Galicia PAU Technology and Engineering II study materials
Galicia PAU Technology and Engineering II study resources

Galicia PAU Technology and Engineering II study plan

Galicia PAU Technology and Engineering II · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 6 hours per week

Week 1

Mechanical systems: statics, strength of materials, mechanisms and machine design

  • Derive and apply equilibrium equations for 2D particle and rigid-body systems, resolving inclined-plane and two-force-member cases without reference notes

  • Construct shear-force and bending-moment diagrams for simply supported, cantilever and overhanging beams under point and uniformly distributed loads

  • Compute normal and shear stress, strain and elastic deformation for axially loaded bars and beams, selecting the correct section property (A, I, W)

  • Classify the four basic mechanisms (lever, pulley, wheel-and-axle, inclined plane) and calculate their mechanical advantage and efficiency in worked problems

  • Set up a personal formula sheet covering statics and strength of materials, capped at one A4 side

Your checkpoint

A solved problem set of 12 statics/strength exercises (including 3 shear-moment diagrams) with a one-page formula sheet, self-marked against the solutions with errors logged

Week 2

Mechanical systems: statics, strength of materials, mechanisms and machine design

  • Analyse velocity ratios and torque transmission in gear trains, belt-and-pulley drives and screw mechanisms

  • Identify and sketch the standard machine elements (bearings, shafts, couplings, clutches, brakes, springs) and justify a selection for a stated duty

  • Apply failure criteria (yield, ultimate, fatigue indicators, safety factor) to simple design checks

  • Solve 10 mixed mechanics problems under a 90-minute timed block to build exam pacing

Your checkpoint

A timed 90-minute mock section on mechanical systems scored out of 10, with a written correction of every missed item

Week 3

Electrical and electronic systems: circuits, machines, power electronics and digital electronics

  • Solve DC circuits using Kirchhoff's laws, mesh and node analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalents, and superposition

  • Compute AC series/parallel RLC behaviour: impedance, phase angle, power factor, active, reactive and apparent power

  • Explain the operating principle, equivalent circuit and starting methods of DC motors and three-phase induction motors

  • Identify the function and typical application of diodes, thyristors, BJTs, MOSFETs and IGBTs in rectifier, chopper and inverter circuits

  • Convert between number systems and simplify logic expressions with Karnaugh maps and Boolean algebra

Your checkpoint

A circuit portfolio of 15 fully worked problems (5 DC, 5 AC, 5 power electronics/digital) each with a labelled schematic and a one-line justification of the method chosen

Week 4

Electrical and electronic systems: circuits, machines, power electronics and digital electronics & Control systems and automation: sensors, actuators, open/closed loop, PLCs and robotics

  • Design combinational logic circuits (encoders, decoders, multiplexers, adders) from a truth table to a gate-level schematic

  • Analyse sequential circuits: flip-flop state tables, simple counters and shift registers

  • Distinguish open-loop from closed-loop control and compute steady-state error and settling behaviour for first-order systems

  • Select sensors (temperature, position, proximity, force, flow) and actuators (DC/stepper/servo motor, solenoid, cylinder) for a given automation task and justify the choice

  • Explain PLC scan cycle, I/O addressing and ladder-logic rungs for a simple interlock, and describe robot degrees of freedom and basic kinematics

Your checkpoint

A one-page automation design brief for a small station (e.g. conveyor with part-count and reject) including sensor list, actuator list, block diagram of the control loop and a hand-drawn ladder-logic sketch

Week 5

Materials science and technology: properties, structure, testing and selection

  • Classify materials (metals, polymers, ceramics, composites) and relate atomic/crystal structure and defects to macroscopic properties

  • Match property requirements (density, stiffness, toughness, conductivity, corrosion resistance) to material families and select a material for a stated component

  • Interpret tensile test curves to extract yield strength, ultimate strength, elongation and modulus, and relate hardness scales to strength

  • Describe non-destructive and destructive testing methods (ultrasound, radiography, dye penetrant, impact, fatigue) and state when each is appropriate

  • Explain heat treatments (annealing, quenching, tempering, surface hardening) and their effect on microstructure and properties

Your checkpoint

A material selection report for one component (e.g. bicycle frame or pump housing) comparing at least three candidate materials on a property table with a justified final choice

Week 6

Pneumatics and hydraulics: components, circuit design and simulation

  • Identify pneumatic and hydraulic components (compressor, pump, reservoir, filter-regulator-lubricator, directional valve, flow-control valve, pressure-relief valve, cylinder, motor) and state their symbol and function

  • Read and draw ISO 1219 circuit diagrams using the correct symbols, including 5/2 and 3/2 valves and their actuation types

  • Size a cylinder for a given force and speed, and calculate air consumption and hydraulic pump flow/pressure requirements

  • Analyse speed control by meter-in versus meter-out circuits and explain the purpose of a differential circuit

  • Trace a fault in a described circuit and propose a corrective modification

Your checkpoint

Two complete ISO-symbol circuit diagrams (one pneumatic with speed control, one hydraulic with pressure limiting) with a component table and calculated cylinder force, flow and air consumption

Week 7

Manufacturing and production systems: machining, forming, joining, metrology and quality & Energy and environmental technology: sources, conversion, efficiency and sustainability

  • Compare machining, forming, casting and joining processes and select an appropriate process for a given part, batch size and tolerance

  • Calculate machining parameters (cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, machining time) for turning and milling

  • Apply metrology concepts: instrument selection, resolution, uncertainty, tolerance and fits, and interpret a measurement result against a specification

  • Distinguish renewable and non-renewable energy sources and describe conversion chains for thermal, hydro, wind and photovoltaic generation

  • Compute energy efficiency and simple environmental indicators (specific consumption, CO2 per kWh) for a stated installation

Your checkpoint

A manufacturing and energy dossier: a process route sheet for one part with machining time calculated, plus an efficiency comparison of two electricity generation options with numbers shown

Week 8

Materials science and technology: properties, structure, testing and selection & Mechanical systems: statics, strength of materials, mechanisms and machine design & Electrical and electronic systems: circuits, machines, power electronics and digital electronics & Control systems and automation: sensors, actuators, open/closed loop, PLCs and robotics & Pneumatics and hydraulics: components, circuit design and simulation & Manufacturing and production systems: machining, forming, joining, metrology and quality & Energy and environmental technology: sources, conversion, efficiency and sustainability

  • Consolidate all seven domains into a single condensed revision sheet per domain, no longer than one A4 side each

  • Complete two full timed mock exams under exam conditions and mark them against the official weighting of the domains

  • Re-solve every previously logged error and confirm each is now correct without notes

  • Practise written justification answers so that each calculation is followed by units, a sanity check and a concluding sentence

Your checkpoint

Two completed timed mock exams with a scored error log showing every item closed, plus the seven-domain revision pack

Milestones

Week 2: Score at least 7/10 on the timed mechanics mock and reproduce the shear-moment diagram method for three beam types without notes

Week 4: Correctly solve 12 of 15 electrical problems covering DC, AC, power electronics and digital logic, and explain open- versus closed-loop control in writing in under 150 words

Week 6: Draw both fluid-power circuits from memory with correct ISO symbols and show cylinder force and flow calculations that check out dimensionally

Week 8: Average at least 65% across the two full mock exams with no domain below 50%, and zero unresolved items in the error log