The general program objectives are to prepare students for entrance into professional careers in industry, government, research laboratories, the engineering discipline in general, and graduate school. This preparation builds on the interaction and communication skills that are already part of the overall Notre Dame liberal arts experience, and is further based on a solid foundation in mathematics, physics, chemistry and the engineering sciences. The curriculum places emphasis on basic topics in mechanical-engineering sciences, design and experimental methods. Some specialization in specific areas may be obtained from technical electives taken in the junior and senior years.

More specifically, the academic preparation has as its objective graduates who:

1. are familiar with multiple fields and types of professional practice, the kinds of things mechanical engineers do, the kinds of problems they solve, especially a breadth of familiarity with newer systems and designs such as those that are enabled by embedded computing.
2. understand key scientific first principles of mechanical engineering, and are competent deriving, and using, algebraic relationships, as well as ordinary or partial differential equations for modeling or simulation of discrete and continuous mechanical systems by way of analytical and numerical treatment.
3. are aware of the essential function of common sensor types and are experienced in aquiring digital data from a range of transducers; are able to compare, and gain insight from, a mix of analytical, numerical and experimental results.
4. have a pramatic outlook toward design and are able to factor into design a range of knowledge involving materials,manufacturing processes,tabulated data as well as analytical, numerical and experimental results; experienced with the integration of digital processing in design.
5. are capable of programming computers including microprocessors using C, C++, Matlab, and/or other similar programming languages; able also to use CAD and other prepared software.
6. are able to communicate well, both orally and in writing, and function effectively in design groups both in leadership and support roles.
7. have an understanding of the impact of technology on the welfare of individuals and groups; and, consistent with the perspective of Catholic character, broady defined, able to apply high ethical and professional standards.

With a recent half-million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation, Notre Dame is building into each of the four years of its mechanical-engineering curriculum instruction and direct experience with the application of digital intelligence to design (obj's 1, 3, 4, 5).

The key hardware element of such capability is an embeddable microprocessor which is a small computer that can be connected to various sensors and actuators, depending upon the system objectives. The intent is to complement the Department's strength -- coursework in the core engineering sciences (obj's 2, 3) -- with significant learning regarding imparting digital intelligence to design (obj's 4, 5). The new curriculum extends systematic design instruction and team-based design experience across the span of the four-year curriculum.

Students will emerge with experience, in data-acquisition (obj. 3) and design (obj. 4), with the combining of embeddable processors with transducers and actuators that represent the range of subdisciplines of mechanical engineering such as: heat transfer, fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, mechanisms, thermodynamics, materials, and manufacturing. (obj's 3, 4)

In all of these areas the enabling value of embedded microprocessors already has begun to alter the way one must think about mechanical-engineering design. One of several examples from the automobile industry alone is automatic air conditioning. In some of the newest vehicles the system actually applies solar (radiation) sensing together with temperature sensing in order to control a heat inlet and/or a fan to preserve two different thermostat settings in a small space. The three elements of the Mechanical-Engineering subdiscipline Heat Transfer -- conduction, radiation and convection -- combine in a smart system that could not exist without the microprocessor "brain". And although this side of the digital revolution has gotten less attention than the internet or the digital office, with the economic prospects afforded, and with the ever-growing power and ever-diminishing cost and size of digital processors, observers believe this quieter revolution has much further to go. (obj. 1)

Innovators who succeed will likely have two characteristics: Grounding in the applied sciences pertinent to the system being designed (obj. 2); and the confidence that comes with prior experience interfacing, programming, and applying the digital devices themselves in the design of real systems (obj's 3, 5). The intent of the program is to educate students in both ways. Whereas most elements of the new curriculum have been building gradually over time, the Class of 2005 would be the first to complete the full, integrated program.

