008-Foundations of Project Management - Streaming Video Course
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Even the smallest projects are multifaceted these days and the large projects are more complex than ever. Managing these projects requires a professional who is specially trained and equipped with the tools to meet the expectations of regulators, owners and the public. This course, lead by a world-renowned authority on project management, was created to give construction and design professionals the tools and understanding needed to be a successful Project Manager. Foundations of Project Management is the first in a series of project management courses offered by SunCam and Dr. Jeffrey Pinto of Penn State University.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) accepts this courses for category 4 credit
Course Topics and timeline:
- 0:05:30 Introduction
- 0:28:15 Why Project Management
- 0:38:15 Project Scope Management
- 0:32:00 Risk Management
- 0:42:00 Basics of Planning and Scheduling
- 0:22:00 Project Tracking and Control
- 0:29:00 Project Close-out
- 0:10:00 Time allowance for test
- 3:27:00 Total Contact Time
- 3:20:00 Contact time required for 4-PDH
The objective of this course is to equip project personnel with the skills to:
- Control and assure the quality of the work product
- Anticipate the perils that will threaten the project
- Coordinate the work of the various disciplines involved in producing the project
- Apply the resources that are needed at the various stages of the project
- Control project costs and schedule in order to meet the owner's requirements
011-The Technical Side of Project Management - Streaming Video Course
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Participants in this course will gain a working knowledge of the concepts, tools and techniques of project management through educational demonstrations, examples and illustrations.
Ten questions for Project Managers:
- Are your projects ever late?
- Are your projects ever over budget?
- Which task should you start next?
- Do you have enough people to complete your project on time?
- Do you have too many people to keep your project on budget?
- Do you know what tasks you must complete next week or next month to stay on schedule?
- Do you have a list of uncompleted tasks for your project?
- Do you know who will complete each of those tasks?
- Do you have a strategy in place to deal with the loss of key individuals or other resources?
- Do you lose sleep, worrying about any of these things?
This course will help you learn or relearn the skills of Project Management and end those sleepless nights.
This training program is a distance-learning course, created to give design, construction and manufacturing professionals the tools and understanding needed to be a successful Project Manager. The course is offered on Free Streaming Video. You earn continuing education credit by viewing the video and passing a 30-question online test.
The Technical side of Project Management is the second in a series of project management courses offered by SunCam and Dr. Jeffrey Pinto of Penn State University.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) accepts this courses for category 4 credit
Course Topics and timeline:
- 0:04:00 Introduction
- 0:14:00 Work Breakdown Structure
- 0:37:00 Network Diagramming
- 0:12:00 Activity Duration Estimation
- 0:58:00 Developing the Critical Path
- 0:20:00 Crashing Projects
- 0:55:00 Monitoring Project Performance
- 0:10:00 Time allowance for test
- 3:32:00 Total Contact Time
- 3:20:00 Contact time required for 4-PDH
The objective of this course is to equip project personnel with the skills to:
- Understand and write a work breakdown structure
- Prepare and manage a network diagram for the project
- Estimate the duration of all of the activities in the network diagram
- Use the network diagram to establish the critical path for the project
- Differentiate between the effective and ineffective methods for crashing projects
- Monitor project costs and schedule
013-Vibration - Modal Analysis
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This 4-hour continuing education course provides an introduction to modal analysis, the study of the dynamic properties of structures under vibrational excitation. Modal analysis may be applied to describe and model the vibrational behavior of complicated structures such as automobiles, aircraft, or spacecraft, but is equally important for simpler equipment including golf clubs, fans, and washing machines. Regardless of the object's size, shape, or function, the vibration behavior may be characterized by terms such as natural frequency, mode shape, and frequency response function. A primary objective of this course is to explore these concepts in detail.
The course begins with a review of the fundamentals of single and two degree of freedom free and forced vibrations. Through this review, the notation conventions for a description of modal analysis are established. This provides the necessary basis for describing frequency response function measurement and model development. The lesson concludes with a summary of measurement equipment and techniques.
014-Introduction to Antennas
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This short course is based on the antenna information in the author's textbook, "Introduction to RF Propagation". It provides a solid treatment of antennas with minimal use of advanced mathematics. Topics include basic antenna types, analysis of gain, beamwidth, polarization and a discussion of antenna radiation regions. The concepts of reflection coefficient, VSWR and axial ratio are explained and both curves and equations are provided for determining matching loss as a function of VSWR and polarization loss as a function of axial ratios.
016-Assessing Environmental Contamination I
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers, geologist, scientists, and technicians who supervise and conduct environmental field investigations intended to detect, delineate, and remediate contaminated volumes of soil and groundwater. It will be useful to those who are new to such work, but those who are experienced in environmental science should also find the information useful, simply because of the ongoing technical advances in this field.
Dynamic sampling is an investigative strategy that offers the ability to screen contaminant levels in soil and groundwater semi-quantitatively, while still in the field. This strategy virtually eliminates surprises that can occur from the traditional delay in receiving laboratory results. If contaminants are discovered in an area thought to be free of problems, the work plan can be revised dynamically, at the moment.
The membrane interface probe (MIP) is a powerful high-resolution screening tool capable of providing both volatile organic contaminant and soil conductivity data in real time. The MIP provides a real-time vertical log of volatile organic contamination and conductivity with depth. An MIP, used as part of a dynamic sampling strategy, can result in contamination assessments and remediations with significant cost savings, increased time efficiency, and superior outcomes.
021-Precision Measurement
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to displacement measuring interferometry, which offers high accuracy, range, and resolution for non-contact displacement measurement applications. The heterodyne (or two frequency) Michelson-type interferometer is described. Additionally, a brief review of the fundamentals of light theory, polarization, and interference is provided. Graphical descriptions are included to complement the text. Examples include figures that reinforce concepts in polarization, identify components in displacement measuring interferometers, and detail the function of fiber optics in interferometry. Upon completion of this course, the engineer should possess the basic knowledge required to select and implement displacement measuring interferometry in the desired application.
023-Marina Site Analysis
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
A very important component of the maritime design process becomes one of properly assessing a perspective site, and advising your client as to the pros and cons associated with site suitability; and in fact must be the first step in planning any maritime facility. This continuing education program is intended to provide the design engineer with the basic essentials for performing several levels of site assessment as appropriate for the structures discussed within this text. These range from simple recreational piers to light commercial facilities. These basics are:
Fetch & Wave Climate Forecasting
- Determining Baseline Information
- Determination of Site Water Level Ranges
- Determination of Wind Stress
- Determination of Wave Climate
Assessment of Site Soil Conditions
- Simple & Preliminary Investigation Procedures
- More Advanced Investigation Methods
Each of these subjects will take the reader through the step by step process of performing that phase of the pre-design site analysis and will discuss the suitability of each for the respective level of service of the respective docking facilities. The procedures laid out herein are suitable for very simple recreational docks to more sophisticated procedures required for light commercial docking facilities. This course is a prerequisite for the other maritime courses prepared by this author, which include the other design phases of boating similar facility designs.
029-Geothermal Heating and Cooling
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Ground Source Heat Pump Systems harvest solar energy for heating, and they utilize soil capacities to store heat for air conditioned cooling. They use smaller amounts of electricity, without fossil fuel combustion in the building served. Geothermal Green Technology reduces CO2 emissions, and saves owners fuel and AC costs. In February of 2018 the 30% Federal Tax Credit was reinstated for residential geothermal and 10% for commercial, leading to much more business.
This SUNCAM continuing education course shows you how to design and install the outside closed loop piping under the lawn or nearby meadow of a new or existing building. At its completion, you will be able to prepare a site plan and oversee installation of the outside work, necessary for the inside work to be done by the HVAC contractor.
030-How Your Projects Will Go Wrong - Streaming Video Course
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Most projects fail to meet their cost and schedule objectives and only a small fraction achieve full success. This course offers practical advice and suggestions on how to recognize the warning signs that your project may be on the wrong path and what you can do to alleviate the problems. Just as the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" remains valid, the key to fixing project problems is through early recognition and effective solutions.
How Your Projects Will Go Wrong is the third in a series of project management courses offered by SunCam and Dr. Jeffrey Pinto of Penn State University.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) accepts this courses for category 4 credit
Course Topics and Timeline:
- 0:10:00 Introduction
- 0:10:00 Causes of Project Failure
- 0:18:00 Poor leadership
- 0:31:00 Setting ourselves up to fail
- 1:00:00 Poor knowledge of Project Status
- 0:21:00 Ineffective solutions
- 0:33:00 10 Ways to ruin your project
- 0:08:00 Unwillingness to learn
- 0:05:00 Conclusions
- 0:10:00 Time allowance for test
- 3:26:00 Total Contact Time
- 3:20:00 Contact time required for 4-PDH
Learning Objectives:
The learning objectives of this continuing education course are to give attendees a better understanding of major reason why projects fail, including:
- Poor leadership
- Setting ourselves up to fail
- Poor knowledge of project status
- Ineffective "solutions"
- The unwillingness to learn the correct lessons
032-Stormwater Retention Pond Recovery Analysis
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
To design a stormwater retention pond, one of the analyses that engineers have to perform is the retention and recovery of polluted runoff water. The initial portion of stormwater runoff is typically directed to a retention pond and which contains the most polluted runoff water (the first flush). The polluted water must be fully retained within the retention pond for treatment and infiltration. This course will be limited to recovery analysis for dry retention ponds where the entire polluted water volume must be stored within the pond and then recovered by infiltration within a specified period of time.
The regulatory agencies generally establish the minimum criteria for recovery of the first flush volume, which is sometimes referred to as the pollution abatement volume. For a dry pond the designer must verify the pond's capacity to infiltrate the volume within a specified period of time. This course will present the analytical approach and the methodology to calculate the infiltration losses from a dry retention pond.
033-Welding Technology
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Welding and brazing is always performed in accordance with a procedure. In the simplest of cases, the procedure may exist only in the mind of the welder such as an experienced farmer repairing his equipment. However, in the majority of cases, especially for structures, pressure vessels, piping, etc., a written procedure is required before work. In most cases, the written procedure must be "qualified", i.e. be tested on mockup coupons to prove its effectiveness before being applied to a real product. In all cases, qualified or not, the variables affecting the procedure must be considered and addressed in the procedure.
This course uses the organization concepts of ASME Section IX, Welding and Brazing Qualifications, to introduce some processes and variables that should be considered when planning a welding or brazing procedure. A description is provided of some of the many welding and brazing processes. Variables discussed, including some examples of each, are joint type/weld type, base material, filler material, position, preheat and interpass temperature, post weld heat treatment, shielding gas, electrical characteristics, and technique.
This course provides an excellent introduction to engineers and craftsmen who deal with welding and brazing procedures as a peripheral duty, perhaps reviewing and accepting contractor procedures, and want to more fluently "speak the language". This course is also an excellent introduction for those who will need to be more deeply involved in preparing welding and brazing procedures as a starting point for further study.
039-Stormwater Retention - Field and Laboratory Methods
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended to present a systematic methodology for the determination of the type of field and laboratory tests needed and the minimum number of tests to be conducted for the design of a stormwater retention pond system.
Typically, soil borings and hydraulic conductivity tests are conducted for a stormwater retention pond system to evaluate the capacity of the pond to retain and infiltrate stormwater runoff. This is applicable to retention ponds built in sandy unconfined aquifer systems. The number of soil borings and hydraulic conductivity tests performed are usually dependent on many factors, not always obvious to the investigator or a designer. In some areas, the regulatory agencies have established criteria for a minimum number of soil borings and hydraulic conductivity tests. However, judgment and experience are usually applied in the decision making process and the selection of the number of tests can vary significantly from one investigator to another.
This course introduces a systematic methodology for a designer of a stormwater retention pond to select the minimum number of soil borings and hydraulic conductivity tests needed for a particular stormwater retention pond system. The course is presented in two parts. The first part presents the soil borings that are typically used to characterize the subsurface conditions, and the second part presents the hydraulic conductivity test methods and their applicability for a particular subsurface condition. The course concludes with the proposed methods to select the number and type of soil borings and the number and type of hydraulic conductivity tests needed for a particular retention pond system.
045-Geothermal Heat Pumps for Small Buildings
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This Geothermal or Ground Source - Heat Pump Course 045 follows the SunCam Geothermal Energy - Course 029 that examined underground closed loops. Federal Tax Credits of 30% residential and 10% commercial have been reinstated in 2018 for projects from 2017 to 2022. Now experience the practical application of Heat Pump technology, aimed at Professional Engineers, who would Project Manage a geothermal heating and cooling installation for a small residential or commercial building.
Important photos and diagrams differentiate this course from other on-line articles. The highly technical information presented here is for PEs who seek an in depth understanding of how GS Heat Pumps operate. Numerous reference web site links allow further research specifics beyond the course content. Complement your existing PE skills by adding expertise in the evolving field of Energy Efficiency.
050-Water Flow in Pipes - The Hazen-Williams Formula
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering and to familiarize the professional engineer with the use of the Hazen & Williams Formula and the SunCam Hydro-Calc tool.
Course Description:
This is an introductory course that uses sample problems to demonstrate the use of Hazen-Williams Formula for answering the day to day hydraulics questions that confront engineers. To complete the course, (after purchase) you will download your FREE copy of "SunCam Hydro-Calc" software product for solving Hazen-Williams Formula problems that runs on Microsoft Excel®.
The objective of the course is to give engineers the ability to use the information that they know about a problem to solve for the things that they do not know. This course will provide useful skills, knowledge and insights for civil, sanitary, mechanical and engineers of all disciplines.
051-Considerations In Estimating Tailwater Elevations
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Determination of a reasonable/accurate tailwater elevation is important in locations such as central, southern, and coastal Florida where the terrain is predominately flat, low-lying, and includes areas of high groundwater. In these areas, a few tenths of a foot difference in water surface elevation on the upstream side of a hydraulic structure (headwater) can be the determining factor in whether a project gets a stormwater permit from the applicable regulatory agency, because of the potential to adversely impact adjacent properties. That same relatively small difference in water surface elevation can also lead to larger pipe sizes for culvert and storm drain systems, larger stormwater ponds, and has a direct impact on the amount of fill needed for projects.
Hydraulic structures in these areas typically flow under "Outlet" control for the design event. The downstream water surface elevation at the discharge point, or tailwater elevation, while a significant component in hydraulic calculations is often given the least amount of attention during design.
This course is of interest to a wide variety of engineers that work on both public and private infrastructure and site development projects. This course discusses those less than ideal, yet typical tailwater conditions encountered during actual practice. It addresses typical agency design requirements as well as some of the more common pitfalls encountered in estimating tailwater elevations. The course discusses the impacts of over and underestimated tailwater elevations and identifies things the designer should consider during the design to avoid the more common pitfalls.
052-Introduction to Piping Engineering
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Every industrial plant has numerous piping systems that must function reliably and safely. Piping systems are often easy to ignore or take lightly. However, industry around the world continuously experiences pipe failures, sometimes with catastrophic results. Plant personnel expect piping systems that operate safely, and plant owners need piping systems that are reliable.
This course introduces the engineers, to the fundamental considerations, the evaluation criteria and the primary solutions in the design of piping systems. The types of common failure modes are described, with the general approaches to determining if a piping system design is adequate for operation. Pipe support types are described, and their normal applications. This is not a pipe stress analysis course, but is much broader in context and only briefly introduces pipe stress analysis.
This course is intended for those who interface with piping design, maintenance and operation, and those who may be starting to work in piping engineering. There are three related courses by Mr. May on the Suncam syllabus titled:
- Building Mechanical Integrity Programs Into New Plants
- Pipe Support Failures
- Life Cycle Mechanical Integrity of Piping Systems
053-Introduction to Reverse Osmosis Desalination
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to the key principles and performance parameters associated with reverse osmosis membranes and their use for brackish and seawater desalination. The course outlines the principle of reverse osmosis and explains factors that define membrane performance, including key source saline water characteristics types and structure of reverse osmosis membranes and their use in modern desalination systems.
055-The Energy Audit of an Existing Home
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Professional Engineers have great advantage in understanding the energy systems of a house. With new construction of homes at a slow pace today, there is time for our nation to devote resources to making our existing houses more energy efficient. Standards and techniques used by the Building Performance Institute, Inc. should be familiar to PEs, who have a knowledge foundation in this field that is greater than the populace in general. The country can use the expertise of its engineering community to stop wasting valuable energy and money. Certainly the political will is there to achieve this.
While it may not be a profession changing opportunity for most, this course will enhance what you already know from your related engineering fields. It should allow Professional Engineers to exercise more leadership in their communities, where the Home Energy Audit and Weatherization businesses are exploding. And it could motivate PEs to gain additional credentials by proceeding toward Building Analyst certification.
057-Forensic Engineering Part B - Four Classes of Metallurgical and Mechanical Failures
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This is a three-part course sequence that describes the methods commonly used to evaluate the cause(s) of metallurgical and mechanical failures, i.e., completing root-cause failure analyses (RCFA), and recommending actions to prevent recurrences. The process is often known as forensic engineering. The procedures may be applied in legal cases in which the professional engineer doing the RCFA acts as an expert witness. However, here the primary emphasis is on finding the physical cause of metallic material failures and related engineering tasks.
The three courses may be taken separately or as a group. In general, the information in the cases histories in Part C. is built on knowledge given in Parts A. and B. plus facts provided in Course 110, Corrosion Control and Tactics. Alternatively, some P.E.'s may have previous knowledge and work experience with RCFA's of metallic materials and choose less than all three courses.
Part A. describes typical steps and procedures used in a thorough RCFA, some common classes of generic issues that can cause metallic failures, and some of the typical analytical and test techniques that are used to characterize the properties of metals that have failed. Brief comparisons are described between the usual responsibilities of the failure analyst in a legal case versus his or her actions in conducting a RCFA that does not involve legal action.
Part B. describes four common classes of specific failure mechanisms that often occur in metallic part or mechanical component failures, i.e., static stress overload, mechanical fatigue, corrosion and wear. Most of these classes of failures have multiple subclasses and each is reviewed in some detail with emphasis on how these characteristics point to effective corrective actions that may be useful. The many forms of aqueous corrosion are given special attention because of the widespread occurrence and effects of this class of failures.
Part C. provides descriptions of (6) case histories of metallurgical and mechanical failures that were completed. The objective is to provide practical examples of how the RCFA procedures and knowledge of different failure mechanisms presented in Parts A. and B. plus general engineering experience might be used. Several illustrations (sketches and photomicrographs) of the details of the cases are included. Also, a short list is provided of other RCFA examples a failure analyst working with metallurgical or mechanical failures might encounter.
059-Digital Control of Second and Higher Order Systems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course covers the methodology for developing a digital controller using a modern digital controls approach. Model development for both analog and digital representations are shown and performance compared. The time-shift "q" operator is introduced in accordance with the Zero-Order Hold (ZOH) behavior produced by the sampling and analog-to-digital converter used in the loop. The time-shift operator is used to produce an error predictor and model-prediction errors used to produce control equations.
A digital controller is written and used to control both digital and analog systems and the results are compared. The controller is modified to use different sampling periods and the results are compared to show the performance of the digital control over the same analog system and its dependence on sample rates. The methodology is shown to provide a fast digital controller for a high order system without a complex compensator.
060-Converting Feedback Systems from Analog to Digital Control
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course covers a methodology for developing a digital controller by converting an existing compensated analog controller to a digital model. An analog system is developed, along with a Pole-Zero compensator for use as a typical example. The purpose and effects of the compensator are discussed. The effects of discrete-time sampling of the signals is discussed, along with delay and excess phase effects in accordance with the Zero-Order Hold (ZOH) behavior introduced by the analog-to-digital converter used in the loop.
A system block diagram approach is introduced with integrators in both analog and digital forms. The original analog controller, as well as the compensator model, is produced using a bilinear-transform version of a digital integrator. The performance effects of the sampling are discussed, along with the need for a high enough sampling rate to avoid aliasing and excess phase effects on stability. Implementation alternatives for the digital controller are discussed as well as practical considerations of the effects of digital word-widths on the computation requirements.
062-Switchmode Buck Power Converter Using Voltage-Mode Control
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course covers a methodology for designing a Switch-Mode Buck power converter employing a voltage-mode feedback control approach. The Buck power conversion topology is introduced and considerations for selecting inductor and capacitor components essential for efficient energy transfer are discussed.
Topologies for two states of switching are shown and a state-space averaged model is produced. A small-signal model linear model is produced to examine potential stability issues. Zero-Order Hold (ZOH) effects of the discrete-time nature of switching within the control loop are included. Pole-Zero (PZ) compensators necessary to stabilize the open-loop characteristics of converters with disparate switching frequencies are designed.
The Pulse-Width Modulator (PWM) is introduced it into the feedback loop. Both feedforward and feedback capabilities are added to the PWM and contrasted.
067-Switchmode Buck Power Converter Using Current-Mode Control
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The Switchmode Buck converter is used widely for high efficiency conversion of DC power available at a higher voltage and delivered to a load at a lower voltage. This course develops models of the Buck converter with current-mode control. Basic operation, a practical set of examples, and large/small signal models are discussed. The considerations for feedback regulation and load-current limiting control of the converter are introduced.
The selection of appropriate inductor and capacitor values are discussed, considering the frequency of operation and other design parameters. A constant-frequency Pulse-Width Modulator (PWM) controller is employed for pulse-by-pulse peak-current control. And a method for constructive use of inductor parasitics is employed for current monitoring. We introduce the peak-threshold current control in the open-loop model to illustrate a current-limit function, and then develop that control into the pulse-by-pulse current-mode control for voltage feedback. We develop the feedback conditions for frequency-domain, small-signal, stability in the open-loop model and include a Pole-Zero (PZ) compensator for good margins. We introduce the Zero-Order-Hold (ZOH) effects of the inherent sampling caused by cycle-by-cycle control and include those effects in the (PZ) compensator. The loop is closed and a "soft-start" capability added to avoid current-limiting during startup. Line and load regulation is shown for the example as well as transient load recovery. Finally, the need for "Slope Compensation" in some designs is discussed and a means for adding it is shown.
068-Dredging and the Environment - Part 1 (Dredging 101)
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
As we pass the end of the first decade of the new millennium we are seeing an increased emphasis on the restoration of the environment. One of the areas of such focus are our waterways and marine habitats, many of which are in dire need of help. The more I become involved in these maritime restoration projects — the more I see a general lack of basic understanding of the processes of Dredging. This loosely termed and routinely misunderstood word plays a critical role in both waterway cleanup as well as habitat reconstruction. As such, this continuing education course is designed to help those who become connected to such projects develop a practical understanding of what dredging is, how it works, and how it can best be used on waterway and habitat restoration projects.
This is a multi-part course that examines dredging as it relates to various types of environmental projects. This is Part One, essentially Dredging 101, which will give the reader a basic understanding of the fundamentals of dredging. Points that will be covered are:
- The basic methods of dredging (Mechanical and Hydraulic).
- The types of commonly available dredging equipment.
- The basic operation of dredging and differences in the methods.
- Character of and working with common dredged materials.
- Selection of the dredge method for common types of projects.
- The important advantages and disadvantages of each method.
- The basics of underwater grade control (bathymetric or hydrographic survey).
This course is recommended as an introduction to "Dredging and the Environment Part 2", which will focus on Dredging as it relates to Environmental Restoration Projects. Dredging applications that will be examined in Part 2 will be Beach and Dune Nourishment, Habitat Restoration, Contaminated Sediment Removal, and Capping.
070-Solar Power Part I - Design for Small Structures - An Introduction
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Those who take this course will learn about the basic solar power system components. They will learn how the components work together to provide power to supply a small structure. They will learn how to size and select the necessary components based on the power demands. They will understand how the power is generated, what is required to store the power for later use, and the power losses that occur within a system.
071-Switchmode Boost Power Converter Using Voltage-Mode Control
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The Switchmode Boost converter is used widely for high efficiency conversion of DC power available at a lower voltage and delivered to a load at a higher voltage. This course develops models of the Boost converter with voltage-mode control. Basic operation, a practical of example, and large/small signal models are discussed. The considerations for feedback regulation and feedforward control of the converter are introduced.
The selection of appropriate inductor and capacitor values are discussed, considering the frequency of operation and other design parameters. A constant-frequency Pulse-Width Modulator (PWM) controller is employed. We develop the feedback conditions for frequency-domain, small-signal, stability in the open-loop model and include a Pole-Zero (PZ) compensator for good margins. We introduce the Zero-Order-Hold (ZOH) effects of the inherent sampling caused by cycle-by-cycle control and include those effects in the (PZ) compensator. The loop is closed and a "soft-start" capability added to high inrush currents during startup. Line and load regulation are shown for the example as well as transient load recovery. The material covered should enable a working engineer to construct a stable Boost converter using voltage control.
072-Switchmode Boost Power Converter Using Current-Mode Control
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The Switchmode Boost converter is used widely for high efficiency conversion of DC power available at a lower voltage and delivered to a load at a higher voltage. This course develops models of the Boost converter with current-mode control. Basic operation, a practical of example, and large/small signal models are discussed. The considerations for control of the converter are introduced.
The selection of appropriate inductor and capacitor values are discussed, considering the frequency of operation and other design parameters. A constant-frequency Pulse-Width Modulator (PWM) controller is employed. We develop the feedback conditions for frequency-domain, small-signal, stability in the open-loop model and include a Pole-Zero (PZ) compensator for good margins. We introduce the Zero-Order-Hold (ZOH) effects of the inherent sampling caused by cycle-by-cycle control and include those effects in the (PZ) compensator. Current-limit control is introduced and used as the basis for the introduction of cycle-by-cycle current-mode control. The loop is closed and a "soft-start" capability added to high inrush currents during startup. Line and load regulation are shown for the example as well as transient load recovery. The need for "Slope Compensation" is introduced and explained and an example shown contrasting behavior with and without it. The material covered should enable a working engineer to construct a stable Boost converter using current-mode control.
075-QAM Digital Communications
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course introduces both analog and digital communications concepts and some of the reasons for the migration from analog to digital technologies. Pertinent analog signal and system concepts are reviewed for comparison and contrast to corresponding digital concepts. Digital representation of analog signals is introduced in both the time and frequency domains so that analog transmission of digital signals could be compared.
Versions of "Suppressed Carrier" modulation progressing from the original Weaver modulator architecture are developed for "Single-Sideband, Suppressed Carrier" analog voice applications through variations to other applications. We add phase modulation and amplitude modulation to the Weaver architecture showing the development of quadrature techniques for using both upper and lower Weaver sidebands to produce independent "I" and "Q" communications channels. Only one bit of information is discussed for each of the phase modulation and amplitude modulation in a simple QAM example, but the groundwork is laid for extending the system. The concept of symbol rate and bit rates is introduced. The importance of frequency and phase synchronization of the receiving Weaver modulator is introduced and examples of issues discussed. The practicing engineer should be able to understand the important issues of QAM digital communication and choose system components in a meaningful way on completion of the course.
077-Septic System Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended to provide engineers, designers, and contractors with knowledge of how a septic system works, the components that make up the system, and the considerations involved in designing a septic system. Biologically, every septic system treats effluent waste in the same manner but the design process changes slightly with each state. And because each state has its own code with slight variations in their requirements, this is not intended to be an all-inclusive course in the design or installation of septic systems for each state. However, the design process can be used in every state with minor adaptations for a specific state.
