MEIR11-BASICS OF

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

[Link]
Professor
DEPT. OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TRICHY
COURSE CONTENT
Introduction to Mechanical Engineering- Design thinking, Design
activities.

Thermal Engineering - IC Engines – 2 Stroke and 4 stroke systems

in IC Engines. Automobiles - Transmission systems, Suspension
system, E-Vehicles.

Energy Systems - Power plants, Types, Gas Turbines, Steam

Turbines, Utility boilers, R & A/C system- Green Energy
production and Devices.

Engineering materials, Machine elements, Transmission,

Fasteners, Support systems.

Manufacturing Engineering- Classification, Metal forming,

Casting, Lathe, Drilling machines, Milling machines, Metal joining.
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES (CLOS)
• CLO1-To introduce and define the basics concept of mechanical engineering.

• CLO2-To familiarize the working principles of IC engines and automobile systems.

• CLO3 -To enable the students to understand the details about the energy systems
and its components.

• CLO4-To demonstrate the various machine elements, materials and its function.

• CLO5-To help the students acquire knowledge about the various manufacturing
process.

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COURSE OUTCOMES (COS)
At the end of the course student will be able to

• CO1-To apply basic concepts mechanical engineering in real world problems

• CO2-To understand the working principle of automobile subsystems.

• CO3-To know the functioning of various thermal energy production systems

• CO4-To identify various materials and its characteristics

• CO5-To select suitable manufacturing method for the production of a mechanical

component

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COURSE EVALUATION METHODS

[Link] Mode of assessment Week Duration % Weightage

1 Cycle Test-I 5th Week 90 minutes 20
2 Cycle Test-II 9th Week 90 minutes 20
3 Assignments 10th week 1 week 10
4 End semester As per the 180 minutes 50
institute
schedule
Compensation 12th week 90 minutes 20
assessment
WHY SHOULD ECE STUDENTS LEARN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING?
Electronics and Mechanical Engineering together embody
the harmony of intelligence and motion. Engineers in
these domains share a strong foundation in physics,
energy, and materials, which equips them to design and
innovate systems that advance technology and society.

Electronics engineers specialize in circuits, communication

systems, and embedded devices, while mechanical
engineers focus on machines, energy systems, and
structures.

Having knowledge of mechanical engineering is essential for

electronics engineers. This interdisciplinary understanding
allows them to integrate motors, sensors, and actuators into
smart systems, enhance thermal management and product
design, and contribute effectively to emerging fields like
robotics, IoT, automotive electronics, and biomedical devices.
KEY AREAS – ME TO PLAY A MAJOR ROLE

Design
Power
&Manufacturin Transportation
Generation
g

Waste
Management Health Care
DESIGN ACTIVITIES

Design activities include

 Creativity - Nature has optimized solutions over millions of years, resulting in highly efficient,
adaptable, and sustainable designs. By mimicking these strategies, we can develop innovative products that
are both functional and environmentally friendly.

 Decision-making

 Modeling.
 Introduction to Design Thinking
- a human centered approach to innovation and problem-solving.

Core Principles Stages of Design Thinking:

o Empathy: Understanding the user’s o Empathize: Gather insights on the user’s
needs. experiences.

o Ideation: Generating creative solutions. o Define: Clearly articulate the problem to be

solved.
o Prototyping: Building models to test
ideas. o Ideate: Brainstorm potential solutions.

o Testing: Refining ideas through user o Prototype: Create tangible representations of

feedback. ideas.

o Test: Evaluate the prototypes with real users.

Class Exercise - on Design Thinking principles

1. Smart Helmet for Two-Wheeler Riders

2. Low-Cost Portable ECG Device
3. Smart Waste Bin for Hostel

Steps to be followed
• Empathy Exercises: Assign to conduct user
interviews or surveys to understand needs and
challenges.
• Ideation Sessions: Organize brainstorming
sessions to come up with multiple solutions to a
problem.
• Prototyping Activity: build simple prototypes
using basic materials or software tools.
• Testing and Feedback: Encourage to test their
prototypes with peers or simulated user groups.
Example 2: Smart Helmet for
Two-Wheeler Riders
•Empathize: Many riders
don’t wear helmets →
accidents become fatal.
•Define: A helmet that
ensures safety + encourages
usage.
•Ideate:
• Helmet that unlocks
bike ignition only if
worn.
• Helmet with accident
detection + GPS alert
to family.
• Helmet with noise
cancellation for calls.
•Prototype: Sensor in helmet
chin strap connected to bike
ignition.
•Test: Try with a few riders;
refine based on usability.
Example 3: Low-Cost Example 4: Smart Waste Bin
Portable ECG Device for Hostel
Empathize: Rural areas lack Empathize: Hostel bins
access to advanced overflow; cleaning staff
diagnostic tools. doesn’t know when to
Define: A low-cost, portable collect.
ECG monitor for primary Define: Need a smart bin
healthcare.
that alerts when full.
Ideate:
Smartphone-based ECG
Ideate:
with sensor patches. Ultrasonic sensor to
IoT-enabled ECG sending detect bin level.
reports to doctors GSM module sending SMS
remotely. to cleaning staff.
Wearable ECG T-shirt IoT dashboard for all
with textile-based hostel bins.
electrodes. Prototype: Arduino +
Prototype: Arduino + ECG
Ultrasonic sensor + GSM
sensor module + mobile app.
Test: Run pilot in a village
module.
clinic → feedback on Test: Place in hostel → see
accuracy & usability. response from cleaning
team.
What do you think powers India’s rise
as global technology leader today?
INTELLIGENCE?
OR
ENGINEERING?
OR
SOMETHING ELSE?

