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Course Descriptions
MECH_ENG 390: Introduction to Dynamic Systems

Prerequisites

GEN ENG 205-4, MECH_ENG 241, and CIV_ENV 216

Description

Modeling the dynamic behavior of physical systems. Concepts of causality, dependent and independent storages, and state. Introduction to bond graphs. Generation of state equations; analytical and computer simulation of system behavior. Application to problems of engineering interest.

Who Takes It

Juniors and seniors in mechanical engineering take this course. Many first year graduate students in mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering also take it. Many students take ME 390 to become familiar with dynamic analysis.

What It's About

Many engineering components can be described in terms of energy. Resistors and dashpots dissipate energy. Springs, masses, capacitors, and inductors store energy but do not generate it or dissipate it. Still other components such as gears, levers and motors convert energy from one form to another. In this course you will learn how complex engineering systems can be described in terms of small number of basic energetic components. ME 390 considers especially the dynamic behavior of engineering systems, including descriptors such as time constants, natural frequency and damping ratio, and frequency response.

Minisyllabus

Models, dynamics, simulation
Bond graphing
Energy storages, energy sources
Laplace transforms
First and second order response
Bode plots

Textbook

None