The course will start "at the beginning" and then progress through the sequence of components from the septic tanks to the drainfield and the design involved in each of these components. The course will cover gravity systems, trench and bed drainfields, mounded systems, pumped systems, and Aerobic Treatment Units. It will also cover site placement considerations that must be evaluated when determining the location of a septic drainfield.
078-Dredging and the Environment - Part 2 (Dredging of Contaminated Sediments)
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This is Part Two multi-part course on Dredging that examines dredging as it relates to various types of environmental projects. This Course covers Dredging of Contaminated Sediments, which examines basic design concepts as well as the Management/Constructability ("how-to") aspect of dredging as it relates to various types of environmental waterway restoration projects. If the reader is not already familiar with the fundamentals of dredging, we suggest a review of our course titled "Dredging and the Environment Part One", also available on this site, before launching into this course, as there are a number of important terms and subjects covered in Part 1 that will be applied in this course, and without an basic understanding of the material covered in Part One the reader may not get the full benefit of this course. Subjects that will be covered in this Part 2 course are:"
- Historical Overview
- Nature and Identification of Contaminated Sediments
- Sampling and Site Investigation
- Survey
- Sediment Sampling
- Quality Control
- Design Procedures and Precautions in Waterway Remediation
- Design Overview
- Bottom Graded Finish — what to expect
- Dredging Accuracy
- Side Slopes
This course is recommended as an introduction for the individual that is interested in the overall aspects of how the Dredging process can be used as an environmental restoration tool. The course material is suggested for the designer, permitting specialist or regulator; it is intended to help broaden the understanding of this technology. It is also intended to be very practical in nature, and focused on how the dredging process can work best in the restoration of waterways. It will also cover many of the dos and don'ts of dredging and project management — as well as what can and cannot be expected and accomplished using today's available technology.
079-DSSS Digital Communication
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course introduces both analog and digital communications concepts and some of the reasons for the migration from analog to digital technologies. Pertinent signal and system concepts are reviewed for comparison and contrast.
The course develops the theory and practical issues and examples leading up to Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) Communication. The information theoretic foundation for trading bandwidth and improved Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is introduced mathematically, but other useful properties associated with particular spreading sequence properties are introduced by example. The gradual development based on the Weaver architecture for frequency translation of single-sideband, suppressed carrier signals through digital QPSK examples into pseudo-noise (PN) sequence spreading of QPSK of sub-carrier sidebands and finally to direct-sequence, spread-spectrum QPSK is employed to build awareness of the relationships between the spectral energy and the modulation processes. The PN sequence generation, its auto-correlation and cross-correlation attributes are introduced and employed in example with a justification for the development of the matched-filter/correlator approach to sequence de-spreading. Some issues of carrier synchronization and problems are introduced but not developed in detail. Finally, the statistical properties of the correlator approach are shown to be the basis for Code-Division, Multiple Access (CDMA) spectrum sharing to ameliorate the extra bandwidth occupied by the spreading.
The practicing engineer should be able to understand the important issues of DSSS digital communication and choose system components in a meaningful way on completion of the course.
080-Gravity Flow in Pipes - The Manning Formula
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering and to familiarize the professional engineer with the use of the Manning Formula for solving round pipe problems and the SunCam Manning-Pipe software.
Course Description:
This is a course in gravity flow hydraulics that uses sample problems and small case studies to demonstrate the use of the Manning Formula for solving round pipe problems. To complete the course you will first download your FREE copy of "SunCam Manning-Pipe" software that runs on Microsoft Excel® 2000 or later. (After you purchase the course, you will receive the link to download "Manning-Pipe")
The objective of the course is to give engineers the ability to use the information that they know about a gravity flow hydraulics problem to solve for the things that they do not know. This course will provide useful skills, knowledge and insights for civil, sanitary, mechanical and engineers of all disciplines.
083-Phase Lock Loops
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course introduces the Phase-Lock Loop (PLL) with considerations from classical feedback theory producing a simple analog loop for demonstration purposes. The components are analyzed, linearizing them as required and showing the second-order nature of the loop with the PZ compensation filter for stability. The PLL capability as a Frequency-Shift Keyed (FSK) receiver demodulator for a Frequency-Modulated (FM) signal is demonstrated.
The Costas Loop variant of the PLL for double-sideband, suppressed-carrier synchronization using a Bi-Phase modulated signal is introduced, as well as the "Double-Loop" variant of the Costas Loop, showing the equivalence of the saturated signal paths for the Bi-Phase modulation in a summing loop, and the requirements for a difference term for Quadri-Phase Shift Keyed (QPSK) signals. The 180° phase uncertainty associated with the receiver synchronization is shown and discussed.
A digital PLL for frequency synthesis applications is demonstrated with the relationships between loop bandwidth and channel spacing shown. The "Exclusive-OR" logic function is demonstrated as a phase detector and the Phase-Frequency Detector (PFD) and Sink-Source-Float (SSF) implementations are introduced. The stability requirements for the components and the design of a PZ compensator for the digital PLL, including the use of a transconductance and impedance for loop filter application are discussed.
The effects of the sampling delay on the magnitude and phase characteristics of the loop are discussed.
The time and frequency domain performance of a macro-model using the parameters developed show that the discrete-time performance is well predicted, but that there are noise effects from the PU/PD pulses in the PFD.
Fractional-N synthesis technique is introduced and contrasted between the averaging and Δ-Σ modulator approaches to the oversampling used in the Fractional-N approach.
The engineer who completes this course should be able to design a working Phase Lock Loop, making it stable for their application.
084-Filters and Equalizers
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course reviews the notation for roots of polynomial expressions describing Linear-Time Invariant (LTI) systems in the frequency domain, and relates the operator notation to the time-domain response using complex exponential notation. A single pole circuit is introduced and responses analyzed in the frequency domain and time domain. An ideal delay is introduced for comparison and sets a reference for step response behaviors.
Polynomial root locations are described in the complex s-plane and complex conjugate pairs plotted and described using (w0, z) notation as well as (t0, Q) notation. Phasor notation is introduced for evaluation of steady-state sinusoidal excitation of transfer functions. Second-order, complex conjugate pole pairs are introduced and the asymptotic behaviors developed and contrasted to the single-pole behaviors in magnitude, phase, and group delay attributes. Straight-line approximations are produced and the errors of approximation discussed.
Classical Butterworth, Chebyshev, and Bessel filters are introduced and the construction formulae developed. The Cauer filter is also illustrated, but mathematical development using elliptic functions is not included. Frequency domain and time domain responses are developed using a 4th design form as representative of even-order forms and a 5th order design as representative of odd-order forms. Only the 5th order Bessel filter example is synthesized from the equations. A 5th order equalizer is examined for the 5th order Chebyshev and Cauer filter and shown to provide equivalent results for both Chebyshev and Cauer filters. An additional pole pair is added to the 5th order equalizer and the justification and improvements noted. Transformations are discussed to convert low-pass prototype designs to high-pass and band-pass filters.
The course is designed for a practicing engineer seeking a capability for designing and specifying filters and equalizers for frequency domain and time domain applications.
087-Embedded Systems; Analog, Digital, and Microcomputers
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course traces background history leading to current "Embedded Systems" from the introduction of system classification concepts through modern digital computer concepts, and first-practice digital computer embedded systems leading up to the current methodologies, tools, and practice involved in the design of Embedded Systems.
The digital computer hardware is traced from the vacuum-tube era through the advances of solid-state technology to today's integrated circuits. The software is shown in parallel with introduction of abstract languages, operating systems and "hard" real-time software, program code and library practices, through C-Code editing, compilation, and system building. Hardware Design Language (HDL) concepts are introduced in the context of adding digital functionality to the included microcomputer capabilities.
A Top-Down design methodology is used in the context of Embedded Systems development with both open-source and proprietary tools from an Engineering System Level (ESL) through an implementation at the demonstration-board level with two different examples. The design-flow through the use of tools is discussed prior to the example use of those tools so that the "big picture" is seen first. A simple Delta-Sigma (DS) analog-to-digital converter is used as an analog/digital or mixed-signal example with some modeling and simulation relating to the analog functions and some relating to the digital functions. The use of the top-down approach makes the system simulation of behavior clear prior to the "binding" of the functions to analog or digital components.
Two different implementation hardware boards: the BeagleBoard featuring a Texas Instruments (TI) OMAP™ IC with an ARM processor and TI proprietary Digital Signal Processor (DSP) onboard, and Cypress Semiconductor PSoC5™ with an ARM processor and proprietary configurable analog and digital blocks on a "First Touch" board are introduced as a hardware target candidates.
Software development tools are introduced and representative usage shown for both open-source and proprietary tools using a C/C++ path in both an open-source Linux environment and a MicroSoft Windows™ environment. Code generation automation is discussed and manual code entry discussed in the context of the tools.
The example system is explored in detail from within the context of the Cypress Semiconductor PSoC5™ "First Touch" environment with some alternatives introduced. The steps necessary and the code example for the PSoC5™ "First Touch" environment are referenced, as well as the necessary hardware and software requirements to enable the example in the BeagleBoard are shown and links provided to obtain the accelerometer, display, cables, and software required. The MathWorks PolySpace™ semantic run-time code checker software is shown with illustrations of the checking capabilities.
A 50% discount coupon on products from Cypress Semiconductor Corporation is included with this course.
089-Solar Power Part IV - Inspecting and Evaluating Systems
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended to provide engineers, designers, or contractors with the knowledge and process for inspecting or evaluating a solar power system in a small structure. We will also look the problems commonly associated with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, brief reviews of the system components and their potential problems, and wiring issues. We will also note those items that you need to perform the inspection.
The course will start "at the beginning" … from the solar panels to the electrical outlets and the components installed along the way. This course is not intended to be all-inclusive in the evaluation and trouble-shooting of a solar PV electrical system but is intended to provide you with knowledge of how to evaluate a system and the typical problems associated with a solar powered system. Obviously, these same principles apply to a system for a larger structure but there is much more involved with larger power systems. Note, that this is not the design course. The design course is entitled "Solar Design for Small Structures" and is also available from SunCam.
091-Geothermal Boreholes
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The vast majority of ground source heat pump systems (Recently reapproved for 30% residential & 10%
commercial federal tax credits) use vertical boreholes, instead
of horizontal trenches. Following up on SUNCAM course 029-Geothermal
Heating and Cooling, and course 045-Geothermal
Heat Pumps for Small Buildings is this latest course on boreholes.
Large commercial geo projects involving engineering design, frequently
find the borehole alternate superior to trenching, where limited
acreage is available for larger building loads. In the language of both
the well driller and the design professional, Geothermal Borehole
course 091 addresses the many facets of ground heat exchange: Rock
thermal conductivity, grout installation sequence & grout thermal
conductivity, software design programs, total length formula, heat
fusion, manifold layout, all with site plans, web references and photos.
Uncover the technology being employed on many of the new building
projects. Become informed on the latest techniques and standards used
to harvest renewable energy from beneath our feet.
092-Dredging and the Environment - Part 3 (Beach Nourishment and Wetland Restoration)
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This is a multi-part course examines dredging as it relates to various types of environmental projects. If you are not already familiar with the fundamentals of dredging please review Dredging and the Environment Part One, (available on the SunCam web site at: /continuing-education/100186.html), we suggest that you consider taking that course before launching into this course. There are a number of important subjects covered in Part 1 that will be implemented in this course, and without an basic understanding of the material covered in Part 1 you may not get the full benefit of this course. Major points that will be covered in this course are:
- Beach nourishment projects.
- Wetland habitat restoration projects (which would also apply to mitigation sites, nesting islands and the like).
This course is recommended as an introduction to the individual who is interested in the overall aspects of how Dredging can be used as an environmental restoration tool. The course material will be very practical in nature, it will cover many of the dos and don'ts — as well as what can and cannot be accomplished using today's available technology.
102-Memories in Computers — Part 1: Overview and DRAM Introduction
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Modern computers include many types of memories, including magnetic hard drives, Flash memories, Static Random Access Memories (SRAM) and Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAM). The characteristics, advantages and limitations of each of these memory implementations are described and compared. The most important of these memory types is DRAM, and this course takes you inside the DRAM so you can understand how it operates and why it is the largest selling integrated circuit ever invented.
DRAMs were a $38B (USD) business in 2010, and appear in every computer (PC, Mac, tablet, laptop, desktop, server or mainframe) and home gaming console (PlayStation, Xbox or Wii). DRAMs first appeared on the scene in 1970, introduced by a small start-up company called Intel. Today they are a commodity, produced by companies all over the world in essentially interchangeable form.
Both the original DRAM architecture, called the asynchronous DRAM, and the higher speed synchronous version, the SDRAM, are discussed in detail. You will be introduced to the concepts of refreshing, access time, multiplexed addresses, fill frequency, CAS latency and burst length. No math beyond simple arithmetic is required.
Outline
- Memories in Computers
- DRAM History
- DRAM Architecture and Basic Operation
- Accelerated Access Modes
- Fill Frequency
- SDRAM Architecture and Operation
- SDRAM Operation
- Access Time in SDRAMs
- Data Burst Operation
- Multiple Data Pins
- Multi-Bank Architecture
- Mode Register
- Memory Standardization
103-Fundamentals of Post-Tensioned Concrete Design for Buildings - Part one
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This is Part One of a three-part course that covers the fundamentals of post-tensioned concrete for building structures using unbonded tendons. This course is intended to be an introductory course for structural engineers new to post-tensioned concrete design, and is a good refresher for experienced structural engineers. Part One should be taken before Parts Two and Three.
Part One gives a brief historical background and post-tensioned members are differentiated from pre-tensioned members. You will learn about the load balancing concept, hyperstatic moments, pre-stress losses, the basic requirements of ACI 318 (Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete), and nominal flexure and shear capacities of post-tensioned members.
Part Two illustrates examples of two of the structural systems commonly used in buildings and parking structures, namely a one-way continuous slab and a two-span beam. Part Two is an example-intensive course, with key concepts introduced along the way.
Part Three continues with the study of two-way, post-tensioned slab systems, including a complete design example using the Equivalent Frame concept. Part Three also covers related topics such as punching shear for two-way slabs and moment transfer at the column. Part Three is an example-intensive course, with key concepts introduced along the way.
By successfully completing all parts of this three-part course, you should be comfortable performing a preliminary design by hand and be able to quickly check a computer generated design or an existing design by hand.
110-Corrosion Control and Tactics
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course provides an overview of the nature of aqueous corrosion and the variety of standard methods and well-known, but often overlooked tactics, used to control it at least cost. Topics reviewed include some fundamental aspects of electrochemistry related to control methods, brief descriptions of the various forms of attack, effects on corrosion rates of various operating variables, the four classic control methods and some suggested control tactics that the engineer can investigate further for applicability to his or her specific corrosion problem. Several references are cited.
111-Memories in Computers — Part 2: DDR SDRAMs
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
As the largest dollar volume portion of the semiconductor industry, memories appear in every computer, printer, home game console and car; as well as a growing number of home appliances. Total memory sales were $124B in 2017, out of $412B worldwide semiconductor sales. DRAM sales alone grew by 77% in 2017, to a total of $72B. But memory demand is cyclical. 2018 saw DRAM sales of almost $100B, the highest ever. 2019 sales dropped to $62B; 2020 sales were $67B; and 2021 revenue soared to $98B.
Since the late 1990s, four increasingly capable Double Data Rate (DDR) Synchronous DRAM architectures have evolved. The first generation, DDR, doubled the rate of information flow to and from the memory device as compared to single-data-rate synchronous DRAMs. To meet the resulting very tight timing requirements, a new circuit called the delay locked loop was introduced.
The second generation, DDR2, added several features to improve device usability. In particular, on-die termination (ODT) improved signal integrity and reduced external component count.
The third generation, DDR3, provided a refined ODT capability and further defined external device timing in terms of clock cycles instead of internal device parameters.
The fourth generation, DDR4, continued increasing storage capacity and improving the rate of data transmission. But it also emphasized reducing power by many architecture modifications and feature additions.
The fifth generation, DDR5, built on DDR4 with more storage capacity, faster data rates, and reduced power. DDR5 added a new capability, on-chip error correction (ECC).
This course discusses the characteristics and advantages of each of those architectures in a clear and concise manner that any technically trained person can understand. You will be introduced to and become familiar with concepts such as CAS latency, burst length, delay locked loops, on-die termination, prefetch, mode registers and redundancy. Memory packaging in dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) is also discussed.
This course builds on, but is independent of, Memories in Computers—Part 1. No math beyond high school algebra is required.
112-Memories in Computers — Part 3: Flash Memory
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Flash memories will account for $26B in sales in 2010. They are used in all modern digital cameras, camcorders, cell phones, PDAs, music players, home video game machines and computers.
Why is flash so popular? Flash excels in three areas: technical, physical and financial. The technical reasons are (1) nonvolatility–flash memory retains its information for more than 10 years even with no power applied and (2) speed–flash memory is 100 to 1000 times faster than magnetic hard drives. The physical reasons are (1) density–flash memory has 8x as many bits per chip as DRAM, and (2) power–flash memory consumes far less power than magnetic hard drives. In the financial area, flash memory is about 40% of the cost of DRAM on a per bit basis.
Why isn't flash memory used in place of DRAM and magnetic hard drives? Again, there are three areas that hold back flash: reliability, speed and cost. Regarding reliability, flash memories can endure from 5000 to over 100,000 erase/program cycles. That is adequate for many but not all applications. Flash speed is indeed much faster than magnetic hard drives, but programming speed is far slower that DRAMs; much too slow for main memory applications. And flash cost, although lower than DRAMs, is still far above that of magnetic hard drives.
This course discusses all of the above issues, as well as the historical background, physical basis, cell structure, and chip architecture and operation of these omnipresent devices. You will learn and understand hot electron injection, Fowler-Nordheim tunneling, NOR and NAND array structures and operation, multi-level storage and error correction coding. The flash memory market, including applications and major producers, are explored; and two major portions of that market, flash memory cards and solid state drives, are examined in detail.
This course builds on, but is independent of Memories in Computers–Part 1. No high-level math is required.
113-Management of Desalination Plant Concentrate
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course provides an overview of the alternatives for management of concentrate generated by brackish water and seawater desalination plants. The main focus of the course is on widely used alternatives for disposal of concentrate, including outfall discharge to surface water bodies; disposal to the wastewater collection system; deep well injection; land application; and evaporation. The reader will learn the basics of concentrate management and will gain knowledge on key criteria and factors for selection, implementation and design of the most commonly used concentrate disposal alternatives.
115-Mechanically Stabilized Earth Structures - Part 1
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall course provides an introductory lesson addressing the basics of MSE wall design. The course, which has been separated into three parts, covers the following topics:
- Part 1 - History of MSE Structures (ancient and modern).
- Part 1 - Industry Design Methods and Programs.
- Part 1 - Segmental Block and Reinforcement Products.
- Part 2 - Failure Modes.
- Part 2 - Civil Design Considerations.
- Part 2 - Geotechnical Engineering Considerations and Soils Testing.
- Part 2 - Why Do MSE Walls Fail?
- Part 3 - Detailed hand calculation.
The course is geared toward engineers who practice in the civil, geotechnical, surveying and structural disciplines.
116-Mechanically Stabilized Earth Structures - Part 2
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall course provides an introductory lesson addressing the basics of MSE wall design. The course, which has been separated into three parts, covers the following topics:
- Part 1 - History or MSE Structures (ancient and modern).
- Part 1 - Industry Design Methods and Programs.
- Part 1 - Segmental Block and Reinforcement Products.
- Part 2 - Failure Modes.
- Part 2 - Civil Design Considerations.
- Part 2 - Geotechnical Engineering Considerations and Soils Testing.
- Part 2 - Why Do MSE Walls Fail?
- Part 3 - Detailed hand calculation.
The course is geared toward engineers who practice in the civil, geotechnical, surveying and structural disciplines.
117-Mechanically Stabilized Earth Structures - Part 3
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall course provides an introductory lesson addressing the basics of MSE wall design. The course, which has been separated into three parts, covers the following topics:
- Part 1 - History or MSE Structures (ancient and modern).
- Part 1 - Industry Design Methods and Programs.
- Part 1 - Segmental Block and Reinforcement Products.
- Part 2 - Failure Modes.
- Part 2 - Civil Design Considerations.
- Part 2 - Geotechnical Engineering Considerations and Soils Testing.
- Part 2 - Why Do MSE Walls Fail?
- Part 3 - Detailed hand calculation.
The course is geared toward engineers who practice in the civil, geotechnical, surveying and structural disciplines.
118-Re-mineralization of Desalinated Water
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Desalinated water has very low mineral content. Re-mineralization aims to supplement this water with chemicals which: (1) provide protection of the distribution system against corrosion and (2) add minerals needed to meet human dietary needs and to facilitate other potential uses of the desalinated water such as irrigation. This education course provides an overview of key alternative re-mineralization technologies, including: (1) direct addition of chemicals containing calcium and magnesium; (2) processes where re-mineralization is accomplished by blending of desalinated water and saline source water; and (3) treatment technologies where calcium or calcium and magnesium are added by dissolving naturally occurring minerals such as limestone and dolomite. The course focuses on the practical aspects of the implementation of these re-mineralization technologies and provides key design criteria and guidelines for their implementation and operation.
119-Convection Heat Transfer Coefficient Estimation
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Convection heat transfer takes place whenever a fluid is in contact with a solid surface that is at a different temperature than the fluid. This course gives background on Newton's law of cooling, a brief description of the difference between natural convection and forced convection, a discussion of the dimensionless numbers used in convection heat transfer correlations, and an introduction to some of the typical configurations of interest for convection heat transfer. Then the rest of the course is devoted to presentation of correlations and example calculations for estimating natural convection and forced convection heat transfer coefficients. A spreadsheet that will assist in making these calculations for either turbulent or laminar pipe flow is included with the course.
The overall objective of this course is to prepare those completing the course to calculate heat transfer coefficients for a variety of physical configurations of forced convection and natural convection. A more detailed list of learning objectives is included in the course document.
122-Solar Basics - Radiation Data Online
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Whether you are planning/designing a photovoltaic solar power system, a passive solar heating system or solar collectors for a solar thermal system to provide space heat or hot water, you could use data on the average rate of solar radiation to be expected at your project location each month. In fact, such information is readily available from online sources for locations in the United States and around the world. This course will provide information about three sources of such data. Two of the sources are from the Renewable Resource Data Center (RREDC), which is a unit of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The other source is a NASA Langley Distributed Active Archive (DAAC) Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy Data Set. Discussion of each of these sources will include how to access them, what type of data is available at each, and how to interpret that data.
This course is intended for mechanical, electrical, chemical and energy engineers, and architects. It will also be of interest to any engineers wanting to learn more about the renewable energy field and to professional surveyors who are responsible for the accurate orientation and layout of solar collection devices.
The overall objective of this course is to prepare those completing the course to access the three online sources of solar radiation data that are presented and discussed in the course. A more detailed list of learning objectives is included in the course document.
126-Open Channel Flow Measurement - Weirs and Flumes
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Measuring the flow rate of water in an open channel typically involves some type of obstruction in the path of flow. The two major categories of open channel flow measurement devices in this course are the weir and the flume. A weir is a vertical obstruction that the water must flow over. The measured height of water above the top of the weir (the weir crest) can be used to calculate the flow rate. A flume consists of a constriction in the cross-sectional area of flow. The measured height of water passing through the constricted area (the throat of the flume) can be used to calculate the water flow rate. This course included descriptions, equations and example calculations for sharp crested (V-notch and rectangular weirs), broad crested weirs, and Parshall flumes. A spreadsheet to assist with rectangular weir calculations is included with the course.
This course is intended for hydrologists, civil engineers, hydraulic engineers, highway engineers and environmental engineers. Professional surveyors who are engaged in the layout/verification of weir and flume construction and in the collection of data for use in flow calculations will also benefit from this course.
The overall objective of this course is to provide the attendees with knowledge about calculations and installation and measurement guidelines for sharp crested weirs, broad crested weirs, and Parshall flumes, and to prepare those completing the course to make flow rate calculations for these types of open channel flow meters. A more detailed list of learning objectives is given below.
127-Fundamentals of Steel - Part A
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Written in an easy to understand style, the course Fundamentals of Steel — Part A takes a look at steel in an informative and intuitive way — using among other things, a story of a yardstick as a teaching tool. After a brief history of steel in the U. S., and an introduction to the most influential and dominant codes, the manufacturing process of steel is presented. This is followed by a discussion of the most important mechanical properties — and the factors affecting them — of steel including easy-to-understand drawings. Then the various shapes are presented and discussed with clear and easy to follow diagrams. One of the many topics presented is a discussion of how a single nominal sized beam can have the largest member of its class be over 160% times larger than the smallest.
Photos relating to the topics presented include the John Hancock Building in Chicago.
The course is not a design course. It does however offer some sample calculations to demonstrate the material properties and the design criteria for steel members.
Fundamentals of Steel — Part B, a companion course, continues on with a look at how the shapes are used in the field with an emphasis on connections — both welded and bolted. Bar joists are discussed. Some of the very serious weaknesses of structural steel are discussed including methods of protecting against these weaknesses.
128-Fundamentals of Steel - Part B
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Written in an easy to understand style, the course Fundamentals of Steel — Part B takes a look at steel in an informative and intuitive way — using among other things, a story of a pop can as a teaching tool. This course will look at how the shapes are used in the field with an emphasis on connections — both bolted and welded. Bar joists — perhaps the most common built-up member — are discussed. Structural carbon steel has some serious weaknesses. These are also discussed including methods of protecting against these weaknesses.
Connections — both welds and high strength bolts — are discussed. The concepts behind their function and simple sample problems are presented to demonstrate the very complex workings of steel connections.
Photos relating to the topics presented include the John Hancock Building in Chicago, the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and the Mackinac Bridge over the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, as well as others.
The course is not a design course. But it does offer some sample calculations to demonstrate the criteria involved in the design of high strength bolted and welded steel connections.
Fundamentals of Steel — Part A is not required as a pre-requisite to this course. It would however be helpful to understand the basic principles of the most important mechanical properties of steel as well as the common nomenclature associated with steel as presented in Part A of this series.
130-Introduction to GIS and GPS for Engineers and Surveyors - Part 1
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course provides an overview of Geographical Information Science and Systems (GIS) as it pertains to the engineer and surveyor. The engineering incorporates the science into everything from utility mapping to plume modeling to tackling water quality issues within multiple heterogeneous watersheds. An increase in model visualizations, accuracies, and overall productivities are the result of incorporating GIS into engineering applications. The United States Global Positioning System (GPS) is used increasingly by professional surveyors, and is a means of collecting data for use within a GIS. This course is meant to familiarize engineers and surveyors with the terminology and industry lingo used by GIS Professionals such that those composing responses to Requests for Qualifications or Proposals can better understand the scope of GIS or GPS services they need, or be asked to provide, and whether they have the in-house talent to perform such services. A glossary of common terms used in this field is provided at the end of the course.
In addition to an introduction to Geographical Information Science and its terminology, the functions of a GIS will be outlined. Real-world engineering applications using GIS will be discussed. Other topics of importance include: referencing data to a coordinate system, working with scales and resolutions, and recognizing GIS data and metadata formats. GIS data collection means, including the use of GPS and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) will be introduced. GPS technology, including data correction systems and accuracies as compared to traditional surveying, will also be discussed. The course also contains a short overview of the more popular GIS and GPS software and hardware. This is not a "how-to" course on making maps or analyzing data. Instead, it is meant to 1) be a practical introduction to geospatial concepts for those deciding whether to integrate the skills into their career, 2) provide a knowledge base for purchasing software or hardware needed to get started, and 3) entertain those who simply desire a basic conversational language and understanding of the world of GIS and GPS.
