Rapid Assembly and Design Challenge (RAD)

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Request for Proposal: Rapid Assembly and Design Challenge (RAD)


RAD Project Ideas

Introduction and Overview

In a rapidly progressing and innovation-focused world, there is a constant push for revolutionary new ideas. Now the National Academy of Engineers (NAE) and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering are seeking proposals to develop unique and intriguing technology that will promote advancement and improve quality of life. The NAE wants to see how the new generation of engineers will address the NAE's Engineering Grand Challenges and technological problems the world faces. The grantors want to reward innovative and exceptional designs and prototypes.

Respondents are tasked with identifying a problem that needs to be solved. The response must include a proof of concept solution in the form of a working prototype that will be showcased to professors, teaching assistants, and other stakeholders. The prototype must show creativity, promise, and innovative excellence. The goal of this endeavor is to address an engineering problem that can be solved. Respondents have the freedom to propose any idea that has merit, be it a new technology or an existing technology that can be improved or adapted to a new use. Proposals that are selected will move forward and produce a prototype by the end of the semester.

Specifications

A sophomore, junior, or senior mentor from the General Engineering Program will be provided. This mentor will be a guide throughout the duration of this project. The mentor will set the requirements for the project, and stay in contact about the deliverables and deadlines. Each project will have a theoretical budget of $100.00 to be spent on components for the prototype. The project must stay within this budget.

Each project must complete two Benchmarks, A and B. Three Milestone presentations will be made over the course of the semester. They should demonstrate steady progress over the 10 week duration of the project showing component testing and later prototype testing. The prototype must complete commissioning. Final submission and a final presentation will complete the project. Prototypes will be judged by professors at the end of the semester, and the best projects will be awarded a prize.

In addition to the mentor, Open Lab (OL) TAs on-shift during Open Lab hours will provide assistance. The OL TAs will help solve problems, or connect respondents with other TAs for specialized help and training.

The Research & Development Committee of EG1004 has developed a Technical Online Library to provide resources in web development, cybersecurity, game development, app development, programming languages, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, LEGO robotics, and more.


Example Project Ideas

Please review the video at the link below to see examples of RAD projects submitted in recent years.

Access this Google document for more information on project ideas.

Review the NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals reports to identify a global challenge that a RAD project can address.

  • National Academy of Engineering. (2008). Grand Challenges for Engineering. The National Academies Press.
  • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2017). Education for sustainable development goals: Learning objectives. UNESCO Publishing.

Please review the examples of earlier prototypes of past RAD projects. The PepperPet was developed to provide support and comfort to people who may not be comfortable talking with friends or family about problems or challenges (Figure 1).

Figure 1: PepperPet

Terra, the Smart Planter, was created to help people who own plants, but require additional assistance in monitoring a plant's watering needs and maintaining an environment that promotes plant growth and health (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Smart Planter- Terra

The Louis Board (Figure 3) is a text to braille translator that assists people who are blind or have visual impairment.

Figure 3: Louis Board

SpeakSign makes the world more accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing by providing a tool that translates American Sign Language to speech and speech to ASL (Figure 4).

Figure 4: SpeakSign Inc.

For people who are engaged in cooking, home repair, or other activities that require that they use both hangs, Page Next can turn the pages of any book they are using as they engage in the activity (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Page Next
Figure 6: LadyBug

The pressure in bottles holding carbonated beverages can make opening those bottles difficult and sometimes manufacturers seal beverage bottles too tight. The FlapOpener solves that problem by giving consumers a quick and easy way to open those bottles (Figure 7).

Figure 7: FlapOpener

Drawings

Prototype designs must be rendered in computer aided design (CAD) software for Milestone presentations and Benchmarks A and B. While any CAD software is acceptable, EG1004 uses and teaches Fusion 360 for labs and other Semester Long Design Projects (SLDP). Fusion 360 is the recommended software for this course. Fusion 360 may be downloaded for free using an NYU email address. Other CAD software, such as SolidWorks, Inventor, and Rhino are permitted, but EG1004 does not provide resources in obtaining or learning those programs. All design must show four views of the device: front, top, most detailed side, and isometric. Sensors and motors must be included in each drawing.

