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UNDERGRADUATE ME - SPECIALISATIONS 2008 |
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Brief Description of Specialisation Programmes
1) Aeronautical Engineering
Aeronautical Engineering is an area of specialisation in the NUS Department of Mechanical Engineering. This Specialisation was initiated several years ago to cater for the expanding Aeronautical Engineering industry in Singapore and the anticipated increase in demand for engineers equipped with Aeronautical Engineering knowledge and skills. To enter this Specialisation, students must complete two prerequisite modules - Fluid Mechanics I and II. Selection is generally based on CAP (Cumulative Average Point) scores, but applicants with particular aptitudes and interests will also be considered. This Specialisation requires students to complete at least three modules from a list of six, and to attain creditable grades. Students will also need to take a module based on carrying out a number of mini-projects, whereby they are expected to either undertake a critical literature review on a given topic, or conduct a short experimental and/or computational investigation into a given problem. There are also regular seminars on topics related to Aeronautical Engineering, delivered by experts from industry, who will speak on the latest development/products/problems. An Aeronautical Engineering Specialisation certificate will be awarded to all students who successfully complete this programme.
2) Automotive Engineering (Specialisation Requirements)
Since 2001, NUS engineering students have been designing and building race cars to compete in the Formula Society of Automotive Engineering (FSAE) inter-varsity competition in the USA. To cater to this overwhelming interest in automotive engineering, the ME Department has launched an Automotive Engineering Specialisation. Third-year ME students can apply to join this Specialisation, which requires them to take a group of specified modules and attend special lectures in this field. Their final-year projects will also be related to automotive engineering. The additional Certificate of Specialisation in Automotive Engineering that they will receive, will stand them in good stead in seeking employment in this field. With EDB's continued effort to boost the automotive support industry in Singapore, there are ample employment opportunities for ME graduates who have specialised in Automotive Engineering. Currently, the NUS ME Department is the only place in Singapore where one can specialise in Automotive Engineering at university level. NUS is also the only organization in Singapore that has a license to manufacture cars for civilian use
3) Biomechanical Engineering
Biomechanical Engineering is an area of strategic development in Singapore. It integrates engineering principles with biology and medicine. This unique cross-disciplinary Specialisation covers topics such as biomaterials, biomechanics, biolfluids, biomems, machine vision for robotic surgery, as well as cellular engineering and medical instrumentation. Students are also exposed to hospital attachments where they are exposed to examples of actual applications, such as in open heart surgery.
This Specialisation provides the necessary background and training for Mechanical Engineering undergraduates to work in life-sciences-related industries. It facilitates a greater experience in interdisciplinary fields and is also an area of research focus.
4) Energy and Thermal Process Engineering
The focus of the specialisation is to impart knowledge and practical skills on energy conversion and conservation processes that are relevant to Singapore industries such as power generation, air conditioning, manufacturing, chemical and pharmaceutical plants, oil refineries, water desalination, and repair of gas turbine engines. The suite of modules in this specialisation will provide graduates with the prerequisites to develop a career in a range of energy-related industries. On completion of this specialisation, the graduate is expected to possess the basic competency in designing and building thermal plants and equipment, testing and servicing, project evaluation, R&D, and undertaking specialist training for skills enhancement.
5) Materials Engineering in Design
The development of stronger and tougher materials has always been a pursuit, from prehistoric to modern times. The field of materials has developed over the years as much as their users, and both continue to have an extensive horizon ahead in terms of further progress. At present, advancement in most engineering technologies hinges on advancement in the science and engineering of materials. Consequently, the primary aim of this Specialisation is to introduce the fundamentals that govern the useful, yet often exotic and fascinating aspects of materials. It is anticipated that students taking this Specialisation will benefit significantly in their career because of their grasp of issues relating to the increasingly materials-sensitive industry in Singapore and around the world.
6) Mechatronics
Machines and systems have become increasingly intelligent and therefore useful, because of advances in electronics, sensors and computer-related technologies. The key enabling technology is Mechatronics, which is the synergistic integration of mechanics, electronics, computer science and control to realize intelligent systems and machines. Due to the pervasive nature of mechatronics products and systems, graduates with a specilalization in mechatronics are very much in demand across many industries, not necessarily confined to mechanical engineering. Any industry involved in providing intelligent and useful products and systems needs engineers with knowledge and skills in mechatronics.
The set of modules offered in this specialisation provide students with a solid foundation and background to the key aspects of mechatronics. The specialisation study module, ME4105, brings together all these aspects in the form of a mini-project, whereby students put what they have learned into practice by designing and realizing a useful mechatronics system. A Final Year Project in mechatronics further strengthens the knowledge and experience gained, through a design or research related project.