In 1999, two new first year courses were put into place: EG 111 and EG 112. Taken in the fall and spring respectively, these two courses give "engineering intents" direct, hands-on experience with the various engineering majors offered at Notre Dame, including Mechanical Engineering. (obj's 1, 7)

Before learning the mathematical details, students experience the power of differential equations as they predict from first principles the trajectory of a projectile released from a launcher of their own design. (obj's 2, 5)

And the ability to exploit such insights to make the prototype "smarter" is illustrated, for example, with the first year design of a simple vehicle with a very basic embedded processor, thus enabling rudimentary sensing during vehicle motion (obj. 4). The potential of the combination of analytical insight into physical component behavior together with the ability to encode suitably connected, onboard processors based upon such insight, is impressed early upon students (obj's 1, 2 , 3, 4).

Much of the experimental portion of EG 111 and 112 occurs in the College of Engineering's new Learning Center in Cushing Hall.

The Learning Center is adding two extensive tutorial modules, developed jointly within the College by an Electrical Engineering faculty member and a Mechanical Engineering faculty member, whereby students will be able to self-learn use of the Motorola 68HC11 processor, with both analog and digital inputs (obj. 3).

This will make it easy for students who need in-depth or supplemental exposure to gain first-hand interfacing and programming experience while working at the module (obj. 3).

During the sophomore year, students have their initial exposure to courses in the engineering sciences, specifically Engineering Statics, Engineering Dynamics, and Mechanics of Solids (obj. 2). In the first semester, AME 230, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering, exposes students to the application and integration of the varied mechanical engineering disciplines to practical case studies (obj's 1, 7). In this way it focuses the broader first year sequence, which is directed toward the whole of engineering. This new course is designed to: 1) introduce the discipline of Mechanical Engineering, its fundamentals, its subdisciplines and their interaction, and its culture to students (obj. 1) ; 2) develop modeling skills and a familiarity with design approaches and analytical tools. (obj's 2, 4)

Second semester sees AME 250, Techniques of Measurement and Data Analysis, where remote, miniaturized data acquisition begins in earnest. (obj. 3)

The history of using microprocessors in this course dates back to 1999, when, as part of the course, the sophomore engineers attempted to predict the altitude of a rocket based on data they collected concerning the rocket's drag coefficient and rocket-motor profile. Students applied Newton's second law numerically, comparing its prediction against maximum height as gauged by means of a sextant. But to the degree that the prediction was "off" what was most to blame:

The motor model? Atmospheric variations? The numerical integrator? The direct elevation measurement of the sextant to which their prediction was compared? Maybe Newton's law itself is off! (obj's 2, 3, 4, 5)

Coming to terms with such distinctions (obj's 3, 6) is vital for the engineer, particularly the engineer with realistic hopes of achieving useful microprocessor-based control of such a system. And this kind of assessment represents a big part of the point of this course. New instrumentation would provide insight into many of these questions as the "rocket science" aspect of the course continued to evolve.

The sophomores added two kinds of instrumentation to their rocket: accelerometers and a pressure sensor for measuring air speed. The consequent redundancy of information would allow for increased insight as the engineers pondered the meaning of their results. (obj's 3, 6) The use of instrumented rockets is now a permanent part of AME 250.

Another sophomore-level course will newly introduce microprocessor experience: AME 238, Solid Mechanics. (obj's 2, 3) Smart systems that feature strain gauges, devices which are introduced in this course that measure locally the deformation of a solid object, often due to various loading conditions, are growing in importance. "Smart air bags" for example make a distinction concerning the presence of an adult or a child in a car seat on the basis of the extent, and recent history, of deformation of an interior seat member. (obj. 4)

There is much discussion too about the wisdom of embedding strain gauges along with small local computers into a range of structures; these would be used to detect, and signal to an outside computer, the probability of damage or excessive or skewed loading, say of a bridge or an aircraft member. Such provisions are likely to become the norm in a range of mobile and stationary structures of the future. (obj. 1)

AME 238's initial digital-intelligence exercise will entail encoding a microprocessor in order to signal the full inflation of a balloon-like body as it fills with air. As with many of the envisioned microprocessor exercises, the students' programming strategy will need to be predicated on some prior analytical understanding. Here, that understanding includes the way in which the body will expand as a function of air-mass intake, and how this expansion in turn will affect the strain gauge mounted on the outside of the inflatable body. (obj's 2, 3, 5)

Many observe that lifelong employment with the same company is becoming largely a thing of the past.

