Mechanical Engineering Teaching Labs
Every undergraduate student enrolled in the Department of Mechanical Engineering is required to take lab courses that align with the core Mechanical Engineering curriculum. These lab courses reinforce the engineering theory taught in lectures through hands-on experimentation. The students learn how to follow experimental procedures and write technical lab reports.
Freshman Studio Lab – 1.130B
MECH 1100 and 1208, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering I and II, respectively, are taught in the Freshman Studio. Students are introduced to a broad range of concepts that they will encounter in later courses. Each class is based around competition-style team projects that have real-world application.
Equipment List
- Dell Precision 3630
- General Description: The computers at Freshman Studio are capable of running (insert available programs)
Manufacturing Lab – 1.150B
MECH 1100 and 1208, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering I and II, respectively, are taught in the Freshman Studio. Students are introduced to a broad range of concepts that they will encounter in later courses. Each class is based around competition-style team projects that have real-world application.
Equipment List
- MakerBot Printer Replicator
- The 5th generation 3D printer converts 3D design files and prints utilizing MakerBot PLA Filament.
- Stratasys F370 Series 3D Printer
- The 3D printer utilizes servo/belt gantry dynamics that features multiple model material capability.
- Connex Objet350 Polyjet Printer
- A versatile Stratasys 3D printer containing digital materials and coating applications. The printer also allows multiple simultaneous prints with combination materials.
- Laser Cutter
- The laser cutter features precise cutting for materials up to [insert max dimensions of canvas]
- Support Cleaning Apparatus
- The cleaning apparatus is mainly used for cleaning support off fresh Stratasys F370 3D prints.
- BOFA Fume Extractor
- The fume extractor safely removes any harmful fumes the Polyjet printer produces during a print.
- Dell Precision 5810
- The computers in manufacturing lab is used primarily for preparing and sending 3D files to either the Polyjet or a F370 Series printer.
Fluids Lab – 2.315
MECH 3115, Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, is taught in the Fluids Lab. Students perform standard experiments focusing on fluid mechanics concepts including buoyancy, pressure drop, lift & drag, and laminar and turbulent fluid flow. At the end of the semester, the students design and execute and experiment of their own design.
- General Description – The lab offers many unique item equipment pieces that demonstrates fluid mechanic topics. The topics range from fluid statics, Bernoulli’s principle, Navier-Stokes theorem, circulation, drag, and conservation of mass, energy, and momentum.
Heat Transfer Lab – 2.335
The Heat Transfer Laboratory, MECH 3120, gives students hands-on experience with various thermal systems. Conductivity, natural and forced convection, and radiation heat transfer are explored in-depth.
- TQ heat exchanger service module
- Provides hot and cold water to heat exchangers that can then measure their performance.
- Heat conduction in materials
- A device that can conduct heat in various materials
- Cross Flow Heat Exchanger
- Allows data collection of heat transfer rates by forced convections.
- Natural Convection and Radiation Apparatus
- Allows study of heat transfer at different pressures and vacuum settings. This allows users to differentiate between free convection and radiation.
Mechatronics Lab – 3.315
Mechanical Engineers are increasingly working on integrated systems that involve electrical and software in addition to traditional mechanical components. Our students are required to take introductory programming and electronic circuits classes to prepare them for their careers on multi-disciplined engineering teams. In the Circuits Lab, students learn how to design, build, and test analog and digital circuits.
- InfiniiVision Oscilloscope
- Graphically displays signals as a function of time. The display screen and adjusting knobs allows for changing input voltage and display settings.
- Digital Multimeter
- A device capable of measuring voltage, current, and resistance and displaying results on screen.
- Waveform Generator
- Capable of generating output signals for creating sine waves. It is also capable generating complex, arbitrary waveforms.
- DC Power Supply
- A device capable of producing DC voltage as a means for power supply.
- Optiplex Dell Computer
- Computers in mechatronics mainly used for student use for in-class labs.
Systems and Controls Lab – 3.325
The Dynamic Systems and Controls Lab supports MECH 2110, Systems and Controls Laboratory. This lab features mechanical and thermal apparatus to teach students how to model and control motion and thermal systems.
- Coupled tanks
- A device consisting of one pump connected to two tanks that can be configured to adjust water flow rates for water leveling.
- VoltPAQ-X1
- An amplifier device built for complex control configuration for research needs.
- Servo motors
- A motor device built for control configuration that is based off real-life mechanical control systems like cameras, cruise control, speed control.
- Torsional Plant
- A device used to study control system fundamentals by manipulating flexible structural control
- Heat Flow Experiment System
- A device that demonstrates control system fundamentals through experiments with dynamics and thermodynamics.
- Active suspension system
- A device that the automotive industry utilizes when designing vertical movements on vehicles.
Kinematics and Dynamics Lab/CAD Lab – 3.335
The CAD Laboratory supports many classes which teach Computer Aided Design and Analysis concepts. The lab is equipped with high-performance PC workstations and two industrial 3D-printers. The computers are loaded with different software packages used by Mechanical Engineers including SolidWorks, PTC Creo, CATIA, Ansys, and many more.
- Dell Precision
- The computers are loaded with [insert available programs]. They are primarily used by students for 3D modeling and running 3D simulations.
Mechanics of Materials Laboratory
MECH 2120, Mechanics of Material Laboratory, is taught in a state-of-the art laboratory. Students learn how to operate industrial machinery to test various material properties including Young’s modulus, yield strength, hardness, and impact strength. An advanced graduate course in Experimental Mechanics also utilizes this laboratory.
- Fatigue Test Machines
- The machine tests material fatigue from cracks by producing a fluctuating load on the specimen.
- System for Data Acquisition
- Electronically measures impact work from impact test on specimens.
- Instron Machines
- Allows tensile, compression, fatigue, and impact testing on specimens.
- Dell Computers
- The Dell computers are loaded with BlueHill3 software that allow electronic data collection of Instron machine testing.
- Muffle Furnace
- A lab orientated high temperature furnace that hosts a 36”x36”x36” chamber if space.
- Hi-Temperature Vacuum Oven
- A product used for desiccation, vacuum embedding, plating, and elevated temperature aging tests.
