Mechanical Engineering
The baccalaureate program in mechanical engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org.
FACULTY Professors: Morris (chair), Abou-Hanna, Elbella, Fakheri, Nair, Zietlow; Associate Professors: Henderson, Kim, Reyer, Timpe; Assistant Professors: Vafaei; Assistant Professor in Residence: Moeckel.
EMERITUS FACULTY Hurt (emeritus), Johnson (emeritus), Mehta (emeritus), Okamura (emeritus), Wessler (emeritus), Associate Professors: Deller (emeritus), Podlasek (emeritus).
Mission
The mission of the Mechanical Engineering Department is to produce mechanical engineering graduates who possess the acumen, competence, and skills needed to enter, succeed, and lead in professional practice and/or graduate school. The goal is to provide a learning and nurturing environment that stimulates faculty and students to collaborate in solving practical problems, motivates lifelong learning, and helps them reach their highest potential.
The program educational objectives of the department are that alumni meet the following goals within 3 to 5 years after graduation from the mechanical engineering program:
- Are in professional practice or are pursuing advanced studies in mechanical engineering or related fields.
- Are using their educational foundation to engage in lifelong learning
- Are involved in local, regional, national or international practice to meet global technological and societal changing needs.
Student Outcomes
In order to meet these program educational objectives, students graduating from Bradley’s electrical engineering program will attain the following outcomes.
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
- an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
- an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
- an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
Program
Mechanical engineering is the broadest and most versatile of the engineering professions. Mechanical engineers are particularly concerned with the application of the science and technology to translate ideas and theories into realistic engineering solutions that satisfy the needs of society, by utilizing a combination of human, material, and economic resources. The breadth of mechanical engineering includes: applied mechanics, bioengineering, dynamic systems and control systems including robotics, fluids engineering, heat transfer, materials, aerospace, air pollution control, diesel and gas engine power, gas turbines, computer and microprocessor applications, nanotechnology, micro-electromechanical systems (mems), and solar energy. The undergraduate program also offers a broad technical background for persons wishing to enter graduate programs in different areas of mechanical engineering, business, law and medicine.
The faculty believes that engineers must be firmly grounded in the fundamentals of their field and the supporting areas of mathematics, communication, and the sciences, so that graduates will be able to adapt quickly to the rapid changes occurring in our technological society. Therefore, the curriculum has been designed to stress the basic tools of knowledge and practice essential to launch one’s professional career and a lifelong process of continued learning.
The spectrum of mechanical engineering includes innovation and creation, research, design and synthesis, analysis, development, evaluation, production, and the marketing of machines, systems, and processes. Central to this activity is the design process which leads to the creation of solutions to real-world problems. Therefore, the mechanical engineering curriculum integrates design experiences into all levels of the program and into a majority of the professional courses. This culminates in a required comprehensive experience which is satisfied by a yearlong senior project and by the selection of a technical elective identified as satisfying this requirement in the program. The department offers the general Mechanical Engineering degree as well as four concentrations in Biomedical, Chemical, Energy, and Robotics.
In addition to the specific requirements listed for the College of Engineering and Technology, a minimum grade point average of 2.25 in mechanical engineering courses must be achieved for graduation.
Mechanical Engineering with Biomedical Concentration
Mechanical Engineering with Energy Concentration
Mechanical Engineering with Chemical Concentration
Mechanical Engineering with Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles Concentration
Mechanical Engineering Major
The program of study for the mechanical engineering major is outlined below.
First Year
First Semester
- CHM 110 General Chemistry - 3 hrs. (BCC – NS1)
- CHM 111 General Chemistry Lab - 1 hrs.
- ME 101 Foundations of ME - 2 hrs.
- MTH 121 Calculus I - 4 hrs. (BCC – QR1)
- Area of Inquiry: Fine Arts - 3 hrs. (BCC - FA)
- Area of Inquiry: Writing 1- 3 hrs. (BCC – W1)
16 hours
Second Semester
- CE 150 Mechanics I (Statics) - 3 hrs.
- CHM 112 Engineering Chemistry or CHM 116 General Chemistry - 3 hrs.
- ME 102 Engineering Design Graphics - 2 hrs.
- MTH 122 Calculus II - 4 hrs. (BCC – QR2)
- PHY 110 University Physics I - 4 hrs. (BCC – NS2)
16 hours
Sophomore Year
First Semester
- CE 250 Mechanics II (Dynamics) - 3 hrs.
- ME 351 Engineering Materials Science I - 3 hrs.
- MTH 223 Calculus III - 4 hrs.
- PHY 201 University Physics II - 4 hrs.
- Area of Inquiry: Speech - 3 hrs. (BCC – OC)
17 hours
Second Semester
- CE 270 Mechanics of Materials - 3 hrs.
- ECE 227 EE Fundamentals - 4 hrs.