Job security, and diversity of experience, therefore, are becoming the responsibility of the individual; and the prudent engineer should consider the design of his or her unique mix of background, interest, and expertise.

This lifelong process of career design can begin in either of two ways in the Junior Year, when the first Technical Elective courses are taken. (obj's 1, 4)

Students who have an idea of their specialization interests can opt for course concentrations through their second-semester Senior Year in a range of areas including manufacturing, thermal/fluid sciences, solid mechanics, robotics, biomechanics or controls. (obj. 2) Some of the required five Technical Electives may be science or math courses taken outside of the College; courses for example in the biological sciences might be the best fit for the envisioned career design. (obj's 2, 4)

Alternatively, students may wish to use the Technical Electives to better inform themselves concerning the exceptionally wide array of options open to the Mechanical Engineer; (Mechanical Engineering has been referred to as the "liberal arts of engineering" due to its sheer breadth and diversity of content.) (obj. 1) Students may wish to use the Technical Electives to prepare for graduate school. This could include taking graduate-level courses to get a head start in a field of Mechanical Engineering, or taking courses to prepare for professional studies such as Medical School. Mechanical Engineering graduates from Notre Dame historically have been admitted to, and thrived within, the top graduate programs in the country.

Some students who wish to complement their Mechanical Engineering degree with course content in Business may opt to take one or two of their five Technical Electives with two business-related courses newly offered by the College of Engineering. (obj. 1)

The first of these provides a foundation in financial, human-resources, supply-chain, organizational and innovation aspects of the modern corporation that are pertinent to the career of a new engineering employee. The second course goes into more depth on these matters, and also touches on issues pertaining to entrepreneurship and business plans.

The power of mathematics, and differential equations in particular, to provide understanding and effective modeling of real systems is important for the engineer to appreciate fully. Therefore two special junior-level courses have been newly created for this express purpose. AME 301 and 302 build upon earlier calculus courses in order to develop the methods for solving differential equations in the same context where these equations are motivated physically. (obj's 1, 2, 3, 5)

The beauty of many of the engineering sciences is that the same mathematics can be applied to widely diverse phenomena. Nevertheless, students seem to take most quickly to this new language of mathematics if it is introduced with and motivated by familiar, or at least easily envisioned, physical systems. Therefore this new pair of courses centers its discussion on two topics that are at once easily envisioned and important to mechanical engineers: Mechanical vibrations; and Feedback control dynamics. (obj. 2)

Feedback control dynamics is key to the microprocessor theme and to control engineering in general (obj's 2, 3, 4). It allows one to understand the subtle effects of interjecting a "control law" -- a programmed rule that bases the effort of an actuator on the sensed state -- into a system. The differential equations of the control law can be combined with those of the rest of the system to create an accurate mathematical picture of the character of the "closed-loop response."

The resulting insight is essential for system design, and would take very long to duplicate by trial and error. And even if such attempts were made, there would still not be as full an understanding of the consequence of altering control parameters as that attainable by means of the succinct and universal language of mathematics. (obj's 2,  4)

Two other engineering sciences that also rely upon this universal language are likewise taken in the junior year: Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics. These topics are foundational to many of the fields of the mechanical engineer, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning, various kinds of power generation, energy management, combustion, tribology, rheology and aerodynamics. Microcomputer experiences are to be built into both of these courses. (obj's 1, 2, 3, 4)

Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing represent another area where mechanical engineering has been altered in the computer age. (obj's 4, 5)

Another junior-level course, AME 341, provides students with in-depth experience -- experience that is reinforced in subsequent design courses -- in the creative use of drawing and 3D-rendering software tools that comprise "Computer Aided Design".

