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Courses

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Course descriptions are subject to change check out the most recent course descriptions.

Study of forces on bodies at rest. Vector algebra; study of force systems; equivalent force systems; distributed forces; internal forces; principles of equilibrium; application to trusses, frames and beams; friction.

A study of stress and strain in deformable solids with application primarily to linear elastic materials: stress and strain transformations; simple tension and compression of axial members; torsion of shafts; bending of beams; combined loading of members; buckling of columns. Prereq: Registration in the College of Engineering or consent of chairperson, and EM 221; prereq or concur: MA 214.

Study of the motion of bodies. Kinematics: cartesian and polar coordinate systems; normal and tangential components; translating and rotating reference frames. Kinetics of particles and rigid bodies: laws of motion; work and energy; impulse and momentum. Prereq: Registration in College of Engineering and EM 221. Co-req: MA 214.

Combines freehand sketching techniques, both orthographic and pictorial, and the use of a solid modeling program to describe and define mechanical objects using current industrial standards. An introduction to basic dimensioning and tolerancing techniques is included.

Fundamental principles of thermodynamics. Prereq: PHY 231. Co-req: MA 213.

A background course in the areas of materials and manufacturing processes for mechanical engineers. Includes basic microstructure of materials, material properties and processing. Also includes an overview of casting, metal forming, machining, additive processing, non-traditional manufacturing processes, and manufacturing of non-metallic components. Prereq: MA 113, CHE 105.

An introductory course in measurement and instrumentation emphasizing measurement errors, elementary statistics, uncertainty analysis, sensors, time and frequency response of instrumentation components, signal conditioning circuitry, and digital data acquisition. Applications include the measurement of strain, pressure, temperature, flow, force, torque, and vibration. Lecture, two hours; laboratory, three hours. Prereq: ME 101, ME 330, EE 305 and engineering standing. Prereq or Co-req: ME 340.

A laboratory to instruct the student in the performance of basic mechanical engineering components and systems. Performance of experiments, application of theory and reporting. Introduction to error analysis, and design and planning of experiments. Lecture, one hour; laboratory, four hours. Prereq: ME 310, 321, 325 and engineering standing.

Gas mixtures, air-water vapor mixtures. Air conditioning system design. Principles and design of energy conversion devices, power and refrigeration cycles. Principles of combustion, chemical equilibrium, one-dimensional gas dynamics. Nozzle design. Continuation of ME 220. Prereq: ME 220, MA 214, and engineering standing.

Fundamental principles of conduction, convection, radiation heat transfer. Numerical methods for heat transfer problems. Design and applications of heat transfer equipment such as fins and heat exchangers. Prereq: ME 330, MA 214, and engineering standing.

Introduction to the physical properties of fluids, fluid statics. Equations of conservation of mass, momentum and energy for systems and control volumes. Dimensional analysis and similarity. Principles of inviscid and real fluid flows; flow through pipes and around bodies. Application and design of fluid handling systems. Prereq: Engineering standing, ME 220, and MA 214.

Modeling of mechanical, thermal, hydraulic and electrical systems, and other phenomena from a systems viewpoint. Analysis of continuous-time models for free and forced response. Laplace transforms and transfer functions. Introduction to numerical simulation. Analysis of higher-order systems. Prereq: MA 214 and engineering standing. Co-req: EM 313.

Fundamentals of design with methods of approximation. Introduction to optimum design considerations. Synthesis and problems on the design of various mechanical elements. Prereq: ME 151, EM 302, engineering standing; concur: EM 313.

Formulation of economic relationships. Familiarization with alternate mechanical systems and application of economic principles of selection of alternates. Prereq: ME 321, engineering standing or consent of instructor.

A lecture-recitation course on a topic of current interest. Modern developments in mechanical engineering will be stressed. Offered as a technical elective in mechanical engineering. May be repeated to a maximum of nine credits. Prereq: Variable, given when topic identified and engineering standing.

 

Special research and problems for individual students who wish to pursue independent investigations. May be repeated to a maximum of six credits. Prereq: Consent of department chairperson via permit.

Review of the growth and development of the profession, engineering ethics, obligations to employers and peers, limits of professional responsibility, codes of ethics and enforcement, and case studies. Prereq: Registration in the College of Engineering and engineering standing.

Review of general safety hazards, system engineering safety, fault free analysis, reliability, accident reconstruction and investigation. Case studies will be included. Prereq: Engineering standing and concur: ME 344.

The first semester of the capstone design sequence in mechanical engineering. Topics important in product design and manufacturing are included, including consideration of economics, safety, and communication. Students will develop a project plan concerned with the design of a complex system of current interest to mechanical engineers. Students will work in small groups and emphasis will be
on original work. Lecture, two hours; laboratory/independent team work, three hours per week. Prereq: ME 310, ME 325, ME 340, ME 344, EM 313, ME 205, and engineering standing.

