The proposed outcomes of studying an award programme such as the MEng Science as well as the skills I will have to develop during the course form the base of this section. The subsequent sessions involve reflective writing on topics such as ‘knowledge and skills earned/earning through past projects and current study programme at USQ’ and ‘how these skills as well as my learning study plan help me to maintain competency level prescribed by EA and USQ’. ‘Professional Engineering and Study in Australia’ points to my view on the engineering education and workforce thriving in Australia. An elaboration of EWB projects and the teamwork skills required to succeed when working among other people, engineering method of problem solving, continuing professional development etc. are discussed afterwards. There is also a detailed description of the EWB design project that I, as a group member undertook in relation to the Professional Skills in Engineering course which I am currently studying in USQ.

VINEETH SHARMA

Student id: u1066744

2 PORTFOLIO 1

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN ENGINEERING

1. ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA’S STAGE 1 COMPETENCIES FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS 1.1 KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL BASE 1.1.1 Discernment of knowledge development and research directions within the engineering discipline. I believe the role of an engineer in most of the engineering situations is to find the feasible solution rather than the exact solution. This is where the ability to demonstrate good judgment skills come into play. I would like to exemplify this with the practice of determining Tolerance level of mechanical components. Designing and manufacturing fields of mechanical engineering is so advanced that we can produce parts with exact 100% accuracy. Possible always, but unnecessary in most situations. Aiming for 100% precision necessitates the utilization of state-of-the-art technologies, consequently increasing the cost and time required for production. That is how an engineer- employed in the design or manufacturing line - with sound knowledge about the available technologies and who is aware of the constraints, finally arrives at a desired level of Tolerance, say ±0.05%. Where do I stand in terms of discernment skills pertaining to specialist practice domains of the engineering disciplines? I shall elaborate in the context of Computer Aided Design, which indeed, is a specialist practice domain having scope and application in all the engineering disciplines. I was fortunate to gain hands-on experience in using modelling softwares such as AutoCAD and Solidworks in workshops conducted in my college during undergraduate study. Needless to say, one wouldn’t be able to practice designing of all the commonly applied mechanical engineering systems using limited knowledge in a few modelling softwares. Moreover, the necessity of staying updated on advanced (in terms of accuracy and ease of handling) softwares–- was intensifying even after my studies as I entered into the engineering workforce. I investigated on the current developments and emerging issues of Computer Aided Design and set forth my self-learning journey on designing packages such as ANSYS, Creo Parametric and CATIA. The interdisciplinary scopes of these softwares enlightened my path into becoming more proficient in designing and I can now effectively function in situations demanding the application of CAD as an individual design engineer and as part of a multidisciplinary team. One of my objectives of studying the MEng Science programme at USQ is to turn my research interests into the right direction. I am sure that I will be benefitted by the universityoffered resources including the research literatures on Computer Aided Designing. It will be a great honor to receive valuable advice from the faculty members engaged in research practices. VINEETH SHARMA

Student id: u1066744

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Moreover, I am looking into the internship programmes to demonstrate my designing capabilities honed by the research practices at USQ.

1.1.2 Knowledge of contextual factors impacting the engineering discipline. Embarking upon an academic project (titled as Modified Speed Synchronization Mechanism for Hydraulic Turbines) during my undergraduate programme in mechanical engineering fetched me considerable guidelines as to how should one be approaching an engineering situation in order to arrive at the appropriate solution. The background works performed were the following. 1. Analyzing the existing methods of speed synchronization, finding their pros and cons. 2. Discussing my idea/design with people having hands-on experience in similar projects. 3. Investigating on patented works of similar nature so as to make my project distinguishable. These efforts provided me opportunities to identify and understand the usual interactions happening in the engineering workforce as well as the legal context in which an engineering problem is dealt with. The designing phase of the project had to be done with utmost care as the dimensions, materials and manufacturing processes which I intended to select for the ‘Speed Synchronization Mechanism’ had to match the international standards in order to make it compatible to the most commonly used hydraulic turbines. Given my design constraints it was an arduous task at first. I chose to follow the respective ISO standards for components to be manufactured viz. spur gears, ring gear, shafts and lead screws. I had to commit design compromises at times only to ensure that widely approved methodologies were followed. Nevertheless, this experience taught me the importance of following the international engineering practice. I could easily substantiate my findings while preparing the project report as my input data were backed-up with credible test results of the parts manufactured in accordance with the ISO standards. A significant step towards increasing my competency level could be ensuring my active involvement in the USQ’s engineering framework. The MEng Science programme at USQ will equip me with tools to effectively incorporate all the relevant and contextual factors into the VINEETH SHARMA

Student id: u1066744

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future, real world engineering problems I will have to work on. Courses in the forthcoming semesters, especially ENG8205 Technology Management Practice and ENG8103 Management of Technological Risk not only focus on the managerial, business aspects of engineering activities but also provide an insight into the potentially adverse impacts of them. Practice courses coupled with opportunities for work experience will help me establish firmly my understanding of the structure, organizational roles and potential of the engineering workforce in Australia.