140-Campgrounds - The Basics of Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended to provide engineers and designers with an introduction into the design requirements of campgrounds… from primitive camping to Recreational Vehicles. The course will discuss the issues that impact the different types of campgrounds. Some examples are potable water supply, sewage, garbage collection, access for emergency vehicles, environmental impacts, etc.
The course will start with discussions of the different "types" of camping experiences found in campgrounds. This is followed by a discussion of some of the codes and considerations that must be incorporated into the final campground design. Designing a campground in the various states can be considerably different but all will have the same design components and issues. So this course will focus on the design aspects that are common to all campgrounds.
150-Open Channel & Box Culvert Flow - The Manning Formula
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering and to familiarize the professional engineer with the use of the Manning Formula for solving open channel and box culvert problems and the SunCam Manning-Channel software.
Course Description:
The software will only operate on Excel 2007 or newer.
This is a course in gravity flow hydraulics that uses sample problems and small case studies to demonstrate the use of the Manning Formula for solving open-channel and box culvert problems. To complete the course you will first download your FREE copy of "SunCam Manning-Channel" software that runs on Microsoft Excel® version 2007 or later. (Manning-Channel will NOT run on "OpenOffice") (After you purchase the course you will receive the link to download "Manning-Channel")
The objective of the course is to give engineers the ability to use the information that they know about a gravity flow hydraulics problem to solve for the things that they do not know. This course will provide useful skills, knowledge and insights for civil, sanitary, mechanical and engineers of all disciplines.
153-Decision Making in Engineering Planning and Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course illustrates the categories of decision making under conditions of Certainty, Uncertainty, and Risk and introduces some tools related to decision processes in engineering planning and design. Conditions of Certainty may be assumed as a reference or bench-mark for defining the best possible outcomes, but may also be used as a simplification often used to provide a first level of feasibility checking or for conditions with negligible risk. A first example of decision making under conditions of certainty is taken from the use of Linear Programming (LP) tools to optimize constrained resource allocation to optimize a monetary return. Both a graphical approach and the "Simplex Method" are introduced to illustrate how to identify an optimum. A second example is taken from the use of the Critical Path Method (CPM) as used in determining the planning of a project. Extensions of CPM to include elements of risk and the PERT Method in the decision making under conditions of Risk are deferred until that risk is discussed, but the CPM elements are used as a framework. A short discussion of decision making under conditions of Uncertainty is included with introduction of payoff tables and both optimistic and pessimistic approaches. Because the predominant form of decision making is under conditions of Risk, concepts of probability are discussed including conditional probability, Bayes' Theorem, expected values, the value of research and information, and the extensions of CPM to develop estimates in the PERT scheduling technique. Links are provided in several locations to available free, open-source software tools associated with certain topics. The tools and techniques are useful both during initial planning and as more information becomes available suggesting plan revision.
154-Free Open-Source Software (FOSS) in Engineering
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course introduces the engineer to the subject of "Free Open-Source Software" (FOSS). Materials from various sources are referenced widely throughout the course. Each source of software is described along with a "screen shot" of its source from the internet. Although there is a rich history of free distribution of software, some commercial ventures have striven to eliminate the practice, providing proprietary commercial and often copyrighted software products as an alternative. Commercial software has its advantages with deep and wide support that is sometimes lacking in the open-source community. However, the price of commercial software is often a barrier-to-entry for emerging "Small and Medium Enterprise" (SME). The materials are introduced by progressing from a general case of operating system software and general-purpose documentation, modeling, and system-level examples through ever-more specialized tools. As a particular case exemplified in this course, the "Silicon Renaissance Initiative" is used to counter the high-cost of Engineering Design Automation (EDA) software tools and the design flow for that use in Integrated Circuit (IC) design. As commercial tools often require hundreds of thousands of dollars investment to support the design effort, FOSS EDA tools offer an attractive alternative. In the USA, with its copyright enforcement, the SME may face competition from foreign entities with "illegal" copies of commercial software and thus cannot compete. This course illustrates both the general tools available and useful for any computer user and professional engineer with any practice specialty, as well as the professional engineer involved in designing electronic circuits.
155-Solar Power Part V - Installing Systems - An Introduction
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is basically a detailed type of course for contractors and professionals that work closely with contractors or monitor the installations… a guide of what's behind all those component covers, how they are connected, grounded, protected, what goes where, etc. It includes installation tips that many contractors simply aren't familiar with or don't worry about in their haste to complete the job and get paid.
Note: The course assumes that you have a working knowledge of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) design and are familiar with the terminology and components found in a typical system. This course is intended to provide an introduction to the installation of a solar PV system for a small structure. The design and basic explanations of a solar power system are not included in this course but are found in the first two courses:
070-Solar Power Design for Small Structures - An Introduction and 089-Solar Power Systems - Inspecting and Evaluating
Obviously, the course doesn't cover the installation of all the products manufactured today but does cover a complete off-grid solar system installation that can be used as a reference for the different products available today.
Detailed course outline with timeline
- 11 Minutes — Introduction
- 5 Minutes — Safety
- 11 Minutes — Needed Items
- 21 Minutes — Course Project
- 21 Minutes — Panel Mounts
- 37 Minutes — Solar Panels
- 11 Minutes — PV Combiner
- 11 Minutes — Electrical Disconnect Box
- 11 Minutes — Charge Controller
- 12 Minutes — Batteries
- 11 Minutes — Inverter
- 21 Minutes — Breaker Boxes
- 11 Minutes — Grounding
- 5 Minutes — Summary
- 40 Minutes — The Test
158-Industrial Floor Framing for Vibrating Equipment
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Industrial structures frequently house vibrating equipment such as blowers, centrifuges, vibrating screens, etc. Floors that support this type of equipment must not only be sufficiently strong to carry the weight of the equipment but must also have elastic properties that result in a specific natural frequency. If the natural frequency of the floor is too close to the operating frequency of the equipment, the floor will vibrate excessively, causing discomfort to people that stand on the floor or, in more severe situations, resulting in damaged equipment.
The purpose of this course is to introduce practical methods available for finding natural frequencies of beams, to describe guidelines used in the design of industrial floor framing and to illustrate the principles discussed with design examples.
The course describes some of the methods available for obtaining values for the natural frequencies of beams. Methods vary from simply matching the situation at hand with published values in the literature, to simplified hand calculations, to use of computer programs. This course will provide a background that should result in a better understanding of the modeling requirements of computer programs and consequently lead to their proper application. Parameters important in the design of supports for vibrating equipment are presented, and typical values commonly used in industrial practice are described. Finally, two floor framing design examples are given. The first is of a floor that supports a vibrating screen; it is an example of "high tuning". The second is of a floor that supports a blower/fan; it is an example of "low tuning".
160-Fundamentals of Post-Tensioned Concrete Design for Buildings-Part Two
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This is Part Two of a three-part course that covers the fundamentals of post-tensioned concrete for building structures using unbonded tendons. This course is intended to be an introductory course for structural engineers new to post-tensioned concrete design, and is a good refresher for experienced structural engineers. Part Two should be taken after Part One and prior to Part Three.
Part One gave us a brief historical background and how post-tensioned members are differentiated from pre-tensioned members. You learned about the load balancing concept, hyperstatic moments, pre-stress losses, the basic requirements of ACI 318 (Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete), and nominal flexure and shear capacities of post-tensioned members.
Now, in Part Two, we will follow design examples of two of the structural systems commonly used in buildings and parking structures, namely a one-way continuous slab and a two-span beam. Part Two is an example-intensive course, with key concepts introduced along the way.
Part Three continues with the study of two-way, post-tensioned slab systems, including a complete design example using the Equivalent Frame concept. Part Three also covers related topics such as punching shear for two-way slabs and moment transfer at the column. Part Three is an example-intensive course, with key concepts introduced along the way.
By successfully completing all parts of this three-part course, you should be comfortable performing a preliminary design by hand and be able to quickly check a computer generated design or an existing design by hand.
161-Fundamentals of Post-Tensioned Concrete Design for Buildings-Part Three
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This is Part Three of a three-part course that covers the fundamentals of post-tensioned concrete for building structures using unbonded tendons. This course is intended to be an introductory course for structural engineers new to post-tensioned concrete design, and is a good refresher for experienced structural engineers. Part Three should be taken after Parts One and Two.
Part One gave us a brief historical background and how post-tensioned members are differentiated from pre-tensioned members. You learned about the load balancing concept, hyperstatic moments, pre-stress losses, the basic requirements of ACI 318 (Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete), and nominal flexure and shear capacities of post-tensioned members.
Part Two illustrated examples of two of the structural systems commonly used in buildings and parking structures, namely a one-way continuous slab and a two-span beam. Part Two is an example-intensive course, with key concepts introduced along the way.
Part Three now continues with the study of two-way, post-tensioned slab systems, including a complete design example using the Equivalent Frame concept. Part Three also covers related topics such as punching shear for two-way slabs and moment transfer at the column. Part Three is an example-intensive course, with key concepts introduced along the way.
By successfully completing all parts of this three-part course, you should be comfortable performing a preliminary design by hand and be able to quickly check a computer generated design or an existing design by hand.
162-Introduction to Compound Channel Flow Analysis for Floodplains
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Cross-sections of natural and restored waterways are generally composite compound channels as opposed to single geometric shapes with one constant roughness. This course covers eight composite compound channel analysis methods. Differences between the methods and typical applications of each method are discussed. The course also provides example calculations for each method. A few common hydraulic software programs are briefly introduced and the concepts and analysis methods they utilize are discussed.
167-Pipe Support Failures
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The stability and integrity of industrial piping systems are dependent upon the proper design, installation and maintenance of the pipe supports. Numerous photos of pipe support failures, and some pipe support successes are presented to illustrate what should exist, and the result when a pipe support deteriorates and fails.
This course provides examples of the primary pipe support design types in industrial facilities, such as rigid rods, sliding supports, guides, sway struts, snubbers, anchors, variable spring hangers and constant support hangers. Photos are shown of each type of support and the types of failures often observed, such as this shattered spring. 
Guidelines for proper design to avoid the common failures are provided.
This course is intended for those who work in industrial facilities to make them aware of the types of damage they might observe when in a plant, and for those on the design side who work in piping engineering or interface with piping engineering to understand the importance of pipe supports, and the design constraints that need to be planned for from the beginning of design.
The Piping Engineering curriculum by Mr. May includes:
- Introduction to Piping Engineering
- Building Mechanical Integrity Into a Plant Design
- Life Cycle Mechanical Integrity of Piping Systems
168-Life Cycle Mechanical Integrity Of Piping Systems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The long term mechanical integrity of piping systems is critical to ensuring safety of personnel, and the reliability of a plant. Pipe failures do occur at many facilities, and most failures can be avoided by proper periodic visual observation of the pipe and pipe supports; and Non Destructive Examination (NDE) focused on certain piping systems and locations.
This course describes the methods, checklists and examples of performing visual observations. When finished, the student will understand why the variable spring hanger in the photo is a concern. 
The course also shows a method to set up a long term NDE monitoring system, and guides to evaluating the results. Guidelines for developing Short Term and Long Term Recommendations are also provided to maintain the Mechanical Integrity of piping systems over decades.
This course is intended for those who work in industrial facilities to make them aware of a system they could set up, or maintain; for management who should be focused on reliability and safety issues; and for engineers designing plants to set up appropriate programs during the design and construction phases of the project.
The Piping Engineering curriculum by Mr. May includes:
- Introduction to Piping Engineering
- Building Mechanical Integrity Into the Plant Design
- Pipe Support Failures
171-Design of Sand Filters & Bioretention Systems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who are involved in land use projects requiring stormwater control. It explains the problem of controlling stormwater quality and lists several methods that can be used to provide this control.
The overall objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive design guide to two major types of stormwater control features: sand filters and bioretention systems. It includes descriptions of each of these systems along with the limitations of each and the maintenance required for each. The course includes standard details and representative photos of both sand filters and bioretention systems.
172-Design of Constructed Stormwater Wetlands
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who are involved in land use projects requiring stormwater control. It describes the design, installation, and maintenance of constructed stormwater wetlands.
The overall objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive design guide to constructed stormwater wetlands. A design of vegetated filter strips is also included as well as a discussion of water budget calculations. The course describes a variety of types of constructed wetlands and includes a discussion of adaptations that need to be made to them in unusual situations.
173-Interior Lighting Design The Fundamentals
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course will aid architects, engineers, interior designers and anyone involved in the design of lighting systems. It begins with the basics of light and color, and progresses into the anatomy of the eye and how humans are able to see images.
The course focuses primarily on fluorescent linear lighting, typical in most commercial buildings, and the correct selection of lamps and ballasts to meet Owner requirements and energy codes. A systematic calculation using the Zonal Cavity Method applies all of the concepts discussed in the course. Also addressed in the course is how scotopically enhanced lighting affects the lighting calculations. The course ends with a checklist of items to investigate to avoid some of the problems that could be inherent in the lighting design.
174-Design of Infiltration & Extended Detention Basins
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who are involved in land use projects requiring stormwater control. It describes the design, installation, and maintenance of infiltration basins and extended detention basins. It also compares the effectiveness of these two types of systems and points out the limitations on the use of each.
The overall objective of this course is to provide an overview of both infiltration basins and extended detention basins. It also describes the process involved in retro-fitting an existing detention basin to enhance its stormwater quality control performance.
175-Programming Excel in Visual Basic Part 1: An Introduction
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is a hands-on, step-by-step, introduction to computer programming for engineers, scientists and business professionals. By the end of this course, participants will gain the knowledge and skills to develop their own creative customized applications to assist them in their analyses, design, computations, and data management, in their fields of specialty. Participants will be able to identify professional situations in which the application of computer programming methods will be of great advantage to their work and their organization.
This course uses screen captures and an easily readable click-by-click narrative, to present fundamental concepts of computer programming to engineers, scientists and business professionals. The programming language used is Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in Excel, which is readily available in the Microsoft Office package. This course can be mastered by beginners with no programming experience as well as experienced professionals in need of a refresher, or looking to add a new programming language to their skillset.
This course is the first of a four-part series. A general overview of computers and computer programming languages is presented. A tour of the Excel VBA programming environment follows. The concept of variables is presented as it specifically relates to the VBA programming language.
Each chapter presents the fundamentals and theory of the topics, with practical examples from real-world situations. The course presents two hands-on mini projects in which the concepts and methods learned are applied and discussed in detail. The examples and mini projects cover fields from engineering, project management, business, and government.
176-Programming Excel in Visual Basic Part 2: Branching, Looping, Message Boxes, Alerts
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is a hands-on, step-by-step, introduction to computer programming for engineers, scientists and business professionals. By the end of this course, participants will gain the knowledge and skills to develop their own creative customized applications to assist them in their analyses, design, computations, and data management, in their fields of specialty. Participants will be able to identify professional situations in which the application of computer programming methods will be of great advantage to their work and their organization.
This course uses screen captures and an easily readable click-by-click narrative, to present fundamental concepts of computer programming to engineers, scientists and business professionals. The programming language used is Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in Excel, which is readily available in the Microsoft Office package. This course can be mastered by beginners with no programming experience as well as experienced professionals in need of a refresher, or looking to add a new programming language to their skillset.
This course is the second of a four-part series. In this course the topics, conditional statements, message boxes and alerts, and looping structures are presented. Computer Programming in Visual Basic (VBA) — Part 1 is not required as a pre-requisite to this course. It would however be helpful to understand the basic principles of computer programming as well as the fundamentals of the Excel VBA language as presented in Part 1 of this series.
Each chapter presents the fundamentals and theory of the topics, with practical examples from real-world situations. The course presents two hands-on mini projects in which the concepts and methods learned are applied and discussed in detail. The examples and mini projects cover fields from engineering, project management, business, and government.
177-Programming Excel in Visual Basic Part 3: Functions Procedures & String Variables
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is a hands-on, step-by-step, introduction to computer programming for engineers, scientists and business professionals. By the end of this course, participants will gain the knowledge and skills to develop their own creative customized applications to assist them in their analyses, design, computations, and data management, in their fields of specialty. Participants will be able to identify professional situations in which the application of computer programming methods will be of great advantage to their work and their organization.
This course uses screen captures and an easily readable click-by-click narrative, to present fundamental concepts of computer programming to engineers, scientists and business professionals. The programming language used is Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in Excel, which is readily available in the Microsoft Office package. This course can be mastered by beginners with no programming experience as well as experienced professionals in need of a refresher, or looking to add a new programming language to their skillset.
This course is the third of a four-part series on computer programming in Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). In this course, topics on functions and procedures, and working with string variables are covered. A tour of the VBA object library is also presented. Computer Programming in Visual Basic (VBA) — Part 1 and Part 2 are not required pre-requisites to this course. It would however be helpful to understand the basic principles of computer programming as well as the fundamentals of the Excel VBA language as presented in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.
Each chapter presents the fundamentals and theory of the topics, with practical examples from real-world situations. The course presents two hands-on mini projects in which the concepts and methods learned are applied and discussed in detail. The examples and mini projects cover fields from engineering, project management, business, and government.
178-Programming Excel in Visual Basic Part 4: Errors, Arrays, Dialog Boxes, Charts
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is a hands-on, step-by-step, introduction to computer programming for engineers, scientists and business professionals. By the end of this course, participants will gain the knowledge and skills to develop their own creative customized applications to assist them in their analyses, design, computations, and data management, in their fields of specialty. Participants will be able to identify professional situations in which the application of computer programming methods will be of great advantage to their work and their organization.
This course uses screen captures and an easily readable click-by-click narrative, to present fundamental concepts of computer programming to engineers, scientists and business professionals. The programming language used is Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in Excel, which is readily available in the Microsoft Office package. This course can be mastered by beginners with no programming experience as well as experienced professionals in need of a refresher, or looking to add a new programming language to their skillset.
This course is the fourth of a four-part series on computer programming in Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). In this course the topics, error handling, arrays, dialog boxes, and charts and graphs are presented. Computer Programming in Visual Basic (VBA) — Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 are not required pre-requisites to this course. It would however be helpful to understand the basic principles of computer programming as well as the fundamentals of the Excel VBA language as presented in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this series.
Each chapter presents the fundamentals and theory of the topics, with practical examples from real-world situations. The course presents a hands-on mini project in which the concepts and methods learned are applied and discussed in detail.
180-Asbestos Fundamentals
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The reader will learn what asbestos is, how it is used, and how it becomes dangerous to humans. You will have a basic understanding of asbestos in construction, the methods used to abate it, and the requirements of the United States (US) law for doing so. You will also learn how certain demolitions and renovations are regulated by US law in order to protect the public and the industry workers. Throughout the course material there will be comments regarding the desirable green or sustainable philosophy. An environmentally friendly ideology, action, standard, or process, which is more stringent than the law or regular construction standards and has a higher sensitivity toward human life or health will be herein deemed to be "green".
181-Introduction to Small-Scale Wind Project Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: 1. Summarize common terminology of the different types of wind turbines, as well as their relative merits and shortcomings.
2. Use the �Fundamental Equation of Wind Power� for realistic back-of-the-envelope power output projections and identifying practical limitations.
3. Familiarization with the nature (but not the detailed mathematics) of typical wind distribution regimes, such as the Weibull and Raleigh distributions.
4. Cognizance of wind energy project planning issues and show-stoppers, which if initially overlooked, could result in project cancellations.
Course Description:
This course covers the fundamentals of Wind Power technology, providing a practical "quick study" to those who need to (or desire to) become knowledgeable on this topic. Professional Engineers often find that they themselves need to "get real smart, real quick" on wind power, since it is not unusual that they are often the first to be asked by a client or employer to assess if more energy, time, or money should be devoted to investigating the feasibility of a proposed wind project.
By successfully completing this course, you should be comfortable performing fundamental wind energy projections with the sparse and incomplete data often available during preliminary project discussions, as well as become cognizant of pit-falls and show-stoppers that plague initial forays into this field. The goal is to equip the student so he or she will be able to provide a technically-sound reply when asked if a proposed wind power project warrants further evaluation at some additional effort or expense.
Note: This course has been approved for 4 GBCI CE hours for LEED Professionals; GBCI Course ID: 0920018312
182-Feedback Control System Fundamentals
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course discusses many fundamental concepts associated with classical feedback control theory. Feedback control measures the state of a physical system or device with a sensing system. The measured state is fed-back and compared to a desired state and the error used by a controller to reduce the difference between the actual and desired states. An example of a feedback control system is the central heating and air conditioning system for a home, or building. A thermostat or temperature sensor is the feedback sensor that measures the room temperature and compares it to the desired temperature or set point, calculating a difference or error. If the temperature is less than the set point, the error is used by the controller to force more heat into the room. When the set point is reached, the error is zero or below an error threshold and the controller will stop heating the room. Another example is the speed control in most of today's automobiles. The speed of the vehicle is measured and compared to a desired speed. Based on the difference between actual speed and the set point, acceleration or braking is applied to the automobile drive to null the error and maintain the desired speed.
Classical control deals directly with the differential equations that describe the dynamics of a plant or process. These equations are transformed into frequency dependent transfer functions. The transfer function is the ratio of two frequency dependent polynomials whose roots describe the response of the plant in a frequency domain. The controller or compensator shapes the closed feedback loop response, given the plant response, to achieve the control performance objectives. Classical feedback control design and analysis tends to require a good foundation in mathematics, however the purpose of this course is not to dwell on the math, although examples are provided, but to provide the basic design and analysis concepts.
The topics covered begin with a description of the basic block diagram in section 2. The relationships between time and frequency domain representations of the block diagram elements are discussed in section 3 followed by the key feedback relationships derived from the block diagram algebra in section 4. Control loop stability and methods to determine stability margins are described in section 5 followed by a discussion of specifying control loop performance in section 6. A couple of control loop design methods are provided in section 7. The basic theory is then applied to two examples; a home heating system in section 8 and motion control applications in section 9. Converting to a digital sample data controller is discussed in section 10; as related to the motion control example in section 9.
183-Quality Project Management
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is about improving the quality for managing project work in an organization whether you are an engineer, senior manager or professional project manager. In the ideal project world, project managers are well-trained professionals and assigned to a project at the beginning of the project. In the real project world, many projects are small and assigned to engineers and managers with less than professional project management training at any time in the life of the project.
For the engineer, senior manager or professional project manager the quality for managing project work should improve significantly by combining seven key tools with a basic feature from statistical process control, the control chart. The seven key tools, called The Seven Icons©, are presented in this course and will demonstrate how they can be used to improve planning and controlling project work.
The Seven Icons© are organized and connected in a structure that is easy to remember. The icon terms serve as a common language between managers, team members, and their bosses. This feature becomes most important when considering that practically everyone in an organization is involved in some kind of project work. Having an effective way of remembering and applying key tools to project work will improve communications throughout the organization and ultimately improve the quality for managing project work.
At the end of the course is a set of questions that highlights the take-aways for the reader to remember and use for improving the quality for managing projects in their organization.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) accepts this courses for category 4 credit
186-Intellectual Property and Patents for the Professional Engineer
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is organized with an introduction to the general practice of the engineering arts with emphasis on the facets that are specific to the profession of the Registered Professional Engineer. A similar emphasis on and distinctions of the general forms of intellectual property is introduced with particular emphasis on the United States Patent Office and issued patents; such as are likely to be associated with the practice of the Professional Engineer. Some practical considerations are developed as apply to the practice of Professional Engineering.
This course has been produced by two practicing Professional Engineers. One author, Dr. Raymond L. Barrett, Jr., PhD, PE has many years of engineering experience and is an author of books, articles, and courses, as well as an inventor with 36 issued US patents as a named inventor. Similarly, Luis Figarella, PE also has over 20 years of experience as a practicing engineer and Patent Agent and is an author of books, articles, and courses, as well as an inventor with 14 issued US patents as a named inventor, and over 35 issued/allowed US Patents for his clients.
Due to the nature of the course, the materials presented in this course were extensively obtained from referenced public sources with links to those sources conveniently provided. On completion of the course the terms should be clear, many of the issues as well as an introduction to the processes and procedures needed to identify intellectual property issues and protect the rights of the owner of the identified intellectual property should be clearer. The course is presented as an overview and is not a substitute for competent legal advice in any particular cases.
189-A Guide to Low Impact Development
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who are involved in land use development projects requiring stormwater control. It explains the concepts included in low impact design and discusses many of the techniques involved.
The overall objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive overview to low impact design. It includes descriptions of many of the techniques along with design examples showing how these techniques can be used to control stormwater runoff and to enhance downstream water quality.
190-Web-Based Programming For Engineers - Part 1
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The objective of this course series is to present web-based computer programming to engineers. Engineers generally learn a conventional computer programming language such as FORTRAN, Pascal, C++, etc. Since the advent of the internet and the World Wide Web, web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, etc. have built-in capabilities to interpret and implement programmed instructions written in a class of programming languages called scripting languages. Web-based programming involves writing codes, called scripts, in a scripting language. The scripts are embedded in the structure of web pages. Unlike conventional general purpose programming languages, web-based programming does not require any special software to be installed. The scripts are interpreted and implemented directly by the web browser. Web-based programming is an increasingly relevant and advantageous tool for engineers competing in the global marketplace in the age of the internet and the World Wide Web. Once uploaded to the World Wide Web, web-based applications are immediately exposed to a global audience.
This course is the first of a series on web-based programming. This course prepares participants for learning scripting languages and web-based programming. This course uses screenshots and an easily readable click-by-click narrative that engages participants as they proceed through the topics. An introduction to computers and computer networks, the internet and the World Wide Web, is presented. The fundamentals of the Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), for building web pages, are presented in detail. Several examples are presented to illustrate the creation and editing of web pages using HTML alone. At the end of this course, participants will be capable of building a web page from scratch, and editing and updating existing web pages. Upon completion of this course, participants will be prepared to begin learning how to program web-based applications. On completion of this course participants will be able to identify professional situations in which applying web-based programming will be of great benefit to them in their fields of specialty, and to their organizations.
191-Web-Based Programming For Engineers - Part 2
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The objective of this course series is to present web-based computer programming to engineers. Engineers generally learn a conventional computer programming language such as FORTRAN, Pascal, C++, etc. Since the advent of the internet and the World Wide Web, web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, etc. have built-in capabilities to interpret and implement programmed instructions written in a class of programming languages called scripting languages. Web-based programming involves writing codes, called scripts, in a scripting language. The scripts are embedded in the structure of web pages. Unlike conventional general purpose programming languages, web-based programming does not require any special software to be installed. The scripts are interpreted and implemented directly by the web browser. Web-based programming is an increasingly relevant and advantageous tool for engineers competing in the global marketplace in the age of the internet and the World Wide Web. Once uploaded to the World Wide Web, web-based applications are immediately exposed to a global audience.
This course is the second of a series on web-based programming. This class presents Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) forms and the JavaScript scripting language. This course uses screenshots and an easily readable click-by-click narrative that engages participants as they proceed through the topics. This course starts with an overview of the HTML language used to create web pages, followed by HTML forms and controls. The fundamentals of the JavaScript language are then presented in detail. Several examples and illustrations from many fields of specialty are presented to illustrate the creation and editing of interactive web pages using HTML codes and JavaScript scripts. At the end of this course, participants will be capable of building a web page from scratch, editing and updating existing web pages using HTML and JavaScript alone. Participants will be able to create fully functional interactive web pages and web applications that can be used to input and output data, as well as run complex algorithms. On completion of this course participants will be able to identify professional situations in which applying web-based programming will be of great benefit to them in their fields of specialty, and to their organizations.
