The point of this lab is for you to use physical models and examples to help you think about and more clearly understand the ideas presented in the lecture. It should help you develop an intuitive sense for what is going on, and for how the theory relates to the real world

1. Instructor: Paskowitz, Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday 11-12 (1003 Riverside Hall) or by appointment
2. Text: Holl and Washburn, E-45 Engineering Materials Lab Manual (8/97)
3. Schedule

 

 

We will devote at least two weeks to each experiment. We will conduct the experiment during the first week, and the second week will be used as a laboratory. Some of the shorter labs may not have a second session for practice for the write up. The experiments will be conducted in the following order.

• Ionic Bonding
• Magnification, Metallography,  and Crystal Structures
• Elastic Deformation and Poisson's Ratio
• Bubble Raft Model
• Plastic Deformation
• Corrosion
• Heat Treatment of Steel

Approximately 10 Quizzes

Within the lab section of the course, lab quizzes will be weighted for 10% of the lab points, while the lab reports will be weighted with 90% of the points.

Each of the 7 labs will be scored out of 100 points (unless otherwise stated)

The Heat Treatment Lab will carry the weight of two labs.

Background information about the labs is included in the lab manual.  Some labs will have additional information provided. The week after you perform an experiment a pre-report session will be held. This will be your opportunity to discuss any or all parts of the experiment or the report for that experiment. Specific procedural and report instructions will be given for each experiment. The lab report will be due two weeks after you complete the experiment. Each lab report is graded according to the point distribution included with the specific instructions. All assignments must be turned in at the beginning of the lab meeting in which they are due. All assignments turned in after the beginning of class will be counted 5% off.  Labs can be turned in the next day for 10% off and an additional 10% off for each day after that. Even if a lab will receive no credit (after 10 days late) it must be turned in.  All labs must be turned in to receive a grade in the class. I will do all report grading.

All requests for re-grades must be submitted in writing.  Any materials submitted for re-grading will be re-graded in their entirety.

No make up quizzes will be given.

Since the laboratory work counts as 30% of your final E 45 grade, it is important to give it your best effort. The final course grade you earn in E 45 depends on your performance in both the lecture and laboratory parts of the course. Active participation in the lab is required of every student. Preparation for the laboratory is your responsibility. As a practical matter, it is not possible to pass the course without a passing lab grade.

A lab report is not just a collection of data, graphs, and calculations. The most important parts are those that explain to the reader what is going on and why it is important (Abstract, Introduction, and Discussion).

Engineering information obtained from experiments must ordinarily be preserved for future reference. The experimental procedure, the data obtained, the final results, the treatment of the data to obtain the results, and comments by persons who were involved in the work are usually included in the record. This material must be recorded in a form that will be useful to a person who has a general engineering background and who might need to refer to it many years later. You should write your report so that if you read it a year or more after you have finished E 45, you will still be able to understand what was done and what the important results were.

Experimental investigations are commonly recorded in laboratory notebooks. In actual professional practice the original data are usually recorded in a book along with other related items. For convenience, they often written on separate data sheets first. In this course the data sheets will be used to prepare the lab reports and will be included as part of each of the reports. It is essential that the material in the reports be accurate, complete, and clear. A person not familiar with the work should be able to determine easily what was done and what the results were.

It is important that you be able to clearly and completely express your ideas in writing. The material in the reports should be concise, but it should not be so condensed that completeness or clarity suffers. Your reports must be typed. A report should be a good reflection of the authorís technical competence and ability to write clearly in standard English.

The elements that are required in each report will be specified in the report instructions that will be distributed for each experiment. Be sure you know what is required and follow directions. Each report may require different elements, but you will always be graded on the specific points described in the instructions. Grading is based primarily on content and technical correctness, but careless or sloppy work, including language errors, spelling errors, and incorrect punctuation, will not be overlooked. Dictionaries should be consulted freely.  Plots, figures, tables, and references must conform to the styles laid out in the lab manual. The lab manual has specific instructions for these report elements. Be sure to make use of them. You are responsible for all of the material in the lab manual. READ IT!!!

Engineers generally work on large projects as part of a team. A successful engineer is one who can work well both independently and in a group. Your lab experiments will all be done in groups and you are encouraged to work with your classmates outside of class to analyze and interpret data and to understand the concepts presented in class. Your lab report must, however, be your individual work. Although you should discuss the components of the report and the questions in the Discussion with your classmates, the tables, graphs, and words you use to describe them and address the concepts must be prepared by you.

You are not allowed to reproduce any diagram, chart, or sequence of words (sentence, paragraph, phrase, etc.) from someone else's work (book, old lab report, etc.).

There is a lot of material to cover in the lab: you are expected to read the lab manual and keep up with the ideas. Before coming to the lab to perform an experiment be sure you carefully read the entire background unit including the "Experimental Procedure" section. You are encouraged to ask questions, and make comments about the ideas or the process during the lab.