1.2 QUALITIES OF A USQ GRADUATE What does it primarily mean for me to be a graduate of USQ? Is it just that I perfectly satisfy the scholastic requirement for entry to the profession of my choice, mechanical engineering? During this short period of acquaintance with the academic environment of USQ I have come to know more than that. I shall list out the qualities-of being a graduate of USQproposed by the university in written format. 1.) Discipline expertise: My undergraduate programme and past work experiences lead me into the belief that I have adequate level of expertise in the discipline of mechanical engineering as a whole. But here in USQ, I find a few of subjects (Computational Mechanics, Engineering Simulations and Computations) which I think I will have to gain more knowledge in, probably because of their focused nature. 2.) Professional practice: I consider myself as a person with refined management, planning and organisational skills which I hope would ensure my effective participation in the engineering workforce. Of course, studying in USQ also means that the creativity, initiative and enterprise aspects of my personality will become more honed in a way that can lead me into more rewarding positions. 3.) Global citizenship: It is likely for a professional engineer working in a global scenario to encounter engineering situations of similar nature, but what is more likely for him to experience is that the solutions are of dissimilar nature. They vary according to a multiplicity of factors ranging from technical, financial, cultural to even religious aspects. USQ’s study programmes are structured in such a way that students can acquire excellence in problem solving methods, cultural literacy and ethical research all aimed at producing capable professionals with a global outlook. Certainly, I will have to work towards improving the above mentioned characteristics to become the global citizen that USQ envisages. VINEETH SHARMA

Student id: u1066744

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4.) Scholarship: I have always found it rewarding to see people around me, mostly my fellow classmates benefitted through the little favours I was able to provide them all through my academics. I am confident that with academic and professional literacy as well as communication and interpersonal skills, I can continue making scholarly contributions to my workplace and wider communities. 5.) Lifelong learning: Constant advancements frequently made in the field of engineering demands me to stay updated by independent thinking and self-learning. Learning never stops for me as I get into more challenges in my discipline. USQ’s academic atmosphere teaches me how to find resources I need for self-learning as well as how to keep on doing the same even after graduation.

2. PROJECTS FROM THE PAST As I have already mentioned about my academic project in the previous sections, I think it would be more appropriate to elaborate on a project I undertook during my first employment. I took the opportunity to work as a member of the planning and execution team for erecting the Steam Boiler for Unit#3 Thermal Power Project established in Nasik, MH, India under the contract of BHEL, a big scale public sector enterprise in India. What excited me upon starting the job was that I could learn how to effectively work in a team and make contributions that can facilitate progression towards achieving the common objectives. The challenges I had to face during each step of the project were numerous and of the disparate kind. From learning how to find a particular erection component from a group of similar items using the coding system which was then followed in BHEL to seeking approval from higher authorities for design change due to parts-fouling (mismatching of structural components due to errors in drafts or designs) , I had to be constantly engaging in a range of project activities. Apart from understanding the various aspects of Boiler design and erection, I gained characteristics which are more important from my career point of view, such as, 1.) How information is exchanged between various levels of an organization. 2.) How to have technical documentation completed according to the set standards. 3.) How to present progress reports effectively and conveniently. 4.) How to effectively persuade other people, both inside and outside the organization, into carrying out their duties on time.

VINEETH SHARMA

Student id: u1066744

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5.) How to manage conflicts that may arise while working in a group. From the beginning until the completion of the project, I could actively contribute, in various forms, to the success of the project. Now I realize that those experiences from the project have a key role in making me confident about facing the more challenging engineering problems.