192-Web-Based Programming For Engineers - Part 3
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The objective of this course series is to present web-based computer programming to engineers. Engineers generally learn a conventional computer programming language such as FORTRAN, Pascal, C++, etc. Since the advent of the internet and the World Wide Web, web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, etc. have built-in capabilities to interpret and implement programmed instructions written in a class of programming languages called scripting languages. Web-based programming involves writing codes, called scripts, in a scripting language. The scripts are embedded in the structure of web pages. Unlike conventional general purpose programming languages, web-based programming does not require any special software to be installed. The scripts are interpreted and implemented directly by the web browser. Web-based programming is an increasingly relevant and advantageous tool for engineers competing in the global marketplace in the age of the internet and the World Wide Web. Once uploaded to the World Wide Web, web-based applications are immediately exposed to a global audience.
This course is the final part of a series on web-based programming. This course presents topics on the JavaScript scripting language. This course uses screenshots and an easily readable click-by-click narrative that engages participants as they proceed through the topics. This course starts with an overview of the branching and looping structures in JavaScript, followed by an in-depth presentation of JavaScript objects. Techniques to manipulate the web browser as well as handling of errors are also presented. Examples from various fields are presented to illustrate the application of the fundamental concepts in real world situations. On completion of this course, participants will be able to create fully functional interactive web pages and web applications that can be used to input and output data, as well as run complex algorithms. On completion of this course participants will be able to identify professional situations in which applying web-based programming will be of great benefit to them in their fields of specialty and to their organizations.
There are no required pre-requisites for this course. However, it will be helpful to understand the basics of creating web pages as well as the fundamentals of scripting languages as presented in the earlier parts of this course series.
195-Solar Power Part II - Design for Grid-Tie Systems - An Introduction
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Detailed course outline with timeline
- 6 Minutes - Introduction, brief history, and current applications
- 26 Minutes - Basic Grid-Tie Concepts
- 16 Minutes - System components
- 15 Minutes - Power Company Disconnects
- 10 Minutes - DC Power Disconnects
- 7 Minutes - Battery Banks
- 16 Minutes - DC Power Circuits
- 11 Minutes - Emergency Power
- 16 Minutes - System Sizing
- 37 Minutes - Solar Panels
- 8 Minutes - Batteries
- 5 Minutes - Charge Controllers
- 11 Minutes - Inverters
- 5 Minutes - Meters
- 7 Minutes - Generators
- 5 Minutes - Summary
- 40 Minutes - The Test
This is a course that begins where the first course "Solar Power Design for Small Structures" ends. You will be introduced to the components needed to connect a solar PV system to the power grid and how they work together to provide power for a building. You will also be provided a quick refresher of the design process.
199-Forensic Analysis Involving Fugitive Natural Gas and Propane
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Engineers are frequently called upon to perform forensic analyses of the origin and cause of explosions and fires involving fuel gas systems that use either natural gas or propane. This course will consider those cases where the natural gas or propane vapor has escaped from its normal confinement and caused an explosion or fire or both.
This course will focus on two critical components of the engineer's expertise that may be brought to bear in such a forensic analysis. These concern the understanding of (1) how a fuel gas behaves when it is released from confinement, and (2) how the observed explosion damage may relate to the concentration of the fugitive gas and rate of release of the fugitive gas. Giving the engineer an understanding of these two areas of knowledge, from both a qualitative and a quantitative standpoint, will be the objective of this course.
201-Electrical Engineering Fundamentals for Non-Electrical Engineers
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Electrical Engineering Fundamentals for Non-Electrical Engineers is a course designed to promote an understanding of the fundamentals of electricity. The course covers the differences between Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) power sources by explaining the behavior of the voltage and current for both types of sources. The fundamental circuit building blocks including resistors, capacitors and inductors are covered including their behavior in series and parallel circuits as well as transient analysis. The course covers Ohm's law and Kirchoff's Laws and their application to performing circuit analysis. This course also includes a brief introduction to imaginary numbers and phasors as related to current, voltage, and impedance.
It is designed as a course for engineers that either have not had a substantial amount of electrical training or it has been some time since receiving that training. The course offers easy to read graphs, real world examples, and sample problems to promote understanding.
202-Solar Power Part III - Design Considerations
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Detailed course outline with timeline
- 15 Minutes — Introduction
- 20 Minutes — Components Review
- 10 Minutes — PV Panels
- 35 Minutes — Mounts
- 5 Minutes — PV sizing
- 10 Minutes — Batteries
- 10 Minutes — Charge Controllers
- 15 Minutes — Inverters
- 5 Minutes — Meters, Monitors, Generators
- 30 Minutes — System Wiring
- 10 Minutes — Surge Protectors
- 15 Minutes — Schematics
- 20 Minutes — Emerging Technologies
- 5 Minutes — Summary
- 40 Minutes — The Test
Those who take this course should already have a basic understanding of a PV system. This course will briefly review and highlight the components and process of designing a solar power system for small structures but does not provide all of the explanations and basic information found in the introductory course (Solar Power Part I to Design for Small Structures - An Introduction). This course provides more details and calculations used when expanding beyond a very basic system and by providing additional information on items not included previously such as surge protectors, battery capacities and their selection, DC appliances, sample solar system schematics, and emerging technologies. This course is intended to build on the Solar Power Part I and Solar Power Part II introductory courses.
203-What Every Engineer Should Know About Structures - Part A - Statics Fundamentals
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Written in an easy to understand style, the course What Every Engineer Should Know About Structures Part A — Statics Fundamentals focuses on presenting simplified methods of calculations, and the presentation of intuitive methods for the understanding and solving of basic statics problems. Statics is fundamental to the field of engineering mechanics — including structural analysis and design. Included among the many topics covered are loads and forces on members; how to deal with uniformly varying distributed loads; solving equilibrium equations using an intuitive and simple method where up equals down and left equals right; and simplifying assumptions to determine the forces necessary to keep an extension ladder from sliding down a wall. Many example problems are worked with simple and easy to understand diagrams. Newton's three laws of motion are presented and reduced to two for use in statics.
This course is not a design course. However the methods and techniques presented can be used to determine the forces in many common structures including storage shelves in the garage, the support forces of an NFL player's bench, and drifting snow loads on a porch roof.
Anyone who has taken high school trig and algebra can complete this course.
What Every Engineer should Know About Structures Part B — Statics Applications, the second in a series, continues on with a look at how the fundamentals are applied to solving real-life statics problems. Included are sections on reactions; friction; forces in truss members; forces in cables used to support traffic lights hanging over intersections; and the huge mechanical advantages gained by using pulleys and sheaves.
Basic Trigonometry, Significant Figures, and Rounding — A Quick Review is a zero credit course intended for those who might find themselves a bit rusty and would like a quick refresher. The information in the course is useful for application to the solution of structural problems especially in the fields of statics and strength of materials.
This course is free and can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
400-Basic Trigonometry, Significant Figures, and Rounding
The trigonometry review includes demonstrating - through the use of several example problems — the use of the basic trigonometric functions including: the sine, cosine and tangent and their inverse; the Pythagorean Theorem; the Sum of the Angles; the Law of Sines; and the Law of Cosines. The significant figures and rounding review includes a discussion of the precision and validity of an answer, along with rules and guidelines for using the appropriate number of significant figures, and for rounding answers appropriately.
207-What Every Engineer Should Know About Structures - Part B - Statics Applications
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Written in an easy to understand style, the course What Every Engineer Should Know About Structures Part B — Statics Applications is a logical extension of the previous course in the series, What Every Engineer should Know About Structures Part A — Statics Fundamentals.
Where the first course in the series, "Part A — Statics Fundamentals", presented the fundamental principles of statics including nomenclature, definitions, Newton's Laws, and procedural methods, this course, "Part B — Statics Applications", applies the principles learned to real-life problems.
The course is divided into five sections. Included are sections on calculating reactions for beams, trusses, and frames; determining forces in truss members; calculating the different forces is a single cable supporting point and distributed loads; presenting the basics of friction; and understanding the principles of sheaves and pulleys.
Statics is fundamental to the field of engineering mechanics — including structural analysis and design. Included among the many topics covered are discussions of the uncertainties of design loads, why utility linemen are careful to sight along a line when making a final hook-up, and why simplifications in stating a statics problem is an acceptable and common practice. Many example problems are worked with simple and easy to understand diagrams and calculations.
This course is not a design course. However the methods and techniques presented can be used to determine the forces in many common structures including metal building frames, traffic light suspension cables, and multi-line hoisting systems, as well as to determine the minimum lean angle of an extension ladder as limited by friction.
Anyone who has completed the first course in this series can complete this course.
Basic Trigonometry, Significant Figures, and Rounding — A Quick Review is a zero credit course intended for those who might find themselves a bit rusty and would like a quick refresher. The information in the course is useful for application to the solution of structural problems especially in the fields of statics and strength of materials.
This course is free and can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
400-Basic
Trigonometry, Significant Figures, and Rounding
The trigonometry review includes demonstrating - through the use of several example problems — the use of the basic trigonometric functions including: the sine, cosine and tangent and their inverse; the Pythagorean Theorem; the Sum of the Angles; the Law of Sines; and the Law of Cosines. The significant figures and rounding review includes a discussion of the precision and validity of an answer, along with rules and guidelines for using the appropriate number of significant figures, and for rounding answers appropriately.
208-Future Highways - Automated Vehicles
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
It has been approximately 100 years since the motorized vehicle replaced the horse and buggy. The future of highway transportation is now undergoing another major revolution as engineers across numerous disciplines (transportation, automotive, technology, etc.) work towards moving the responsibility of driving the automobile from human to machine, see figure. The development of cars driven completely without aid by a human driver (i.e., driverless cars), commonly referred to as 'automated' vehicles, will certainly give more appropriate meaning to the term 'auto'-mobile.
Example of a future highway (Source: USDOT)
In this course, you will learn about:
- the terminology being used in the field of automated highway vehicles,
- examples of government legislation being implemented to facilitate the future of automated vehicles,
- the technologies being used in automated vehicles,
- automated vehicle engineering research and standards under development, and
- potential impacts of automated vehicles on traffic flow and roadway design.
209-Green Irrigation Fundamentals - Balancing Aquifer Recharge and Withdrawal
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This "Green Irrigation Fundamentals — Balancing Aquifer Recharge and Withdrawal" is an introduction to an irrigation water demand calculation methodology, which is presented specifically for Florida, USA, but the methodology is applicable to anywhere in the world where similar water management challenges exist and where conservation of water resources is important.
This methodology is presented to allow for a systematic approach to evaluate and determine the optimum irrigation water demand for a particular house, a residential development or commercial development or any other project where impervious surfaces are created and the land use is changed to reduce evapotranspiration water losses.
The approach is relatively simple: if the amount of irrigation water used is equal to the amount of additional water created by the improvements to recharge the aquifer, then the net effect is zero (no impact).
The primary objective of this short course is to introduce a methodology that can be used by individual home owners, developers, engineers, planners, regulators and any other water managers who are interested in the conservation of water and a systematic application of water use restrictions based on scientific principles.
211-Mechanics of Attitude Control for Spacecraft
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is recommended for:
- All engineering disciplines; since this is a fundamentals (breadth) level course. You may take all parts or any individual course(s) that you are interested in.
- Any engineer; to expand discipline knowledge when applied to other applications
The main objective of this course seeks to answer the following question:
- How does a spacecraft maintain or change its orientation (i.e. pointing direction, attitude)?
212-A Comparison of Runoff Estimation Techniques
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who deal with any kind of stormwater management. Two major types of models (The Rational method and the SCS Method) are discussed in detail. In addition, examples are provided for each technique and a comparison example is given in which a problem is solved independently using both methods.
The overall objective of this course is to provide a detailed guide to both the Rational Method and the SCS Method. In addition, a third method is also discussed with a design example. The course also includes a number of photographs which are provided to help the engineer decide on runoff coefficient values and to aid in the calculation of the time of concentration.
213-Practical Forensic Engineering-Property-Part 1
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course provides a basic familiarity with the essentials of forensic engineering for property losses, as applied to basic principles and to the investigation, assessment, and reporting of property damage claims for insurance industry and attorney clients. Practical guidance is provided such that the practicing forensic engineer may be better able to assess and understand the environment in which he is operating, and to be aware of the expectations and of the challenges placed on him in this role. Emphasis is placed on the implementation of a scientific and thorough process for investigation, reporting and forming opinions that minimize opportunities for later challenge, either by another party or during litigation. The elements of the litigation process, including testimony, are reviewed as they may apply to the engineering expert witness.
219-Repair Techniques for Wood Trusses, Part 1: Simple Repair Concepts
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Metal plated wood trusses are engineered products that are manufactured in a controlled environment and are now used extensively in the woodframe construction industry. Wood trusses provide the architect or building designer greater flexibility in the design of the structure than conventional framed (stick-built) construction. The design is not as limiting with regard to bearing wall locations which enables longer spans and greater ability to shape complicated roof and ceiling profiles. These pre-manufactured wood trusses facilitate a quicker construction schedule and an overall lower cost.
Wood, a renewable resource, has a great deal of manufacturing flexibility. Wood members are easily formed into standard framing sizes, cut into appropriate lengths with odd angles if necessary, and attached to form the wood structure. However, wood is more susceptible than steel or concrete to damage due to internal defects, handling issues, and long term deterioration. Design or manufacturing errors, shipping damage, miscommunication, and change orders are possible causes for the inadequacy of a wood truss for a specific application and therefore a repair or modification of the pre-manufactured wood truss is required. The purpose of this document is to address various repair techniques that could be used to correct damage to the wood members or metal plates, reinforce trusses that do not meet the required specified design loads, or adjust the truss profile or member location to meet other design requirements.
This course is the second part in a three part series which consists of a total of 11 chapters between all three parts. Chapters 1 through 3 provide an introduction to the terms, concepts, and process involved in truss repairs. Chapters 4 through 11 contain actual truss repairs to provide instruction through the use of example. These chapters are broken down as follows:
- Part 1: Introduction and Simple Repair Concepts — Five Chapters.
- Chapter 1 — Definitions
- Chapter 2 — Repair Design Concepts
- Chapter 3 — Wood Truss Repair Connections
- Chapter 4 — Member Damage and Defects
- Chapter 5 — Plate Damage
- Part 2: Moderate Truss Repairs - Four Chapters
- Chapter 6 — Manufacturing Errors
- Chapter 7 - Stubs and Extensions
- Chapter 8 — Minor Modifications
- Chapter 9 — Major Modifications
- Part 3: Complex Truss Repairs - Two Chapters — Current Part
- Chapter 10 — Volume Ceiling Changes
- Chapter 11 — Girders and Truss Loading
It is highly recommended to complete Parts 1 and 2 before attempting Part 3. The techniques developed in the earlier chapters provide a good basis for the complex truss repairs presented in Part 3.
223-Soil Permeability Testing
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who design individual septic disposal systems or any other features (drywells, infiltration basins, etc.).
The overall objective of this course is to provide a detailed account of a variety of field and laboratory soil tests to determine soil suitability. It presents a cookbook type approach to these tests, specifying the materials needed and the methodology employed. After completing this course the engineer should be able to conduct all of the tests described in the course.
227-Earthwork Basics and a Traditional Calculation Method
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is developed to identify the basics of earthwork and to explain a "traditional" method of performing earthwork analysis via hand calculations. This study is for those who are not experienced with earthwork, earthwork calculations and earthwork equipment.
Additionally, it is intended to be a helpful a refresher and source to anyone who has worked in Civil Engineering and/or Land Development looking for a resource discussing earthwork basics. Earthwork analysis is an important topic for any Civil Engineer involved in roadway and land development to understand associated with their required design. This course will focus more on site analysis than on the analysis required to economically determine the elevation of highways through mountainous regions.
This course will also expose the student to the basic equipment used in the construction field associated with earthwork.
239-What Every Engineer Should Know About Drive Trains and Linkages
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Mechanism Design for the Real World focuses on the applications and in particular, the serviceability of the basic parts that make up mechanisms. Drive trains made from gears, chains, timing belts, and V-belts are covered, as are the many kinds of bearings that they run on. The uses of various kinds of linkages are described.
It is a course for people who do not have a heavy background in mechanisms design, such as Structural Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Mechanical (HVAC) Engineers, and Architects.
It is, perhaps, a review for people who have studied Machine Design in College, but have not been seriously involved with it since, or who have had little experience in its practical application.
240-Kayak & Canoe Launch Design (a.k.a. Non-Motorized Boat Launches)
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Detailed course outline with timeline
- 24 Minutes — Introduction
- 10 Minutes — Design Considerations
- 49 Minutes — Parking Design
- 5 Minutes — Design Examples
- 54 Minutes — NMB Launch Design
- 10 Minutes — Facilities
- 20 Minutes — ADA Accessibility
- 5 Minutes — Special Cases
- 24 Minutes — Examples of Bad Designs
- 5 Minutes — Summary
- 40 Minutes — The Test
Those who take this course will learn about the basic design of canoe and kayak launches. They will learn about the pre-design considerations, parking issues, different types of launches, support facilities, ADA accessibility, and look at some examples of bad designs. They will learn how to incorporate all of these considerations into a functional cost-efficient design required for a successful NMB launch project.
242-What Every Engineer Should Know About Reinforcement Corrosion in Concrete Highway Bridges
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course provides a summary of a topic that is much in the news — the incidence and causes of the deteriorating condition of an important segment of the physical infrastructure in the United States - concrete highway bridges. In these structures the primary cause of damage is corrosion of the embedded steel reinforcement. The course condenses selected information from (20) cited engineering standards, articles and government reports to supply an overview of the topic.
Included are the ways corrosion damage occurs, control methods by which corrosion can be minimized for new construction and during remediation along with several techniques used to assess the extent of existing corrosion damage. The types of construction discussed are traditional rebar in concrete and prestressed bridge members — both pre and post-tensioned. The causes of problems with coated structural steel in bridges that are fully exposed to the atmosphere are briefly reviewed. Much of the information is applicable beyond bridges to other reinforced concrete structures that may experience corrosion of embedded reinforcement.
The learning objectives are to allow professional engineers to gain a basic understanding of how corrosion in reinforced structures occurs and how it may be assessed and controlled.
The course is most suitable for civil, structural and transportation engineers plus persons in other engineering disciples that plan and supervise construction and remediation of concrete structures in which corrosion may be an issue.
245-A Practical Introduction to Zoning and Entitlements
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is developed to introduce basic concepts of zoning and entitlements for those who are not experienced with land development, as well as a refresher to anyone who has worked in land development and/or has been exposed to zoning and entitlements requirements before. Understanding the basics of zoning and entitlements is important for any civil engineer who will be involved in a property development project.
This course can be used at a high level to help guide the due diligence process associated with confirming the risks associated with the required zoning and entitlements have been reasonably considered and explored. After taking this course, the engineer will be in a better position to guide their clients to more and more frequently successful projects with less and less surprises.
247-Orifice and Venturi Pipe Flow Meters - For Liquid and Gas Flow
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The flow rate of a fluid flowing in a pipe under pressure is measured for a variety of applications, such as monitoring of pipe flow rate and control of industrial processes. Differential pressure flow meters, consisting of orifice, flow nozzle, and venturi meters, are widely used for pipe flow measurement and are the topic of this course. All three of these meters use a constriction in the path of the pipe flow and measure the difference in pressure between the undisturbed flow and the flow through the constriction. That pressure difference can then be used to calculate the flow rate. This course will provide general background information about differential pressure flow meters and the format of the equation used for calculating liquid flow rate through any of them. There will also be presentation and discussion of equations used for gas flow through a differential pressure flow meter and the parameters in those equations. There will be descriptions of each of these meters and their particular equations, along with example calculations. Use of the ideal gas law to calculate the density of a gas at known temperature and pressure and use of an ISO 5167 equation to calculate the value of an orifice coefficient are additional topics related to orifice and venturi meter calculations that are included in this course. A spreadsheet to assist with orifice/venturi/flow nozzle meter calculations and ISO calculation of an orifice coefficient is also provided. This spreadsheet allows for user selection of either U.S. units or S.I. units for the calculations.
The overall objective of this course is to prepare those completing the course to use orifice, venturi and flow nozzle meters and to make calculations associated with their use. A more detailed list of learning objectives is included in the course document.
250-Project Management Through Client Management
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended to provide professionals with a different perspective in Project Management by addressing the Client's needs in a Project Manager. The course will discuss the attributes that Clients expect and demand from the Professional that will be managing the project development.
The course will start with assessing the client, the project, and the professional's qualifications. This is followed by discussions of some of the client's expectations, contracts, communications, relationships, and more. So many professionals fall short of what a client is looking for because the professional is focused on the technical aspects of the design and lose sight of the overall project development. This course is for all of those that honestly want to be a truly effective Project Manager for their Client and their company.
Detailed course outline with timeline
- 7 Minutes — Contents and Introduction
- 25 Minutes — Assessments
- 14 Minutes — Expectations
- 23 Minutes — Cheap Fast Good
- 11 Minutes — Contracts
- 18 Minutes — Schedule
- 24 Minutes — Communications
- 12 Minutes — Responsiveness
- 11 Minutes — Relationships
- 12 Minutes — Roles
- 14 Minutes — Multiple Clients
- 18 Minutes — Invoices
- 11 Minutes — Summary
- 40 Minutes — The Test
This course is an introduction on how to manage a project through managing the client.
Have you ever met a Project Manager that stated publicly that he's not a good project manager? Of course not! Every Project Manager believes he is a good manager. Part of being a good Project Manager includes working with the Client in the concept development, design, permitting, and construction process. Not working effectively with the Client in any one of these stages will pretty much eliminate you from future work with this Client. This course is for all of those that honestly want to be a truly effective Project Manager for their Client and their company.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) accepts this courses for category 4 credit
256-Building Rebar Inspection
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Building Rebar Inspection takes the reader through a journey across the reinforced concrete construction of a new school center. It starts with the inspection of typical foundation pile caps and grade beams. Walls, slabs and other component features are described and illustrated. Sample Forms are provided for Inspectors to use as models to get started. Even the beginning designer or related professional will gain insight into how their design or contracting function fits into the concrete work happening in the field.
258-An Introduction to the Analysis and Design of Bolted Connections
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Bolted connections are used in many mechanical and structural applications. Fundamental knowledge of how to design bolted connections is critical for engineers. This introductory course provides a systematic and easy to understand approach that explains the essential details of the analysis and design of common bolted connections. The material presented in this course is at an introductory level, covering what every engineer should know about bolted connections, and no prior understanding of bolted connections is required. However, a general understanding of mechanics of materials (primarily basic stress and torsion) is helpful for this course.
The course covers basic terminology associated with threaded fasteners and the different styles of threaded fasteners. The different screw thread systems are covered along with the associated tolerance classes. Common materials used for threaded fasteners are discussed along with available coatings to improve corrosion resistance. SAE grades, structural grades, and metric classes are discussed. Bolt strength properties, such as proof load and tensile strength, are discussed and compared.
The general design procedure is explained for direct loading and eccentrically loaded connections. The direct loading applications focus on lap joints, with a general discussion of butt joints. Topics on eccentrically loaded connections focus on connections with bolts subjected to eccentric shear.
261-What Every Engineer Should Know About Structures - Part C - Axial Strength of Materials
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Written in an easy to understand style, the courseWhat Every Engineer Should Know About Structures - Part C — Axial Strength of Materials is the third course in the series of courses in the
field of study called engineering mechanics. This course focuses on presenting simplified methods of calculations, and the presentation of intuitive methods for the understanding and solving of basic problems. The
course contains 18 solved example problems to illustrate the principles discussed.
This Course Includes:
- stress and strain in a member, and their relationship, including material properties such as Hooke's Law and modulus of elasticity;
- axial loads in tension and compression, including deformation;
- shear stresses, including shear modulus of elasticity, single and double shear, and punching shear;
- design stresses and factors of safety;
- temperature deformation and thermal stresses, and;
- cross sectional properties of structural members including determining the centroid of a cross section.
The first two courses in the series, calledStatics, focused on solving problems related to the exterior (or externally) applied loads on a stationary body - a body at rest. It is expected that
you have a good background in the study of Statics. If you are not familiar with statics, consider taking the two SunCam courses titledWhat Every Engineer Should Know About Structures Part A — Statics
Fundamentals andWhat Every Engineer Should Know About Structures Part B — Statics Applications.
Basic Trigonometry, Significant Figures, and Rounding — A Quick Review is a zero credit course intended for those who might find themselves a bit rusty and would like a quick refresher. The information in the course is useful for application to the solution of structural problems especially in the fields of statics and strength of materials.
This course is free and can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
400-Basic Trigonometry, Significant Figures, and Rounding
The trigonometry review includes demonstrating - through the use of several example problems — the use of the basic trigonometric functions including: the sine, cosine and tangent and their inverse; the Pythagorean Theorem; the Sum of the Angles; the Law of Sines; and the Law of Cosines. The significant figures and rounding review includes a discussion of the precision and validity of an answer, along with rules and guidelines for using the appropriate number of significant figures, and for rounding answers appropriately.
265-Verilog for Digital Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
With the recognition of the Professional Engineering status for the practice of Computer Engineering in April of 2009, the practice of Control Systems Engineering in October of 2011, and the practice of Software Engineering in April of 2013, there has been the need for specialized continuing education courses related to these practices. Computer Engineering majors may have taken a course with some component of digital design without using Verilog, or may have had a course using the VHDL language. Control Systems engineers will find Verilog to be a useful tool for modeling and simulating real-time hardware and embedded systems for control applications, Software engineers can apply the principles of the concurrent parallel system representations available in Verilog for numerous applications. Other disciplines, including Electrical Engineers will also find the digital design practices encapsulated in Verilog useful all the way to the device level representations available in the language.
We assume that all readers are familiar with digital design concepts, but are interested in an introduction to the capabilities of the Verilog Design Language and how to use it in the design practice. Likewise, we assume that readers generally have rudimentary experience with computer languages, text editors, and general concepts of computer program compilation.
We lead the reader through installation of Free, Open Source Software tools to enter designs, compile and display results, then take the reader through the Behavioral, RTL, and Structural levels of abstraction available, illustrating with simple examples. This course is not exhaustive on the topic but makes a case for the value and usage of Verilog in Digital Design.
266-Repair Techniques for Wood Trusses, Part 2: Moderate Truss Repairs
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Metal plated wood trusses are engineered products that are manufactured in a controlled environment and are now used extensively in the wood frame construction industry. Wood trusses provide the architect
or building designer greater flexibility in the design of the structure than conventional framed (stick-built) construction. The design is not as limiting with regard to bearing wall locations which enables
longer spans and greater ability to shape complicated roof and ceiling profiles. These pre-manufactured wood trusses facilitate a quicker construction schedule and an overall lower cost.
Wood, a renewable resource, has a great deal of manufacturing flexibility. Wood members are easily formed into standard framing sizes, cut into appropriate lengths with odd angles if necessary, and attached
to form the wood structure. However, wood is more susceptible than steel or concrete to damage due to internal defects, handling issues, and long term deterioration. Design or manufacturing errors, shipping damage,
miscommunication, and change orders are possible causes for the inadequacy of a wood truss for a specific application and therefore a repair or modification of the pre-manufactured wood truss is required. The purpose of this document is to address various repair techniques that could be used to correct damage to the wood members or metal plates, reinforce trusses that do not meet the required specified design loads, or adjust the
truss profile or member location to meet other design requirements.
