Senior Design Projects

The senior design projects are two-semester sequences of classes where students work in a group to solve an open-ended design problem and it is the culmination of the Mechanical Engineering curriculum. 

Projects are typically national design competitions, industry projects, or cooperative projects with other departments.  Through the application of fundamentals learned in undergraduate courses, students develop skills in project planning, budgeting, working as a team, and making formal technical presentations. Students also learn the importance of problem definition, customer requirements, simulation, testing, and documentation.

Projects and Descriptions:

Design Build Fly

• The Design, Build, Fly project is partially sponsored by Cessna Aircraft and Raytheon Missile Systems, in conjunction with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).  In this international competition, students design, build and fly their aircraft against other universities and colleges around the world.  Although the aircraft must be electrically powered using nickel compound batteries, the competition theme changes dramatically each year, bringing new challenges and innovations to participants.  Dr. Adam Huang, Associate Professor, is the advisor for the project.

e-HPVC

• The Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) is a student design competition organized by ASME.  The HPVC is an engineering design and innovation competition that gives students the opportunity to network and apply engineering principles through the design, fabrication, and racing of human powered vehicles. ASME's international Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate the application of sound engineering design principles in the development of sustainable and practical transportation alternatives. In the HPVC, students work in teams to design and build efficient, highly engineered vehicles for everyday use—from commuting to work, to carrying goods to market.  Dr. David Jensen, Associate Professor, is the advisor for this project.

NASA Robotic Mining

• NASA Robotic Mining (RMC) is a national competition program held at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  The objective of this project is to design a robot for mining operations on other planets or the moon.  Finished robots must traverse a small obstacle course consisting of rocks and craters and then mine regolith (BP-1) on the opposite end of the course before returning to the starting area to deposit the mined load.  The competition also requires system engineering and outreach activities prior to the competition.  Dr. Uche Wejinya, Associate Professor, is the advisor for the project.

Industry Partner Projects

• The Industry Partner projects bring students together with representatives from external constituents to design and fabricate solutions to real-life problems the company is experiencing.  Students work directly with industry engineers to present their designs, maintain project budgets, and test the effectiveness and efficiency of their designs.  Students gain valuable insight about operations and expectations they will face once they enter the workforce and many receive job offers from the companies sponsoring the projects.  Recent projects partnered students with Cameron International, Caterpillar, Dassault Falcon, Kawneer, Marshalltown, and Walther. Dr. David Jensen, Associate Professor, is the advisor for these projects.