ME 3000 Design of Mechanical Elements

Prof. B. Raeymaekers

Homework #1: Matlab basics + Intro to design

Spring 2016

Instructions
This homework was assigned on 01/15/16 and your hard-copy solution is due on 01/22/16 at 5
pm in the ME front office. Show your work, no credit will be given for the solution only. Include
a print out of your Matlab code if applicable (with comments).
PROBLEM 1:
Use Matlab to plot Vsin2(t) and Vcos2(t) in one plot, with = 2f. The frequency f of the
waves is 1 Hz, the phase is 0, and the amplitude is V = 1 Volt. Show the amplitude as a function
of time over two wavelengths, using a blue and red line for the sine and cosine wave,
respectively. If you use a grayscale printer, use a solid and dashed line. Use a line thickness of
2 in Matlab. Add a grid. Add labels to the x- and y-axes. When making technical plots, use the
following format for labels: Metric, symbol [units]. Thus, for the x-axis use Time, t [s] and
for the y-axis use Amplitude, V [V]. Use fontsize 24. Add a legend in the northeast corner of
the plot to identify the two lines. Do not add a title to the figure.
Note: This assignment is meant to practice how to make a figure to convey a technical result to a
reader. I expect that in future HW sets, you will follow this template.
Hand in:
Figure
Attach a print out of your Matlab m-file.
PROBLEM 2:
Figure 1 shows a hollow rod attached to a frame. The rod was purchased through McMaster-Carr
(product ID: 5366T34) and cut to L = 20 cm using a bandsaw. When F = 37.5 kN, what is the
implied factor of safety in this design?
HINT: Go to the McMaster website and search for the product ID. All info you need to calculate
this problem can be found on the product page of the McMaster catalog.
F

d
D

Figure 1: Hollow round bar in tension

Hand in:
Safety factor

ME EN 3000 Design of Mechanical Elements

Spring 2016

PROBLEM 3:
Consider the structure shown in Fig. 2. A beam of length L = 0.5 m is attached to a rigid wall.
The beam has a regular hexagonal cross-section. A force F = 20 kN is applied axially to the
beam (through the centroid). Using a design factor of nD = 3, which Super-Corrosion-Resistant
316 Stainless Steel metric hexagonal bar would you purchase from McMaster-Carr
(McMaster.com)? What is the resulting safety factor?

L
Figure 2: Hexagonal bar rigidly attached to wall

HINT: Go to the McMaster website and search for Super-Corrosion-Resistant 316 Stainless
Steel metric hexagonal bar. The item number starts with 89205K**. You need to determine
what ** is (only consider the metric series). If you search for 89205K then you will need to scroll
down until you find the metric hexagonal beams.
Hand in:
Dimensions and product # of the hexagonal beam you selected. Include your calculations.
Safety factor.