Each revision of the design must be documented and all changes must be presented during Milestone presentations (Figure 8).

Figure 8: Example of CAD Drawing

Diagrams

The circuit that powers and operates a prototype must be presented as a circuit diagram and a schematic diagram for Milestones, presentations, and Benchmarks A and B. A circuit diagram is a representation of the circuit, showing the physical layout of the wires and how the components are organized (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Circuit Diagram Example

A schematic diagram shows the plans and functions of the circuit, but not the physical layout of the wires (Figure 10).

Figure 10: Schematic Diagram Example

EG1004 recommends the circuitry modeling software Tinkercad and Fritzing to fulfill these deliverables. Tinkercad is a free browser-based circuitry software that is especially useful for constructing circuit diagrams with common electrical components. For projects with more complex electrical components, Fritzing is a free circuitry software with a library of electrical components that is useful for constructing circuit diagrams and schematic diagrams. For a guide on using both software, please refer to the Virtual Circuit Simulation Guide.


Microsoft Project

A project schedule must be created in Microsoft Project. Learn to use Microsoft Project by accessing the Microsoft Project Student Guide. This schedule must include all tasks related to the project from the start of the project to Early or Final submission. Click here to access the guide on how to transfer a file. The Microsoft Project schedule should include:

  • Minimum of 20 tasks, excluding Milestones
  • Milestones should be clearly indicated on the project plan (duration of zero days)
  • Each task must include the person responsible for completing the task (resource names)
  • Use the "Copy Picture" function to include the schedule in the presentations. Do not take a screenshot
  • Gantt chart must be displayed alongside the tasks list (fit onto one slide)
  • Gantt chart must show a progress line
  • Clearly state during the presentations whether the project is on-time, behind schedule, or ahead of schedule

For help planning the project, review the manual page Planning Project Scheduling & Costs.

Cost Estimate

A cost estimate must be generated that specifies the cost of all the materials and labor required for the design and construction of the prototype. The cost estimate must be presented in an Excel spreadsheet. Help in calculating the cost is available by reviewing How to plan the schedule and calculate costs for a project. Parts must be purchased from Amazon for ease of purchasing and faster delivery. Any adjustments or changes to the cost estimate over the semester must be documented and show to the mentor.

The cost estimate should include the following:

  • Labor cost breakdown with hours and rates. Labor is paid at $50/hr
  • Cost of all materials and components
  • Total cost must be shown in the bottom right corner

There should be no decimal places in the cost estimate as this is purely an estimate. Be sure to round appropriately.

Purchasing

The budget for this 10-week project is $100.00. Purchases can be made if EG 1004 does not have the materials. The list of materials available for all RAD projects is at the link below.

Purchases can only be made for items on Amazon. Submit requests to purchase items through the Purchasing Form. After submitting the Purchasing Form, purchases must be approved by the mentor. The Purchasing Form can be found below.

Make sure items are Prime eligible for faster delivery and the item must ship in less than seven days. Think ahead and order on time.

Purchasing Forms must be submitted by 8:00 PM on the first Monday of Weeks 5 through 9 as listed on the EG1004 syllabus for purchases to go through. When a Monday is a holiday, the Purchasing Form must be submitted by 8:00 PM on Tuesdays.

  • October 2, 2023 (Week 5)
  • October 10, 2023 (Week 6)
  • October 16, 2023 (Week 7)
  • October 23, 2023 (Week 8)
  • October 30, 2023 (Week 9)

There will be two additional special purchasing deadlines for recipients of the RAD Innovation Grant and prototypes with extenuating circumstances at 8:00 PM on Mondays in Weeks 10 and 11 as listed on the EG1004 syllabus.

