DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Professors Emeriti: Eugene J. Fisher, R. Ian Murray, Richard K. Pefley, Michel A. Saad
Professors: Jorge Gonzalez, M. Godfrey Mungal, Terry E. Shoup
Associate Professors: Drazen Fabris, Timothy K. Hight (Department Chair), Christopher Kitts
Assistant Professors: Wendelin Wright (Clare Booth Luce Professor)
Mechanical engineering includes all aspects of design, development, control, and manufacture of mechanical systems and energy conversion systems. Mechanical engineering is essential to the proper design and manufacture of nearly every physical product in our modern world. As such, mechanical engineers are a fundamental resource for most industries, and they work in interdisciplinary environments. Mechanical engineers must have the ability to see broad perspectives across disciplines and industries and yet solve very local and specialized problems. The undergraduate curriculum addresses the education and training of mechanical engineering students and concentrates on two technical areas: (1) design and analysis of thermofluid systems for effective use of energy; and (2) design, analysis, and control of mechanical systems including the study of materials used in engineering. Educational efforts are channeled to expand the skills of prospective engineers not only in understanding fundamentals but also in developing competence in analyzing engineering systems.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR
In addition to fulfilling the University Core Curriculum requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree, students majoring in mechanical engineering must complete a minimum of 192 units and the following department requirements:
Mathematics and Natural Science
- MATH 11, 12, 13, 21
- AMTH 106 or MATH 22
- AMTH 118
- CHEM 11
- PHYS 31, 32, 32L, 33, 33L
- MECH 15
- MECH 102 (required for students receiving any MATH or AMTH grade below a “B”) or approved mathematics or natural science elective
Engineering
- ENGR 1
- CENG 41, 43
- COEN 44
- ELEN 50
- MECH 10, 11, 114, 115, 121, 122, 123, 125, 140, 141, 142, 160, 192, 194, 195, 196
Technical Electives
Eight units of technical electives, four units of which may be cooperative education or graduate coursework.
COMBINED BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND MASTER OF SCIENCE PROGRAM
The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a combined degree program leading to the Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science open to mechanical engineering majors. Under the combined degree program, an undergraduate student begins taking courses required for a master’s degree before completing the requirements for the bachelor’s degree and typically completes the requirements for a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the end of the fifth year.
Undergraduate students admitted to the combined degree program begin taking graduate classes during their senior year. They are required to enroll in the program between February of their junior year and December of their senior year. Students in this program will receive their bachelor’s degree after satisfying the standard undergraduate degree requirements. To earn the master’s degree, students must fulfill all the requirements for the degree, including the completion of 45 units of coursework beyond that applied to their bachelor’s degree and completion of the master’s thesis. No course can be used to satisfy requirements for both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree.
Mechanical Engineering Laboratories
The Nanomechanics Lab houses a nanoindenter, a mechanical test instrument with nanometer displacement resolution and micro-Newton load resolution. In addition to measuring mechanical properties such as hardness and elastic modulus with high spatial resolution, the tip of the nanoindenter may be used to perform mechanical testing on MEMS devices.
The CAM and Prototyping Lab consists of two machine shops and a prototyping area. One machine shop is dedicated to student use for design and research projects. The second is a teaching lab used for undergraduate and graduate instruction. Both are equipped with modern machine tools, such as lathes and milling machines. The teaching lab also houses both 2-axis and 3-axis Computer Numerically Controlled vertical milling machines and a CNC lathe. Commercial CAM software is available for ease of programming. The prototyping area is equipped with a Stratasys FDM 3000 rapid prototyping system that utilizes fused deposition modeling to create plastic prototypes from CAD generated models. Also available are a Cyberware laser scanner and a Microscribe touch scanner for capturing 3D data points to facilitate reverse engineering or data acquisition from existing components.
The Engine Lab contains a variety of internal combustion engines installed on dynamometer stands that can be used for studies of diesel and spark-ignition engines. The facilities include a chassis dynamometer and instrumentation for evaluating engine performance, measuring exhaust gas emissions, and measuring noise. Studies can be conducted using a variety of fuels.
The Fluid Dynamics/Thermal Science Lab contains equipment to illustrate the principles of fluid flow and heat transfer and to familiarize students with hydraulic machines, refrigeration cycles, and their instrumentation. The lab also contains a subsonic wind tunnel equipped with an axial flow fan with adjustable pitch blades to study aerodynamics. Research tools include modern nonintrusive flow measurement systems.
