Mechanical engineers design and develop everything you think of as a
machine - from supersonic fighter jets to bicycles to toasters. And
they influence the design of other products as well - shoes, light
bulbs and even doors. Many mechanical engineers specialize in areas
such as manufacturing, robotics, automotive/transportation and air
conditioning. Others cross over into other disciplines, working on
everything from artificial organs to the expanding field of
nanotechnology. And some use their mechanical engineering degree as
preparation for the practice of medicine and law. The mechanical
engineer may design a component, a machine, a system or a process.
Mechanical engineers will analyze their design using the principles of
motion, energy, and force to insure the product functions safely,
efficiently, reliably, and can be manufactured at a competitive cost.

Mechanical engineers
work in the automotive, aerospace, chemical, computer, communication,
paper, and power generation industries. Mechanical engineers
will be found in virtually any manufacturing industry. Increasingly,
mechanical engineers are needed in the environmental and bio-medical
fields. Indeed virtually every product or service in modern life
has probably been touched in some way by a mechanical engineer.

In the ME-EM department
these activities are reflected in the way we organize our teaching
and research efforts. Faculty are organized in the following
technical areas:

Design and Dynamic Systems Area --This area emphasizes modeling and control of dynamic processes in engineering systems. Current research activity is in engineering acoustics and noise control, NVH, vibrations and modal analysis, system modeling and identification, control systems, system dynamics, computer simulation of material-forming processes, off-line programming of robots, automobile crashworthiness, computer-aided strain analysis, software sensor development, optimal control of automated manufacturing, application of artificial intelligence in interactive design software, environmentally conscious design, and design of orthotic devices for gait rehabilitation.

Energy Thermo-Fluids Area --Emphasizes thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics. Current research activity is in combustion processes, internal combustion engines, transmissions, heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, and emissions and air quality control.

Manufacturing/Industrial Area--Current research activity is in metal cutting, metal forming (with specific thrusts in sheet metal deformation), grinding, tribological aspects of forming and machining, computer-aided design of dies for forming metals and polymers, robotics and automation, metrology, data-dependent system analysis, industrial engineering, and environmentally conscious manufacturing. The manufacturing systems engineering program emphasizes the integration of design, materials, computers, and manufacturing with an exposure to business and engineering administration, and is particularly suitable for those who have a bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, metallurgical, or chemical engineering.

Solid Mechanics Area--Emphasizes topics in mechanics and materials science. Current research activity is in mechanics of materials with microstructure, experimental mechanics, plasticity, wave propagation and dynamic fracture, biomechanics, micromechanics, ceramics, crashworthiness, polymer matrix composites, and computational mechanics.

Up-Sized Tractor Variant Prototype: Elmer’s Crane & Dozer was formed in 1956. They currently have 15 locations in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. They have built 20 current Du-More tractor models. The current Du-More has a 1.5 yard bucket and 115 HP engine. Our team is designing a larger, more powerful and more capable tractor for Elmer’s Crane and Dozer, based on the current Du-More model. The new machine will incorporate existing components while preserving the functions of the existing model.

This Senior Design Team won 2nd place in the Undergrad Research Expo. They developed an automatically Indexing Insert Toolholder design project that focused on the design, prototyping, and testing of a toolholder for turning operations. The key feature that separates this toolholder from others on the market is its ability to automatically rotate an indexable insert from a dull to fresh edge via an electrically actuated mechanism. Doing so saves significant machining downtime associated with the current method of manually indexing an insert. The projected savings in time allow the end user to reduce the costs related to machining parts, especially if the components being turned are made from hard materials that wear the insert rapidly.

• Statics: How are forces transmitted to and throughout a structure?
  
• Dynamics: What are the velocities,accelerations
  and resulting forces for a system in motion?
  
• Kinematics: How does a mechanism behave as
  it moves through its range of motion?
  
• Strength of Materials: Is the component strong enough to support the loads?
  Is it stiff enough?
  
• Materials Science: Which material has the optimum properties?
  
• Thermodynamics : How does energy get converted to useful power?
  What are the losses?
  
• Fluid Mechanics: What is the pressure drop due to the fluid
  flow? What are the aerodynamic drag forces?
  
• Heat Transfer: How do you calculate heat transfer rates
  from temperature data? How do you predict the temperature
  distributions?
  