This course is the second part in a three part series which consists of a total of 11 chapters between all three parts. Chapters 1 through 3 provide an introduction to the terms, concepts, and process involved in
truss repairs. Chapters 4 through 11 contain actual truss repairs to provide instruction through the use of example. These chapters are broken down as follows:
Part 1: Introduction and Simple Repair Concepts — Five Chapters:
- Chapter 1 — Definitions
- Chapter 2 — Repair Design Concepts
- Chapter 3 — Wood Truss Repair Connections
- Chapter 4 — Member Damage and Defects
- Chapter 5 — Plate Damage
Part 2: Moderate Truss Repairs - Four Chapters:
- Chapter 6 — Manufacturing Errors
- Chapter 7 — Stubs and Extensions
- Chapter 8 — Minor Modifications
- Chapter 9 — Major Modifications
Part 3: Complex Truss Repairs - Two Chapters — Current Part:
- Chapter 10 — Volume Ceiling Changes
- Chapter 11 — Girders and Truss Loading.
It is highly recommended to complete Parts 1 and 2 before attempting Part 3. The techniques developed in the earlier chapters provide a good basis for the complex truss repairs presented in Part 3.
269-An Introduction to Due Diligence Reports for Development Projects
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This course is intended to provide professionals with an introduction to the research conducted and the submittal required for a Due Diligence Report of a Development Project. The course will discuss the process for preparing a Due Diligence Report (aka the "Report") beginning with the initial meeting with the Client and then proceeding to the field investigation, and the regulatory research required to produce the final Report. In the course are tips and examples that are provided for assistance and clarification of the various topics being discussed.
As you will learn, there are professional liabilities and risks associated with Due Diligence Reports that the professional needs to understand in order to protect his company, and himself, before executing a contract with a Client. Also included at the end of the course documentation is a sample Due Diligence checklist that can be used as a starting point for conducting the research for a Due Diligence Report.
Course Description:
Detailed course outline with timeline
- 6 Minutes — Contents and Introduction
- 11 Minutes — Course Description
- 14 Minutes — The Contract
- 23 Minutes — Due Diligence Research
- 11 Minutes — Field Work
- 18 Minutes — Regulatory Research
- 24 Minutes — Environmental Research
- 12 Minutes — Legal Research
- 11 Minutes — Utilities Research
- 12 Minutes — Transportation Research
- 14 Minutes — Miscellaneous Client Requests
- 18 Minutes — Estimates of Development Costs
- 11 Minutes — Summary
- 40 Minutes — The Test
270-Fundamentals of Linux For the Professional Engineer
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
With the recognition of the Professional Engineer (PE) status for the practice of Computer Engineering in April of 2009, the practice of Control Systems Engineering in October of 2011, and the practice of Software Engineering in April of 2013, there has been the need for specialized continuing education courses related to these practices.
In some curricula, the operating system employed is assumed to be learned by the student without a formal course. We have chosen to examine Linux because it is a Free Open-Source Software (FOSS) system and as such we can delve into any and all of its components to draw examples.
Also, as software is increasingly included as an integral part of the practice of all disciplines of Professional Engineering practices and it is the legal responsibility of the PE that all results are correct, all disciplines face the need for understanding the tools they employ.
In recent years, the computer community has become acutely aware of the possibility of malicious attacks on software; most often through internet connections of the operating system. This course offers an overview of the Linux operating system discussing its operation and structure and why it is perceived to be less vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
This course introduces the origins of Linux along with the Free-Software and Open-Source developments leading to todays distributions. We discuss the relation of the Linux kernel to popular distributions and two examples from the diverse suite of distributions. Using the bootstrap process involved in loading the Linux kernel, we discuss the memory management, I/O bus hardware interface and file system loading. In a set of appendices, we show how the VirtualBox application is used to support virtual machines and demonstrate concurrent installations of two Linux distributions. We contrast those distributions into the arena of the shell interface, shell programming, process management, communications and applications support.
We introduce many of the topics germane to the study of operating system software in the context of a Free Open-Source Software environment and equip the student with sufficient knowledge to answer basic why and how questions about operating systems software.
271-Spillway Design for Small Dams
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who need to analyze, design, or retrofit a spillway for a small dam.
The overall objective of this course is to provide a detailed analysis of the various types of spillways and to explain the hydraulics of each type. There is a also a discussion of the spillway exit channels and a description of sub-critical, critical, and super-critical flows in these channels. After completing this course the engineer should be able to design a spillway using a variety of outlet structures.
272-Electrical Power Generation for Spacecraft
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is recommended for:
- All engineering disciplines; since this is a fundamentals (breadth) level course. You may take all parts or any individual course(s) that you are interested in.
- Any engineer; to expand discipline knowledge when applied to other applications
The main objective of this course seeks to answer the following question:
- How does a spacecraft generate electricity to power its loads?
273-MBBR Wastewater Treatment Processes
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for civil engineers, chemical engineers and environmental engineers. Topics included are general information about the MBBR wastewater treatment process; MBBR process design
calculations for BOD removal and nitrification, including single stage BOD removal, single stage nitrification, two stage BOD removal and two stage BOD removal and nitrification processes; background information
about MBBR denitrification processes; post-anoxic denitrification process design calculations; and pre-anoxic denitrification process design calculations. A sample spreadsheet is included that
illustrates the use of a spreadsheet to make some of the calculations discussed in the course.
The overall objective of this course is to provide the attendees with knowledge about the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) process for wastewater treatment and process design calculations for MBBR
wastewater treatment. A more detailed list of learning objectives is included in the course document.
At the conclusion of this course, the student will
- Know the differences between attached growth and suspended growth biological wastewater treatment processes.
- Be familiar with the general configuration and components of an MBBR wastewater treatment process.
- Be able to name the six MBBR process configurations discussed in this course.
- Be able to calculate the loading rate of a wastewater constituent to an MBBR process (in lb/day and g/day) for specified wastewater flow rate and constituent concentration.
- Be able to calculate the required carrier surface area for an MBBR wastewater treatment process for specified SALR and loading rate.
- Be able to calculate the required MBBR tank volume for specified carrier surface area, carrier specific surface area, and the carrier fill %.
- Be able to calculate the liquid volume in an MBBR tank for known tank volume, carrier volume and carrier % void space.
- Be able to calculate the BOD, NH3-N, or NO3-N removal rate for known values of the surface area removal rate (SARR) and design carrier surface area.
- Be able to calculate an estimated effluent BOD, NH3-N, or NO3-N concentration based on known values of the appropriate loading rate, estimated removal rate, and design wastewater flow rate.
- Be able to use the sample spreadsheet included with the course to make process design calculations for a single stage BOD removal process in either U.S. units or S.I. units.
- Be able to use the sample spreadsheet included with the course to make process design calculations for a single stage nitrification process in either U.S. units or S.I. units.
- Be able to make process design calculations for a post-Anoxic denitrification MBBR process, including required tank sizes, estimated effluent concentrations, alkalinity requirement and carbon source requirement.
- Be able to make process design calculations for a pre-anoxic denitrification MBBR process, including required tank sizes, estimated effluent concentrations, and alkalinity requirements.
Detailed Course Outline with Timeline
- Introduction (2 min)
- Learning Objectives for the Course (5 min)
- General Information about the MBBR Wastewater Treatment Process (15 min)
- MBBR Process Design Calculations for BOD Removal and Nitrification
- Overview of MBBR Process Design Calculations (15 min)
- Single-Stage BOD Removal Process Design Calculations (20 min)
- Single Stage Nitrification Process DesignCalculations (20 min)
- Two-Stage BOD Removal Process Design Calculations (20 min)
- Two-Stage BOD Removal and Nitrification Process Design Calculations (15 min)
- Introduction to MBBR Denitrification Processes (15 min)
- Post-Anoxic Denitrification Process Design Calculations (20 min)
- Pre-Anoxic Denitrification Process Design Calculations (20 min)
- Summary (3 min)
- References
- Quiz (20 min)
274-What Every Engineer Should Know About Structures - Part D - Bending Strength Of Materials
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Written in an easy to understand style, the courseWhat Every Engineer Should Know About Structures - Part D - Bending Strength of Materials is the
fourth course in the series of courses in the field of study called engineering mechanics. This course focuses on presenting intuitive methods for the understanding of basic principles of forces
and stresses in beams. And solutions to basic problems with simplified methods of calculations. The course contains 19 solved example problems and additional drawings to illustrate the principles discussed.
Part D Includes:
- Cross sectional properties of structural members including defining and determining the Moment of Inertia and Section Modulus of a cross section.
- Torsional stresses and deformations of rods and shafts.
- Shear and bending moment diagrams of beams.
- Bending stresses in loaded beams.
- Shear stresses in loaded beams.
The first two courses in the series, titledWhat Every Engineer Should Know About Structures - Part A — Statics Fundamentals andWhat Every Engineer
Should Know About Structures - Part B — Statics Applications focused on solving problems related to the exterior (or externally) applied loads on a stationary body - a body at rest. The third course in the series,
titledWhat Every Engineer Should Know About Structures - Part C — Axial Strength of Materials, focuses on what happens inside a structural member, including stresses
and strains, axial deformation, factors of safety, thermal deformations, and properties of cross sectional areas.
It is expected that you have a good background in the material covered in the three previous courses. If you do not, consider taking the three SunCam courses for Part A, Part B, and Part C.
Basic Trigonometry, Significant Figures, and Rounding — A Quick Review is a zero credit course intended for those who might find themselves a bit rusty and would like a quick refresher. The information in the course is useful for application to the solution of structural problems especially in the fields of statics and strength of materials.
This course is free and can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
400-Basic Trigonometry, Significant Figures, and Rounding
The trigonometry review includes demonstrating - through the use of several example problems — the use of the basic trigonometric functions including: the sine, cosine and tangent and their inverse; the Pythagorean Theorem; the Sum of the Angles; the Law of Sines; and the Law of Cosines. The significant figures and rounding review includes a discussion of the precision and validity of an answer, along with rules and guidelines for using the appropriate number of significant figures, and for rounding answers appropriately.
277-A Review of Site Features
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course provides a refresher to site-civil engineers and introduces the topic to engineers of other disciplines who are not familiar with site work.
The course identifies some nuances between various site features, and explains these distinctions. The course also identifies and explains some missteps associated with some site features and site feature detailing.
This course will benefit the experienced site development engineer who is looking for some reference or history associated with some site features, as well as those who may be inexperienced with land development. Understanding the basics of site features is important for any civil engineer who is involved in a property development project.
278-Introduction to Wastewater Clarifier Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course introduces the reader to the key issues and considerations associated with successful and cost-effective design of primary and secondary clarifiers for wastewater treatment plants. The course presents an overview of the main advantages and disadvantages of rectangular and circular clarifiers and provides key design criteria for primary and secondary clarifiers.
In the course the reader will find guidance of how to select the most appropriate configuration, surface overflow rate, hydraulic detention time, and depth of primary and secondary clarifiers and how to tailor clarifier design to the typical challenges facing almost all wastewater treatment plants such as: excessive transient flows during wet weather conditions; septicity of the plant influent and primary sludge, occasional upsets of the activated sludge system resulting in poorly settling sludge; and episodes of rapid increase of sludge blanket depth, and deterioration of clarifier effluent quality.
The course discusses how the configuration and type of the selected plant influent pump station, screening and grit removal equipment impact clarifier performance as well as how clarifier operation influences other key wastewater treatment plant facilities such as the activated sludge aeration basins, sludge thickeners, and aerobic and anaerobic digesters. The reader will learn about the typical approaches used for optimization of the clarifier — activated sludge system design and will find case studies implementing such approaches at full-scale wastewater treatment plants.
279-Fundamentals of Clarifier Performance Monitoring and Control
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Clarifiers are integral part of most wastewater treatment plants. The main learning objective of this course is for the reader to gain understanding of the common practices, technologies and equipment used for monitoring and control of the performance of primary and secondary clarifiers.
The course presents an overview of the key perfomance parameters used for clarifier design and operation, and of the working principles of popular clarifier montioring equiment such as turbidimeters, ultrasonic solids analyzers, nuclear solids density meters, and sludge balanket level detectors.
This course provides guidance regarding the typical areas of application, key advantages and technology limitations for each type of clarifier monitoring equipment. Knowledge gained from the course would build your skills and understaning of how to select the most appropriate methods and equipment for succesful monitoring and control of clarifiers for the site specific conditions of a given wastewater treatment plant. Most of the fundamental knowledge presnted in this course can also be applied for monitoring and control of clairifiers in drinking water plants.
280-Intro to Thermodynamic Cycles Part 1 - 1st Law and Gas Power Cycle
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The focus of this course is to introduce some of the most common thermodynamic cycles. The course is divided into three parts. Part 1 of the course provides a quick overview of the first law for both closed and open systems and discusses gas power cycles. Part 2 covers vapor cycles and part 3 of this course covers the second law of thermodynamics along with refrigeration cycles.
Part 1 is intended to cover the preliminary concepts and theories required to analyze gas power cycles. The course begins with basic concepts of thermodynamics; with a brief coverage of topics such as the laws of thermodynamics, processes and cycles, properties of a pure substance, heat capacity, and the ideal gas law. The first law of thermodynamics is covered for both closed systems and open systems. Gas power cycles are covered with a focus on the Otto cycle and the diesel cycle using air-standard analysis.
This course is at an introductory level, and no prior knowledge of thermodynamics is required.
281-Environmental Review & Permitting of Desalination Projects - Part 1
5 $112.50
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
With this course the reader will gain through understanding of the key environmental issues and challenges as well as reliable solutions associated the implementation of desalination projects.
The Part 1 of the course provides an overview of the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation of desalination plants and to presents alternatives for their minimization and mitigation. The course focuses on three key environmental impact aspects: (1) intake impingement and entrainment; (2) concentrate impact on aquatic environment; and (3) carbon footprint of desalination plant operations.
282-Environmental Review & Permitting of Desalination Projects - Part 2
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
With this course the reader will gain through understanding of the key environmental issues and challenges as well as reliable solutions associated the implementation of desalination projects.
In Part 2 of the course, the reader will learn about the scope and content of supporting environmental studies, which government regulatory agencies require to be completed by the desalination project proponent in order to obtain necessary permits for collecting intake water, for discharge of desalination plant concentrate and for introducing desalinated water into the municipal drinking water supply system.
284-Forensic Engineering Part C - Case Histories: Metallurgical & Mechanical Failure Analyses
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This is a three-part course sequence that describes the methods commonly used to evaluate the cause(s) of metallurgical and mechanical failures, i.e., completing root-cause failure analyses (RCFA), and recommending actions to prevent recurrences. The process is often known as forensic engineering. The procedures may be applied in legal cases in which the professional engineer doing the RCFA acts as an expert witness. However, here the primary emphasis is on finding the physical cause of metallic material failures and related engineering tasks.
The three courses may be taken separately or as a group. In general, the information in the cases histories in Part C. is built on knowledge given in Parts A. and B. plus facts provided in Course 110, Corrosion Control and Tactics. Alternatively, some P.E.'s may have previous knowledge and work experience with RCFA's of metallic materials and choose less than all three courses.
Part A. describes typical steps and procedures used in a thorough RCFA, some common classes of generic issues that can cause metallic failures, and some of the typical analytical and test techniques that are used to characterize the properties of metals that have failed. Brief comparisons are described between the usual responsibilities of the failure analyst in a legal case versus his or her actions in conducting a RCFA that does not involve legal action.
Part B. describes four common classes of specific failure mechanisms that often occur in metallic part or mechanical component failures, i.e., static stress overload, mechanical fatigue, corrosion and wear. Most of these classes of failures have multiple subclasses and each is reviewed in some detail with emphasis on how these characteristics point to effective corrective actions that may be useful. The many forms of aqueous corrosion are given special attention because of the widespread occurrence and effects of this class of failures.
Part C. provides descriptions of (6) case histories of metallurgical and mechanical failures that were completed. The objective is to provide practical examples of how the RCFA procedures and knowledge of different failure mechanisms presented in Parts A. and B. plus general engineering experience might be used. Several illustrations (sketches and photomicrographs) of the details of the cases are included. Also, a short list is provided of other RCFA examples a failure analyst working with metallurgical or mechanical failures might encounter.
286-Engineering Methods in Microsoft Excel - Part 1: Linear Algebra
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
In their fields of specialty, Engineers are constantly challenged with solving a wide range of complex analytical and computational problems. These problems involve analysis methodologies and the management of data. The application of computers enables repetitive, time-consuming and often tedious calculations to be conducted rapidly, efficiently, and less prone to errors. The application of computer tools also enables the results and outputs of such engineering analyses to be readily transferred and incorporated into reports and other engineering documents. An even greater advantage - in terms of productivity and efficiency - is realized when these calculations and outputs are replicated across numerous projects. Competence in computer skills predisposes engineers to pursue and develop more creative and innovative solutions to problems.
Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet program developed by the Microsoft company, and is part of the software products. A spreadsheet is a grid that organizes data and calculations into columns and rows. The intersection of a column and a row is called a cell. An electronic spreadsheet enables users to store, organize, manipulate, and analyze data in the cells of the spreadsheet. As of this publication, the software is into the 2016 release.
Microsoft Excel is widely and increasingly being used as a tool to assist engineers in conducting and replicating intricate calculations and analysis, designing complex systems, and managing large data sets. This course presents a selection of engineering analysis topics and how to formulate, implement and solve them in Microsoft Excel.
This course presents fundamental principles and engineering applications of problems in linear algebra, and demonstrates the Excel tools, methods, and strategies that can be used to formulate and solve them.
Upon completion of this course, participants will have gained insight into applying Excel tools, methods, and strategies in analyzing, formulating and implementing a variety of engineering related problems, as well as managing large sets of complex data. Participants will also be able to identify professional situations where the application of innovative Excel techniques will be of great benefit and advantage, and will enable practitioners to significantly improve their productivity, efficiency, and the quality of their work product.
290-What Every Engineer Should Know About Reliability I
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Reliability Engineering is concerned with the design, implementation, and prediction of the life profiles of a system or component using a disciplined analysis approach that has strong roots in statistics, mathematics and engineering. Given a system, subsystem or component, one of the major challenges of the discipline is to understand the inherent failure mechanisms that govern the system and the development of the appropriate analytical scheme to determine the system's life profiles. The problem becomes even more acute given the phenomenon of aging and related transient phenomenon as well as the practical realities of little or no data. Today, these challenges still persist especially as companies try to shorten the time to market in order to gain market share.
This first in a two-course sequence has examined some of the basic issues related to reliability such as:
- Understand the various viewpoints of reliability, especially the engineering design viewpoint.
- The use of nonparametric approach to estimate the reliability and hazard function functions
- Understand the performance measures used to characterize reliability.
- Appropriate reliability based intervention strategies that lead to optimally maintained system.
- Availability, Maintainability and related Performability measures.
Under these broad themes, the topics to be covered include:
- Reliability Models
- Static Reliability
- Reliability Improvement
- Reparable Systems-Availability Models
- System Redesign
- Maintenance
The second sequence will focus on the all important area of dependency analysis, interference theory, data analysis and testing.
291-Proportional, Integral, and Derivative Controller Design Part 1
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
In this course, the design and application of Proportional plus Integral plus Derivative (PID) controller's is discussed. Some familiarity with feedback control may help in providing a better understanding of the course material. PID control is a technique used extensively in feedback control systems. Its origins date back to the 19th century, being used for governor speed control, and since then in numerous applications with a wide variety of actuators and sensors. The controller is simple structure; being the sum of three terms as the name implies. The PID structure provides for a fairly wide range of tuning adjustment in a feedback control loop, especially for relatively simple processes. A PID uses the error, it's integral and derivative to derive a control signal driving the error to a null state. The controller can be structured in many configurations; P-only, PI, PD, PID, plus others to be discussed. PID control is central to most process control systems; but can also be found in numerous applications other than process control ranging from positioning control loops to pointing, tracking and platform stabilization control loops. The PID can also be integrated with higher level control strategies such as model predictive control, adaptive controllers and fuzzy logic control described in Part 2 of the course.
Starting with an introduction in section 1.0, topics covered are a description of the basic feedback control loop block diagram in section 2 and how the PID relates to the control loop. The relationships between time and frequency domain representations of the block diagram elements are discussed in section 3 followed by the key feedback relationships derived from the block diagram algebra in section 4. The PID control algorithm is described in section 5 which includes the frequency domain characterization of the PID (5.1), the effect of each PID term has on response (5.2) and finally different forms of the PID used in actual applications. In section 6 a discussion of specifying control loop performance is presented. PID control loop design methods are provided in section 7. The basic theory is applied to an example; a home heating system, in section 8.
292-Proportional, Integral, and Derivative Controller Design Part 2
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
As discussed in Part 1, PID controllers are used in many control applications; possibly the most common form of feedback control compensation. The versatility of the PID may reside is a fairly simple control structure, easy to implement in software or hardware, offering loop gain adjustment, an integrator to reduce or null servo error, and the phase lead of a derivative improve loop stability or act as a predictive element. This PID structure provides for a fairly wide range of tuning adjustment in a feedback control loop, especially for relatively simple processes. The controller can be configured in many configurations; P-only, PI, PD, PID, plus others are discussed. This part of the course focusses on the digital implementation of the PID controller and its implementation with higher level control strategies; adaptive controllers and fuzzy logic control.
Starting with an introduction in section 1.0, topics covered are a summary of the basic feedback control loop block diagram relationships in section 2. The PID control algorithm, as presented in Part 1, is summarized in section 3 followed by the digital implementation of the PID within the constraints of a sampled control system. The building temperature control example, used in Part 1, is analyzed again in section 4.0 but now using a digital PI controller. Section 5.0 provides another example for a motion control application using a digital PD controller. Finally section 6.0 describes implementation of the PID within a model reference adaptive control (MRAC) architecture and also configured with a fuzzy logic controller (FLC).
293-What Every Engineer Should Know About Reliability II
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Reliability Engineering is concerned with the design, implementation, and prediction of the life profiles of a system or component using a disciplined analysis approach that has strong roots in statistics, mathematics and engineering. Given a system, subsystem or component, one of the major challenges of the discipline is to understand the inherent failure mechanisms that govern the system and the development of the appropriate analytical scheme to determine the system's life profiles. The problem becomes even more acute given the phenomenon of aging and related transient phenomenon, as well as the practical realities of little or no data. Today, these challenges still persist especially as companies try to shorten the time to market in order to gain market share.
This second in a two-course sequence has examined some more practical issues related testing and parameter estimation as well as some topology or configurations that are practical and realistic but have not received enough attention.
Some of the issues addressed include:
- Understand the various viewpoints of reliability, especially the engineering design viewpoint.
- The use of nonparametric approach to estimate the reliability and hazard function functions
- Understand the performance measures used to characterize reliability.
- Appropriate reliability based intervention strategies that lead to optimally maintained system.
- Availability, Maintainability and related Performability measures.
Under these broad themes, the topics to be covered include:
- Reliability Models
- Static Reliability
- Reliability Improvement
- Reparable Systems-Availability Models
- System Redesign
- Maintenance
The second sequence will focus on the all important area of dependency analysis, interference theory, data analysis and testing.
294-Drones for Engineers
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Drone technology has leaped forward as the Federal Aviation Administration issued its part 107 rules for small unmanned aircraft system drones. About 40,000 remote pilots had been certified in the first year. Engineering firms have recognized the benefits accrued by using a stable airborne platform to see and document views necessary for their facility inspections. Surveyors see the photogrammetry business evolving as an inexpensive way to create topography maps. Construction companies are using drones to track project progress.
For engineers and firms interested in exploring drone use, this course gives an overview of drone uses. Whether developing an in-house drone program, purchasing a license to use drone software for a particular function, or subcontracting out work to a drone specialty company, knowing the drone basics presented here is essential.
295-Review of Engineering Dynamics, Part 1: Kinematics of Particles and Rigid Bodies
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
It is common in engineering analysis and design to deal with systems in motion. Dynamics is the study of systems in motion. This course discusses the essential topics that every engineer should know about the field of engineering dynamics. Example problems are provided throughout the course, and the focus primarily on topics relating to engineering applications. Part 1 of the course will focus on kinematics of particles and rigid bodies, while part 2 will cover kinetics of particles and rigid bodies.
Dynamics can be a difficult topic. Most of the confusion stems from the idea that there are many ways to solve any given dynamics problem. This course will outline a systematic approach to solving dynamics problems. Following the step-by-step process presented in this course will help you to quickly determine the appropriate equations to use for any problem relating to engineering dynamics.
It is helpful to have a very basic understanding of derivatives, especially simple derivatives of polynomials. A review section is provided in the course to cover the essential calculus topics for the course.
299-Floodplain Engineering - Modeling Flood Profiles Using HEC-RAS - Part 1
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers are involved in flood studies or need to do work within a floodplain. HEC-RAS is the most up-to-date software for calculating flood profiles. It has the capability of determining multiple flood profiles and can deal with complicated stream conditions with multiple bridges and culverts.
The overall objective of this course is to provide an overview of the HEC-RAS program and to review in detail the basic input parameters. Photographs and diagrams are provided to help illustrate the concepts.
304-Floodplain Engineering - An Overview of Floodplain Management
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers work ion flood-prone areas. It describes many of the resources available to engineers working in these areas including how to access FEMA flood maps. In addition, there is a description of how to calculate hydrostatic, hydrodynamic, and other forces associated with flooding. Finally, some flood control projects are described and illustrated.
The overall objective of this course is to provide an overview of the different types of flooding and floodplains and help engineers to understand these phenomena.
307-Combined Stress and Mohr's Circle
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Stress analysis is a fundamental part of engineering. Loading that causes a single type of stress include simple axial loads, torsional load, and bending loads. In practice, however, it is common to encounter combined loading where the basic equations of shear, torsion, and bending do not apply.
It is critical that engineers understand stresses caused by different combined loading conditions and be able to determine the location of maximum stress. This course covers stresses caused by common types of combined loading. Some combinations, such as combined bending and axial loading, are solved using superposition methods. Other complex combinations, combining normal and shearing stresses, are solved using Mohr's circle. Concepts are illustrated by using common applications in examples.
Statics concepts, such as rigid body equilibrium, will be used in this course and on exam questions. Topics from mechanics of materials, such as simple stress and beam moment, are used throughout the course and exam.
314-Reliability in Mission Critical Applications Part I - Electrical Systems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is developed to provide an introduction to reliability associated with mission critical applications. This may also be considered a good refresher course for those who work in the electrical engineering field and have a familiarity with mission critical systems. Mission critical reliability is a useful topic for any Engineer to be familiar with associated with their interest in design of mission critical systems.
This course will review some electricity basics, it will provide an explanation of several electrical components important to providing redundancy, and it will establish definitions so as to help the reader understand how different levels of reliability can be and are frequently quantified.
The reader of this course should be able to use the tools gained to understand reliability in mission critical applications.
315-Introduction to Electrical Theory and DC Circuits
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
It is important for any engineer to have a fundamental knowledge of electrical circuits. This course provides an introduction to electrical theory and DC circuits. The content can be used to introduce yourself to these topics or can serve as a general review. No previous knowledge of electrical theory is required for this course.