The Instrumentation Lab contains six computer stations equipped with state-of-the-art, PC-based data acquisition hardware and software systems. A variety of transducers and test experiments for making mechanical, thermal, and fluid measurements are part of this lab.
The Materials Laboratory contains equipment for metallography and optical examination of the microstructure of materials as well as instruments for mechanical properties characterization including tension, compression, hardness, and impact testing. The Materials Laboratory also has a tube furnace for heat treating and a specialized bell-jar furnace for pour casting and suction casting of metallic glasses and novel alloy compositions.
The Robotic Systems Laboratory is an interdisciplinary laboratory specializing in the design, control, and teleoperation of highly capable robotic systems for scientific discovery, technology validation, and engineering education. Laboratory students develop and operate systems that include spacecraft, underwater robots, aircraft, and land rovers. These projects serve as ideal testbeds for learning and conducting research in mechatronic system design, guidance and navigation, command and control systems, and human-machine interfaces.
The Vibrations and Control Systems Lab is equipped with two flexible test systems. One is capable of single or multi DOF modes, free or forced motion, and adjustable damping. The other is an inverted pendulum. Both systems can be controlled by a wide variety of control algorithms and are fully computer connected for data acquisition and control.
LOWER-DIVISION COURSES
10. Graphical Communication in Design
Introduction to the design process and graphical communications tools used by engineers. Documentation of design through freehand sketching and engineering drawings. Basic descriptive geometry. Computer-aided design as a design tool. Conceptual design projects presented in poster format. Computer Laboratory. (5 units)
11. Materials and Manufacturing Processes
Manufacturing processes and their use in the production of mechanical components from metals and plastics. Prerequisites: MECH 10 and 15. (4 units)
15. Introduction to Material Science
Physical basis of the electrical, mechanical, optical, and thermal behavior of solids. Relations between atomic structure and physical properties. Laboratory. Prerequisite: CHEM 11. (5 units)
UPPER-DIVISION COURSES
102. Introduction to Mathematical Methods in Mechanical Engineering
The application of mathematical methods to the solution of practical engineering problems. A review of fundamental mathematical methods and calculus of a single variable, multivariable calculus, ordinary differential equations, numerical methods, and basics of linear algebra. (4 units)
114. Machine Design I
Analysis and design of mechanical systems for safe operation. Stress and deflection analysis. Failure theories for static loading and fatigue failure criteria. Team design projects begun. Formal conceptual design reports required. Prerequisites: MECH 15, CENG 41, and CENG 43. (4 units)
114L. Machining Lab
Practical experience with manual machine tools such as mills, lathes, drill press, sheet metal tools, etc. Basic training in safe and proper use of the equipment associated with simple mechanical projects. Laboratory. Must be taken in conjunction with MECH 114. P/NP (1 unit)
115. Machine Design II
Continuation of MECH 114. Treatment of basic machine elements (e.g., bolts, springs, gears, bearings). Design and analysis of machine elements for static and fatigue loading. Team design projects completed. Design prototypes and formal final report required. Prerequisite: MECH 114. (4 units)
121. Thermodynamics I
Definitions of work, heat, and energy. First and second laws of thermodynamics. Properties of pure substances. Application to fixed mass systems and control volumes. Irreversibility and availability. Prerequisite: PHYS 33. (4 units)
122. Fluid Mechanics I
Fluid properties and definitions. Fluid statics, forces on submerged surfaces, manometry. Streamlines and the description of flow fields. Euler’s and Bernoulli’s equations. Mass, momentum, and energy analysis with a control volume. Laminar and turbulent flows. Losses in pipes and ducts. Dimensional analysis and similitude. Laboratory. Co-requisite: MECH 140. (5 units)
123. Heat Transfer
Introduction to the concepts of conduction, convection, and radiation heat transfer. Application of these concepts to engineering problems. Laboratory. Prerequisites: MECH 121 and 122. (5 units)
125. Thermal Systems Design
Analysis, design, and simulation of fluids and thermal engineering systems. Application of optimization techniques, life cycle and sustainability concepts in these systems. Prerequisite: MECH 123. (4 units)
132. Fluid Mechanics II
Introduction to gas dynamics. Concepts of lift and drag. Mechanics of laminar and turbulent flow. Introduction to boundary-layer theory. Application to selected topics in lubrication theory, aerodynamics, turbo-machinery, and pipe networks. Offered every other year. Prerequisites: MECH 121 and 122. (4 units)