  • November 6, 2023 (Week 10)
  • November 13, 2023 (Week 11)

A form from the MakerSpace must be completed for any material or advanced print purchase through the MakerSpace. Once the form is filled out, the purchase must be approved by the mentor. Print purchases must be approved by a ProtoLab TA. After approval, go to the MakerSpace to have the request fulfilled. Note: For any advanced prints, one member of the project team must have completed training for the machine and must be present when completing the request at the MakerSpace.


Weekly Meetings

Respondents must schedule and attend weekly meetings with the RAD mentor. A time slot for this meeting must be selected collectively and once set, that time slot must be unchanged for the remainder of the semester. The RAD mentor will set the Benchmarks and extra credit tasks. For additional technical help, go to Open Lab and a Teach OL or Open Lab TA will provide assistance.

CATME

When working on the project, peer evaluations and self-evaluations are critical for assessing how effective individual contributions are to the project. In the course, the recitation professor will use evaluations at each Milestone using a software called the Comprehensive Assessment of Team Member Effectiveness (CATME). More information can be found on the Teamwork Expectations page.

Engineering Notebook

While working on this project, a record of all work done and all future plans and goals must be maintained in the Engineering Notebook. To complete benchmarks A or B, the Engineering Notebook must be shown to the Open Lab TA who is completing the assessment. For Milestone 1, Milestone 2, Milestone 3, and Final Submission, the Engineering Notebook must be approved by the Recitation Professor and be prepared to make it available to an Open Lab TA in a Word Document (DOC or DOCX) format. A guide to writing the notebook, an overview of the expectations, and how often the notebook should be updated can be found on the Keeping an Engineering Notebook page.

Extra Credit

RAD project have multiple options for receiving extra credit.

  • Extra credit tasks are determined by the mentor or professor based on the specific RAD project. Usually, the mentor or professor will assign an additional two to three tasks to be completed by commissioning, which can add up to six points total. Some examples may include:
    • Website integrated with product
    • App integration that provides additional functionality
    • Wireframe app design
    • Informational website
  • Completing Benchmark A, Benchmark B, Early Submission, or completing the SLDP's 3D printing extra credit task as described in the 3D Printing and Logo Guide will add points. Refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for exact point values.

Creativity and innovation are always rewarded. Original design will receive extra credit at the discretion of the Recitation professor.

Milestones, Benchmarks, and Deliverables

As work on the project proceeds, three Milestone presentations will be made during recitation. All the items assigned in each Milestone are called Benchmark deliverables. These deliverables often consist of a combination of written submissions, presentations, and demonstrations. Additionally, certain benchmarks assigned by the mentor must be met, and reports/deliverables that add to the progress and comprehensiveness of the project must be submitted. The 3D Printing and Logo Guide page contains information on the 3D printing requirements and guidelines.

Note: A benchmark and commission approval from a TA for the project may only be made at the end of Lab or during Open Lab times or during scheduled meetings with the RAD mentor.

Preliminary Design Investigation

The Preliminary Design Investigation (PDI) is extremely important, as it lays the groundwork for the project. The PDI outlines the project idea, inspiration, and goals.

The PDI must include:

  • Cover Page
  • Project Overview
  • Goals & Objectives
  • Design & Approach
  • Cost Estimate
  • Project Schedule
  • Relevant Pictures

An example PDI template can be found here. The PDI is due to the mentor by email by Benchmark A. Do not forget to include the items listed above, but do not feel limited to only these items. Use this link to access the PDI Rubric.

Milestone 1

Milestone 1 is a presentation of the PDI report. It is important that the PDI outlines the project goals and show that the project is realizable. This includes:

  • Project description (establish Benchmark A requirements)
  • Mission statement
  • Technical design description
  • Preliminary conceptual drawing
  • Cost estimate
  • Microsoft Project schedule
    • Click here to access the guide on how to transfer a file
  • Progress update (current state of the project)

Look Ahead: What tasks are planned between now and Milestone 2?

