Experimental concepts in a cross-disciplinary capstone course for mechanical engineers

As today's engineering students enter the job market, they must be prepared to approach a wide range of interdisciplinary problems which blur the traditional boundaries within the mechanical engineering (ME) curriculum. To help students develop a broader view of the several ME disciplines, senior students at Wilkes University (USA) are required to take a capstone mechanical design laboratory. This course helps students learn experimental skills that are not introduced in previous laboratories and also provides a cross-disciplinary ME experience which combines design, analysis and testing. Several experiments are developed to cover topics which are not seen in subject-specific laboratory courses, including the use of strain gages, thermocouples and material testing equipment. Emphasis is placed on methodology and analysis to help students apply experimental concepts to their own designs. The culmination of this particular course is a comprehensive design project. The students must propose a project and then build, test, analyze and present their design.