- ECO 100, 221 or 222 - 3 hrs. (BCC – SB)
- ME 301 Thermodynamics I - 3 hrs.
- MTH 224 Differential Equations - 3 hrs.
16 hours
Junior Year
First Semester
- ME 273 Computational Methods in ME - 3 hrs.
- ME 302 Thermodynamics - 2 hrs.
- ME 303 Instrumentation and Measurement - 3 hrs.
- ME 308 Thermodynamics of Fluid Flow - 4 hrs.
- ME 341 Engineering Systems Dynamics - 3 hrs.
- Area of Inquiry: Writing 2 - 3 hrs. (BCC – W2)
18 hours
Second Semester
- IME 301 Engineering Economy - 3 hrs.
- ME 342 Design of Machine Elements - 3 hrs.
- ME 344 Kinematics and Dynamics of Machines - 3 hrs.
- ME 403 Mechanical Engineering Systems Lab - 3 hrs.
- ME 415 Heat Transfer - 3 hrs.
- Area of Inquiry: Global Perspective - 3 hrs. (BCC – GP)
18 hours
Senior Year
First Semester
- **ME Senior Capstone Project I: ME 410 or ME 498 - 3 hrs. (BCC - WI and IL tags)
- ME 441 Mechanical Control Systems - 3 hrs.
- Approved ME Electives - 6 hrs.
- Area of Inquiry: Multidisciplinary Integration - 3 hrs. (BCC - MI)
15 hours
Second Semester
- **ME Capstone Senior Project II: ME 411 or ME 499 - 2 hrs. (BCC - WI and IL tags)
- Area of Inquiry: Humanities- 3 hrs. (BCC – HU)
- Approved Technical Elective - 3 hrs.
- Approved ME Elective - 6 hrs.
14 hours
Total hours: 130
**ME Senior Capstone Projects require a 2 semester sequence of either an industrial based or academic research based design project - either ME 410 and 411 or ME 498 and 499—Enrollment in these courses is restricted to mechanical engineering students who are within the three semesters of graduation from the program.
Approved Technical Elective Courses
At least four of the technical electives (12 hours) must be mechanical engineering courses from the following list:
ME 354, ME 407, ME 409, ME 448, ME 491, and all 500 level ME courses. ME 409 may be repeated for technical elective credit. Only 6 hours of ME 409 will count towards the degree completion. ME 491/ME 591 may be repeated up to three (3) times (different topics) for technical elective credit.
The other elective requirement may be satisfied by ME courses from the above list or by non-required courses from other academic departments as listed below.
- Biology: BIO 230 (Bio concentration only), BIO 310 to BIO 599
- Chemistry: CHM 252, 256, and CHM 316 to CHM 599
- Computer Science: C S 210, 321 to CS 599
- Computer Information Systems: CIS 377 to 446, CIS 545
- Mathematics: MTH 207, MTH 302 to MTH 599
- Physics: PHY 202, PHY 305 to PHY 599
- Civil Engineering: CE 310 to CE 599
- Electrical Engineering: ECE 301 to ECE 599
- Industrial andManufacturing Engr: IME 302 to IME 325, IME 341 to IME 599
- Entrepreneurship: ENT 381, ENT 385
- Business: BUS 361, BUS 362
- Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation: SEI 330
Plan of Elective Study
To allow a student to earn a second major, a minor, and/or increase flexibility in developing an area of specialization, exceptions to the five ME tech electives policy may be granted on petition to the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Committee. Students requesting an exception must submit a Plan of Elective Study with a recommendation from their advisor. This plan should outline the student’s professional goals, their relationship to the courses in their plan and further documentation and evidence justifying proposed elective courses. This plan is then submitted to the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Committee. Only courses on the individual student’s Plan and approved no later than the first day of classes of the semester in which they are taken will count as technical electives.
Elective Plan Appeals Process
Appeal requests of the approval decisions should be sent to the ME Curriculum Committee by the student. If the Curriculum Committee’s decision is not satisfactory, the Mechanical Engineering Faculty must approve any petition for exceptions to the Technical Elective Policy stated above.
Introductory Course Exception
Students who do not earn credit for ME 101 at Bradley may be required to take a 6th mechanical engineering technical elective to replace those credit hours.
Mechanical Engineering with Biomedical Concentration
Biomedical Engineering integrates physical, chemical, mathematical, and computational sciences and engineering principles to study biology, medicine, behavior, and health. It advances fundamental concepts, creates knowledge from the molecular to the organ-system level, and develops innovative biologics, materials, processes, implants, devices and informatics approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, for patient rehabilitation, and for improving health. For engineering students who would like to have education in this expanding field, the Mechanical Engineering Department offers a Biomedical concentration that is embedded within the traditional Mechanical Engineering program. This concentration will require an additional one credit hour for graduation (131 credit hours).