Adjacent to a 25-computer suite of CAD workstations, the "Computer Aided Manufacturing" side of the course is represented. Here prototype geometries can be fabricated directly from CAD drawings. Included in this lab are material-removing CNC machines and newer, material-building fused-deposition machines. An emerging strength of the Department, manufacturing generally is growing in importance in the present era of global competition. (obj's 4, 5)

CAD/CAM is just one of many fascinating aspects of engineering design that are broached in the Junior Year. AME 345, a new course, builds upon the concepts introduced in AME 230 and CAD/CAM. It provides students techniques for using content from their mathematics and engineering-science courses with the objectives of modeling, analysis, and simulation; and it introduces the role of optimization in the engineering design process. (obj's 2, 3, 4) The course is intended to provide a sound theoretical and analytical foundation to design engineering from a systems perspective. The theoretical techniques are balanced with project-based applications and practical engineering skill development such as material selection, data presentation and extracting information from data-bases, catalogs and other sources.  (obj's 4, 6)

During the senior year, most of the aforementioned Technical Electives are taken. One additional possibility for Technical Elective credit is Undergraduate Research. (obj's 1-7) As varied as the faculty and projects that comprise the research program of the Department, these experiences, not uncommonly, provide impetus to graduate-school study in a particular area, or they spur interest that finds its way into industry and the marketplace. One example in recent years has been significant undergraduate involvement in the exciting new technologies associated with prosthetics. Production of surgical implants such as artificial knees is strong in Indiana, and members of AME are active researchers and collaborators with industry in this area, interesting a number of undergraduate researchers in the burgeoning field.  (obj. 1)

During senior year each student takes a recently expanded AME 470, "Senior Design" course. This 4-credit course earns the moniker "capstone" in several ways: In a creative context, it requires that students call on knowledge acquired in prior design courses, including extensive use of Computer-Aided-Design software. It draws upon previous experience with the ways in which microprocessors may be combined with devices and programmed to achieve a particular engineering end.  (obj's 1-7)

It also requires students to make the sometimes difficult connection between the creative activity of design and the analytical content of engineering science courses: a typical design will call upon the need to perform calculations that draw from two or more engineering-science subdisciplines. Lastly, but surely not least, the experience requires students to put to use in a challenging way a range of communications and human-interaction skills accumulated over the years. (obj. 6)

Near the start of the term each senior-design class is divided into groups generally of five to seven. Each group is presented with a "Request for Proposals"; and each is expected to respond with a unique creative design and an ability and intent to produce a prototype. Each design will require an embedded microprocessor as some form of intelligence is required in the problem as stated. Some semesters all groups respond to essentially the same design challenge; other times the groups are asked to respond to a particular one of two or more different aspects of an eventual integrated whole, necessitating intergroup cooperation.

The groups' design proposals take two forms: an extensive written form, with drawings, calculations and discussion; and a design-presentation form. (obj. 6)

The latter is a formal affair. Practicing engineers in pertinent fields are brought in for a one-day session during which they are asked to critique each group's proposal. On the basis of this session, and faculty response to the written proposal, groups modify their designs, and prepare to fabricate a prototype for demonstration to class peers and faculty. (obj. 6)

Unlike the earlier CAD/CAM course, where students are exposed to state-of-the-art rapid-prototyping equipment, part fabrication for senior-design prototypes entail an extensive range of more commonly available equipment. Since prior student experience with the range of such equipment varies considerably, technicians from the College are on hand to instruct students as they gain hands-on experience with machine tools. (obj. 4)

The importance of all aspects of planning is emphasized in various ways: Due in part to the limited time available during a semester, the possibility of applying trial and error to "iterate" based on experience with the design is minimal. When the critical time for prototype assembly comes, therefore, astute previous planning becomes a key to success. (obj. 4)

But the motivation is substantial as the coming demonstration event will be quite public and conclusive. The eventual time for testing all prototypes typically occurs in the few days between the end of classes and the beginning of final exams. Results vary widely but learning is intense and lessons learned are memorable.

One recent demonstration is shown in the figure below. Here groups collaborated, with different portions of a manufacturing system intended to introduce via robotic transport a gluing device designed to lay a carefully shaped bead of glue onto an awaiting part.

One group created the arm for the robotic docking. Several different groups built "smart systems" for introducing the door to the docking station, on the one hand, and for the mobile, reprogrammable glue-depositing assembly, on the other. Some combinations of the groups' systems worked virtually as planned; others did not. But the versatile systems would have been impossible without the enabling virtues of small, embedded microprocessors. (obj's 1, 3, 4)