Senior Design Practicum
Projects
Students work on their Formula SAE car.
The Senior Design Practicum is the capstone engineering design course of the Mechanical Engineering Department. Students gain real-world engineering design experience by participating in major intercollegiate project competitions and working in teams that simulate the technological environments of small, medium, and large companies.
Recent competitions include:
- SAE Aero Design West (ADW) – develop a model airplane utilizing engineering skills in aerodynamics, structure, materials, and manufacturing. View ADW video.
- Formula SAE (FSAE) – design a competition vehicle including the power train, engine, controls, chassis, suspension, brakes, vehicle dynamics, and driver environment.
- Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) – design and operate a land-based, human powered vehicle that requires excellent design, safety, and performance. View HPV video.
- RoboCup Urban Search & Rescue Robot – design a fi eld-able robot that demonstrates mobility, sensory perception, and practical operator interfaces, while locating simulated victims in unstructured environments. View Robotics video.
In addition, a number of non-competition projects are available. Examples are:
- Developing a hydrogen fueling station for Nepal.
- Constructing a cost-effective, environmentally-controlled Cupola furnace.
- Assembling a laser-based racecar measurement system.
- Redesigning a passive solar water pasteurization system for Afghanistan.
Goals
The goals of the course are:
- to apply concurrent engineering principles to a competition project in a team environment;
- to follow a significant and complex mechanical engineering design project from initial specification through conceptual design, detailed design, manufacture, test, and application; and
- to individually specialize and apply knowledge to various mechanical engineering disciplines.
Awards & Recognition
The Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Practicum received CSU’s 2005/ 2006 N. Preston Davis Award for Instructional Innovation for its incorporation of national competition projects into a technology-based corporate structure providing students the opportunity to solve today’s engineering problems using “industrial strength” methods.
“The Senior Design Practicum helped prepare me for the demands of real project work. CSU’s Senior Design Practicum is one of the best programs I have seen at any engineering school, and it continues to improve with each passing year.”
- Mechanical Engineering graduate
More Information
Department of Mechanical Engineering
1374 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1374
Phone: (970) 491-5597
Email: meundergradstudies@engr.colostate.edu
Web: www.engr.colostate.edu/me