ME Senior Design Projects
One distinguishing feature of Seattle University's engineering programs is the Project Center. All senior engineering students participate in a year-long sequence which is considered a "capstone" design experience. The projects bring together all aspects of curriculum (thermal & fluid science, solid mechanics, dynamics & control, and manufacturing). Students also experience the interdisciplinary nature of "real world" problem-solving in mechanical engineering.
The exceptional experience is made possible by small class sizes, a teaching-focused faculty, and the university’s proximity to a robust industry base in the Puget Sound. In keeping with university mission, students also take on socially conscious engineering projects such as designing devices that assist persons with disability, developing green/renewable energy, and improving water quality through appropriate technology development.
The richness of the scope and technical depth of the projects are unparalleled in the Pacific Northwest. Based on the design projects, our students routinely place 1st and 2nd in the annual ASME Western Washington student paper contest. In the past two years, our students have also placed in the top-three (four students total) in the ASME Old Guard Oral Presentation Competition in District-D.
Project Highlights
The 2007-8 projects includes
- Home Energy Kit (Puget Sound Energy)
- Stowage Bin Counterbalance (The Boeing Company)
- Engine Exhaust Gas Heat Recovery (Kenworth Truck Company)
- ASME Student Design Contest Entry:
Winrobo: Window Washing Robot (Seattle University/Electroimpact)
*1st Place, ASME District-D
Past projects includes
- Designing a bioreactor to investigate the optimal algae growing condition for biodiesel production.
- Investigating alternative burn-out material for Potters for Peace ceramic water filter production; for use in developing countries and at-risk communities.
- Improving interlaminar tensile strength test in composite material using both analytical and experimental methods.
- Developing dynamic brail display interfaced with a digital caliper for use by deaf-blind machinists at the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind.
- Brand new aisle-chair design to assist travelers with disabilities boarding airplanes.
- Developed tools used for installing emergency escape ramp during aircraft assembly.
- Servovalve calibration units with computer control and data acquisition system.
- Thermal insulation improvement study of truck cabin and airline food carts.
- Aerodynamics improvements on trucks using passively activated flappers.