140. Dynamic Systems I
Newtonian dynamics of rigid bodies. Kinematics of points and reference frames. Motion relative to noninertial frames. Linear and angular momentum. Newton’s laws of motion. Moments and products of inertia. Work and energy methods. Impulse and momentum. Prerequisites: PHYS 31, CENG 41, AMTH 106, and MECH 10. (4 units)
141. Dynamic Systems II
Modeling of physical systems. Fundamental characteristics of linear systems via analysis of simple electrical and mechanical models. Response of linear systems to various inputs. Mechanical vibrations. Laboratory. Prerequisite: MECH 140. (5 units)
142. Dynamic Systems III
Analysis of linear feedback control systems by classical methods. Synthesis and design of control systems that satisfy certain stability and time-response criteria. Graphical design methods. Introduction to analysis and design by state-space methods. Laboratory. Prerequisite: MECH 141. (5 units)
143. Mechatronics
Introduction to the behavior, design, and integration of electromechanical components and systems. Review of appropriate electronic components/circuitry, mechanism configurations, and programming constructs. Use and integration of transducers, microcontrollers, and actuators. Also listed as ELEN 123. Prerequisite: ELEN 50. (5 units)
145. Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
Basic design and analysis of atmospheric flight vehicles. Principles of aerodynamics, propulsion, structures and materials, flight dynamics, stability and control, mission analysis, and performance estimation. Introduction to orbital dynamics. Offered every other year. Prerequisites: MECH 122 and 140. Co-requisite: MECH 121. (4 units)
146. Mechanism Design
Kinematic analysis and synthesis of planar mechanisms. Graphical synthesis of linkages and cams. Graphical and analytical techniques for the displacement, velocity, and acceleration analysis of mechanisms. Computer-aided design of mechanisms. Three or four individual mechanism design projects. Offered every other year. Prerequisite: Junior standing in mechanical engineering. (4 units)
151. Finite Element Theory and Applications
Basic introduction to finite elements; direct and variational basis for the governing equations; elements and interpolating functions. Applications to general field problems— elasticity, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer. Extensive use of software packages. Offered every other year. Prerequisites: COEN 44 or equivalent and AMTH 106. (4 units)
160. Modern Instrumentation for Engineers
Introduction to engineering instrumentation, computer data acquisition hardware and software, sampling theory, statistics, and error analysis. Laboratory work spans the disciplines of mechanical engineering: dynamics, fluids, heat transfer, controls, with an emphasis on report writing and experimental design. Prerequisite: MECH 123. (5 units)
188. Co-op Education
Practical experience in a planned program designed to give students work experience related to their academic field of study and career objectives. Satisfactory completion of the assignment includes preparation of a summary report on co-op activities. P/NP grading. May be taken for graduate credit. (2 units)
189. Co-op Technical Report
Credit given for a technical report on a specific activity such as a design or research project, etc., after completing the co-op assignment. Approval of department co-op advisor required. Letter grades based on content and presentation quality of report. May be taken twice. May be taken for graduate credit. (2 units)
190. Independent Study
Investigation of a mechanical engineering problem and presentation of the results. Arrangement with a faculty advisor is required. Prerequisite: Senior standing. (2–4 units)
192. Technical Writing
Organization of engineering proposals and reports. General aspects of technical communications. Development of oral presentation skills and strategies. Prerequisite: ENGL 2. (2 units)
194. Advanced Design I: Tools
Design tools basic to all aspects of mechanical engineering, including design methodology, computer-design tools, CAD, finite element method, simulation, engineering economics, and decision making. Senior design projects begun. Prerequisite: MECH 115. (3 units)
195. Advanced Design II: Implementation
Implementation of design strategy. Detail design and fabrication of senior design projects. Quality control, testing and evaluation, standards and specifications, and human factors. Prerequisite: MECH 194. (4 units)
196. Advanced Design III: Completion and Evaluation
Design projects completed, assembled, tested, evaluated, and judged with opportunities for detailed re-evaluation by the designers. Formal public presentation of results. Final written report required. Prerequisite: MECH 195. (3 units)
199. Directed Research
Investigation of an engineering problem and writing an acceptable thesis. Conferences as required. Prerequisite: Senior standing. (2–4 units)
