Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering

Professors Duncan P. Johnson; Associate Professors R. Johnson, Nudehi, Venstrom (chair); Assistant Professors Krenzke, Luke, J. Sestito, L. Sestito.

Mission

The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering provides a program of professional studies grounded in engineering fundamentals and arts and sciences and augmented by the development of interpersonal skills, experiential learning, and an appreciation of lifelong learning. Graduates are prepared to apply their knowledge to society’s needs and help shape the future.

Mechanical Engineering

Program Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the Mechanical Engineering Program are the following:

Our graduates will have a vocation.
Our graduates will demonstrate growth or advancement in their chosen vocation.
Our graduates will serve society through their endeavors in their chosen vocation.
Our graduates will lead in society through their endeavors in their chosen vocation.

Program Overview

The practice of mechanical engineering includes a wide variety of technical activities in the areas of energy conversion, automatic control of engineering processes, and the design, development, and manufacture of mechanical components and systems. Mechanical engineering contributes to almost every aspect of our society.

The Mechanical Engineering Program prepares the individual for leadership roles on multidisciplinary teams that will address both technical and nontechnical issues. A curriculum solidly comprised of fundamental engineering course work and the humanities and social sciences is an essential element in the preparation process.

Courses are sequenced to build upon a firm foundation in mathematics, basic sciences, and engineering sciences. Courses progressively involve students in engineering design activities and culminate in a major interdisciplinary design experience during the final year of study. Alongside technical issues, design activities address economic, safety, environmental, sustainability, product development, and social factors.

Graduates of the Mechanical Engineering Program at Valparaiso University are qualified to enter industry as practicing engineers or to pursue advanced degrees.

Mechanical Engineering Laboratories

The Mechanical Engineering Program contains a significant laboratory component which is closely correlated with lecture courses. There are four primary laboratory facilities within the department, and these facilities are home to the eight different laboratory experiences within the program. Personal computers with appropriate hardware and software are available in the laboratories for mechanical design, to acquire and analyze data, to control hardware, and to report results in graphic and tabular form. Additional laboratory facilities support senior design projects and computational assignments.

The Energy Systems Suite includes the Mechanical Measurements Laboratory, the Small Engines Laboratory, and the Engine Test Cell. This facility provides the opportunity to study the laws governing energy transformations due to energy transport as work and heat. The space also enables the students to learn the science of experimental methods by working with state-of-the-art measurement equipment, calibration techniques, and computer data acquisition. This facility includes laboratory equipment such as an internal combustion engine, a gas turbine, a supersonic nozzle, a solar collector, a heat pump, and a wind tunnel.

The Manufacturing Processes and Systems Laboratory supports instruction in methods and theory of metal working, automation, product design and development, and the design, operation, and control of production systems. In addition to metal cutting, forming, welding, grinding and inspection equipment, this laboratory contains Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tools.

The Materials Science Laboratory contains equipment for conducting a variety of materials experiments including impact, tension, creep, cold working, hardness, and nondestructive testing. Special emphasis is placed upon modification of material properties by heat treatment. Metallurgical specimens are prepared and examined.

The Analog Circuits, Automatic Control, and Vibrations Laboratory supports instruction in the study of mechanical and electrical systems. For example, the facility is used to control experiments with simulated process systems and the associated instrumentation to control these processes. It also contains mechanical and electrical vibration excitation and measuring devices along with equipment to perform modal analysis and sound measurement.

Bioengineering

Program Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the Bioengineering Program are the following:

Our graduates will have a vocation.
Our graduates will demonstrate growth or advancement in their chosen vocation.
Our graduates will serve society through their endeavors in their chosen vocation.
Our graduates will lead in society through their endeavors in their chosen vocation.

Program Overview

Bioengineers analyze and design solutions to healthcare problems involving both biology and engineering. Typically these engineers design equipment, materials or software, or develop new procedures that will improve the quality and effectiveness of patient care. The Bioengineering Major offers three possible concentrations: Biomechanical, Bioelectrical, or Biomedical. The biomechanical and bioelectrical concentrations focus more heavily on an engineering foundation while the biomedical concentration includes additional science courses and is the main option for those engineering students interested in attending medical school after graduation.