Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Define the Design Problem and Functional Specification
1–2 weeks (3–4 hrs/week)
Identify the mechanical design challenge: a component, assembly, or system that needs to be designed or re-designed. Write a functional specification covering the required performance (loads, operating conditions, life expectancy, safety factors), design constraints (envelope, weight, cost), and regulatory or standard requirements (e.g. relevant ISO, BS, or ASME standards). A complete functional specification defines what 'good enough' means before any design work begins.
Proof required
Submit your functional specification (≥600 words): the design problem, required performance parameters with values and units, design constraints, applicable standards, and success criteria.
What gets checked
- Performance parameters are quantitative — loads in N or kPa, temperatures in °C, life expectancy in hours or cycles
- At least one applicable standard or regulatory requirement is named and its relevance explained
- Success criteria are stated such that a third party could evaluate whether the design meets them
Common mistakes
- Writing a specification with no quantitative requirements — 'strong enough' is not a specification, 'yield safety factor ≥ 3.0' is
- Omitting manufacturing or cost constraints — designs that meet performance but are too complex or expensive to manufacture fail in practice
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Confirm all performance parameters have quantitative values and units — flag any qualitative requirement.
- Confirm at least one applicable standard is named — confirm its relevance to the design problem is explained.
- Confirm success criteria could be evaluated by a third party who has not seen the design.
Develop and Analyse Candidate Designs
3–4 weeks (4–5 hrs/week)
Generate ≥2 distinct design concepts that meet the functional specification. For each concept, perform the key engineering calculations: static stress analysis (von Mises or maximum shear stress), fatigue life estimate (if cyclic loading applies), deflection check, or thermal analysis — whichever failure mode governs the design. Document all calculations with cited material properties and assumptions. Select the preferred concept based on quantitative comparison.
Proof required
Submit your concept comparison document: sketches or CAD screenshots of ≥2 concepts, key engineering calculations for each (with cited material properties), a comparison table against the functional specification, and your preferred concept with justification.
What gets checked
- Engineering calculations show all steps and cite material properties from named sources (MatWeb, NIST, or equivalent)
- Both concepts are evaluated against the functional specification — not just described
- Preferred concept selection is justified by the calculation results — not by aesthetic preference
Common mistakes
- Sketching concepts without engineering analysis — the design report requires calculations, not just ideas
- Using material properties from memory without citation — all property values must be traceable to a source
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Confirm ≥2 distinct concepts are analysed — not one concept with minor variations.
- Confirm all calculation steps are shown and material properties are cited from named sources.
- Confirm the preferred concept is selected based on quantitative comparison, not aesthetic preference.
Write the Mechanical Design Report and Defend It
3–4 weeks (3–4 hrs/week)
Write a complete mechanical design report (2,500–4,000 words plus drawings) covering the design problem, functional specification, concept generation, engineering analysis, preferred design, materials selection, manufacturing consideration, and risk assessment. Present the report to a reviewer with mechanical engineering experience and respond to technical Q&A. The review is what transforms a student report into a professional engineering document.
Proof required
Submit your mechanical design report (2,500–4,000 words + drawings/calculations appendix) and review record: reviewer name, role, ≥3 technical challenge questions, and your responses.
What gets checked
- Report includes: specification → concepts → analysis → preferred design → materials → manufacture → risk — all seven sections present
- Review record documents ≥3 specific technical challenges and the submitter's responses — not general praise
- Reviewer has mechanical engineering experience — peer review without domain expertise does not count
Common mistakes
- Submitting an analysis document with no manufacturing or risk section — a design report is not complete until it addresses how the design will be made and what can go wrong
- Reviewer without mechanical engineering background — the challenge questions must probe the validity of the stress analysis and design choices
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Engineering Design Triad check: M1–M3 together produce a design artifact (concept sketches + preferred design drawings), an analysis artifact (stress/fatigue/deflection calculations with cited properties), and a documentation artifact (full design report + review record) — confirm all three types are present.
- Confirm all seven report sections are present — specification, concepts, analysis, preferred design, materials, manufacture, risk.
- Confirm risk assessment uses FMEA or equivalent structured method — not a narrative list of concerns.
- Confirm reviewer has mechanical engineering background and review record documents specific technical challenge questions.
- The Proof Accessibility Rule applies — FreeCAD (free), MatWeb (free), MIT OCW (free), ASQ resources (free), IMechE free learning resources are all accessible.
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