Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineers design, develop, and manufacture engines, machinery, power plants, pumps, pipelines, transportation vehicles, biomedical devices, and a wide variety of consumer items. They work in manufacturing, marketing, management, research, education, and system design and development. They also play a major role in the mechanical design and manufacture of products often thought of in connection with other branches of engineering, such as computers, chemical processing equipment, and aerospace structures.

The department offers a comprehensive program that includes solid grounding in mathematics, science, and technology, along with electives in the humanities and social sciences. Design is integrated throughout the curriculum. Students use contemporary engineering computer software and apply modern manufacturing processes in analyzing and constructing design projects. Facilities include laboratories for robotics and automation, controls and mechatronics, instrumentation and data acquisition, manufacturing, precision measurement, thermofluids, design, student projects, student research, and internal combustion engines.

All majors do a yearlong capstone design project. Seniors have designed and built a Formula SAE race car, a radio-controlled airplane that could take off and land while carrying a maximum payload, and a solar-powered catamaran. All three projects were entered into national competitions, competing successfully against student teams from much larger schools.

Scott R. Hummel
Associate Professor and Head of Mechanical Engineering
(610) 330-5587
hummels@lafayette.edu