• Manufacturing: What manufacturing processes do you select?
  
• Machine Design: How do you synthesize all of the above?
  
• Electrical Circuits: How do you integrate electronic controls into
  your design?
  
• Laboratory Methods: How do you make and interpret both thermal and mechanical
  measurements?
  
• Vibrations: How do you predict and control
  vibrations?
  
• Engineering Economics: How do you estimate manufacturing costs?
  

• Industry (the most
  common)
  
• Graduate School
  
• Entrepreneur/Business
  Owner
  
• Research Labs
  
• Military
  
• Government
  
• Preparation for
  other Professions (law, medicine, teaching, etc.)
  

• Conceptual design
  
• Analysis
  
• Presentations and
  report writing
  
• Multidisciplinary
  teamwork
  
• Concurrent engineering
  
• Benchmarking the
  competition
  
• Project management
  
• Prototyping
  
• Testing
  
• Measurements
  
• Data Interpretation
  
• Developmental design
  
• Research
  
• Work with suppliers
  
• Sales
  
• Consulting
  
• Customer service
  

• Problem solving
  (The essence of engineering!)
  
• Creativity
  
• Hands-on understanding
  
• Networking
  
• Leadership/conflict
  resolution
  
• Knowledge management
  

• Early years - technical
  work most important
  
• Middle years -
  project management and product expert knowledge (still technical)
  become more important.
  
• Senior years -
  corporate, market, and global understanding become important.
  
• Communication and
  team skills remain important throughout.
  

The
Undergraduate Program is nationally ranked as 25th (top 16%) and 2nd in Michigan among
148 doctoral-granting mechanical engineering departments
in the U.S. in the 2005 U.S. News & World Report:
America's Best Colleges.
Michigan
Tech's engineering programs have been ABET (Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology) accredited since accreditation began.
Michigan
Tech has a laboratory oriented curriculum. All the department courses
are taught by faculty; graduate students serve as lab instructors.
Two
special features are the Senior Design Program and the Enterprise
Program, two options that students may choose to perform a major design
and research project to participate with and help an industrial
partner.

Senior design team with their industrial partner--- They designed, tested, and built a dual action system for a Liftgate / Swing gate that will be integrated on the next generation Hummer H2 Sport Utility Truck.

Senior Design Teams present their project for feedback and evaluation on Senior Design Day which coincides with the University Undergraduate Research Expo.

The Senior Design
Program is a crucial part of the curriculum. Students work in teams, on
real projects which are submitted by Industrial Partners. The
Industrial Partner works with the team during the year. Problems are
open-ended, and are very similar to problems that graduates will be
solving in industry. Communication and teamwork skills are emphasized.

The Mini Baja Enterprise team has the objective to design and build a mini baja off-road recreational vehicle for competition with a focus on frame, chassis and suspension improvements. Competition is based on acceleration, hill climb, maneuverability, endurance, ride/handling, manufacturability, cost, and ergonomics

The Aerospace Enterprise provides a hands-on educational experience to Michigan Technological University undergraduate students within the aerospace field. Students have a chance to contribute to this student led, self-sustaining venture while acquiring practical experience in a company atmosphere. Each semester a member of this program will have the opportunity to participate in design projects ranging from an autonomous glider to a nanosatellite to weight-less testing. The Aerospace Enterprise will continue to investigate new opportunities in both research and project design areas.

Michigan Tech's Enterprise Program involves teams of students that operates like a company to solve real-world problems.

Enterprise
provides a learning atmosphere in a program that emphasizes
sustainability, ethics, safety, innovation, creativity, teamwork, and
communication.

Enterprise teams
perform testing and analysis, make recommendations, manufacture parts,
develop products and processes, provide services, meet budgets and
schedules, and manage multiple projects. Faculty members act as coaches
and mentors. Industry sponsors advise and guide.

Students
develop the critical skills needed to succeed in today’s fast-paced,
ever-changing work environment. And industry sponsors gain a fresh look
at important problems—and potential solutions—through the eyes of an
unbiased team.

And
as a special crowning feature, the Michigan Tech Mechanical Engineering
graduating senior will be inducted into the Order of the Engineer at
the annual Senior Recognition Banquet and Order of the Engineer Ceremony held prior to graduation.

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Earn an engineering degree from a university that industry prefers