From the start of your degree you will study topics that relate directly to the Automotive Industry, with Vehicle Systems & Development taught across year 1. As well as this you will learn engineering fundamentals such as thermodynamics, materials, and mechanics.
Compulsory modules
Mathematics for Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering
The aim of this module is to introduce students to various mathematical techniques used in Aeronautical and Automotive engineering.
Materials and Structures
The aims of the module are as follows:
- Introduce the various classes of engineering materials with a focus on their properties, microstructure, and processing.
- Develop an understanding of the fundamental principles that determine the structure and properties of materials, with special emphasis on how processing influences these characteristics.
- Introduce basic materials processing techniques and illustrate how processing parameters govern microstructural development and, consequently, material performance.
- Explore the design and analysis of simple deformable structural components.
- Introduce the basic concepts, theories and methodologies that are required for the analysis of simple deformable structural components.
Thermofluids
The aim of this module is for the student to understand the basic concepts, principles and theoretical approaches of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics and apply them to engineering systems.
Computing
The aim of this module is for the student to understand problem solving and to acquire programming skills in the high level language of MATLAB.
Engineering Design and Manufacture
The aim of this module is to introduce the student to design processes and manufacturing technology applicable to aeronautical and automotive engineering.
Aims:
- Develop a fundamental understanding of design activities.
- Identify the British Standard for Engineering Drawings.
- Develop Computer-Aided Drawing skills, using Siemens NX.
- Introduce structural materials, their application and constraints.
- Identify Engineering Elements relevant to the Aeronautical and Automotive Industry.
- Explore manufacturing methods.
- Develop practical skills, with regard to manufacturing and inspection.
Vehicle Systems and Development
The aim of this module is for the student to understand the operation of vehicle systems, the vehicle design and development process and to understand why the more analytical modules are necessary areas of study for the would-be vehicle designer. The student will understand the different requirements for the development of a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) compared to the traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle and the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) programme structures to deliver these vehicles to the marketplace.
In addition, they will be introduced to Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) and learn skills to implement their own engineering design practically. The module will also introduce them to group working and the communication and EDI principals that drive a successful project.
Engineering Mechanics and Structures
The aim of this module is for the student to be able to break a structure into rigid, idealised components and explain how the basic laws of engineering mechanics relating to fundamental static and dynamic systems allow yield forces and moments to inform the design process.
Aims:
- To be able to apply equations of equilibrium to solve engineering statics problems.
- To cover the mechanical behaviour of simple beams under bending loads (elementary beam theory) and specifically introduce equations used for calculating bending and shear stresses and bending and shear deflections.