Final Year Project

Coordination

• Anna Maria Dalmau Roda

Objectives

The Final Degree Project (TFG) is a subject in the last year of undergraduate studies that is essential to obtain the degree in any specialty.

The objective of the TFG subject is for the student to:

• Develop an academic paper.
• Consolidate technological knowledge received throughout the curriculum.
• Participate in situations specific to a professional activity.

Learning outcomes

1. It applies technical resources to develop technical office projects and integrates different technologies that are part of mechatronics.
2. It consolidates and interrelates technological concepts from various subjects of the degree in Mechatronics Engineering.
3. Write technical information in English referring to the specialty of the degree.
4. Critically analyze the results obtained.
5. Effectively presents orally the results obtained in practices and projects.
6. Uses language (verbal and non-verbal) appropriately in personal and professional interaction in Catalan, Spanish and English.
7. It collects and interprets data and information on which it bases its conclusions, which include reflections on social, scientific or ethical issues.
8. Uses language that is respectful of gender issues, both in oral and written productions.

Competencies

General skills

• Be prepared to overcome adversity in professional activity and learn from mistakes in order to integrate knowledge and enhance one's preparation.Â
• Show a positive attitude to lifelong learning, innovation, creating value and acquiring knowledge.

Specific skills

• Individually carry out an original project in the field of mechatronics engineering, of professional quality, bringing together competencies acquired during the degree course. Draft a report, and submit and defend the project before a university panel.
• Know about and apply the principles of analogue and digital electronics, and be able to use the resources of electronic instrumentation and the principles of digital electronics in microprocessors. Apply knowledge of power electronics to mechatronics engineering and design electronic analogue, digital and power systems in the field of mechatronics engineering.
• Recognize and understand spatial vision and graphic representation techniques, using traditional methods of metric geometry and descriptive geometry, and computer-aided design applications, applying standardization and projection systems.
• Understand and apply the basic principles of use and programming of computers, operating systems, databases and computer programs with application in engineering, and know about real-time systems and distributed computer systems, and be able to install, configure and use industrial communication networks, using advanced computer tools for industrial computing and communication.
• Understand material structures, properties and processing systems, Â relating microstructure, and synthesis or processing and properties of materials. Plan and analyze tests and interpret results, and apply the principles of strength of materials and elasticity to the behavior of real solids. Understand the principles of strength of materials, failure theory and fatigue problems.Â
• Understand the principles of applied thermodynamics and heat transfer in order to solve engineering problems, and apply the basic principles of fluid mechanics to solve problems in the field of mechatronics engineering. Analyze and calculate piping, channels and fluid systems using thermal engineering applications.
• Understand the principles of circuit theory and electrical machines, apply them in design and use electric drives and switchgear. Calculate and design electrical installations of low, medium and high voltage.
• Use dynamic system modeling tools and simulation techniques. Understand and apply the properties of sensors, actuators and signal conditioners, in order to program programmable robots, numerical control and robots to develop complex robotic systems that improve processes and the final product.
• Work in a multilingual, multidisciplinary environment, and give oral presentations and write reports in English in the field of science and engineering.

Basic skills

• Students can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialists and non-specialists.
• Students have developed the learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of independent learning.
• Students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) in order to make judgments that include reflection on relevant social, scientific and ethical issues.

Core skills

• Be a critical thinker before knowledge in all its dimensions. Show intellectual, cultural and scientific curiosity and a commitment to professional rigor and quality.
• Interact in international and worldwide contexts to identify needs and and new contexts for knowledge transfer to current and emerging fields of professional development, with the ability to adapt to and independently manage professional and research processes.
• Use oral, written and audiovisual forms of communication, in one's own language and in foreign languages, with a high standard of use, form and content.

Content

• Research methods oriented towards the design of projects applied in the field of mechatronics
• Problem solving, data analysis, decision making...
• Information search: tools, storage, citations...
• Writing reports, making presentations...
• Defense and communication of projects

Evaluation

The evaluation of the TFG is individual even if the work is done by different students.