7) Microsystems Technology
Rapid advances in Microsystems Technology (MST) have enabled the scaling down of components and devices, leading to smaller and smaller end-products such as cameras, telephones and personal computers. A small size confers advantages such as portability, easier incorporation into products and often less extensive use of materials, resulting in lower costs. While miniaturization is commonly associated with microelectronics, the next wave in micro-technology is likely to be commercial development of systems which add mechanical functionality to electronic devices. This makes it possible not only to process and store data on a microscopic scale, but to physically act on the information.
The Microsystems Technology Specialisation aims to address the growing interest in miniaturization from both the industrial and research sectors. Students undertaking this Specialisation will read modules ranging from Design and Simulation to Applications of Microsystems. The interdisciplinary nature of this Specialisation facilitates involvement in modules offered by other departments, thus providing a diversity of choices.
8) Offshore Oil & Gas Technology (Specialisation Requirements)
Singapore is home to over a hundred Oil & Gas equipment and service companies serving the oil and gas industry. Six out of ten international oilfield equipment manufacturers have established their Asian manufacturing bases in Singapore. The rapid expansion of Singapore's offshore oil & gas sector is projected at an annual growth of 8% (or higher). Recent record-breaking high oil prices have made this industry more important than ever. This robust growth presents great opportunities for mechanical engineers, who are very highly sought after in such industries, where knowledge, practicality, versatility and creativity are paramount. Technology innovation has also been a hallmark of the oil & gas industry since its earliest days. Hence, mechanical engineers are also expected to go beyond supervisory and maintenance activities, to undertake high-end design, as well as innovation and R&D work. Knowledge creation is one strategy many leading companies have adopted to position themselves for the next phase of development of the offshore industry. Job prospects in this industry are excellent and remuneration is also usually higher.
With the support of the EDB, MPA, a number of major oil & gas service companies and several shipyards, the Offshore Oil & Gas Technology Specialisation was launched to develop manpower to support and meet the requirements of this vibrant industry. The keen interest and serious intent to recruit mechanical engineering graduates are demonstrated by numerous scholarships offered by oil & gas service companies and shipyards to students taking this Specialisation.
Students in this Specialisation will work on oil & gas related design and final year projects, and are encouraged to participate in relevant industry attachments. Guest speakers from the oil & gas industry will also be invited to deliver Industrial Applications Lectures, to provide insights to this industry.
9) Precision Engineering
Precision engineering is the key science for manufacturing industry. Dealing with tolerances within the nanometer to micrometer range, it cuts across all the major disciplines of manufacturing technology, with applications in automotive, aerospace, microelectronic, semiconductor, machine tool and optics industries among others. It is concerned with the design, development, manufacture and measurement of components and systems as diverse as aerospace components or grinding machines; techniques ranging from scanning electron microscopy, through diamond turning to computer aided design and dynamic modeling. Applications can be found in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, semiconductor and optical industries and increasingly within more general engineering fields as the possibilities and needs for precision grow.
10) Product Design
Product design deals with artistic, creative and innovative application and management of technology to produce consumer and industrial products. This Specialisation endows Mechanical Engineering (ME) students with knowledge and skills required in product design, especially with regard to functional and engineering aspects. This Specialisation is multidisciplinary in nature and encompasses topics such as usage of appropriate materials, technology and processes to achieve desired form and function, human factors in design, and eco-design considerations.
Several government organisations, including the EDB, IE, and PSB, have highlighted the paramount importance of design for the next phase of Singapore's economic development. Therefore, graduates who have had exposure to design will give the Singapore industry a competitive edge. A recent study commissioned by IE Singapore revealed that the output of the design cluster in Singapore amounted to $3.9 billion in terms of direct contribution to GDP, with another $3 billion in indirect contribution, and $2.7 billion in value added, or a total of 1.9% of GDP (similar in size to the GDP contribution of the entire education industry.) Another joint IE Singapore-NUS study estimated that the Singapore design industry has an output multiplier of 1.76, compared to 1.4 for banking and 1.47 for IT. Singapore is moving towards become the test bed for pilot-runs and trials for new product launches into Asia and the world. Multi-National Corporations such as Delphi Automotive, HP, Canon and Philips are constantly introducing new designs here for mass production. As Singapore industries embark on higher value-added activities to remain competitive, more design functions are expected to be undertaken by local companies. Graduates with relevant product design and engineering knowledge and skills will inevitably enjoy good employment prospects.