Many applicational example problems are provided for general theory and for DC circuits. Circuits are analyzed in several arrangements including series, parallel, and a combination of series and parallel arrangements. Basic problems are presented first that cover key electrical concepts such as Coulomb's law, resistance, Ohm's law, and power. Series and parallel arrangements are discussed based on developing equivalent resistance for the circuit. More complex analysis tools like voltage divider rule, current divider rule, and Kirchoff's laws are also used.
318-Practical Forensic Engineering -- Property -- Part 2
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Practical Forensic Engineering -- Property -- Part 2
APPLIANCE WATER LOSSES
DISHWASHERS AND WASHING MACHINES
This course is a follow-on to Practical Forensic Engineering — Property — Part 1. In this course we delve into one of the more common issues regarding Property Losses — water losses from appliances. The course covers some general issues and then focuses on two major household kitchen appliances — washing machines and dishwashers. These machines cause the greatest number of appliance water losses. The course discusses the losses and causes most often encountered, illustrates the failure conditions with photos of actual losses, and provides practical advice and guidance in determining the origin, cause and timeframe of the event.
321-What Every Engineer Should Know About Endangered Species
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $9.95
This is our Featured Course of the week.
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended as an overview of the Endangered Species Act and how it relates to land development projects. This knowledge is helpful in the early planning stages of a development and can prevent costly delays as the project progresses.
The overall objective of this course is to provide a basic understanding of what endangered species are and how their presence can affect land development. The course includes information as to where an engineer can gain preliminary data on this topic for a specific project.
326-Railroads - An Introduction
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is an introduction to railroads. The intent of the course IS NOT to make you an expert in railroad design, but rather, introduce you to the fundamental components that make up a railroad system. This course IS intended for those engineers that need to become sufficiently familiar with rail systems to discuss railroad requirements with a client, understand what the railroad representatives are saying, know what questions to ask on your client's behalf, and ease the pains involved if you get a project that requires a railroad construction permit. The course will begin by providing a very brief - but interesting - history of railroads in North America before presenting the technical topics on the subgrade, ballast, ties, rail, turnouts, road crossings, ladder tracks and… of course… frogs. Again, this introductory course is about what a railroad encompasses and provides the basic information necessary for an engineer to be able to discuss the topic intelligently with a client but is NOT intended to provide the knowledge to actually design a railroad, the turnouts, or any railroad signals that may be required.
Detailed course outline with timeline
- 7 Minutes — Course Description & Introduction
- 25 Minutes — History
- 14 Minutes — Railway Forces
- 23 Minutes — Railway Alignments
- 11 Minutes — Transit Rail
- 18 Minutes — Track Structure
- 24 Minutes — Subgrade and and Sub-ballast
- 12 Minutes — Drainage
- 11 Minutes — Ballast
- 12 Minutes — Railroad Ties
- 14 Minutes — Rail
- 18 Minutes — Turnouts
- 18 Minutes — Road Crossings
- 18 Minutes — Rail Crossing Signage, Gates, & Signals
- 18 Minutes — Customer Rail Facilities
- 18 Minutes — Glossary
- 11 Minutes — Summary
- 40 Minutes — The Test
330-Railroad Curves Simplified
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering and to familiarize the professional engineer with the principals of superelevation and spiral transition curves in the design and evaluation of rail lines.
Course Description:
Railroad Curves
Centrifugal force is a function of both train speed and track curvature. If trains operated at a low velocity or on a straight track, centrifugal force would not factor into the engineering of a railway, but high speeds and curved track require an engineered solution. That solution is superelevation which is also known interchangeably as "cant".
This course will teach the physics of centrifugal force and the mathematics used by railroad engineers to select a cant angle and spiral transition curve that provides a comfortable ride and minimizes wear on rails and wheels."Rail-Curve" is the FREE spreadsheet software that comes with the course and takes care of all the number crunching so that we can concentrate on the principals of railroad curve design and evaluation.
There is an eye-opening section on "Vactrain" (Vacuum Tube Train) concepts that promise train speeds of 760 mph (1,200 kph) for Elon Musk's Hyperloop to 4,000 mph (6,437 kph) for Nic Garzilli's Hyper Chariot.
The software runs on Excel 97 or later running on a PC. It's available for download after you purchase the course and it is yours to keep for the rest of your engineering career.
(Rail_Curve will NOT run on "OpenOffice")
344-The Highway Capacity Manual - 6th Edition: Overview and What's New
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The 6th Edition of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) was released in 2016 and is now the standard for both the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam. The title of this new HCM is "HCM 6th Edition: A Guide for Multimodal Mobility Analysis". This edition of the HCM provides methods for evaluating multimodal operations of freeways, highways, and arterial streets. The focus of this course is on providing a general overview of the content and organization of the HCM 6th edition and highlighting revisions/updates from the previous edition of the HCM (HCM 2010). The course does not provide detailed coverage of analysis methodology elements. Due to the volume of material covered in the HCM, some general knowledge of the document(s) may be helpful to completing this course, but it is not required.
Highway Capacity Manual 6th Edition Cover
Source: Transportation Research Board
In this course, you will learn about:
- HCM edition history
- Why the HCM title was changed
- Why the need for a new HCM edition
- HCM 6th edition structure — revised
chapter layout design to help practitioners use the manual
- New HCM analysis methodology capabilities
- Future directions/updates to the HCM
346-Tiny Houses Part 1 - Planning and Design Considerations, Legality, and the Engineer's Role
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: After completing this course participants should be able to:
1. Understand the differences between tiny houses on wheels, recreational vehicles, and manufactured homes.
2. Recognize the professional services opportunities in the tiny house industry available to engineers.
3. Comprehend the challenges in determining where and how tiny houses on foundations and tiny houses on wheels may be legally placed.
4. Identify the different building/manufacturing standards available for a tiny house on wheels and the pros and cons of each standard.
5. Understand the importance of the addition of Appendix Q to the 2018 International Residential Code.
6. Know the reasoning behind maximum width and maximum height thresholds for mass produced tiny houses on wheels and how and when to exceed these thresholds.
Course Description:
This course serves as an introduction to designing tiny houses (houses 400 square feet or less in size). The majority of this multi-part course series focuses on tiny houses mounted on trailers which are often referred to as tiny houses on wheels (THOW). This introduction covers general planning and design considerations regarding trailers, appliances, utility connections, floor plans, and lofts. It also goes over the legal issues concerning construction standards and physical placement of both THOW and tiny houses on foundations. The basis of this course came from my own research, planning, designing, and construction of a THOW I built myself.
347-Tiny Houses Part 2 - Structural Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: After completing this course participants should be able to:
1. Understand the pros and cons of using wood and metal structural framing members.
2. Size floor joists and roof joists using tables from the International Residential Code.
3. Calculate the size of wood loft joists and window headers using allowable stress design methodologies.
4. Recognize when advanced framing techniques are useful or not useful in given situations.
5. Recall additional structural measures often used for highly mobile tiny houses on wheels.
Course Description:
This course is part two of a multi-part course series on designing tiny houses (houses 400 square feet or less in size). The majority of this multi-part course focuses on tiny houses mounted on trailers, which are often referred to as tiny houses on wheels (THOW). This second course focuses on structural design. Also presented are specific techniques to structurally handle the mobile nature of THOW. Both prescriptive and engineered methodologies are used. Five extensive examples with calculations and 35 figures and photos are included. The basis of this course came from my own research, planning, designing, and construction of a THOW I built myself.
348-An Overview of Computer Aided Design and Finite Element Analysis
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
NOTE: This is a course in Computer Aided Design (CAD) for professional engineers, not a course in the related subject of Computer Aided Drafting.
Computer aided design (CAD) is the use of computer software to assist the design engineer in the overall creation and analysis of parts and assemblies. Finite element analysis (FEA) is a numerical method used to determine approximate solutions of physical problems. Proper use and integration of CAD and FEA can greatly improve efficiency of the design process.
This course provides a general overview of methods and applications of computer aided design and finite element analysis to expose the reader to the many design features of solid modeling software. The intent of the course is to explain ways computer aided design can improve the overall design process and allow for easier design changes. The course will explain how to properly use computer aided design and finite element analysis methods to optimization designs and have greater confidence in how a design will function. General knowledge of solid modeling software is helpful for this course but not required. Though this course discusses the general concepts of solid modeling, the course does not teach concepts of computer aided drafting. General understanding of the equations of stress and strain would be beneficial for understanding the applications of FEA.
The information provided in this course is not limited to any single software package. This course does not focus on teaching any single solid modeling software package and does not provide step-by-step tutorials of CAD or FEA. Information is presented in a way to develop concepts of computer aided design and finite element analysis that can be applied to any solid modeling software. Illustrative examples of CAD procedures are given using Solidworks and Inventor, though the concepts would apply to any software package. The same software packages are used to illustrate the concepts of FEA, yet the concepts can be transferred to other FEA software.
350- Steel Column and Base Plate Design Fundamentals
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
For a basic definition, columns are axially loaded compression members used to carry vertical loads down through a structure and into foundations. Unlike axially loaded tension members, the effects of instability (buckling) must also be considered when designing columns. The course focuses on the fundamentals of analysis and design of steel columns; other materials are not discussed. The course begins at a basic mechanics of materials level of column analysis and builds into design procedures using the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) steel design manuals. Procedures for column design and base plate design are covered.
Design procedures are presented using both Allowable Stress Design (ASD) and Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) procedures. Design equations and summary tables are included in the course content, so it is not required to have a copy of the design manuals for this course. Examples within the course use wide flange shapes, so it is helpful to have access to property tables for wide flange shapes. Such tables are available online if you do not have AISC design manuals.
Knowledge of basic concepts of axial stress (load divided by area) is required for this course. Any mechanics of materials textbook can be referenced for additional coverage. This course does build on the concept of axial stress to develop equations for long and intermediate columns, so prior knowledge of columns is not required.
352-Fundamentals of Masonry Part A
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The science of masonry construction is extensive, thorough, and is the foundation of the profession. But there is an artistic component bounded only by the imagination of the designer and the skilled mason.
Masonry construction has been practiced for thousands of years beginning with the ancient Greeks and the Romans. The "language" of the craft has been developed over this time. Today we use words that clearly identify pieces and parts of the industry that can bewilder or confound those unfamiliar with them — words such as wythe, shiner, and grapevine.
Masonry construction has exploded during the last century and a half due in large part to advances in manufacturing technology. For example, in the early years of manufacturing, each concrete block was made by hand — about 10 blocks per hour per man. Today, with modern machinery, production can be as high as 2,000 blocks per hour. And, each year around 4-billion concrete
blocks are manufactured — enough to build about 3.5 billion square feet of wall. Up until about 150 years ago, clay bricks were made individually and by hand. Today, with modern machinery and kilns, about 50-billion clay bricks are manufactured each year — enough to build about 7.5 billion square feet of wall.
This two course series was created to provide fundamental knowledge about masonry construction for the engineer, contractor, architect, and anyone else who is interested in having a basic understanding of the topic.
354-Mechanical Fatigue of Metals
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Metal fatigue is the most common form of failure among the many applications of dynamic mechanical equipment. This course provides characteristics of fatigue and guidelines for use of the traditional (S-N) method for designing against failure. Mechanical design factors are the primary emphasis but relevant metallurgical factors are also discussed. For overall context, brief descriptions of the three methods generally used for fatigue design and analysis of metal failures are given. These are cyclic stress values versus number of cycles to failure (S-N), cyclic strain values versus number of cycles to failure and linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM).
The major portion of the information is devoted to the use of the traditional S-N design method for ferrous, i.e., iron-based, alloys in the high-cycle (H-C) form of fatigue. Many ferrous alloys develop a fatigue limit at higher number of stress cycles. Designing relative to clearly defined fatigue limits is the key to design for those types of alloys. A major emphasis here is that fatigue data developed in most laboratory tests cannot be used directly in design. This is because conditions most often used in lab fatigue testing typically differ from conditions found in actual service applications.
Methods to adjust laboratory fatigue data for practical use in design and analysis is a primary learning objective of the course. Another objective is to show some of the many topics in fatigue and the potential complexity of the subject. Reference sources used here and for investigating fatigue topics not included in this course are listed.
The course is intended primarily for mechanical engineers that do design, alloy selection and failure analysis of equipment that may be subject to fatigue.
355-Reliability in Mission Critical Applications Part II - Mechanical Systems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is developed to provide a continued introduction to reliability associated with mission critical applications. This may also be considered a good refresher course for those who work in the mechanical engineering field and have a familiarity with mission critical systems. Mission critical reliability is a useful topic for any Engineer to be familiar with associated with their interest in design of mission critical systems.
This course will review some cooling system basics, it will provide an explanation of several mechanical equipment components important to providing cooling and redundancy, and it will reiterate definitions identified in Part 1, so as to help to reader understand how different levels of reliability can be and are frequently quantified.
The reader of this course should be able to use the tools gained to understand reliability in mission critical applications; especially as relates to mechanical systems and primarily computer room type cooling systems.
356-Industrial and Systems Engineering - The Fundamentals
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course presents principles and practices of Industrial and Systems Engineering (IISE) . The focus of IISE is Operations, namely; Operations Analysis and Design, Operations Control, and Continuous Improvement. IISE practices use science, mathematics, and engineering methods to analyze, design, and improve complex systems and operations. And, because these systems are so large and complex, IISE principles involve knowledge and skills in a wide variety of disciplines; require a broad systems perspective and the ability to work well with people.
A course about Industrial Engineering would not be complete without a brief description of why and how the profession began. The origins of Industrial Engineering began in the early 1900 as part of the scientific management movement. The definition of Industrial Engineering is:
Industrial Engineering is concerned with the design, improvement, and installation of integrated systems of people, material, information, equipment, and energy. It draws upon specialized knowledge and skills in the mathematical, physical and social sciences together with the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design to specify, predict and evaluate the results to be obtained from such systems.
Accordingly, Industrial Engineering emerged as the foundation for connecting engineering methods and economics to set quality and cost standards for delivering goods and services in business and industry. Industrial Engineers apply their knowledge and skills to set operations process standards through the use of planning, design, statistical analysis, methods engineering, interpersonal communications, quality control, computer simulation, and problem solving. At the end of the course is a set of questions that highlights the take-aways for the reader to remember and use for solving operations and systems problems in their organization.
358-Sightline Control Basics for Geo-Pointing and Locating - Part 1
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Describe theory and system level architectures
Course Description:
This is a three part course discussing geo-pointing and locating. With the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) coupled with advancements in camera and inertial measurement sensor technology; this is fast becoming a technology used in many applications requiring geo-referenced imagery. Historical applications for military and civilian surveillance and navigation are fairly well documented and continue to grow. But the
technology is now the cornerstone for numerous situational awareness applications such as environmental, fire protection, road/bridge surveillance, maintenance and protection. It may even be part of your pizza delivery service, which for those of you with bevy of children could be a sobering thought.
The course is organized as three topics; the first addresses generic sightline control (SLC). As geo-locating requires geo-pointing and pointing requires maintaining a stable line of sight (LOS) to a targeted object or area, then an understanding of SLC is important. The second topic focusses on the geo-pointing problem given a stable sightline to the object to be geo-located. Finally the basics of geo-location, using direct and image geo-registration, are described. Many SLC sections in Part 1.0 require some background in control theory as well as mathematical operations with vectors and matrices. For those interested in geo-pointing and location at a system level; these sections will be somewhat tedious. However, it is not essential to follow all the math but it is important to understand the need for it and how it plays into an overall solution. Similarly there is a lot of detailed discussion on pointing techniques, for example one section is dedicated to using mirrors for pointing. The details may not be critical, but it is important to understand that with all the benefits obtained using a pointing mirror, they also have characteristics that must be understood and accounted for in the design or one will be in for a rather unpleasant surprise. Pointing design should follow a top down design procedure; beginning with requirements through HW and SW design and implementation. However given cost and schedule constraints, one is often forced into an off the shelf design with compromised performance. Understanding the design requirements, however, should not be compromised so related performance can be quantified and improved in future designs. The purpose of the course is to lay a framework for understanding this design process. There should be sufficient math detail for those interested at the equation level but hopefully adequate course structure for those not so inclined to still follow the overall design process. Test questions are at a system level. The course has a two part structure; Part 1.0 covers SLC basics and geo-pointing, Part 2.0 provides a brief review of Part 1.0 followed by a focus on geo-locating, and finally Part 3.0 describes camera sensor characteristics and requirements for geo-locating.
359-Sightline Control Basics for Geo-Pointing and Locating - Part 2
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Describe theory and system level architectures
Course Description:
This part of the course will apply the sightline control (SLC) fundamentals described in Part 1.0 to the geo-pointing and location problem. Initially Section 1.0 Part 1.0 is reviewed, particularly pointing performance
requirements which directly impact geo-pointing and location performance. Geo-pointing is then described, effectively delving deeper into the material begun in section 8.0 in Part 1.0 of the course. Geo-pointing errors are related back to the SLC pointing problem with its limitations serving as a foundation for pursuing different geo-location approaches. Geo-location techniques are generally categorized as either direct or image geo-registration derived. The errors associated with the pointing solution for direct geo-pointing provide a basis for examining geo-location techniques that use image geo-registration to improve performance.
Image geo-registration is also used in many applications that require geo-referenced sensed imagery as well as location; discussed in Section 4.0 of Part 2.0 of the course. As this is effectively a technology in itself, only the salient aspects of the process are reviewed but should provide a source for further study and investigation, if of interest. Regardless of the geo-location technique used, however, geo-pointing will generally be part of the solution. If not the solution, it will provide coarse location estimates for the image geo-registration process. A substantial amount of image spatial processing is required to obtain an accurate solution to an image geo-registered location and the processing is described at a functional system level to capture the overall design process. The benefits that image geo-registration provides beyond that of location are significant since it can used to obtain situational awareness as defined for many applications. Military and civilian surveillance is an obvious application, but even the use of image information within the transportation infrastructure for highway and bridge maintenance management, damage and structural deterioration assessment, traffic pattern analysis and control, etc. is a growing application. The goal of this part of the course is to provide a system level functional description of the geo-location process and how performance relates back to that of geo-pointing with SLC. The camera sensor requirements for image geo-registration location are discussed in Part 3.0, the last part of the course.
368-Tiny Houses Part 3 - Building Enclosure Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: After completing this course participants should be able to:
1. Understand the importance of climate zones as they relate to tiny house insulation and vapor retarder requirements.
2. Comprehend the differences between vented and unvented roof assemblies.
3. Recognize the code approved, and most commonly used, materials for THOW roofs and exterior siding.
4. Identify the most common interior finish materials used in THOW and why some materials used commonly for THOW are different than those used for tiny houses on foundations.
Course Description:
This course is part three of a multi-part course series on designing tiny houses (houses 400 square feet or less in size). The majority of this multi-part course focuses on tiny houses mounted on trailers, which are often referred to as tiny houses on wheels (THOW). This third course focuses on building enclosure design: insulation, air sealing, roof assemblies, ventilation, exterior siding, doors, windows, and interior finishes. Over 60 figures and photos are included. The basis of this course came from my own research, planning, designing, and construction of a THOW I built myself.
386-Introduction to Planning of Desalination Projects
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Planning of desalination projects is of critical importance for successful project implementation and for producing desalinated water at competitive cost and minimal impact to the surrounding terrestrial and aquatic environment. The purpose of project planning is to define the size, location and scope of the desalination project and chart a roadmap for project implementation.
This education course provides an overview of key steps associated with the planning of desalination project, from selecting service area and target product water quality for the project, to determining viable plant location, intake and discharge configuration, and identifying the most cost effective treatment processes. The course focuses on the practical guidance and real-life experience in the development of desalination projects in the US and abroad.
388-Introduction to Desalination Project Design and Delivery
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Implementing a successful desalination project encompasses a number of steps including planning, conceptual and detailed designs, construction, commissioning and acceptance testing. This course presents and introduction to the design and delivery of desalination projects and provides insights into project funding alternatives.
The course encompasses discussion of the key factors considered in the selection of desalination plant treatment processes (pretreatment, membrane salt separation, post-treatment) and equipment. The course introduces the principles used for pilot testing to verify and optimize desalination plant treatment process, and to select plant configuration and layout. Overview of the energy and chemical use of desalination plants are presented and the dosages of most common chemicals are provided in the course. The course also focuses on the fundamentals of project scheduling, implementation and phasing and addresses project economics and most common methods of project delivery such as design-bid-build, design-build-operate and build-own-operate transfer.
389-Overview of Alternative Desalination Technologies
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Fresh water can be produced from various saline water sources (ground water, brackish surface water or seawater) using a number of alternative desalination technologies such as thermal evaporation, reverse osmosis membrane separation and electrodialysis.
This course introduces the reader to the desalination technologies used most widely at present worldwide and defines key advantages, disadvantages, and areas of application of each of these technologies. The provided information encompasses both thermal evaporation technologies such as multistage flash distillation (MSF), multi-effect distillation (MED) and vacuum compression (VC) as well as reverse osmosis desalination using spiral wound membranes (RO) and electrodialysis reversal (EDR) systems. The course contains graphs and tables comparing the capital and operation and maintenance expenditures and water production costs of these alternative desalination technologies and highlights the differences in their energy use and fresh product water quality.
392-Protecting Drinking Water from Pathogens
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Convey the key elements for protecting public water systems from pathogens.
Course Description:
Drinking water is susceptible to transmitting waterborne diseases from microorganisms known as pathogens. Modern methods of treating and disinfecting water have greatly decreased the risk of getting sick from drinking water, but outbreaks still occur and the threat remains. This course aims to empower engineers to help in the ongoing fight to eliminate pathogens from drinking water.
The following topics are covered:
- Biological contaminants that threaten our drinking water
- Water sources and their likelihood for harboring pathogens
- Disinfection and log treatment
- Approaches to prevent biological growth in a distribution system
393-Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: From the Ground Up
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course guides the reader through basic knowledge necessary for designing and specifying concrete slabs-on-grade. The intended audience is design professionals who have at least a basic working knowledge of concrete and that understand simple engineering terms such as tension, compression, and bending.
The reader will find information ranging from the ground slabs are built upon, to slab properties and behavior, to the means of finishing a slab, and finally how slabs are cured for final use. Oftentimes, engineers know what the 28-day compressive strength of a concrete slab should be, but may not choose to dig deeper than that. It is true that slabs are mainly a convenient barrier between the dirt and the first floor of a building. However, as the reader will learn in this course, problems in slabs are often a result of poor soil conditions beneath the slab, or cracking of the concrete due to concrete shrinkage. So, while knowledge of strength is important, it is just the beginning. This course strives to further the knowledge of the reader, and help them make good decisions on behalf of the building owners they serve, and ultimately to design slabs-on-grade with minimal problems in service.
395-Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD): Introduction and Overview of Signs
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) (1) provides national standards and guidance with respect to location, shape, size, and color for roadway signs, markings, and signals. Such guidance and standards are intended to enhance transportation safety and efficiency and provide uniformity of such devices to drivers across of the United States.
Figure 1. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 2009 Edition Cover
In this course, you will learn about:
- General guidelines for traffic control devices
- How to utilize the MUTCD effectively
- Sign functions and purposes
- Sign types and designs
- General sign guidance on shapes, color, dimensions, location and more
Source of artwork is the MUTCD 2009 Edition and photos are by Scott or Leslie Washburn,
unless noted otherwise..
396-Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses I – Background & Loading
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses I – Background & Loading is the second in a series of courses on concrete slabs-on-grade.
The first course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: From the Ground Up presented knowledge necessary for designing and specifying concrete slabs-on-grade.
The third course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses II – Slab Design presents information on slab design methods, as well as recommendations for joints details, joint filler, and surface finishes.
The present course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses I – Background & Loading, contains information on slabs-on-grade in warehouse facilities that are subject to forklift and pallet jack traffic, as well as storage rack loading. The reader will learn background knowledge about warehouses with the goal of improved discussions with those who own and operate these facilities. For facilities with a poorly executed site soil and/or slab design, it is extremely costly to repair and maintain the slab joints. This includes the loss of efficiency while slabs are in a state of disrepair and during operational downtime when remedial action is taking place. This course identifies specific challenges of warehouse slabs, how they are different than typical buildings, and suggests approaches to the design and construction of these slabs to achieve optimal long term performance and minimization of maintenance costs.
This course focuses mainly on qualitative approaches to slab design and construction, but some quantitative design measures are presented and referred to. Design concepts are tailored to engineers with a background in statics and mechanics of materials, with some familiarity in concrete construction and design.
397-Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses II – Slab Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses II – Slab Design, is the third in a series of courses on concrete slabs-on-grade.
The first course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: From the Ground Up presented knowledge necessary for designing and specifying concrete slabs-on-grade.
The second course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses I – Background & Loading presents background information on warehouse facilities and the sites they are built on. Also, unique challenges are identified, as well as types of loading.
The present course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses II – Slab Design, teaches the reader how to provide warehouse owners and operators with slabs that are designed to handle the abuse that small hard wheels impose on slab joints. The course will also review how to design slabs for the loads that legs and base plates of heavy storage racks can apply on small areas of the slab, especially near discontinuities. Furthermore, information on joint construction, joint filler, and surface finishes are presented. The service life of a slab will depend on the durability of the concrete surface and joints. For facilities with a poorly executed slab design, it is extremely costly to repair and maintain the slab joints. This includes the loss of efficiency while slabs are in a state of disrepair and during operational downtime when remedial action is taking place. This course identifies the specific concerns of warehouse slabs, and suggests approaches to the design and construction of these slabs to achieve optimal long term performance and minimization of maintenance costs.
This course focuses on qualitative approaches to slab design and construction, as well as quantitative design measures useful in calculations. Design concepts are tailored to engineers with a background in statics and mechanics of materials, with some familiarity in concrete construction and design.
401-Lift Station Design
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Convey the key elements involved in the design of lift stations for wastewater collection systems.
Course Description:
Nearly every urban community has multiple lift stations that serve to keep the regular flow of sewage moving along on its journey to a treatment facility. Understanding these lift stations is important for civil engineers, and often other disciplines as well. This course focuses on the design of lift stations, from identifying the type of station needed, to sizing the important components. After completing this course, you should have the basic knowledge and skills for lift station engineering.
The following topics are covered:
- Purpose and function of a lift station
- Regulations and industry standards
- Types of lift stations
- Wet well sizing
- Intake design
- Pipe sizing and material options
- Pump selection
403-Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD): Overview of Pavement Markings
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) (1) provides national standards and
guidance with respect to location, shape, size, and color for roadway signs, markings, and signals.
Such guidance and standards are intended to enhance transportation safety and efficiency and provide uniformity of such devices to
drivers across the United States.
Figure 1. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 2009 Edition Cover
In this course, you will learn about:
- General guidelines for pavement markings
- Pavement marking functions and purposes
- Pavement marking types and designs
Source of artwork is the MUTCD 2009 Edition and photos are by Scott or Leslie Washburn, unless notd otherwise.
404-Tiny Houses Part 4 - Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: After completing this course participants should be able to:
1. Understand the basic components that make up each MEP system.
2. Size various MEP system components in accordance with building code requirements.
3. Identify key differences between designing and installing MEP systems in THOW and traditionally built dwellings.
4. Comprehend the importance and impact of selecting various energy sources for mechanical equipment and appliances.
Course Description:
This course is part of a multi-part course series on designing tiny houses (houses 400 square feet or less in size). The majority of this multi-part course focuses on tiny houses mounted on trailers, which are often referred to as tiny houses on wheels (THOW). This fourth course focuses on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. Over 50 figures and photos are included. The basis of this course came from my own research, planning, designing, and construction of a THOW I built myself.