See How to Give a Milestone Presentation for the format of a Milestone presentation. Because the project will differ in format from other SLDPs, please treat this How-To as a general guideline but not an exact template. The personalized Benchmark A requirements will be supplied by the mentor, and there is some creative freedom with the format of the presentation to make it more like a business pitch.

Benchmark Assessment A

Benchmarks evaluate the progress of the project. Benchmark Assessment A is due at the end of Model Shop Session II. There are penalties for not completing this on time. Refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for more information.

For the Benchmarks, the mentor will outline specific goals that the project must achieve to satisfy the Benchmark. These goals will vary depending on the project and mentor and will be determined based on the particular project's level of difficulty. Please be sure to submit the Benchmark deliverables via the EG1004 website.

Part of the Benchmark is completing and turning in the PDI. When the rest of the Benchmark requirements are shown to an Open Lab TA, every part of the PDI must be completed in order to Benchmark.

To pass, the design must complete all of the following:

  • Tasks assigned by the mentor
  • Initial CAD model
  • Preliminary Design Investigation
  • Submit an .STL and a .3mf (Cura Project file) of the company logo through the 3D Printing Submission portal on the EG website
  • Updated Engineering Notebook

Milestone 2

See How to Give a Milestone Presentation for the format of a Milestone presentation, but remember that individual formats will differ slightly. The specifications for the presentation are stated below.

Milestone 2 is a project progress update. Explain all changes and developments made to date, particularly in regards to Benchmark A. Include whether or not Benchmark A requirements were completed, and if not, explain why. Also, highlight any planned changes to the design or project, in general.

The Milestone 2 presentation must include:

  • Project description (establish Benchmark A/Benchmark B requirements and general project goal)
  • Mission statement
    • What is the project's purpose?
  • Technical design description
    • Current CAD drawings: top, front, most detailed side, isometric
    • Current circuit and schematic diagrams
    • Relevant pictures
    • Flowchart of code
  • Cost estimate (previous and current). What changes were made?
  • Microsoft Project schedule (previous and current). What changes were made?
    • Click here to access the guide on how to transfer a file
  • Progress update: current state of the project (time, budget, etc.)

Look Ahead: What tasks are planned between now and Milestone 3?

Benchmark Assessment B

Benchmark Assessment B is due at the end of Model Shop Session III. There are penalties for not completing this on time. Refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for more information.

Similar to Benchmark A, Benchmark B requirements will be determined and outlined by the mentor. Please submit the Benchmark deliverables via the EG1004 website.

To pass, the design must complete all of the following:

  • Tasks assigned by the mentor
  • Updated CAD Model
  • Have an .STL and a .3mf (Cura Project file) of the company logo approved by a ProtoLab TA through the 3D Printing Submission portal on the EG website. Students must physically go to the Protolab before their Modelshop Session 3 to get their logo approved. Logos cannot be approved during Modelshop sessions.
  • Updated Engineering Notebook

Milestone 3

See How to Give a Milestone Presentation for the format of a Milestone presentation, but remember that individual formats will differ slightly.

Milestone 3 will be the last project progress update. Explain all changes and developments made to date, particularly in regards to Benchmark B. Include whether or not Benchmark B requirements were completed, and if not, explain why. Also, highlight any planned changes to the design or project, in general.

The Milestone 3 presentation must include:

  • Project description (establish Benchmark A, Benchmark B, Commissioning requirements)
  • Mission statement
    • What is the project's purpose?
  • Technical design description
    • CAD drawings: top, front, most detailed side, isometric
    • Current circuit and schematic diagrams
    • Relevant pictures
    • Flowchart of Code
  • Cost estimate (previous and current)
    • What changes were made?
  • Microsoft Project schedule (previous and current)
    • What changes were made?
    • Click here to access the guide on how to transfer a file
  • Progress update: current state of the project (time, budget, etc.)

Look ahead: What tasks are planned between now and the completion of the project?