Requirements for Specialisations:
For Matriculation Batch August 2006 and Direct Entry (Poly) Batch August 2007
- 3 ME technical elective modules from prescribed list in Table ME3, and
- ME4105 specialisation Study module (4MCs) - This module is a technical elective;
- Do their Final Year Dissertation (8MCs) in an area related to the specialisation - This applies to all specialisation programmes.
ME4105 Specialisation Study Module
4 MCs Module
100% Continual Assessment
Pre-requisite: For students admitted to a specialisation.
This module is designed to link staff research to teaching and/or industrial setting in the selected areas of specialisation offered by the Department. The module comprises a structured programme of seminars, attachments outside NUS, term papers, and mini-projects to be given by a group of staff member based on their current research interests in the specialisation area. The programme content differs for different specialisation areas. For example in Biomechanical Engineering students may be attached to a hospital environment for a period of time under the co-supervision of clinicians and health care staff to learn interdisciplinary activities which cannot be learnt in a class room situation. This module is intended for students doing a specialisation.
TABLE ME3: TECHNICAL ELECTIVES MODULES FOR ME SPECIALISATIONS:
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
ME3232 |
Compressible Flow (January) |
ME3233 |
Unsteady Flow in Fluid Systems (January) |
ME4212 |
Mechanics of Thin-walled Structures (January) |
ME4231 |
Aerodynamics and Propulsion (January) |
ME4233 |
Computational Methods in Fluids Mechanics (August) |
ME4234 |
Experimental Methods in Fluid Mechanics (August) |
ME4241 |
Aircraft Performance, Stability and Control (January) |
ME4291 |
Finite Element Analysis (August) |
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING (Please click here for additional requirements)
ME3251 |
Materials for Engineers (January) |
ME3261 |
Computer-aided Design and Manufacturing (August) |
ME3263 |
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (August) |
ME4214 |
Vehicle Dynamics (August) |
ME4227 |
Internal Combustion Engine (January) |
ME4254 |
Materials in Engineering Design (August) |
ME4255 |
Materials Failure (January) |
ME4262 |
Automation in Manufacturing (January) |
ME4264 |
Automobile Design and Engineering (August) |
ME4265 |
Aumotive Body and Chassis Engineering (January) |
BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING
ME4245 |
Robot Kinematics, Dynamics and Control (August) |
ME4253 |
Biomaterials Engineering (January) |
ME4284 |
Micro-sensors and Micro-actuators (January) |
ME5405 |
Machine Vision (August) |
BN4201 |
Musculoskeletal Biomechanics† (Pre-requisite will be waived) (January) |
BN4202 |
Biofluid Dynamics† (January) |
BN4301 |
Principles of Tissue Engineering† (Pre-requisite BN3301 will be waived if students take ME4253) (August) |
BN4403 |
Cellular Bioengineering† (Pre-requisite LSM2103) (August) |
BN4404 |
Biomicroelectromechanical Systems – BioMEMS† (January) |
ENERGY AND THERMAL PROCESS ENGINEERING
ME3221 |
Energy Conversion Processes (January) |
ME4223 |
Thermal Environmental Engineering (August) |
ME4225 |
Industrial Heat Transfer (January) |
ME4226 |
Energy and Thermal Systems Analysis (August) |
ME4231 |
Aerodynamics and Propulsion (January) |
MATERIALS ENGINEERING IN DESIGN
ME3251 |
Materials for Engineers (January) |
ME4251 |
Thermal Engineering of Materials (August) |
ME4253 |
Biomaterials Engineering (January) |
ME4254 |
Materials in Engineering Design (Required module) (August) |
ME4255 |
Materials Failure (January) |
ME5502 |
Engineering Plastics and Composite Materials (January) |
CN4217R |
Processing of Microelectronic Materials† (August) |
MST5002 |
Materials Characterization† (January) |
MECHATRONICS
ME3241 |
Microprocessor Applications (January) |
ME3242 |
Industrial Automation (August) |
ME4245 |
Robot Kinematics, Dynamics and Control (August) |
ME4246 |
Linear Systems (January) |
ME5405 |
Machine Vision (August) |
EE4305 |
Introduction to Fuzzy/Neural Systems (August) |
MICRO SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY
ME3281 |
Microsystems Design and Applications (January) |
ME4283 |
Micro-fabrication Processes (August) |
ME4284 |
Micro-sensors and Micro-actuators (January) |
ME4285 |
Modelling and Simulation in MST |
ME4291 |
Finite Element Analysis (August) |
ME4293 |
Microelectronics Packaging (August) |
CN4216R |
Electronic Materials Science† (Pre-requisite ME2151) (August) |
CN4217R |
Processing of Microelectronic Materials*† (Pre-requisite ME2151) (August) |
OFFSHORE OIL & GAS TECHNOLOGY
ME3211 |