406-Disinfection of Water System Components
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Convey the key elements involved in the disinfection of water system components.
Course Description:
Public water system components must be disinfected prior to being placed into service, to protect drinking water from becoming contaminated by pathogens. This course reviews the surface disinfection methods defined in AWWA standards, including for water mains, storage tanks, filters, and wells. After completing this course, you should have the basic knowledge and skills for planning and overseeing the disinfection of water system components.
The following topics are covered:
• Purpose of surface disinfection
• Regulations and industry standards
• Disinfection chemicals
• Disinfection of Water Mains
• Disinfection of Water Storage Facilities
• Disinfection of Water Treatment Plant Components
• Disinfection of Raw Water Wells
Field disinfection report examples and excel templates are provided for free with this course.
407-Systems: Tectonic & Hydrologic ‒ An Appalachian Trail Geologic Structure - Part 1
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: The main objective of this course is to show how tectonic and hydrologic systems can be studied in the field by observations and interpretations.
Course Description:
This course demonstrates how tectonic and hydrologic systems have shaped our landscapes of today. Based on my field study observations and interpretations, this course attempts to recreate the petrogenesis of The Cobbles outcrop over the last 600 million years.
Petrogenesis is the branch of study under petrology that covers a rocks origin and its past. The Cobbles outcrop is part of the Cheshire quartzite formation. Formation names include two key pieces of information: location and principal rock unit. Cheshire quartzite, describes its location in Cheshire, MA; and describes its dominant rock unit ‒ quartzite.
408-The Hardy Cross Method and its Successors in Water Distribution Modeling
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:
1. Hydraulic concepts necessary for understanding various pipe network analysis methods
2. The history behind the development of the Hardy Cross method
3. The basic principles the Hardy Cross method is based on and the step-by-step procedures used for pipe network analysis
4. The differences between the Hardy Cross and Modified/Improved Hardy Cross methods
5. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of using the Hardy Cross method
6. The differences between loop methods, node methods, flow methods, and gradient/node-loop methods for analyzing pipe networks
7. The basic concept of the Newton-Raphson method
8. The basic concept and application of the Linear Theory method
9. The basic concept and application of the Gradient method
10. A timeline of water distribution modeling advances from 1960 to 2020
11. The head loss methods and hydraulic balancing methods used by common hydraulic modeling software programs
12. Introduces leading modeling software developers, programs, and their basic capabilities
Course Description:
Water distribution system models have become very important and practical tools for civil engineers. Models are often used to optimize the design of new distribution systems or analyze major extensions or modifications to existing distribution systems. Computer models help engineers answer many common questions. For example, what is the maximum fire flow at a given point in the system? How long can that fire flow be provided for? What size pipe installation would be necessary between two points in a system to increase the pressure at one of the points to the minimum pressure required? If a subdivision or commercial development is built, will adequate pressures and flows exist? If not, what length and size of water mains must be upgraded by the developer to allow for the proposed construction?
In the 1930s the Hardy Cross method provided a breakthrough in pipe network analysis. Later, the advent of the modern computer allowed for analysis of even larger distribution systems using the method. Despite the development of more efficient computer algorithms, the Hardy Cross method remains the pipe network analysis method taught to most undergraduate civil engineering majors.
This course covers the history, basic principles, assumptions, step-by-step procedures, advantages, and disadvantages for solving pipe network problems using the Hardy Cross method. The three predominate analysis methods used by water distribution modeling software over the past 40 years are introduced and explained (the Newton-Raphson, Linear Theory, and Gradient methods). At the end of the course material a summary of some popular public-domain and commercial hydraulic models is presented. A total of ten example problems and solutions are included throughout the course to reinforce learning. The primary audiences for this course are consulting and municipal engineers in the water resource and environmental fields.
409-Understanding Sensors Part 1 - Sensor Technology
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Sensors provide status information on our environment, homes, cars, and equipment we use. They are a part of nearly all walks of life and essential elements of control and safety systems. Part 1 of the course discusses sensor technology while Part 2 describes sensor networks and fusion of sensor network data. The sensor is a device that detects and/or measures the state of a physical quantity such as temperature, pressure, force, flow, or level. Measurements are converted to an observation media such as an electrical signal or mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic motion providing knowledge of the physical quantity’s state. They may also interface directly to an actuator. The sensor measurement function is performed by several components that constitute a sensing system. This system, termed a sensor node when integrated into a network, is comprised of a sensing element, signal conditioning and possibly processing components, power supply and some form of output; a simple display, meter, or now with the internet many sensors and associated processing interconnect through a wireless communication network. Sensor technology, networking, and fusion is of growing importance in most engineering and scientific applications and this two-part course discusses these topics.
410-Understanding Sensors Part 2 - Sensor Networks
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Part 2 begins with a description of two additional sensors that will continue to play an important role in the evolving sensor networking technology; micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and fiber optic sensors. Then sensor networking architecture and the transmission of measured data to a sensor fusion algorithm is examined. Finally, sensor fusion technology is described. Finally, sensor fusion technology is described. Sensor fusion enhances the knowledge base of the quantities of interest as well as the interaction between them. This part of the course will cover all aspects of the networked sensing system; the sensor node, the communication network, network topologies and wireless sensor networks (WSN), communication network layered protocols, and finally fusion algorithms and processing techniques. Spurred by innovations in the smart phone, the Internet, MEMS, the IoT and the Cloud, devices are becoming smart and capable of user control, monitoring, and communication from remote locations. Network connectivity, person to person, machine to machine, device to device and combinations thereof is expanding at a fast rate making an understanding of sensor networks and fusion of growing importance.
411-External Ballistics Primer for Engineers - Part II: Test Equipment
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This course was written to introduce engineers of any discipline to the basics of external ballistics. The engineer will gain a general understanding of many of the factors, effects and forces which affect the flight path of a projectile in unpowered flight.
Course Description:
In part one of this external ballistics course several factors were introduced which affect the flight of a ballistic projectile. Some basic equations were presented that are useful to a great many engineers outside of ballistics for making approximations with a fair bit of accuracy. Several flow regimes that a ballistic projectile may pass through were also treated, though there were cases that were omitted for either lack of space or complexity. Fast forward to part deux. Projectiles launched from earth generally move through air for most or all of their flight, which means understanding the properties of that air is very important. Besides air there are other flightpath modifiers including Coriolis’ effects, so many times it is important to know the direction the projectile is headed in and its speed. The list of measurement equipment used in relation to external ballistics research is extensive, however there are tools which may be more noteworthy or common than others. The balance of this part of the full course delivers descriptions and general information of some of the equipment used to measure atmospheric air pressure, humidity, windspeed, wind direction, projectile speed and direction. There are also a few characteristic comparisons in table form appended to a handful of the sections.
The tools that follow are used throughout much of engineering and research rather than being confined to external ballistics, so it is likely you have used at least some of them in relation to your own work.
414-National Electric Code
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This course is meant to provide an overview of the entire NEC with an emphasis on methodologies that are useful for finding the applicable requirements while knowing when coverage is adequate enough to stop researching and commence designing, installing, or upgrading. Although many can benefit, three specific groups are targeted with the following goals.
- Provide a practicing Professional Engineer (PE) with a refresher of the purpose, scope, and application of the NEC.
- Provide a practicing Engineer with the requisite knowledge to adequately review and analyze designs for compliance with code requirements.
- Provide a licensed Electrician with a review of the latest updates and impacts to installation procedures.
Course Description:
This course covers the
entirety of the National Electrical Code with an emphasis on Chapters
1 through 4. The course illuminates the most often used portions of
the Code for an engineer who may not work with the Code daily but is
tasked with ensuring requirements are met during a factory
installation or remodel.
General requirements are
covered along with explanations for the values and restrictions.
Wiring methods are elucidated and methodologies provided; that is,
where to start in one’s search of the code for the apropo
requirements. Equipment explained include motors and their many
requirement with an emphasis on where to start the search to ensure
one is referring to the correct set of requirements for a given
job/installation.
The material provided should
enable the interested engineer an understanding of the more
important, and the most often used, portions of the Code in addition
to the confidence to engage in discussions with inspectors on
application of the Code.
415-What Wetlands Boards Expect from Engineers
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Engineers are prominent members of application teams seeking
permission to begin construction projects. When pursuing a Wetlands
Permit, many common issues arise across the United States. Some
approaches and techniques are more successful than others.
This
SUNCAM Course is written by a PE who developed his own subdivision
properties for years, representing himself before Boards and New England
Wetland Commissions as both the design professional civil engineer of
record and the developer land owner. In recent years, he has received
wetlands permits for geothermal and other construction jobs. Winning
strategies are shared with Engineers who may be approaching a Board or
Commission for the first time, or with Engineers who seek better
knowledge on proper terminology, what will occur at a meeting, or which
engineering design methods are effective.
The author's objective
is to familiarize you with meeting procedure, and for you to have more
efficient approvals the first time, without having to redesign and
resubmit plans, in accordance with regulations that control the process.
416-Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses III – High Performance Slabs
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses III – High Performance Slabs, is the fourth in a series of courses on concrete slabs-on-grade.
The previous three courses presented knowledge necessary for designing and specifying concrete slabs-on-grade, background information on warehouse facilities and the sites they are built on, unique challenges, types of loading, slab design methods, and recommendations for joints details, joint filler, and surface finishes.
The present course, Concrete Slabs-on-Grade: Warehouses III – High Performance Slabs, expands on the knowledge in the above courses by exploring more specialized design methods, loading and temperature extremes, and superflat floors. Time-tested slab design innovations used to mitigate issues with slabs will be presented. Situations where warehouse floors will be subjected to high demand loading and extreme low temperature conditions will be studied. Building slabs that require extreme flatness and are examined. A list of topics includes:
Topic #1 – Shrinkage Compensating Concrete Slabs
Topic #2 – Slabs with fibers:
- a) Synthetic fibers (a.k.a., macrofiber), or
- b) Steel fibers
Topic #3 – Slabs designed with continuous reinforcing
Topic #4 – Post-tensioned slabs-on-grade
Topic #5 – Cold Storage Warehouses
Topic #6 – Automated Racking Systems
Topic #7 – Superflat Floors
This course focuses on qualitative approaches to slab design and construction, as well as quantitative design measures useful in calculations. Design concepts are tailored to engineers with a background in statics and mechanics of materials, with some familiarity in concrete construction and design.
419-Fundamentals of Masonry Part B
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The science of masonry construction is extensive, thorough, and is the foundation of the profession. But there is an artistic component bounded only by the imagination of the designer and the skilled mason.
Masonry construction has been practiced for thousands of years beginning with the ancient Greeks and the Romans. The “language” of the craft developed over this time. Today we use words that clearly identify pieces and parts of the industry that can bewilder or confound those unfamiliar with them – words such as collar joint, sash block, and Jack arch.
This three course series provides fundamental knowledge about masonry construction for the engineer, architect, contractor, and anyone else who is interested in having a basic understanding of the topic.
Fundamentals of Masonry – Part A explained and simplified the terminology and the fundamental principles of masonry and masonry construction including the nomenclature and history of the subject, and an introduction to the basic principles of wall construction.
Fundamentals of Masonry – Part B continues the discussion of masonry including design and reinforced masonry, some structural elements such as bond beams, lintels, pilasters, and arches and concludes with a section titled “What can go wrong?” with an example of the severe consequences of ignoring the design and construction principles of masonry.
It is fully illustrated with drawings and color photographs and is written in an easy to understand style.
Coming soon Fundamentals of Masonry – Part C will discuss additional masonry units including stone and glass, the anatomy of a clay brick street, efflorescence, and additional fascinating (actually, disheartening) damages resulting from sloppy and incorrect masonry construction practices.
422-Structural Nonlinearity - Part 3 - Analyzing Nonlinearity
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Nonlinear analyses can be formidable, unpredictable, and tricky to perform proficiently. Performing a nonlinear analysis can be likened to returning to a city you once knew many years ago that has since grown and changed beyond recognition. Landmarks and routes may feel familiar in bouts, and you may be able to tenuously find your way just to hit a dead end or arrive somewhere surprisingly foreign to you. Think of this course as a map kiosk with advice on what to expect and how to navigate nonlinear analyses.
This course describes how nonlinearities can be analyzed once they are identified in a structural system. The course content includes guidance on idealization, nuances of analyzing each nonlinearity type, and general recommendations for analysis.
The course closes with several detailed examples where the reader is walked through the analyses of several types of nonlinearity, each crafted to show analysis protocols, help illustrate confusing aspects, and highlight potential pitfalls.
Note: The content in this series of courses is advanced and
requires considerable experience with linear structural analysis and
a solid understanding of structural behavior. It is recommended that
the preceding courses in this series be completed prior to taking
this course.
430-HVAC Layout and Design Course 1 of 4: Market Sectors & Project Execution Strategies
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This informative Course series was developed to equip the HVAC design engineer with vital information needed to complete Code compliant, successful projects. By the end of Course 4, engineers will learn valuable skills necessary to make HVAC equipment and system choices suitable for their specific project application and will have a better understanding of how to apply these designs which allow for better communication with Clients, design/construction team members and facility Operators.
Course 1 defines ten (10) market sectors an HVAC design engineer may encounter, describes common HVAC equipment/system types for each market sector and familiarizes the reader with Codes that may pertain to their specific HVAC design. This course also describes different project execution strategies that may be utilized for each market sector. Information included in Course 1 provides general knowledge that will be further developed and discussed in Courses 2, 3 and 4.
Upon completion of Course 1, the reader will be able to quickly identify typical HVAC equipment and systems associated with each market sector, know where to look in the Code to ensure compliance and understand where they fit into the design/construction team based on the project execution strategy.
431-Centrifugal Pump Selection
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Centrifugal pumps are the most common type of pump in use today. The applications are numerous across multiple industries. Many engineers could benefit from a better understanding of the centrifugal pump selection process. This course walks through the pump design process, with a focus on the hydraulic calculations that form the basis for a sound pump selection. After completing this course, you should have the basic knowledge and skills for centrifugal pump selection.
The following topics are covered:
• Types of centrifugal pumps
• Pump design steps
• Design criteria
• Process flow diagrams
• System curves and pump curves
• Pump selection examples
• Hydraulic profiles
433-HVAC Layout and Design Course 2 of 4: Occupant Comfort & Load/Economic Analysis
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This informative Course series was developed to equip the HVAC design engineer with vital information needed to complete Code compliant, successful projects. By the end of Course 4, engineers will learn valuable skills necessary to make HVAC equipment and system choices suitable for their specific project application and will have a better understanding of how to apply these designs which allow for improved communication with Clients, design/construction team members and facility Operators.
Course 2 describes key comfort factors necessary for the building’s Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) which help occupants to function efficiently thereby saving Owner’s overhead costs. We will review the psychrometric chart and illustrate how this chart can be used to define equipment specifications during early design and estimate loads based on typical engineering assumptions. These skills are important for developing accurate project budgets early in the design phase.
This Course will also familiarize the reader with manual load calculation techniques, HVAC load analysis software inputs and explain how to utilize the output data. Several benefits of computational flow dynamics (CFD) analysis are discussed, and this Course shows how economic analysis can be used to help make HVAC equipment and system selections. Upon completion of Course 2, the reader will have a full understanding of these design fundamentals which will be used in Course 3 to layout HVAC ductwork systems.
435-HVAC Layout and Design Course 3 of 4: Zoning, Layout & DX System Control
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This informative Course series (Course 1 thru 4) was developed to equip the HVAC design engineer with vital information needed to complete Code compliant, successful projects. By the end of Course 4, engineers will learn valuable skills necessary to make HVAC equipment and system choices suitable for their specific project application and will have a better understanding of how to apply these designs which allow for improved communication with Clients, design/construction team members and facility Operators.
Course 3 outlines HVAC zoning techniques and examples found in virtually every market sector. This Course will familiarize the reader with Air Device selection, function and layout within each zone. Typical location of Air Terminal units and ductwork/piping mains are reviewed with detailed description of ductwork and pipe system sizing, design and layout.
This Course will also familiarize the reader with DX system controls and BAS systems commonly found in the HVAC industry. These control concepts include stand-alone as well as network control systems.
438-HVAC Layout and Design Course 4 of 4: Central Plant Design, Geothermal & Other Technologies
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This informative Course series (Course 1 thru 4) was developed to equip the HVAC design engineer with vital information needed to complete Code compliant, successful projects. By the end of this Course, engineers will have learned valuable skills necessary to make HVAC equipment and system choices suitable for their specific project application and will have a better understanding of how to apply these designs which allow for improved communication with Clients, design/construction team members and facility Operators.
Course 4 includes a summary of when DX systems are typically chosen verses Chilled Water systems. Typical costs for each system discussed in Course 2 will be revisited for each market sector. This Course will also familiarize the reader with Chilled Water and Hot Water Central Plant design and control strategies for each.
In previous Courses, there were alternate HVAC systems discussed including geothermal, chilled beam, steam radiators, UFAD, etc. This Course will further describe each system type and when they may be applied. After completing this Course series, the HVAC engineer will be able to lead HVAC discussions, provide pros/cons for each system type and help Clients make final decisions such that the HVAC design can progress.
440-Floodplain Engineering - An Introduction to Stream Classification & Restoration
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who are involved in stream restoration projects. It describes several methodologies for classifying streams and introduces some of the design approaches used in stream restoration.
The overall objective of this course is to provide an introduction to the complex world of stream classification and stream restoration. It also describes the necessary on-going maintenance activities of stream restoration projects.
452-Heavy Civil Earthwork Construction - Part 1. An Introduction
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
A brief introduction to Heavy Civil Earthwork Construction.
Engineering large earthwork projects are very involved and require many disciplines. Designs need to consider geotechnical issues, drainage issues, final surface design (whether it is a roadways line and grade or a structure’s foundation), environmental concerns, and owner’s economics to name a few.
This course is designed to give a brief overview of the construction practices and procedures of this very important subject to Heavy Civil Construction Projects. It will discuss common terms and definitions, review the basic materials and equipment used, basic construction engineering roles and responsibilities, briefly describe some specialized earthwork operations, and lastly a statement concerning construction safety. All of these topics for the various types of excavation and embankment construction, will be presented as an introduction only, and possible future-more specific courses on the subject matter may be added to supplement the information provided.
The purpose of this course is to help engineers who design the above items understand the processes of construction to make their designs safer, more timely, cost effective, and with better quality, and to identify the roles of the Construction Engineer in these projects. After completion the reader should have a basic understanding of the standard methods of earthwork construction and the associated equipment needed. Additionally, which construction methods and equipment choices are more suitable for specific applications. Lastly, what the role of a construction field engineer is related to these construction activities.
From better understanding of the construction methods, engineers can account for better access and staging areas, and more efficient designs to suit a construction method that is advantageous to the project.
453-Reducing Water Loss in Distribution Systems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Develop skills for water loss control in distribution systems.
Course Description:
The loss of water in distribution systems is of growing concern due to aging infrastructure, increased costs for treating and pumping water, and a shortage of clean water sources. Engineers can apply their skills and make a big difference in reducing water loss for communities around the world. This course provides an overview of approaches for water loss control and includes example applications. After completing this course, you should have the basic knowledge and skills for reducing water loss in water distribution systems.
The following topics are covered:
- Water balances
- Water audits
- Key performance indicators
- Apparent versus real losses
- Pressure management
- District metered areas
- Leak detection techniques
454-Ion Exchange for Water Treatment
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Gain a practical understanding of ion exchange systems for water treatment.
Course Description:
Ion exchange has been used for water treatment purposes for decades. Most residential water softeners utilize an ion exchange process to remove hardness. Many municipal water treatment plants and industrial facilities include ion exchange systems for removing hardness, heavy metals, chlorides, nitrates, sulfates, organics, and many other contaminants. There continues to be advancements in ion exchange technology. This course summarizes ion exchange configurations and includes examples to prepare engineers for real world applications.
The following topics are covered:
- Cation versus Anion Exchange
- System Configurations
- Field Testing
- Design Criteria
- Process Flow Diagrams
- Lifecycle Cost
455-Culvert Design for Fish Passage
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is intended for engineers who are involved the design of new or replacement culverts (or other stream structures). It describes in detail the ways that culverts can present obstacles to fish passage and presents an overview of the design methodologies to overcome these problems. It also includes a discussion of fish ladders.
The overall objective of this course is to provide an overview of how fish react to culverts and other stream structures and how the engineer can design these features with fish passage in mind. When you complete this course you should be familiar with many of the methodologies employed in this field.
462-Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Gain a practical understanding of piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs).
Course Description:
Piping and instrumentation diagrams, also known as process and instrumentation diagrams, are commonly referred to as P&IDs. P&IDs illustrate the functional relationship of piping, instrumentation, equipment, and controllers. P&ID drawings are commonly made by process, controls, and electrical engineers. However, it is helpful for engineers of all disciplines to be able to read and understand P&IDs. This course summarizes P&IDs and includes examples to prepare engineers for real-world applications.
The following topics are covered:
- Overview of P&IDs
- Comparison of Engineering Diagrams
- Industry Standards
- Letter Designations
- Common Symbols
- Control Loops
- Examples
464-Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD): Overview of Highway Traffic Signals
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) (1) provides national standards and
guidance with respect to location, shape, size, and color for roadway signs, markings, and signals.
Such guidance and standards are intended to enhance transportation safety and efficiency and provide uniformity of such devices to
drivers across the United States.
Figure 1. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 2009 Edition Cover
In this course, you will learn about:
- General guidelines for highway traffic signals
- Highway traffic signal functions and purposes
- Highway traffic signal types and designs
442-How To Read Shipbuilding Drawings (Part 2)
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This Continuing Education course is written for Professional Engineers and others who are designing, or want to design, successful floating vessels.
Course Description:
This course is intended to show the types of drawings that are specific to shipbuilding in the Contract Design stage, where to find what information, and how to read them.
The following topics are covered:
General items Common To Other Engineering and Architectural Drawings
Reference Axes Used In Shipbuilding
Glossary of Terms Used For Shipbuilding (more extensive than Part 1)
Symbols Used In Shipbuilding
First Half of Drawings Produced in the Contract Phase of Design (Part 2):
• Outboard Profile and Arrangement revision
• Inboard Profile and Arrangement revision
• Tank and Ballast Plan revision
• Machinery Arrangement revision
• Interior and Exterior Rendering revisions
• Weight Estimate revision
• Speed/Power/Range/Fuel Consumption Report revision
• Hull Lines Plan revision
• Table of Offsets revision
• Specifications
• Construction Profile
• Typical Bulkheads and Frames
• Hull and Deckhouse Layup Plan (if fiberglass/composite structure)
• Engine Foundations
• Scantling Plan
• Weld Symbol List
• Welding Schedule
• Loadline Drawing
• Propulsion Shaftline and Rudder Details
• Fills, Vents, and Sounds
• Pipe Symbol List
• Bilge System Schematic
• Black Water System Schematic
• Compressed Air System Schematic
• Deck Drains Arrangement
• Oily Bilge Water Schematic
• Exhaust System Schematics
• Fixed Gas Fire Extinguishing System
• HI-FOG and Water Sprinkler Fire Extinguishing System
• Fresh Water System Schematic
• Fuel Service and Transfer System Schematic
• Liquid Cargo Transfer System Schematics
• Gray Water Drains Schematic
• Hydraulic Power System Schematic if centralized
• Hydraulic Power System Schematics for individual systems if not centralized
• Lube Oil and Dirty Oil System Schematic
• Seawater Cooling System Schematic
• Seawater Ballast System Schematic
• Seawater Fire Extinguishing System Schematic
• Steering Arrangement
466-Forensic Engineering Part D - Case Histories: Corrosion Failure Analyses
4
List: $90.00
Sale: $39.95
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This is the fourth part of a series of courses on forensic engineering in the area of metallurgical and mechanical root-cause failure analyses. The course, like Part C, provides different case histories of failure analyses of metallic materials and mechanical engineering as segments of the large field of forensic engineering. The emphasis in each case presented is on failures due to corrosion of metals. Five somewhat unique case histories are provided.
To get the most benefit from the course, it is assumed that the reader has a general interest in and knowledge of corrosion from previous education or work experience. That knowledge might include some basic principles as provided in the author’s prior Course 110, Corrosion Control and Tactics, or other information sources on corrosion and related technology. However, brief statements of most principles needed in a given case history are provided.
The course seeks to show that analyses of metallic aqueous corrosion failures can be a very diverse and often challenging area of engineering. This is because of the many interacting factors. Included are the many possible practical situations where failures may occur, the variety of metals potentially affected, the different methods sometimes needed to access the evidence, the several corrosion mechanisms that may be found and the role of an engineering expert witness in associated legal actions.
443-Intact Stability of Surface Ships
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This Continuing Education course is written for Professional Engineers and others who are designing, or want to design, successful floating vessels.
Course Description:
This course covers the following topics:
What is intact ship stability?
Why are submarines not covered in this class?
Glossary of Useful Terms
Ship Stability Theory
Metacentric Height and VCG
Transverse Stability
Longitudinal Stability
Graphical Representation of Transverse Stability
How is intact stability calculated?
Loll Point Transverse Stability
Graphical Representation of Loll Point Transverse Stability
Graphical Representation of Longitudinal Stability
Roll Periods
Ballast
Internal Forces That Affect Stability
• Free Surface Effect
• Passenger Heeling Moments
• Shifting Cargo
External Forces That Affect Stability
• Wind Heel
• Wave Effects-Ordinary Waves and Wakes
• Grounding
• End Launching
• Weights Hanging overboard
• Ice and Water On Deck
• Towing Using Cables
• Currents
Where to find Stability Criteria
Stability Booklet
477-Heavy Civil Construction Safety - Part 3. Equipment Operation Safety
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is part of the Series of courses on Heavy Civil Construction Safety. It is the intent of this series of courses to provide the reader with a sound knowledge base of the fundamentals of safety so they can be considered one of the Industry’s Competent Safety Personnel. Supervisory engineering responsibilities require this type of training so leaders can help the staff they oversee avoid accidents.
The series of courses will attempt to make this material easy to read and understand. It does not go into any depth on technical subjects but will provide enough material for the reader to be aware of the fundamentals in a wide variety of subject areas. Course Topics of this series may include: General OSHA and MSHA Responsibilities, Personal Protection, Hand and Power Tools, Ladders and Scaffolds, Excavation and Trenches, Equipment operations, Crane Safety, Rigging Safety, Traffic Control, Fire Protection, & Equipment Transporting.
The goal of this third course is to review basic heavy equipment operation safety. The material will include general discussions of the various equipment available and some of the hazards/precautions needed to safely work around them. Anyone who works around heavy equipment knows that there are hazards involved and that they are not to be taken lightly. It is not the purpose of this course to teach people to be equipment operators. It is the purpose to teach people safe practices and procedures to reduce the chance of equipment operation safety accidents.
The purpose of this course is to help engineers who design heavy civil construction items understand the processes of construction to make their designs safer, more timely, cost effective, and with better quality. After completion the reader should have a basic understanding of the ssfety requirements needed to construct their designs. From better understanding of the construction methods, engineers can account for better access and staging areas, and more efficient designs to suit a construction method that is advantageous to the project.