CREATIVITY
 “Creativity is not just artistic, but a
national strength”

- India is emerging as a global leader in defence,

electronic and manufacturing.
India’s Semiconductor
Mission

• Challenge: India imports most of its high-end chips.

• Creative Response: India launched the Semicon India

Program (₹76,000 Cr).

• Partnerships with Taiwan (TSMC), U.S. (Micron), and Indian

start-ups.

• Creative Engineering Needed: Process miniaturization,

cleanroom design, power efficiency, etc.
Defence Innovations in India-Pak
• BrahMos Missile: Fastest supersonic cruise missile co-
developed with Russia.

• Agni Series: Long-range ballistic missiles designed for

strategic deterrence.

• Drones, AI, and Autonomous Systems: Used in border

surveillance and response.

“In modern warfare, it’s not just about who has bigger
weapons — it’s about who has smarter systems.”

DRDO’s Netra drones were used in surgical strikes (Operation

Sindoor)21and emergency response.
ISRO – CHANDRAYAN-3

Indigenous Innovation
The entire mission—from launch to lunar landing
—was developed indigenously by ISRO
engineers and scientists. This included:
• Homegrown navigation and hazard detection
systems.
• Indigenous materials, electronics, and AI-based
decision systems for autonomous landing.

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Creativity
It is the ability to generate new and original ideas,
solutions or product through imagination.

Curiosity

HO
CR W Finding

EA TO Unique
Solution
Imagination

TI BE
VE
?
Out of Box
thinking Observation
"Imagination is more important than
knowledge. For knowledge is limited,
whereas imagination embraces the
entire world.“

— Albert Einstein
HOW CREATIVITY INTERSECTS WITH ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES

5127

25 prototype
manufacturing
 PROCESS OF CREATIVITY

• Empathy: Understanding the user’s needs.

• Ideation: Generating creative solutions.
• Prototyping: Building models to test ideas.
• Testing: Refining ideas through user feedback.

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TIMELINE OF EVOLUTION OF WASHING MACHINE

Empathy: Early washing

machines were developed in
response to the labor-intensive
process of hand washing
clothes. People needed a more
efficient and less physically
demanding way to clean
clothes

The Early Mechanical Washers

27 (Late 1700s)
 TIMELINE OF EVOLUTION OF WASHING MACHINE

1797 The ‘First’ Washing Tool - A basic setup

where clothes were scrubbed by hand on a
ridged board inside a tub, requiring
manual effort.

The Washing ‘Drum - A rotating drum

1851 mechanism, often hand-cranked, that used
motion to clean clothes more efficiently
than scrubbing.

Electrified machines - The first electric-

1908 powered washing machine that marked a
major shift from manual to automated
washing.
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TIMELINE OF EVOLUTION OF WASHING MACHINE

Laundry Time (Washeria) – The concept

1936 of self-service laundromats emerged,
allowing multiple users to access
washing machines in one place.

Washing Machine Goes Personal –

1937 Compact, user-friendly machines were
introduced for household use, making
laundry more convenient at home.

Modern Machines - Fully automatic and

digital washing machines became
2000s
common, offering multiple wash
programs, sensors, and improved
29 energy efficiency.
VIDEO
 EVOLUTION OF WASHING MAPPED WITH STAGE OF
CREATIVE INNOVATION
STAGES DESCRIPTION
Empathy Early innovators observed the burden of manual washing, especially for women.

Empathy led to the idea of creating a device to reduce physical effort and save time.

Ideation Various ideas emerged: hand-cranked machines, rotating drums, and water-flow
mechanisms.

The goal was to simulate hand-washing movements mechanically.

Prototyping Early prototypes like the scrub board with rollers, then manual drum machines, were
tested.

Each version aimed to be more effective and easier to use.

Testing User feedback led to electric motors, spin cycles, and eventually fully automatic
machines.

