Undergraduate Laboratories

- Instrument and Measurement Systems Laboratory

- Manufacturing Processes Laboratory

- Thermal Fluid Laboratory

Research Laboratories

- Additive Manufacturing Processes Laboratory (AMPL)

- Bioengineering Laboratory

- Combustion Engines Laboratory

- Crash Mechanics Laboratory

- DENSO Climate Control Education and Research Laboratory

- Design and Fatigue Laboratory

- Impact Dynamics Laboratory

- Nanoscience and Engineering Laboratory

Undergraduate Labs

Acoustics and Vibrations Laboratory
The objectives of the acoustics and vibrations laboratory are twofold: (1) to provide the student with hands-on experience on the use of transducers and instruments to conduct sound and vibration measurements, and (2) to acquire noise and vibrations control experience by completing a self-initiated project with team members. Types of measurements include frequency response function measurement, modal analysis, order tracking, sound intensity, acoustical material absorption and sound transmission loss, binaural sound recording and sound quality evaluation, sound pressure level and acceleration level measurement.

This laboratory has a 10'x10'x12' anechoic chamber with cut-off frequency at 200 Hz. It is also equipped with: four LMS CADAS III FFT digital analyzers, one impedance tube, one artificial head, three sound pressure meters, a sound intensity probe, two standard sound sources, a vibrations stroboscope, one electromagnetic shaker, two force transducers, and various microphones and accelerometers. In addition, four computers plus a laser printer are available for data acquisition and reduction. Analysis and computing software include LMS TestLab Version 10A for structure and acoustics analysis, B & K sound quality program, LMS OPTIMUS, and RAYNOISE software. This equipment is used for research and as teaching tools in the courses ME 349, ME 4461, ME 540, and ME 545.

Location: ELB 146J
Faculty in charge: Prof. Cherng

Dynamics and Control Laboratory

The Dynamics and Control Laboratory is designed to provide students with hands-on experience involving the principles of control engineering and system dynamics. The laboratory is equipped with electromechanical torsional plants, brushless DC servo motors, high-resolution encoders, adjustable inertias, power amplifiers, and data acquisition systems. The electromechanical instruments may be transformed into a variety of dynamic configurations, from rigid bodies to up to three degrees of freedom, which represent important classes of real-life systems. The laboratory enables students to acquaint themselves with real-time implementation of various control strategies as well as system identifications. The laboratory is used primarily to complement the control course (ME 442). It also supports the advanced instrumentation and control course (ME 563) through demonstrations.

Location: ELB 146D
Faculty in charge: Profs. Mei, Shim

Instrument and Measurement Systems Laboratory

This laboratory is designed to provide students with hands-on experience involving the principles of instrumentation and measurement systems. The laboratory is equipped with sensors (accelerometers, strain gages, and microphones), actuators (shakers, impact hammers, and sound sources), charge amplifiers, power amplifiers, oscilloscopes, data acquisition systems, and spectrum analyzers, etc. Students perform a series of measurements that include acceleration measurement, frequency response measurement, strain measurement, and acoustical measurement. Students practice analyzing, interpreting, and presenting their hands-on experimental results. This laboratory is used primarily to complement the instrument and measurement systems course (ME 349).

Location: ELB 158B
Faculty in charge: Profs. Cherng, Mei

Manufacturing Processes Laboratory
The Manufacturing Processes Laboratory enables students to learn about tensile testing, rolling, welding, metallographic sample preparation, hardness measuring equipment, heat-treated microstructures, and cold-worked and recrystallized microstructures. Furthermore, the lab introduces students to the evaluation of quality, properties, and manufacturing methods of commercial parts through visual examination, sectioning, digitizing, and printing of microstructures. The lab is used primarily to complement the lectures in the courses ME 381 and ME 481.

This lab is equipped with: a rolling mill used for demonstration and sample preparation with (a) AC/DC stick welders, (b) a DC/MIG welder, (c) a submerged arc welder, and (d) a spot welder; furnace equipment used for preparing samples; hardness testing equipment such as (a) Rockwell testers, (b) Brinnel testers, and (c) a Tukon micro-hardness tester; micro-sample preparation equipment which includes (a) a belt sander, (b) polishing wheels, and (c) a mounting press; micro-sample viewing, digitizing, and printing setups which include (a) microscopes, (b) metallographs, (c) closed-circuit television, and (d) Amiga computer equipment; and two tensile testing units, (a) a Baldwin universal testing machine, and (b) a Tinius Olsen universal testing machine.