Mechanics of Solids (August) |
ME3232 |
Compressible Flow (January) |
ME3233 |
Unsteady Flow in Fluid Systems (January) |
ME4213 |
Vibration Theory and Application (January) |
ME4245 |
Robot Kinematics, Dynamics and Control (August) |
ME4254 |
Materials in Engineering Design (August) |
ME4261 |
Tool Engineering (January) |
ME5506 |
Corrosion of Materials (January) |
ESE5901 |
Environmental Technology† (August) |
GE3880A |
Topics in Petroleum Geoscience (Required module) (August) |
PRECISION ENGINEERING
ME3261 |
Computer-aided Design and Manufacturing (August) |
ME3263 |
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (August) |
ME4261 |
Tool Engineering (January) |
ME4262 |
Automation in Manufacturing (January) |
ME4283 |
Micro-fabrication Processes (August) |
PRODUCT DESIGN
One (1) module from:
ME3261 |
Computer-aided Design and Manufacturing (August) |
ME3263 |
Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (August) |
ME4254 |
Materials in Engineering Design (August) |
Two (2) modules from:
| IE4239 |
Selected Topics in Quality Engineering: Reliability for Design and Manufacturing (Special Term 2) |
IE5002** |
Applied Engineering Statistics† (August) |
IE5208** |
Systems Approach to Project Management† (August) |
IE5301** |
Human Factors in Engineering and Design† (January) |
ME5610*** |
Product Development (Module may not be offered in every semester) |
ME5611 |
Sustainable Product Design & Manufacturing (Module may not be offered in every semester) |
ME5612 |
Computer Aided Product Development (August) |
Either module IE5211 or MT4003:
MT4003/
IE5211** |
Engineering Product Management†/ (January)
New Product Management† (August) |
* Only one of these may be taken.
** ISE MSc class timetable can be found at http://www.ise.nus.edu.sg/timetables/MSc/index.html
† Subject to the acceptance by the host department.
Only Stage 4 students with CAP = or > 3.5 are allowed to take level-5 modules.
Information for Students on a Mechanical Engineering Specialisation
There is an academic coordinator for each. Please consult the coordinator if you have questions about the specialisation.
Other Information for Students in ME Specialisations
You are responsible for meeting the academic requirements of the specialisation applicable to your cohort. You may begin to read the modules for your specialisation from the 6th semester.
The academic coordinator will inform you of the requirements for the Specialisation Study module ME4105. The work required for ME4105 may be spread over 2 semesters (typically 7th and 8th) as determined by the academic coordinator, or earlier for Offshore Oil & Gas Technology.
The ME Dept will automatically register you for ME4105 Specialisation Study module at the start of the 8th Semester*. You are required to complete the requirements before the end of the 8th Semester.
Students on SEP/NOC will be allowed to count a maximum of ONE module taken overseas towards fulfilling the requirements of an ME specialisation. The student is to seek prior approval from the specialisation coordinator. Only module with relevance to the specialisation will be eligible for consideration. The SEP/NOC coordinator should be informed accordingly for record keeping purposes.
The Specialisation Study module, ME4105 MUST only be read in NUS.
All the ME modules (modules with MEXXXX or MSTXXXX code) including ME4105 are worth 4 MCs. Students should check the number of MCs for the non-ME specialisation modules through the host department.
All the specialisation modules (including ME4105) are counted as Technical Elective modules and can be used to meet the Technical Elective requirements under the ME major requirements. However, if students withdraw from the specialisation, the non-ME modules (e.g. CN4216, CN4217) done to satisfy the specialisation requirement CANNOT be used to fulfill the ME Technical Elective requirement. Students may use these modules to fulfill the Unrestricted Elective Module requirement only (mapping the modules to any other modules required for graduation is not allowed). Students must take approved ME Technical Elective modules to replace the non-ME modules, if they fail to fulfill the ME Technical Elective requirement upon withdrawal from the specialisation.
You may withdraw from a specialisation before the start of the 8th Semester by writing in to the specialisation coordinator concerned.
*Refers to the 8th Semester of your cohort.
**For the Aeronautical Engineering Specialisation, A/Prof. S.C. Luo will announce the list of projects to the students of the specialisation and carry out allocation of projects at the beginning of Semester 7. |
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