31 Later innovations included front-loading designs, smart sensors, and AI-based wash
cycles to meet modern needs.
TAKEAWAY

From the above example we can understand that how

each stage of the washing machine’s evolution was
driven- it is by a deep understanding of user needs
from time to time

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 EVOLUTION OF TYRES
Have you ever had a flat tire?  Stone tires were the earliest form, crude
and basic.

 Then came wooden logs and wooden

wheels, providing a bit more
functionality but still lacking comfort.

 Rubber tires marked a huge leap,

bringing in air-filled tires for a smoother,
more comfortable ride.

 But despite all these advances,

punctures still remain a challenge.

 What if we could build tyres that don't

rely on air?
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 AIRLESS TYRE
 Airless tyres, also known as non-pneumatic tyres, work without air and never go flat.
 They are designed using a flexible structure that can absorb shocks and support weight.
 Inspired by nature’s designs like honeycombs, they offer better durability and less
maintenance.
 They are used in military vehicles, heavy machinery, and even space rovers, they
redefine how we think about wheels.
 This is engineering creativity — solving old problems in a brand-new way.
 AIRLESS TYRES
STAGES DESCRIPTION
Empathy Frequent tyre punctures, blowouts, and maintenance issues
caused inconvenience and safety concerns.

Ideation What if tyres didn’t rely on air at all?“

Ideas like solid tyres, honeycomb structures, and non-

pneumatic designs were brainstormed.
Prototyping Companies like Michelin developed the 'Tweel', combining
tyre and wheel into one solid unit.

Initial prototypes were built using flexible yet durable

materials to absorb shocks.
Testing Tested on military vehicles, construction equipment, and
later passenger vehicles.

Feedback led to better ride comfort, reduced noise, and

improved shock absorption.
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Iterations continue for road readiness and commercial use.
 “IS THAT’S ALL
CREATIVITY IS ?”

36
 SOMETIMES
CREATIVITY IS
JUST
INTEGRATION
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 TECHNOLOGIES BEFORE 2007
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 • Before 2007: We had phones, cameras,
internet… separately.

• Steve Jobs combined them into one

device — using creativity, design, and
engineering.

Key Point:
It wasn't just better technology. It was a better
idea.

"Creativity is just connecting things." — Steve Jobs

 SOMETIMES,
CREATIVITY IS JUST
CHANGING HOW
WE CONSUME
 Once, we waited for shows on fixed timings.-Now, we stream
anything, anytime, anywhere

Creative ideation: "Why can’t people watch what they want,

when they want?“

OTT disrupted traditional media, broke geographical limits,

and put control in the hands of the audience.

“This shift wasn’t about more content — it

was about a creative way of delivering it”

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 Netflix is the first ever global OTT platform that
came into existence in 2007.

Evolution of Netflix
 Netflix started as a DVD rental service in 1997.
 It evolved into a streaming platform, removing
the wait and the wires.
 Soon, it began producing original content —
changing from a provider to a creator.

OTT platforms didn’t just replace

TV — they redefined how we
consume stories.
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SOMETIMES,
CREATIVITY
IS JUST
MIMICING
NATURE

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 VELCRO
We see it everywhere—from footwear to Blood
Pressure setups—yet most of us don’t stop to think
about how this everyday innovation works: Velcro.
 VELCRO
 The species name burdock plant (hooked
seed pods).
 George de Mestral invented this in 1941.
 Inspired by burrs (seed pods) sticking to his
dog's fur.
 Hook-and-loop fastener mimics burr's
gripping mechanism

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 GECKO TAPE
In many advanced applications—like climbing gear,
medical devices, or space robots—there’s a need for
materials that can firmly grip surfaces to hold their
position.

But in practice, we can't rely on glue or traditional

adhesives—especially in extreme or sensitive
environments.

In search of a solution, when we turn to nature, we find

that it has already provided a tailor-made answer to this
problem.

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GECKO FEET
Geckos can adhere to walls
without the use of glue, due to tiny
hair-like structures on their feet
that utilize van der Waals forces
(the distance-dependent attraction between
atoms or molecules - between its feet and
the surface) to grip surfaces.

This natural mechanism has

inspired the development of dry
adhesives with nano-hairs,
mimicking gecko toe pads, which
are now utilized in robotics,
climbing gear, and space tools

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48
 • Tunnel boom-The power of the shock waves even caused
structural damage to several tunnels.
• To minimize the tunnel boom and increase overall
aerodynamics they would need a more streamlined nose.
• The engineers eventually modeled the next model after the
beak of the Kingfisher bird.

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50
Optimal Lift, Minimal drag

Whale Power’s biomimetic blades help generate the “same

amount of power at 16 Km/hr that conventional turbines
generate at 27.35 Km/hr

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52
Engineering is no longer just about solving
known problems with known formulas.