The Biomedical Engineering concentration requires the complete Mechanical Engineering curriculum with the following exceptions:
- Biomedical Concentration requires the following Technical Electives:
- BIO 230 Human Anatomy and Physiology – 3 hrs.
- BIO 231 Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab – 1 hr.
- ME 280 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering – 3hrs.
- Approved mechanical engineering biomedical electives: ME 280, ME 580, ME 582, ME 588 - 6 hrs.
- Approved mechanical engineering technical elective from the list above - 3 hrs.
The biomedical concentration program advisors may recommend that students take some of these courses earlier in their degree program than the last year. Students will work closely with their advisor in choosing the proper time and order for their coursework.
Mechanical Engineering with Energy Concentration
Energy is the lifeblood of industrial economies and is essential for economic growth in developing countries. Today, some of the biggest engineering challenges are related to the production and efficient utilization of limited energy resources. This concentration prepares students to identify and analyze strategies to produce energy and to utilize energy resources in more economically efficient and environmentally friendly ways.
In emerging industrial economies, the demand for new energy sources is growing at over 50 percent per decade, while in more mature growing industrial economies the growth is in the neighborhood of 10 percent per decade despite massive efforts to conserve. This has stimulated the demand for engineers and creative engineering solutions. Energy production resources are often not located in areas of the world with high energy demand, thus energy production and utilization have huge geopolitical implications. Accordingly, engineers must be cognizant of the robust set of governmental rules and regulations associated with the development of engineering solutions to our energy needs.
Students selecting the Energy Concentration within Mechanical Engineering can select courses from a broad array of fundamental and applied courses related to solar energy, energy management, renewable energy, nuclear energy, electrical generation power plant design, energy conservation, and energy production. This concentration will require no additional hours for graduation.
The Energy concentration requires the complete Mechanical Engineering curriculum with the following exceptions:
- The Energy Concentration requires the following Technical Electives:
Mechanical Engineering with Chemical Concentration
The concentration in chemical engineering is designed to introduce principles of chemical engineering to students majoring in Mechanical Engineering and other disciplines. Completing this concentration will help students to understand chemical engineering aspects of industrial processes and pursue careers in process industries or enter a graduate program in chemical engineering. This concentration will require an additional two credit hours for graduation (132 credit hours).
The Chemical Engineering Concentration requires the complete Mechanical Engineering curriculum with the following exceptions:
- The Chemical Engineering concentration replaces the following courses:
- Second chemistry course: must be CHM 116 General Chemistry II – 3 hrs, required as.
- ME 301 is replaced with CHE 301 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics – 3 hrs
- ME 302 is replaced with CHE 302 Material and Energy Balances – 3 hrs
- ME 415 is replaced with CHE 415 Transport Phenomena I – 3 hrs
- The Chemical Engineering Concentration requires the following Technical Electives - 16 hrs
- CHM 117 General Chemistry II Lab - 1 hr
- Organic Chemistry - 3 or 4 hrs. Choose from:
- CHM 250 Concepts in Organic Chemistry - 3 hrs
- CHM 252 Organic Chemistry I - 4 hrs.
- CHM 253 Organic Chemistry Lab – 1 hr
- CHE 321 Chemical Reaction Engineering – 3 hrs
- CHE 416 Transport Phenomena II – 3 hrs
- Additional technical electives – 4 or 5 hrs, depending on Organic Chemistry. Choose from
- TechnicalElectives: See list above under Approved Technical Elective Courses
- CHM 256 Organic Chemistry II – 3 hrs
- CHM 325 Analytical Chemistry – 4 hrs
- CHM 360 Biochemistry – 3 hrs
- CHM 416 Environmental Chemistry – 3 hrs
- CHM 420 Instrumental Analysis – 4 hrs
- CHM 440 Materials Chemistry – 3 hrs
- CHM 470 Physical Chemistry I – 3 hrs
- CHM 558 Topics in Organic Chemistry: Polymer Chemistry – 3 cr
Mechanical Engineering with Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles Concentration
The concentration in Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles is designed to provide the most essential and practical knowledge/skills in robotics and autonomous vehicles to students majoring in Mechanical Engineering and other disciplines. Completing this concentration will prepare students for careers in this area or to pursue graduate education in Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles.
The Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles concentration requires the complete Mechanical Engineering curriculum with the following exceptions:
- The Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles Concentration requires the following Technical Electives:
- ME 561/ECE 444 Introduction to Robotics - 3 hrs.
- ME 562 Dynamics, Modeling, and Control of Robots - 3 hrs.
- ME 564 Sensor, Actuators, and Computer Vision - 3 hrs.
- Cognition Elective - 3 hrs. Choose one from:
- CS 461 Artificial Intelligence
- CS 462 Machine Learning
- CS 463 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining
- Mechatronics Elective - 3 hrs. Choose one from
- ME 549 Microprocessor Interfacing in Mechanical Systems
- ECE 468 Introduction to Mechatronics
This is the official catalog for the 2022-2023 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.