Location: ELB 150A/150B
Faculty in charge: Prof. Reyes

Thermal Fluid Laboratory
The Thermal-Fluids Laboratory is designed to enhance the undergraduate students' understanding of thermal-fluids principles within the context of engineering applications. The laboratory assists students in developing their laboratory skills and experimental capabilities. In addition to performing pre-designed experiments in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer areas, students also work on projects which demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge of engineering thermal-fluid principles and instrumentation to new problems.

The laboratory is equipped with a Technovate convection unit to predict the convection heat transfer coefficients over objects such as discs and cylinders; a Technovate conduction unit to measure transient and steady state temperature distributions in various materials, including the prediction of thermal contact resistance; a lab science setup for the measurement of effectiveness of cross flow heat exchangers (and also for prediction of surface emissivities of plates); an Oriel system for the spectral measurements of radiative properties; a setup to demonstrate the temperature distribution on extended surfaces; laser Doppler velocimetry; water tables for studying flow through pipes and channels; various devices such as laminar flow elements, micro-manometers, and velocity meters; a refrigeration system; humidity analysis equipment; and transparent Otto cycle engines. Some of these experiments are connected to data acquisition systems for data logging and analysis. The laboratory also has several portable devices for measuring temperature, pressure, flow, and other quantities which are used by students in their projects.

Location: ELB 188/192
Faculty in charge: Prof. Ratts

Research Labs

Additive Manufacturing Processes Laboratory (AMPL)
The Additive Manufacturing Processes Laboratory is used for faculty and student research projects in the area of materials synthesis and rapid prototyping. The laboratory is equipped to work with all major thermal spray technologies, consisting of atmospheric plasma spray (APS), low pressure plasma spray (LPPS), high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF), and twin wire arc spray. Plasma spraying of liquid-based precursors of various materials is routinely being done in the lab. Additionally, this laboratory has cold-spray capabilities and is equipped to work with surface and microstructure modification using a Lambda Physik 3000 200 W KrF excimer laser, operating at 248 nm wavelength. The laser is coupled to a chamber which works under vacuum and ambient conditions, thus offering the capability for microstructure modification under both conditions. Another major piece of equipment in this laboratory is the 5-axis direct metal deposition (DMD) machine, which uses laser cladding technology. Two different lasers, a disc laser and a diode laser, are utilized for manufacturing a variety of materials. The laboratory has a Creaform Handyscan 3D scanner, used for scanning real 3D objects for prototyping and manufacturing inside the DMD machine. The laboratory also has various other tools, such as an electrodeposition system, an ultrasonic homogenizer, an ultrasonic bath, a vacuum furnace, and high-temperature tube furnaces (1200 °C).

Faculty in charge: Prof. Mohanty

Bioengineering Laboratory

The Bioengineering Laboratory is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in tissue engineering, biomechanics and developing and characterizing biomaterials. The laboratory houses standard equipment and facilities required for biomaterial development, biomechanical testing and tissue engineering. The laboratory is equipped with two biosafety cabinets (laminar flow hood), two CO2 incubators (Eppendorf), an inverted phase contrast microscope, a liquid nitrogen tank, a waterbath, a cell counter, and two freezers (-20°C and -80°C) for cell cultures. The laboratory also contains one chemical fume hood and one glove box for development of biomaterials. In addition, the laboratory houses one fluorescent microscope (Axioobserver , Zeiss), an incubator shaker (New Brunswick), an oven, a temperature regulated centrifuge (New Brunswick), a mini-centrifuge, a fluorescent spectrometer (Perkin Elmer), a thermal cycler (Bio-Rad), electrophoresis units (Bio-Rad), two analytical balances, a pH meter, a rotator, a vortex mixer, and a refrigerator (4oC) for characterization of biomaterials. Equipment available for biomechanical testing are eight axial test machines, a high rate tensile/compressive impact tester a high speed imaging system, environmental chambers and assorted fixtures.

This laboratory assists students in developing laboratory skills and experimental capabilities and is used primarily to complement the courses BENG 370 and BENG 375.

Location: ELB 146

Faculty in charge: Prof. Argento, Ghosh

Combustion Engines Laboratory
The Combustion Engines Laboratory has dual purposes: (1) it is used for instructional support in combustion engines courses, including ME 496, ME/AENG 596, and ME 597, and (2) it is used for faculty research and student projects. The laboratory is equipped with several engines, some of which have computer-based controls for fuel management and ignition. The engines are coupled to dynamometers (eddy current, water-brake, and motoring/absorbing types), some of which have microprocessor-based controls and data acquisition systems. As an integral part of the engines laboratory, the test cells have emissions measuring equipment to measure gaseous exhaust species such as CO, NOx, hydrocarbons, etc.