Commissioning

. Refer to the syllabus for the Commissioning deadline. There are penalties for not completing this on time. Refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for more information.

To Commission, the following must be completed:

  • Fully-functional prototype
  • Any additional deliverables designated to you by your mentor
  • Have an .STL file of the company logo printed through the 3D Printing Submission portal on the EG website
  • Updated Engineering Notebook

Final Design Report

The Final Design Report (FDR) provides a comprehensive overview of the project process and developments from initial brainstorm to finished prototype. All project expectations and outcomes must be clearly detailed in the document. This report will also provide the documentation experience that will be useful for completing your Senior Design final report and other projects.

The FDR must include the following documentation:

  • CAD drawings
  • Wiring diagrams
  • Project schedule
  • Cost estimate

Use this Final Design Report template with the following outline:

  • Introduction
    • Purpose of Project
    • Background
  • Requirements
    • Physical Components
    • Software Components
  • Procedures
    • Physical Construction
    • Software Setup
    • Software Troubleshooting
  • Milestone and Final Product Requirements
    • Benchmark A Requirements
    • Benchmark B Requirements
    • Final Submission Requirements
    • Human Resources and Training (e.g. TA expertise utilized, etc.)
  • Results
    • Benchmark A Results
    • Benchmark B Results
    • Difficulties Experienced
  • Conclusion
    • Results of Project
    • Future Improvements
  • Works Cited

The FDR is due at Early or Final Submission.

Final Presentation

Final presentations for RAD projects are not like the Milestone presentations. Final presentations are a business pitch to showcase the work, the prototype, and the company. This pitch is a five minute presentation to show the achievements of the presenters, the company, and pitching the prototype to theoretical investors. Focus on topics such as the project application, a target audience for this product, why it is different from other products on the market, and the product's market value. The presentation should be colorful and coordinated. There should be equal amounts of graphics and text. Focus on keeping the audience engaged and interested in the product throughout the presentation. Feel free to be creative with the Final Presentation. The following must be addressed in the Final Presentation:

  • Problem statement
  • Solution overview
  • What is the purpose of the product?
    • Who is it helping?
    • What problem does it solve?
  • Compan description and qualifications
  • CAD Drawings
  • Flowchart of Code
  • Project description
  • Future goals
  • Why should the company be awarded this contract?
    • Why is this product the best one on the market>
    • What make this project unique?

Some examples of RAD Final Presentations can be seen below. A video advertisement with demonstrations of the physical prototype must be included in the presentation. Exceptions will be made for fully remote RAD projects.

Submission

All SLDP projects must be submitted online. Please visit https://eg.poly.edu/finalSLDP.php for the link to the Project Submission form and each project’s individualized login information. To submit, login to the EG1004 website using this special login information. Submitting with an NYU account or any other account will generate an error. Components may be resubmitted at any time before the deadline. Please note that submission times are based on the most recent submission.

Please note the deliverables for this project are as follows. If any of the following items are omitted, there will be a penalty. Be sure to click submit at the bottom of the form.

The following list are general items that are expected from all RAD groups:

  • Final presentation
  • Circuit Diagram
  • Schematic Diagram
  • Code Flowchart
  • Commented code
  • All CAD drawings of the design (initial through final)
  • Video advertisement of the prototype in use
  • Final Microsoft Project schedule
  • Final cost estimate
  • Resume(s) (no fictitious resumes will be accepted)
  • Final Engineering Notebook
  • Final Design Report



Late Submission

Late submission is not allowed. If a project does not Commission or receive Partial Commission by the deadline set forth in the syllabus, the project will not be allowed to submit and will receive a 0 for the project grade. To receive Partial Commissioning, two TAs must evaluate the project and determine its degree of completion according to the Commissioning requirements and the project will be given a grade accordingly. Please refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happens if there is a change to the project idea?

A: Project changes are reviewed by the RAD mentor and Professor on a case-by-case basis. Please talk to the mentor is a change is sought.


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