It's about anticipating challenges, adapting to

change, and designing smarter solutions for an
evolving world.

Futuristic expectation qualities from an engineer

are sustainability, digitalization and user-centric
design of product.
 CALL FOR
CREATIVITY IN
ENGINEERING CALL FOR CREATIVITY
IN ENGINEERING

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 1. THE RISE OF ELECTRIC
VEHICLES
 Many people are choosing electric vehicles electric vehicles (EVs) as a
cleaner alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

 This rise popularity among people.

 Yet, establishing EV faces several practical challenges.

 One of significant issue with EV is issue with regards to charging station.

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Challenges with Charging
Stations in India:
 Limited infrastructure: There are not enough
charging stations, especially in rural and remote
areas.

 Long charging time: It takes hours to fully

charge an electric vehicle, leading to
inconvenience.

 Range anxiety: Drivers worry about running

out of charge before reaching the next station.

 High installation costs for public charging

stations.
 SOME POSSIBILITIES
 Solar-powered mobile charging vans (like food trucks).
 Swappable battery booths like ATMs.
 Tie-up with tea shops for “Charge & Chai” hubs!

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SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR CHARGING THE E-VECHICLE

ONLINE CHARGING – Through

charging lane, which is
electrified along the road,
(INSPIRED BY ELECTRIC
TRAINS)
2. THE RISE OF CONCERN FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM

Urban transportation today faces

growing challenges—rising traffic
congestion, difficulty accessing
new or remote areas, and
unpredictable delays due to road
maintenance or poor conditions.
These issues not only waste time
and fuel but also highlight the
urgent need for smarter, more
sustainable transportation
solutions.

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 TECHNI-SOLUTIONS

 Intelligence based smart traffic

management, access new route
using advanced technics like AI

 Intimation of any road repair

work prior taking that route with
google maps

 Multilevel roads

 Compact automobile design to

occupy less space
 STATE YOUR IMAGINATIVE SOLUTIONS
 Teleporting through portals (Hogwarts express𝟗 𝟑 )
𝟒
 A device for people to fly (Iron Man)

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 3. POWER
MANAGEMENT
IN ELECTRONICS

From smartphones to smartwatches, we

constantly rely on battery-powered
devices—but battery life still limits
performance.

Users often face overheating, slow

charging, or frequent recharges,
especially as devices get thinner and
more feature-packed
 IMAGINATIVE
POSSIBILITIES
Smartwatch that charges from your
body heat
Phone that recharges just by being in
the sun.
 What if your steps could power your
earbuds?

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 TECHNICAL
SOLUTION

Engineers are developing ultra-low-power

processors, adaptive power circuits, and
energy harvesting technologies that draw
power from ambient sources like light,
motion, and heat.

Wireless charging and fast-charging

techniques are evolving, while circuit-level
optimization ensures longer battery life
even with heavy use.

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 PRODUCTS DEVELOPED AND
PATENTS
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 MANUFACTURING OF LOW FUME ELECTRODE
 Fumes are released during the welding process.
 These fumes are toxic in nature, cause serious health
issues when inhaled.

A BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY of welding fume

reduction was developed using nano coating on the core wire
prior to flux coating for Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
consumables – Towards GREEN welding process.

Conventional flux coating

Novel method of nano coating

with arc stabilizing materials

Bare wire
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 A LUNG SIMULATOR FOR
DETERMINING PARTICULATE
MATTER IN RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM

• Till now, we use only CFD to analyse the lung

deposition of pollutants(particulate matters) but
there is no experimental setup for its verification.

• A 3D printed lung model has been developed to

mimicking the actual human lung with all its basic
parts to estimate and understand its deposition
behaviour.

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 helmet

Helmet brim Flexible pipe

Welding lens

shield

Air supply

Industrial
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helmet for welding fume expulsion and method thereof- 20141042166
 Cooling jacket Variable volume adjust
Pressure sensor
To airbag Variable volume mini tank testing
0.1 Pyroigniter equipment and method of an
0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 L Temperature sensor airbag chemical performance
L L L L test- 201741041005
DAQ

PROCESS Pellet

SAFETY Modified Impact testing

OF equipment for DRDO project
for STUN GRENADE
ENERGETIC application

MATERIALS
Enclosed cap
Novel reaction chamber Airbag gas
for collection and generants
Drain hole
Square thread decomposition residues comprising layered
of pyrotechnic copper hydroxy
compositions and nitrate nano
method thereof- sheets-
Chamber base
201741042165 201741038676
 SOME EXERCISE FOR YOU
1. How to handle over 2. How make clean drinking
crowding land fills water accessible to all humans

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FINAL TAKEWAY

India’s future will be built by

us, who can think
CREATIVELY

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QUESTIONS
GRACIA
S