Location: ELB 176,180,182
Faculty in charge: Prof. Varde

Crash Mechanics Laboratory
The Crash Mechanics Laboratory is used for faculty and student research projects in the area of material behavior subjected to mechanical and thermal fatigue loading at low- and high-strain rates. The laboratory is equipped with an 810 material test system of 25 kN at a strain rate range of 10-5/s to 10-2/s and a temperature range of 100-300 degrees C.; a 810 material test system of 50 kN at a strain rate range of 10-1/s to 10 1/s and a temperature range of 100-300 degrees C. In addition, the laboratory is equipped with a split Hopkinson pressure bar at a strain rate range of 10 2/s to 10 3/s and temperatures up to 150 degrees C. For non-destructive measurement and detection of micro-macro defects in engineering materials, a high-energy and high-accuracy micro-focus X-ray computer tomography system is available.

Location: 1070 IAVS
Faculty in charge: Profs. Chow, Kang

DENSO Climate Control Education and Research Laboratory
The DENSO Climate Control Education and Research Laboratory is well-equipped to conduct basic and applied research in thermally-related automotive climate control and thermal management projects. The lab is to be used to facilitate research, testing, and educational opportunities in the field of automotive climate control and thermal management. Current research focus is on heat exchanger modeling, design, and development. The lab is also available to provide testing to industry. This service can provide students with unique and exceptional opportunities.

Location: ELB 107
Faculty in charge: Prof. Ratts

Design and Fatigue Laboratory
The Design and Fatigue Laboratory is intended to illustrate the fundamentals of planned experiments in the mechanical testing of machine components. The individual laboratory experiments are chosen to support the concept that proper testing involves the appropriate loading, environment, material processing, geometry, etc. Thus, the lab is intended to provide the motivation and background for future mechanical reliability tests.

The fatigue component of this lab has five Sonntag fatigue machines: one SF10U with a solid-state mean load controller; two SF1Us, one with and one without a solid-state mean load controller; and two SF01Us, neither of which has a mean load controller. The SF10U is used primarily for fatigue testing of bolted composite joints. The SF1Us and the SF01Us are used primarily for composite specimen testing. The design component of this lab consists of a relatively extensive collection of failure exhibits to illustrate the fracture surface characteristics associated with various modes of failure for a wide range of materials.

Location: ELB 141B
Faculty in charge: Prof. Little

Impact Dynamics Laboratory
This laboratory is used for experimental research and education on the dynamic response and vibration of materials and structures. Tests are conducted in the facility focused on determining: (1) rate dependency, impact response, and energy absorption of materials; (2) constitutive relations; and (3) damping behavior and vibration modes. The laboratory is equipped with high-rate tensile and compression impact testing machines, vibration testing equipment, data processing devices, and a high-speed strain imaging system. Special emphasis is placed on research into the behavior of novel and complex materials, including foamed rigid polymers, shape memory alloys, ocular tissues, plant-fiber reinforced composites, soy foams and elastomers, and nano-materials.

Location: ELB 184A
Faculty in charge: Prof. Argento

Nanoscience and Engineering Laboratory
The Nanoscience and Engineering Laboratory has dual objectives: (1) instructional purposes in the introduction to the nanoscience and engineering course (ENGR 350), and (2) faculty and student research projects. The laboratory provides hands-on experience to students on nanoscale phenomena and nano-devices. Various research projects in the area of amorphous and nanocrystalline materials, battery materials, and sensors are being carried out in this laboratory. The laboratory was developed with grants from the National Science Foundation and is currently equipped with an optical microscope, an Hitachi scanning electron microscope with EDX facility, and an Hitachi transmission electron microscope unit (funded by NSF in 2009). Additional funding was provided by NSF and was used to procure an atomic force microscope (AFM), a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM), and a nanolithography facility. Additional equipment in the lab includes an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) with thermal gravimetric analysis capabilities, a Tribometer, a high temperature Tribometer, and a Solartron electrochemical analysis system. This laboratory also houses a glove box to handle active materials and facilities for battery testing.

Location: ELB 152, 153, 154, IAVS 1025
Faculty in charge: Prof. Mohanty