Mechanical Design Engineering Technology

Mechanical design engineering technology graduates pursue careers in industry in the technical areas of design of industrial machinery, consumer products, construction, automotive, power transmission, automation, and other mechanical machinery. Related areas of employment include technical sales, quality of manufacturing and testing of the performance of machinery or products. Graduates will be able to create the design as well as analyze and specify the components and systems of machinery and products. Laboratory experiences include material testing of plastics and metals and microscope use for materials characterization, consumer product testing, robot operation and programming, machine shop and manufacturing equipment. Designing will be done with the latest software for solid modeling of machinery and layout of the two dimensional plans of the machines. Machinery will be animated for motion analysis, and strength calculations will be accomplished by computer methods. The program provides general mechanical engineering technology fundamentals with emphasis in the design of machines.

Laboratory experiences are always "hands-on" with each student able to operate all the machinery or instruments. Multiple design projects will be completed to facilitate the knowledge and skills required by our industrial constituents.

Mechanical design engineering technology is accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. [TAC/ABET, 111 Market Place Suite 1050 Baltimore, MD 21202; (410) 347-7700, Fax: (410) 625-2238; e-mail: accreditationABET [dot] org; Web site: http://www.ABET.org].

A laptop computer is required for students entering the mechanical design engineering technology program. See laptop specifications.

Program Educational Objectives

Program educational objectives were established with the assistance of the Industrial Advisory Committee and are reviewed periodically. The mechanical design engineering technology program produces graduates who:

1. have knowledge and skills to succeed in continued technical and formal education;
2. can function effectively as technicians in the mechanical or related field of engineering technology;
3. can function professionally and with ethical responsibility as an individual and on multidisciplinary teams;
4. can demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in oral, written, visual, and graphical modes in both interpersonal and group/team environments;
5. can continuously improve, engage in lifelong learning, and adapt to rapidly changing technologies;
6. can effectively design products and machines using sound engineering principles and practice;
7. produce proper documentation for design using appropriate methods such as CAD drawings, calculations, and codes.