The evaluation is based on different elements and conditioned on the typology of TFG as described below:

• Process for preparing the TFG (proposal and monitoring): 10%
• Written report or project
  • Development / multimedia / innovation thesis: 70%
  • TFG experimental / bibliographic review: 65%
• Public defense
  • Development / multimedia / innovation thesis: 20%
  • TFG experimental / bibliographic review: 25%

Methodology

This subject is special. To be able to register for it, you must meet certain prerequisites of approved or registered credits (see regulations) and you must have a proposal made and accepted.

The student is responsible for choosing the topic of their final degree project. However, the topic can come from the student's initiative or from proposals suggested by professors from the University's departments or from external entities.

There are 5 types of TFG:

• Experimental GFA
• Development TFG
• Multimedia thesis
• Innovation thesis
• Bibliographic review TFG

All TFGs must have an academic tutor who teaches at UVic-UCC, who will guide the process of preparation, presentation and defense. They may also have, if deemed necessary, an external tutor.

The criteria for assigning tutors to assignments are based on the academic coherence between the student's work proposal, the teacher's specialty and their availability.

TFGs can be developed jointly by different students if the proposal requires it. In these cases, the students complement each other to carry out the project. These teams can be interdisciplinary or not, and are formed with students from one or several degrees at the University.

The TFG can also be done on a mobility basis.

Process to follow:

1. Final degree project proposal

Formally, this is the first step in the process of preparing a TFG. Before registering for the TFG, you must enter the specific computer application for the TFG (virtual campus / TFG / my proposals / + new proposal) and fill out the form with the information about the project you want to develop. The proposal must include:

• student's title and name
• brief description
• work objectives
• methodology...

If the TFG is done between different students, each student must enter their proposal.

If the TFG is carried out at an external entity, the student must apply for an agreement with the professional careers service (scp) by filling out the agreement application form that will be found in the center classroom, TFG section.

Once the proposal is accepted, the student will have to enroll.

2. Tutor or supervisor of the work

The tutor or director of the work is a professor, researcher, professional who has the responsibility of guiding the student, providing support and monitoring them throughout the process of developing the work and until it is defended before a specially constituted tribunal.

In the event that the tutor or director of the work is a person external to the university, the student is also assigned an academic tutor for the work to guide the student in all the more academic aspects of preparing the proposal, the report and the defense.

The functions of tutors are:

• Establish a work and tutoring plan together with the student.
• Provide support and monitoring to the student within the planned deadlines individually or in groups.
• Accompany the student in the presentation and defense of the work before the court.
• Participate in the evaluation and proposals for improvement of the TFG.

3. Development of the work and preparation of the report

To facilitate the preparation of the report, the FCTE has developed templates that give the student guidelines on what the format should be, the main sections that should be included and what content each section should have. These templates can be found in the Moodle classroom of the TFG subject.

The report can be written in any of the official languages of Catalonia and in English. The report cannot exceed 50 pages (with the exception of the TFG innova modality).

The report must be submitted within the deadlines established in the TFG calendar. The calendar can be consulted in the center classroom, TFG section or in the Moodle classroom of the TFG subject.

The report must be submitted in the specific TFG computer application (UVic campus/TFG/my proposals and click on the proposal).

4. Defense of work

The student must defend their work before the court in a public event (or behind closed doors, in the event that there are specific confidentiality commitments).

The student has 20 minutes to make the presentation without interruption. In the event of a demonstration, the student has 10 extra minutes in which the members of the jury can ask for clarification. The members of the jury then have 20 minutes to ask the student questions. Once they have finished, the president asks the student and the audience to leave so that the jury can deliberate. The jury has a maximum of 15 minutes to make a decision.

The student and the audience are then invited to learn the grade of the work.

Bibliography

Key references

• Coromina, E; Casacuberta, X; Quintana, D (2000). El treball de recerca: Procés d'elaboració, memòria escrita, exposició oral i recursos. Eumo Editorial.
• Ferrer, V; Carmona, M; Sòria V (2012). El trabajo de Fin de Grado: Guia para estudiantes, docentes y agentes colaboradores. Mc Graw Hill.
• Rigo, A; Gesnescà, G (2000). Tesis i treballs: Aspectes formals. Eumo Editorial.
• Sancho, J. (2014). Com escriure i presentar EL MILLOR TREBALL ACADÈMIC: Guia pràctica per estudiants i professors. Eumo Editorial.