3. LEARNING STUDY PLAN

Gantt Chart representing my study plan for the MEng Science Programme

VINEETH SHARMA

Student id: u1066744

7 PORTFOLIO 1

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN ENGINEERING

Semester 1, 2015

1. Professional Skills in Engineering

Core: 1 Unit

2. Asset Management

Major: 1 Unit

3. Computational Mechanics in Design

Major: 1 Unit

4. Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Core: 1 Unit

All the four subjects I am studying in Semester 1 of 2015 carry 1 unit each. While the subject ‘Computational Mechanics in Design’ and ‘Asset Management in an Engineering Environment’ are major subjects, the other 2 subjects come under the category of core subjects.

Semester 2, 2015

1. Engineering simulations and computations

Major:1 unit

2. Masters Dissertation A

Core:1 unit

3. Dynamics 1

Major:1 unit

4. System Design

Major:1 unit

5. Professional Practice 1

Practice:0 unit

I will be studying 1 core course, 3 major courses and one practice course –as tabulated above- in S2 of 2015. The Professional Practice course, though only contribute 0 unit to my MENS programme, requires me to attend seminars and workshops besides the usual lectures, so I will have to find balance in managing my study-time as well as prioritizing my workload.

Semester 1 , 2016

1. Advanced Engineering Project Management

Core:1 Unit

2. Masters Dissertation B

Core : 1 Unit

3. Fluid Mechanics

Major : 1 Unit

4. Technological Impact and its Management

Elective : 1 Unit

5. Professional Practice 2

Practice: 0 unit

Semester 1 of 2016 is remarkable due to the inclusion of an elective subject (Technological Impact and its Management) in my study plan.

VINEETH SHARMA

Student id: u1066744

8 PORTFOLIO 1

Semester 2, 2016

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN ENGINEERING

1. Masters Dissertation C

Core : 2 Unit

2. Dynamics 2

Major: 1 Unit

3. Management of Technological Risk

Elective : 1 Unit

4. Work experience –Professional

Practice: 0 Unit

5. Mechanical Practice 4

Practice: 0 Unit

In Semester2 of 2016, I will have the opportunity to undertake Masters Dissertation C which is a 2 Unit course. I will be required to apply my knowledge and experience gained from completing two similar courses (Masters Dissertations A and B) in the previous semesters in order to successfully finish this subject, considering it demands a lot of workload.

4. PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING AND STUDY IN AUSTRALIA Being an international student in Australia comes with an opportunity to look at the way of learning here from a rather different perspective. Education provided here, in all levels, is of excellent standards. Systematic approach towards teaching (learning as well) means that students are privileged to obtain the proposed outcomes of programmes they are studying. The programme which I have undertaken, MEng Science with major in Mechanical engineering, is a well-structured one, providing a perfect balance between theory and practice. Spanning over 4 semesters comprising of 16 units, the individual courses are all dealing with emerging trends in the field of engineering; studying them necessarily means that I gain skills proposed by EA and USQ. Upon categorizing, there are 4 distinct groups of courses. 1.) Core courses: Subjects studied by students of all majors. I consider them as designed to provide introduction into all disciplines of engineering so as to generate and enhance students’ interdisciplinary skills. Moreover, dissertation papers, which forms a major part of the core courses, provide me opportunities to take part in research works, thus benefitting my career progression.

VINEETH SHARMA

Student id: u1066744

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PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN ENGINEERING

2.) Major courses: Subjects dealing with specialist areas of my major, mechanical engineering. Over my 4 semesters of MEng Science programme, I will be completing 6 major courses having a total of 6 units. 3.) Elective courses: Allow students to choose 2 units of their interests. I am planning to choose ENG8101 Technological Impact and its Management and ENG8103 Management of Technological Risks as my electives in the forthcoming semesters. 4.) Practice courses: These subjects allow students to have hands-on experience in engineering systems, delivered in an atmosphere very similar to that of the engineeringworkplaces. During my programme in USQ, I will be studying 5 practice courses.

5. ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS: PROJECTS Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB) is a member-based not-for-profit organisation with a 10 years of experience in creating systemic change through humanitarian engineering. The organization’s projects include, but not limited to, 1. Working in partnership to address a lack of access to basic human needs such as clean water, sanitation and hygiene, energy, basic infrastructure, waste systems, information communication technology and engineering education. 2. Educating and training Australian students, engineers and the wider community on issues including sustainable development, appropriate technology, poverty and the power of humanitarian engineering. 3. Leading a movement of like-minded people with strong values and a passion for humanitarian engineering within Australia and overseas The EWB projects are aimed to provide support to communities in disadvantaged circumstances around ...