#10: Critical Design Review (CDR)

News and Announcements

  • Reminder that the CDR/ICD is only 1 week away
  • Verification and Validation Plans Due in 2 weeks

Old Business

  • Management Grades almost completed.
    • Grade inflation required adjusting grade inputs accordingly.
    • On March 4th Chris sent out an email to all managers. Most have chosen to ignore the email. This will/has been factored into your management grade.
  • Reminder

    Please obtain my approval before ordering or fabricating parts over $45.00.

New Business

  • Technical Training Series

Assignment Due Dates

  • Meeting Minutes on BeachBoard
    • Due at beginning of next class.
  • CDR Design Review
    • Due 1 hour before the beginning of the next class
    • Presented during the next class/lab period
  • CDR Demonstrations

CDR Debrief

  1. Do not blindly believe what the computer (or the internet) tells you. Use common sense.
  2. Requirement flow down ultimately is realized in the components selected.
    • Please show how the engineering method resulted in the selection of key electronic and mechanical components.
    • This may result in the generation of higher level requirements. If this occurs highlight these new requirements.
      1. For example, Pathfinders desert environment requirement needed to be factored into the selection and design of the rotary encoder.
  3. If your project has a user interface, (i.e. Arxterra Control App, etc.) make sure your images are screen captures of your original custom interface. Specifically, they should show the custom commands you have implemented.
  4. All allocation reports’ format should not change from PDR (Expected, Actual, Uncertainty, Margin, Source)
    • Do not change “Expected” value to “Actual” value.
    • Leave Expected at PDR values.
  5. Cost reports “Expected” should not change from PDR.
    • Do not show only money spent to date.
    • Table should clearly identify money spent to date and money to be spent.
  6. Other resources
    • Do not forget to give allocation resource report for 3D printing time if applicable
      • 3DoT projects must follow 2,2,2 = 6 hr. print time
    • Multiple power reports are often required when using a 3DoT board
      1. 5v Boost current (mA)
      2. 3.7v Battery current (mA)
      3. 3.7 Battery capacity (Ahr)
      4. Charging time (hr)
    • For battery capacity do not forget depth of discharge.
    • Finally, get your units right!
  1. The best source of information is the datasheet, not a previous semester. For example, current capability of your battery.
  2. Listing tasks (and only those tasks) along the Critical Path is required on the second slide in the schedule section.
  3. Be on time to class (Your project team are counting on you).
  4. Presentation are due an hour before class. Place in BeachBoard drop box.
  5. Consult with your Management team (President, Project, and Division) on when they require your material so they can review.
    • Keep you division management in the loop! Remember, their grades are also based on the material you present.
    • This review material should allow time for the material to be revised if needed.
  6. Software detailed definition, for the most part, should be completed by CDR. Software coding should not be far behind.
    • Clearly identify test versus actual mission ready code.
  7. Overly simplistic PCB designs.
  8. Duplication of tests reflects poorly on Division communication and coordination. For example; servo testing with hanging weight.
  9. Design Process
    • Draw a preliminary sketch of the design
    • Make a back of the envelope calculation
    • Conduct a trade-off study
    • Week 4: Design Process and Modeling – Models facilitate the design process. A model simplifies a system or process so that it may be better studied, understood, and used in a design. There are three common models used in engineering:
      • Mathematical
      • Computer Simulation
      • Physical Models
        1. Full-scale Prototypes
        2. Scale Models
    • Solidworks designs are not models unless applied to a simulation. For example load testing.
  1. Plagiarism from previous semesters leads to disaster.
    • You do not understand material presented.
    • Cable tree does not address plan for routing cables.
    • Material is obsolete
      1. Resource reports, including power allocation
      2. 3DoT command software

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