Second semester of the capstone design sequence in mechanical engineering. Students will complete a project concerned with the design of a complex system of current interest to mechanical engineers. Students will work in small groups and emphasis will be on original work. Topics include engineering ethics, design and communication. Lecture, 1 hour; lab 4 hours per week. Prereq: ME 411 and engineering standing. Course is to be taken semester immediately following ME 411.

Fundamentals of classical control theory. Mathematical representation of feedback control systems using block diagrams and transfer functions. Design and analysis of feedback control systems using root-locus, Nyquist, and Bode methods to ensure system stability and meet desired system response specifications. Numerical simulation of feedback control systems. Prereq: ME 310, ME 340 and engineering standing.

An introductory course emphasizing the engineering systems aspects of thermal environmental design. Principles and applications of building energy requirements and thermal comfort criteria. Prereq: ME 325 and Engineering standing or consent of instructor. (Same as AEN 480G.)

Mechanical design techniques based on the finite element method, using machine design background as the starting point. Techniques for modeling machine elements will be shown in relation to the basic FEM theory. Emphasis will be on quantifying loads, the resulting stress and deflection, and relating them to design allowables, leading to an acceptable design solution. Prereq or concur: ME 344 and ME 205; or graduate standing.

Introduction of the fundamental concepts for production improvement utilizing lean manufacturing principles and practices. This course will consist of lectures, manufacturing simulation laboratory, plant tours, design projects, and assigned problems drawn from industry. Prereq: Enrollment restricted to junior-level or above students. (Same as MFS 503.)

A study of the major manufacturing processes and equipment. Emphasis on mathematical and computer models of these processes, as used in automated manufacturing and control of these processes. Lecture, two hours; laboratory, two hours. Prereq: EM 302, EM 313, and engineering standing; or graduate standing with instructor consent. (Same as MFS 505.)

A study of the structural advantages of composite materials over conventional materials, considering high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. Fiber reinforced, laminated and particulate materials are analyzed. Response of composite structures to static and dynamic loads, thermal and environmental effects, and failure criteria are studied. Prereq: EM 302, engineering standing or consent of instructor. (Same as EM/MSE 506.)

The topics will include fundamentals of concurrent engineering, product life cycle, product specification, standardization, functional requirements and datum features, selection of materials and manufacturing processes, cost analysis, case studies on designing for quality, economy, manufacturability and productivity. Prereq: ME 344 and engineering standing. (Same as MFS 507.)

Application of basic acoustics and vibrations to engineering problems in vibro-acoustic design. The objective is to acquaint the student with the tools used in industry for noise and vibration control and to make the student aware of the major applications of such tools in the automotive, aerospace, and consumer product industries. Prereq: ME 310, ME 340.

This course introduces students to fundamentals of design, planning and control of manufacturing systems aided by computers. Concepts of control hardware, NC programming languages, software aspects related to NC manufacturing, programmable controllers, performance modeling of automated manufacturing systems, group technology and flexible manufacturing systems, etc. will be addressed. Prereq: Engineering standing. (Same as MFS 512.)

The analysis of vibrational motion of structural and mechanical systems. Single-degree-of-freedom systems; free vibrations; nonperiodic excitation; harmonic excitation. Modal analysis of multiple-degree-of-freedom systems. Vibration of continuous bodies, including strings and bars (axial, torsional and flexural modes). Energy methods. Prereq: EM 313 and EM 302, engineering standing or consent of instructor. (Same as EM 513.)

Computer-based methods of analyzing mechanical systems are studied. The studies include the numerical solution techniques on which the analyses are based. Linear and nonlinear static and dynamic systems are analyzed. Finite element and other engineering software packages are used. Prereq: ME 340 or graduate standing.

Review of dynamic characteristics unique to high speed rotating shafts in turbomachinery. Equations of motion for a rotor, including gyroscopic effects; computational methods, including finite element; effects of bearings and nonlinearities, stability; application to designsituations in high-speed equipment, including aerospace, energy generation, and other industrial applications. Prereq: EM 313 and Engineering standing; pre/co-requisite for Western Kentucky University students: ME 415 and ME 344; pre/co-requisites for UK students:ME 344 and ME 501; or Graduate Standing or consent of instructor. (Same as MFS 515.)

Systems Engineering is a discipline necessary for cost-effective development of complex multi-disciplinary systems. Optimal design of modern systems for defense, transportation, telecommunications and energy, among other industries, requires a different perspective than the design of subsystems operating within them. This course presents principles and the practice of Systems Engineering, alongwith its origins in the aerospace and software industries, historical perspective and case studies of current interest. Topics include system life-cycle, requirements definition, modeling, personality, trade studies, design optimization (with minimal information), risk management, proposal writing and others. Guest lecturers and case studies provide a realistic setting for understanding the application of course materials.Prereq: Engineering Standing.