Lastly, safety must be a constant focus of every operation. Because of the variability of Heavy Civil Construction Projects, they are often chosen to be constructed in some of the most adverse and inaccessible areas imaginable. Working with extreme weights, at excessive heights, in adverse conditions, and around large equipment requires safety diligence from every stakeholder. Please be safe.
482-Collection System CIP Management
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Develop skills for the management of a capital improvement program (CIP) for a wastewater collection system.
Course Description:
Most communities are faced with the challenge of managing older wastewater collection systems with ever growing problems due to leaks and breaks. Modern sewer rehabilitation techniques are available to help solve these problems. Careful management of a capital improvement program (CIP) can help rehabilitate or replace the sewers at greatest risk while keeping within budget restraints. This course reviews the program management and engineering skills needed for effective CIP management and includes example applications.
The following topics are covered:
- Overview of Collection Systems
- Overview of Capital Improvement Planning
- Master Plans
- Project Selection
- Budget Planning
- Sewer Condition Assessment
- Infiltration & Inflow Reduction
- Sewer Rehabilitatio
483-Self-Sustaining Ecosystems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
This course is an
introduction to Self-Sustaining Ecosystems. The intent of this course is NOT to make the reader an expert in every ecosystem design, but rather, introduce some challenges in creating a self-sustaining ecosystem by using an actual project that was successfully designed, permitted and constructed… but not just any project! This project consisted of not one, but two, different manmade tidal saltwater ecosystems. The course explains the process used to permit and construct a tidal saltwater marsh and a tidal saltwater pond at the Suncoast Conservation Center.
This course IS intended for those engineers and designers to:
- be aware of different ecosystem projects and become sufficiently familiar with the permitting requirements;
- discuss potential ecosystem opportunities with a client;
- understand the permitting challenges;
- know how to work with the regulatory agencies for projects and ecosystems that the regulators are not familiar with;
- discuss the construction challenges that were faced;
- ease the pains involved with an innovative ecosystem permit.
The course will begin by providing a brief background of the project goals and challenges before presenting the technical topics on the marsh and pond designs.
Again, this introductory course is about what creating new ecosystems may involve, and it provides a basic guide for an engineer to use in discussing ecosystem permitting intelligently with a client, as well as the initial discussions with the regulatory agencies.
488-Water Distribution CIP Management
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Develop skills for the management of a capital improvement program (CIP) for a water distribution system.
Course Description:
Aging infrastructure is increasing the risks for water main breaks, leaks, low pressure, water loss, and other problems. At the same time, construction costs have escalated such that the cost to replace old water mains far exceeds the available budget for most communities. Careful planning, condition assessments, and modern rehabilitation techniques are available to help solve these challenges while staying within budget restrictions. This course reviews the basic program management skills needed for effective CIP management.
The following topics are covered:
• Water Distribution System Infrastructure
• Planning for Capital Improvements
• Annual CIP Budget Management
• Infrastructure Data Management
• Water Loss Reduction
• Condition Assessments
• Risk Ranking
490-Florida’s Mandatory Structural Inspections
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Florida passed a law requiring structural inspection of all older three story or higher condos. This provides important work for Florida PEs. Out of state engineers can also learn from Florida guidelines. Legal Statutes and practical on site investigations are addressed.
Peter J. Tavino Jr. PE is a practicing civil engineer with broad civil, environmental and structural experience. He has been president of his own small firm for 30 plus years.
As mentioned in the course, he was team leader for the World Trade Center structural inspection before it collapsed. Since relocating to Florida, he has PE consulted on building structure projects, with wind mitigation certification, etc. As an experienced trainer of engineers, he is pleased to present this relevant course on Structural Inspections.
489-Water Treatment CIP Management
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Develop skills for the management of a capital improvement program (CIP) for a water treatment system.
Course Description:
Water treatment systems are critical for providing non-stop high-quality drink water to communities. Water treatment infrastructure requires regular improvements to maintain a high level of service. This course explains how careful planning with condition assessments, performance assessments, and risk assessments can identify and prioritize improvements. Project scheduling is covered, including how to keep annual spending within budget. An excel file is provided with example tables for CIP project planning and spending projections.
The following topics are covered:
• Water Treatment System Overview
• Improvement Planning Process
• Condition Assessments
• Performance Assessments
• Risk Assessments
• Master Planning
• Project Selection
• Annual CIP Budget Management
496-Wastewater Treatment CIP Management
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Develop skills for the management of a capital improvement program (CIP) for a wastewater treatment system.
Course Description:
Wastewater is treated prior to being released into the environment or reclaimed for beneficial reuse. Wastewater treatment systems are critical for the protection of the environment and human health. Wastewater treatment processes require regular improvements to meet the latest regulatory limits and treatment goals.
This course explains how careful planning with condition assessments, performance assessments, and risk ranking can identify and prioritize improvements to treatment systems and help ensure treatment objectives are met well into the future. Project scheduling is covered, including how to keep annual spending within budget. An excel file is provided with example tables for CIP project planning and cash flow projections.
The following topics are covered:
• Wastewater Treatment Summary
• Motivations for Improvements
• CIP as part of Asset Management
• Improvement Planning Process
• Condition Assessments
• Performance Assessments
• Risk Ranking
• Choosing between Potential Projects
• Budget Management
Download the Free Spreadsheet Used in This Course
498-National Electric Code: Solar Power
4 $90.00
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
This course is meant to provide an overview of the entire NEC with an emphasis on Solar Array installation requirements. The focus is on smaller installations often used in homes and office buildings. Additional references are provided for more indepth research. Figures showing common configurations and which aid in understanding terminology are provided. Although many can benefit, three specific groups are targeted with the following goals.
- Provide a practicing Professional Engineer (PE) with a refresher of the purpose, scope, and application of the NEC applicable to Solar Array installations.
- Provide a practicing Engineer with the requisite knowledge to adequately review and analyze designs for compliance with code requirements.
- Provide a licensed Electrician with a review of the latest updates and impacts to installation procedures.
This course covers the entirety of the National Electrical Code with an emphasis on those sections required for installing solar grids. The course illuminates the most often used portions of the Code for an engineer who may not work with the Code daily but is tasked with ensuring requirements are met during a factory installation or remodel.
General requirements are covered along with explanations for the values and restrictions. Wiring methods are elucidated and methodologies provided. Differing solar configuration are shown and requirements specify to safety and fire hazards of PV systems are explained.
The material provided should enable the interested engineer an understanding of the more important, and the most often used, portions of the Code in addition to the confidence to engage in discussions with inspectors on application of the Code.
503-Managing a Nuclear Plant Project
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
The United States of America had 55 operating nuclear plants in 2022 that provided 20% of the nation’s electric power. According to the World Nuclear Association to meet the goal of low carbon emissions, nuclear plants must be built and maintained more efficiently. Nuclear power plants undergo seasonal scheduled refueling outages that result in greater efficiency and reliability. When a unit shuts down for refueling, the outage could last up to two months. Reactor operators typically defer much of the non-critical maintenance work until a refueling outage. They conduct the maintenance in parallel with the refueling.
This is a case study about managing a nuclear plant project during a scheduled refueling outage. The project involves the replacement of two large valves which are part of the Drywell Shutdown Cooling System, a critical system in nuclear plant safety for boiling water reactor plants. The valves are in a radioactive area of the plant. The task of replacing two large valves, weighing almost two tons each, in a contaminated environment involves many complex activities and many people. It involves planning, scheduling, budgeting, coordination, communications, conflict resolution, problem solving, decision making, corrective action. An added challenge to performing work in a nuclear plant is managing and controlling the work in a contaminated environment. The term typically used to describe the process which embraces all these things is called Project Management. At one time or another most of the project management practices were present in this project, some effective some less effective.
This is an actual valve replacement project. Some of the project conditions have been changed for training purposes. A cast of characters has been created to illustrate the project conditions. Any similarity between people working in any nuclear plant and the characters in the case study is purely coincidental. The course is presented in five parts. PART 1 contains the economic analysis decision to replace the valves. PART 2 presents the key team members involved and describes a meeting that occurred during the plant refueling outage to solve unexpected problems. PART 3 contains two technical reports. PART 4 contains a Lessons Learned Overview, Outage Lessons Learned contributions to the Nuclear Industry data base and the project close-out report. PART 5 Appendix contains an overview of the US Nuclear Electricity Generation Industry, describes the US Nuclear Reactors, the nuclear workers who maintain the nuclear plants, and a Glossary of Terms and illustrations.
504-What Every Engineer Should Know about Game Theory
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
Whether engaged in design, construction, maintenance or operations activities, engineers are continually engaged in negotiation and decision making. However, very little formal negotiation and decision making training exists for engineers, despite the fact that in recent decades there have been significant developments in the game theory field. These developments in game theory have resulted in a standardized terminology and provide theoretical and mathematical concepts that, when adopted in the engineering community, could provide significant advantages to the initiated professional. This course provides introductions to game theory concepts that have immediate application to typical activities that engineers are engaged in on a day-to-day basis.
Application of these concepts can result in better and more rapid decision making and assists in the disentanglement of technical and operational problems when they occur. Understanding of these concepts can be as vital as oral and written communication skills for engineers to successfully achieve their technical objectives for the client’s and the public’s best interests.
This course presents these concepts at an introductory level and provides several real world examples. Since the instructors are maritime engineers, many of the examples are maritime, but the lessons apply equally to any engineering specialty. The course also provides a substantial amount of references and a bibliography for further study.
506-Microcontrollers: An Introduction
4 $90.00
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
Microcontrollers and microprocessors whether seen or unnoticed are an integral part of everyday life. You quite possibly encounter hundreds everyday. Everyday items that you may or may not think of contain one or more of these tiny devices: your electric toothbrush, television, the remote control for your television, children’s toys, cell phones, and the dozen or so processors in your car for the engine electronic control system, GPS, radio system and electronic compass are a few examples.
The purpose of this course is to describe at a high level different microcontroller architectures and to discuss the components of the central processing unit and how the components interact. This course also describes the differences between a microcontroller and a microprocessor and discusses a microcontroller’s instruction set and presents a few examples. This course presents different peripherals, how they are used and how they interact with the central processor.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course the student will learn:
• Three of the main processor architectures
• The difference between the Harvard architecture and von Neumann architecture
• The components of the central processing unit and how they interact
• How binary numbers are manipulated mathematically within the arithmetic logic unit
• The fetch-decode-execute cycle of the central processing unit
• The difference between a microcontroller and a microprocessor
• How a processor’s instruction set translates into machine code
• When to use general purpose input/output
• When to use a timer and real-time clock peripheral
• The differences, advantages and disadvantages of three different communication interfaces: UART, SPI, and I2C
Intended Audience
This course is intended for all engineers.
Course Summary
Microcontrollers are specialized microprocessors. Three of the most popular processor architectures include the Harvard architecture where data memory and program memory are accessed separately, the von Neumann architecture where data memory and program memory are accessed from the same bus, and the modified Harvard architecture which is a combination of the previously mentioned two. The central processing unit (composed of the arithmetic logic unit, registers and the control unit) functions as the brains or core of the processor. The central processing unit processes machine code stored in memory to control all of its functions. The machine code is compiled or assembled from the processor’s instruction set which defines all of the operations of the microcontroller. To complement their functionality, microcontrollers include a suite of peripherals such as input/output pins, timers, a real-time clock and communications controllers.
516-Basics of Energy, Momentum, and Power - Part 2 - Basics of Mechanical Power and Momentum
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: The objective of this course is to provide a broad conceptual understanding of power as it applies to all disciplines of engineering. This will include a familiarity with both Imperial and Metric systems when dealing with energy and power related problems.
Course Description:
The concept of energy and power is basic to all engineering disciplines. Part 1 of this course provided an overview of energy concepts and principles. Part 2 continues with a similar overview of power. The various types of mechanical power will be covered in detail. An introduction to momentum is included, with an explanation of the difference between energy and momentum. Included is a basic introduction to electrical power, but a thorough discussion of electrical energy and power is beyond the scope of this course. Content and example problems will be presented using both Metric and Imperial units. This course is intended for engineers, not physicists. Derivation of equations will only be used where useful.
522-NEC Backup Power
4 $90.00
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
This course covers the National Electrical Code with an emphasis on those sections required for Backup Power Systems. The course illuminates the most often used portions of the Code for an engineer who may not work with the Code daily but is tasked with ensuring requirements are met during a factory installation or remodel.
General requirements are covered along with explanations for the values and restrictions. Wiring methods are elucidated and methodologies provided. Differing backup power configurations (emergency, standby—legally required, optional, and critical) are shown and requirements specific to safety and fire hazards of backup power systems are explained.
The material provided should enable the interested engineer an understanding of the more important, and the most often used, portions of the Code in addition to the confidence to engage in discussions with inspectors on application of the Code.
NoteAccess to the Code, Code Handbook, or Internet References to the Code will be helpful and allow for greater study.
Course Objective
This course is meant to provide an overview of the NEC with an emphasis on methodologies useful for finding the applicable requirements while knowing when coverage is adequate enough to stop researching and commence designing, installing, or upgrading. Although many can benefit, three specific groups are targeted with the following goals.
• Provide a practicing Professional Engineer (PE) with a refresher of the purpose, scope, and application of the NEC.
• Provide a practicing Engineer with the requisite knowledge to adequately review and analyze designs for compliance with code requirements.
• Provide a licensed Electrician with a review of the latest updates and impacts to installation procedures.
529-PFAS in Biosolids
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: Understand the engineering challenges related to PFAS in biosolids
Course Description:
There can be serious health effects from regular consumption of food and water with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or PFASs. PFAS is present in the wastewater at most municipal wastewater treatment facilities, including in the biosolids (residuals) produced. If the biosolids are land applied the PFAS can enter crops and groundwater. Many states require monitoring for PFAS in biosolids and future regulations with limits are anticipated. This course explains current regulations and summarizes the current techniques for PFAS removal, destruction and stabilization. Example problems and applications are included.
The following topics are covered:
• Biosolids Overview
• Measuring PFAS in Biosolids
• Fate and Transport of PFAS
• Federal and State Regulations
• PFAS Removal and Destruction
• Biosolids Disposal Costs
531-Electrical Power - Part II: Distribution Systems
4 $90.00
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
COURSE OBJECTIVE
Although this is a five part course, each individual part is meant to be stand-alone should one be interested in that topic. The overall purpose of the course is to provide an overview of electric power from generation, through the various distribution systems, including the vital transformer links that change the voltage from the high voltage required for minimum losses during transmission to medium- and low-voltage for the end-users. Additionally, the transmission lines connecting the system are covered. And, finally, the rule from the National Electric Safety Code® (NESC®) that govern it all completes the overview.
The NESC will cover the rules, principles, basic and theoretical background where applicable, with an emphasis on rules application used to determine the distribution requirements for various tasks. Although many can benefit, three specific groups are targeted with the following goals.
• Provide a practicing Professional Engineer (PE) with a refresher on power distribution design and rules (requirements) or for the engineer assigned to a distribution schema with the minimum knowledge to properly design a system.
• Provide a practicing Engineer with the requisite knowledge to adequately review and analyze designs for compliance with goals and requirements.
• Provide a licensed Electrician (lineman) with an understanding of a distribution system to be able to assess impacts on the same for installation or design changes.
Electric Power basics are covered along with the theoretical background, where applicable, that should enable the engineer to understand the potential impacts of a given design or changes to the same. More importantly, completion this course will provide the requisite knowledge to perform various task in distribution design, including ensuring that transformers and transmission lines are properly sized, built and tested; and the appropriate requirements of the NESC are met.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Although this is a five part course, each individual part is meant to be stand-alone should one be interested in that topic. The overall purpose of the course is to provide an overview of electric power from generation, through the various distribution systems, including the vital transformer links that change the voltage from the high voltage required for minimum losses during transmission to medium- and low-voltage for the end-users. Additionally, the transmission lines connecting the system are covered. And, finally, the rule from the National Electric Safety Code® (NESC®) that govern it all completes the overview.
Part I, Generation, the more common type of plants producing the power. The basics of alternating current and direct current generators is explained include the principles of parallel operation. Finally, energy management and power quality are covered.
Part II, Distribution Systems, covers the classification of such systems, how the common neutral is utilized, overhead and underground distribution, along with fault analysis methods.
Part III, Transformers, informs on power transformers, their ratings, voltage regulation, testing methods and parameters used to analyze both transformers and transmission lines.
Part IV, Transmission Lines, discusses the electrical parameters of such line: resistance, inductance, and capacitance. Important effects such as the skin effect and reflection are explained. This part completes with an explanation of models for each type of transmission line: short, medium, and long.
Part V, The National Electrical Safety Code, covers organization of the code and some of the multitude of requirements for the transmission of electrical power.
NOTE
Access to the National Electrical Safety Code Handbook will be helpful for greater study (but is not required for completion of the course).
532-Electrical Power - Part III: Transformers
4 $90.00
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
COURSE OBJECTIVE
Although this is a five part course, each individual part is meant to be stand-alone should one be interested in that topic. The overall purpose of the course is to provide an overview of electric power from generation, through the various distribution systems, including the vital transformer links that change the voltage from the high voltage required for minimum losses during transmission to medium- and low-voltage for the end-users. Additionally, the transmission lines connecting the system are covered. And, finally, the rule from the National Electric Safety Code® (NESC®) that govern it all completes the overview.
The NESC will cover the rules, principles, basic and theoretical background where applicable, with an emphasis on rules application used to determine the distribution requirements for various tasks. Although many can benefit, three specific groups are targeted with the following goals.
• Provide a practicing Professional Engineer (PE) with a refresher on power distribution design and rules (requirements) or for the engineer assigned to a distribution schema with the minimum knowledge to properly design a system.
• Provide a practicing Engineer with the requisite knowledge to adequately review and analyze designs for compliance with goals and requirements.
• Provide a licensed Electrician (lineman) with an understanding of a distribution system to be able to assess impacts on the same for installation or design changes.
Electric Power basics are covered along with the theoretical background, where applicable, that should enable the engineer to understand the potential impacts of a given design or changes to the same. More importantly, completion this course will provide the requisite knowledge to perform various task in distribution design, including ensuring that transformers and transmission lines are properly sized, built and tested; and the appropriate requirements of the NESC are met.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Although this is a five part course, each individual part is meant to be stand-alone should one be interested in that topic. The overall purpose of the course is to provide an overview of electric power from generation, through the various distribution systems, including the vital transformer links that change the voltage from the high voltage required for minimum losses during transmission to medium- and low-voltage for the end-users. Additionally, the transmission lines connecting the system are covered. And, finally, the rule from the National Electric Safety Code® (NESC®) that govern it all completes the overview.
Part I, Generation, the more common type of plants producing the power. The basics of alternating current and direct current generators is explained include the principles of parallel operation. Finally, energy management and power quality are covered.
Part II, Distribution Systems, covers the classification of such systems, how the common neutral is utilized, overhead and underground distribution, along with fault analysis methods.
Part III, Transformers, informs on power transformers, their ratings, voltage regulation, testing methods and parameters used to analyze both transformers and transmission lines.
Part IV, Transmission Lines, discusses the electrical parameters of such line: resistance, inductance, and capacitance. Important effects such as the skin effect and reflection are explained. This part completes with an explanation of models for each type of transmission line: short, medium, and long.
Part V, The National Electrical Safety Code, covers organization of the code and some of the multitude of requirements for the transmission of electrical power.
NOTE
Access to the National Electrical Safety Code Handbook will be helpful for greater study (but is not required for completion of the course).
533-Electrical Power - Part IV: Transmission Lines
4 $90.00
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
COURSE OBJECTIVEAlthough this is a five part course, each individual part is meant to be stand-alone should one be interested in that topic. The overall purpose of the course is to provide an overview of electric power from generation, through the various distribution systems, including the vital transformer links that change the voltage from the high voltage required for minimum losses during transmission to medium- and low-voltage for the end-users. Additionally, the transmission lines connecting the system are covered. And, finally, the rule from the National Electric Safety Code® (NESC®) that govern it all completes the overview.
The NESC will cover the rules, principles, basic and theoretical background where applicable, with an emphasis on rules application used to determine the distribution requirements for various tasks. Although many can benefit, three specific groups are targeted with the following goals.
• Provide a practicing Professional Engineer (PE) with a refresher on power distribution design and rules (requirements) or for the engineer assigned to a distribution schema with the minimum knowledge to properly design a system.
• Provide a practicing Engineer with the requisite knowledge to adequately review and analyze designs for compliance with goals and requirements.
• Provide a licensed Electrician (lineman) with an understanding of a distribution system to be able to assess impacts on the same for installation or design changes.
Electric Power basics are covered along with the theoretical background, where applicable, that should enable the engineer to understand the potential impacts of a given design or changes to the same. More importantly, completion this course will provide the requisite knowledge to perform various task in distribution design, including ensuring that transformers and transmission lines are properly sized, built and tested; and the appropriate requirements of the NESC are met.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Although this is a five part course, each individual part is meant to be stand-alone should one be interested in that topic. The overall purpose of the course is to provide an overview of electric power from generation, through the various distribution systems, including the vital transformer links that change the voltage from the high voltage required for minimum losses during transmission to medium- and low-voltage for the end-users. Additionally, the transmission lines connecting the system are covered. And, finally, the rule from the National Electric Safety Code® (NESC®) that govern it all completes the overview.
Part I, Generation, the more common type of plants producing the power. The basics of alternating current and direct current generators is explained include the principles of parallel operation. Finally, energy management and power quality are covered.
Part II, Distribution Systems, covers the classification of such systems, how the common neutral is utilized, overhead and underground distribution, along with fault analysis methods.
Part III, Transformers, informs on power transformers, their ratings, voltage regulation, testing methods and parameters used to analyze both transformers and transmission lines.
Part IV, Transmission Lines, discusses the electrical parameters of such line: resistance, inductance, and capacitance. Important effects such as the skin effect and reflection are explained. This part completes with an explanation of models for each type of transmission line: short, medium, and long.
Part V, The National Electrical Safety Code, covers organization of the code and some of the multitude of requirements for the transmission of electrical power.
NOTE
Access to the National Electrical Safety Code Handbook will be helpful for greater study (but is not required for completion of the course).
539-Florida Condo Structural SIRS Visual Inspections by PEs
4 $90.00
Course Objectives: This continuing education course is written specifically for professional engineers with the objective of relating to and enhancing the practice of engineering.
Course Description:
After the Champlain Towers collapsed in Surfside, Florida, the state legislature passed a new statute requiring all condos three stories or taller occupied for 25 or 30 years to be structurally inspected by a Florida Licensed Engineer or Architect. The new law also requires a visual inspection of newer condos by a PE or other professional for the (SIRS) Structural Integrity Reserve Study. The program provides abundant work for qualified firms. This SUNCAM course introduces PEs to the law and inspection requirements. Sample inspection elements are shown and discussed, to prepare private engineering inspectors to perform the necessary work.
540-AC Electrical 101+ Part II: Concepts & Three-Phase Electricity
4 $90.00
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
COURSE OBJECTIVE
Although many can benefit, three specific groups are targeted with the following goals.
• Provide a practicing Professional Engineer (PE) with a refresher on AC Electrical Power theory, rules (requirements), and practical applications or for the engineer assigned to a related job with the minimum knowledge to properly design a system.
• Provide a practicing Engineer with the requisite knowledge to adequately review and analyze AC Electrical Power designs for compliance with goals and requirements.
• Provide a licensed Electrician with an understanding of a AC Electrical Power to be able to assess impacts on said systems for installation or design changes, and proper operation.
Electric Power basics are covered along with the theoretical background, where applicable, that should enable the engineer to understand the potential impacts of a given design or changes to the same. More importantly, completion this course will provide the requisite knowledge to perform various tasks of design, including ensuring that such systems are sized, built and tested; and the appropriate requirements are met.
Focus will be on the basics of knowledge given that truly understanding the basics will allow one to solve more complex problems, which are in most cases are a grouping of basic problems. All the best.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Although this is a two part course, each individual part is meant to be stand-alone should one be interested in that topic. The overall purpose of the course is to understand the fundamentals of AC theory, AC circuit applications, AC circuit components, and to develop the basic ability read and follow AC drawings.
Part I, The fundamentals of single phase AC circuitry and components.
Part II, The fundamentals of three phase AC circuitry and applications.
NOTE
Access to any basic theory book (see the References) is helpful but is not required for completion of the course(s).
553-Vector Mechanics: Statics
4 $90.00
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
Statics is the study of forces and moments on physical systems in static equilibrium. Unlike dynamics, where the components of the system are in motion, components of a system in static equilibrium do not move or vary in position relative to one another over time. This course is intended to be a refresher course for statics (vector mechanics). This course is intended for someone who has a general working knowledge of vectors. This course has a lot of sample problems and teaches by showing examples and sample problems.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course the student will learn:
• how to decompose a force into its vector components
• how to determine the equilibrium of a particle
• how to determine the equilibrium of a rigid body
• how to determine the mechanical advantage of a pulley system
• how bodies are subject to moments (or torque)
• how to reduce a force couple to a moment
• how to reduce a system to a force and a moment
• how to determine if a truss is stable
• how to determine the axial forces within a truss by the method of joints
• how to determine the axial forces within a truss by the method of sections
• how to calculate the force of friction between a body and a surface
• how the determine the equilibrium of a body when the force of friction acts on the body
Intended Audience
This course is intended for all engineers.
Course Introduction
Mechanics is the branch of science concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the effects of the bodies on their environment. Mechanics is a physical science incorporating mathematical concepts directly applicable to many fields of engineering such as mechanical, civil, structural and electrical engineering.
Vector analysis is a mathematical tool used in mechanics to explain and predict physical phenomena. The word “vector” comes from the Latin word vectus (or vehere – meaning to carry). A vector is a depiction or symbol showing movement or a force carried from point A to point B.
Statics (or vector mechanics) is the branch of mechanics that is concerned with the analysis of loads (or forces and moments) on physical systems in static equilibrium. Systems that are in static equilibrium are either at rest or the system's center of mass moves at a constant velocity. Problems involving statics use trigonometry to find a solution.
Newton's First Law states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest or an object in motion tends to stay in motion at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force. In the area of statics Newton's First Law dictates that the sum of all forces, or net force, and net moment on every part of the system are both zero.
The term "static" means still or unchanging. In relation to vector mechanics the terms "still" or "unchanging" pertain to the system under evaluation. The system may be at rest or may be moving at a constant velocity, but all of the components of the system are still or in equilibrium with each other. However, there are forces within the system usually acted upon by gravity, but all of the forces are balanced.
Course SummaryStatics is the study of forces and moments on physical systems in static equilibrium. Unlike dynamics, where the components of the system are in motion, components of a system in static equilibrium do not move or vary in position relative to one another over time. Statics is concerned with physical systems in equilibrium and the conditions that require equilibrium given the forces and moments that are acting on the components of the systems. These physical systems can include but are not limited to trusses, beams, pulleys and systems that use support cables.
560-NFPA 70E: Electrical Safety in the Workplace
4 $90.00
New Course
Course Objectives:
Course Description:
NFPA 70E is focused on Electrical Safety in the Workplace. This course describes the layout of the code, its practical applications, provides an overview of the entire code while highlighting its more important parts and conclusions. Upon completion you should understand the scope of the code, where to find the information regarding safety you seek, and have an understanding of the areas applicable to your work and how to apply them.
NOTE
Access to any basic theory book (see the References) is helpful but is not required for completion of the course(s).
The NFPA 70E Handbook is a useful reference for its many exhibits and examples, but again, is not required for this course, which should provide a useful introduction to the code.