This course will cover topics in basic lean system operations as well as the management system to support the attainment of highest customer satisfaction with respect to Safety, Quality, Cost, Productivity, Delivery and Human Resource Development. The instructionalmethod employs discovery learning techniques and consists of in-class presentations with a focus on hands-on activities, and selected outside assignments to teach and demonstrate the development of a lean operations environment and the management system to support it. Working in teams, students apply fundamental lean tools and concepts to develop a lean operations environment capable of driving continuous improvement in a simulated factory. As the operational environment evolves, key management principles and tools are explored using the teachings of Taiichi Ohno and others considered to be the pillars of the Toyota Production System. Prereq: Enrollment restricted to junior-level or above students. (Same as EE/MFS 526.)

Construction, analysis and interpretation of mathematical models applied to problems in the natural sciences. Physical problems whose solutions involve special topics in applied mathematics are formulated, various solution techniques are introduced, and the mathematical results are interpreted. Fourier analysis, dimensional analysis and scaling rules, regular and singular perturbation theory, random processes and diffusion are samples of selected topics studied in the applications. Intended for students in applied mathematics, science and engineering. Prereq: MA 432G or three hours in an equivalent junior/senior level mathematics course or consent of the instructor. (Same as EM/MA 527.)

Consideration of the mass, energy and force balances applied to compressible fluids. Isentropic flow, diabatic flow, flow with friction, wave phenomena and one-dimensional gas dynamics. Applications to duct flows and to jet and rocket propulsion engines. Prereq: ME 321, ME 330 and Engineering standing.

Stress at a point (introduced as a tensor of rank two). Equation of conservation of mass, rate of strain tensor, derivation of Navier-Stokes equation, source-sink flows, motion due to a doublet, vortex flow, two- and three-dimensional irrotational flow due to a moving cylinder with circulation, two-dimensional airfoils. Prereq: ME 330, MA 432G and Engineering standing.

Unsymmetrical bending of beams, thin plates, stress analysis of thick-walled cylinders, and rotating discs. Theory of elastic energy, curved beams, stress concentration, and fatigue. Prereq: EM 302 and engineering standing. (Same as EM 531.)

Aerodynamic analysis and design of turbomachines (pumps, compressors and turbines). Blade element performance (deflection and losses), and models for performance prediction are present. Special topics – rotating stall and surge, and aeromechanical considerations. Prereq: ME 321 and ME 330.

Modern powerplants for electric power generation and cogeneration. Thermodynamic analysis of different concepts of powerplants. Design studies of specific powerplants. Prereq: ME 321 and ME 330.

Theory and practice as related to the chemical and physical processing of polymer systems. Polymer rheology, heat transfer in polymer flows, polymer engineering properties. Polymer processing operations and materials selection; flow instabilities. Prereq: CME 330, CME 425 or ME 325; or consent of instructor. (Same as CME/MFS/MSE 554.)

This course provides an overview of micromachined structures with an emphasis on operational theory and fabrication technology. Prereq: Engineering standing or consent of instructor. (Same as EE/MSE 555.)

Applications, materials selection and design of materials. Relation between properties of constituent materials and those of composite. Processing methods for materials and for some structures. Lab focuses on preparation and testing of composite materials and their constituents. Prereq: MSE 201, 301, CHE 236, and Engineering Standing, or consent of instructor. (Same as CME/MSE 556.)

Fundamentals of geometrical and physical optics; applications as related to problems in engineering design and research; details of some optical measurement techniques; introduction to lasers and their applications to heat transfer and combustion research; inverse analytical techniques for determining optical properties of small particles from light scattering and extinction measurements. Prereq: Engineering standing.

Simultaneous application of fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, chemical kinetics and thermodynamics to combustion. Topics covered include chemical kinetics, chain and thermal explosions, detonation and deflagration, flammability limits, stirred reactors. Flame stabilization in high and low velocity streams, laminar and turbulent diffusion flames, droplet burning, and metal combustion. Prereq: ME 321, ME 330, ME 325 and engineering standing; or graduate standing.

A study of concepts of scale modeling in engineering applications. The course will include dimensionless numbers, scaling laws, and their application in engineering design and research. Prereq: ME 310, ME 321, ME 325.

Energy bonds in crystals; heterostructures; quantum wells and low dimensional systems; the two-dimensional electron gas and MODFET; transmission in nanostructures; current topics in nanoscale devices. Prereq: EE 360 and engineering standing, or consent of instructor. (Same as EE/MSE 570.)

A course emphasizing the use of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer principles in thermal environmental design. Building energy requirements will be computed and thermal comfort criteria will be studied. Prereq: BAE 427 or ME 321 or consent of instructor. (Same as BAE 580.)

An introductory treatment of Fourier series and its application to the solution of boundary value problems in the partial differential equations of physics and engineering. Orthogonal sets of functions, Fourier series and integrals, solution of boundary value problems, theory and application of Bessel functions and Legendre polynomials. Prereq: MA 432G or equivalent. (Same as MA 485G/EM 585.)

A detailed investigation of a topic of current significance in mechanical engineering such as: computer-aided manufacturing, special topics in robotics, and current topics in heat transfer. May be repeated under different subtitles to a maximum of nine credits. A particular topic may be offered at most twice under the ME 599 number. Prereq: Variable; given when topic is identified.