Mechanical engineering is, perhaps, the most diverse and general of all engineering fields. Mechanical engineers plan, design, and direct the building of everything from paper clips to space shuttles. They design power sources, yet also tackle problems that affect the environment. If a project involves energy production and utilization, mechanical engineers will be involved. Among other examples, they work on engines, power plants, electrical generation, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning. They can be found in all types of companies, including those involved in manufacturing, transportation, health care, and insurance. No other field of engineering provides a better professional base for interdisciplinary endeavor.

Mechanical engineering is principally about designing and building machines that benefit humankind. Life-saving, micro-scale medical equipment, ships that can drill for crude oil in water depths approaching two miles, and huge rockets that travel outside our solar system are just some of the amazing machines that are built by mechanical engineers. Virtually every modern convenience could not have been built without mechanical engineers. Typical industries that employ mechanical engineers are manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, healthcare, electric power generation, agricultural, telecommunications, and insurance. No other field of engineering is more diverse.

Specialized education in high demand fields
At Tri-State University, you will be immersed in the fundamental tools of modern mechanical engineering: high-level mathematics, physics, laboratory testing, and computer simulation. Practical designs are the result of any engineering effort and beginning as a freshman, you will be exposed to project work that emphasizes engineering design. As seniors, students complete a year-long design project and take advanced coursework in one of the following specializations:

• Aeronautical Systems. Students take advanced coursework in aerodynamics, aircraft design, wind tunnel testing, and vehicle structures. Much of what students learn is directly applicable to all transportation fields as well. For example, aerodynamic streamlining applies to aircraft, watercraft, and automobiles.
  
• Thermal Systems Design. Students learn about industrial refrigeration and heating systems, thermal management of heat loads, and electric power generating systems. Much of the focus is in learning to design systems that efficiently use energy sources. This specialization will no doubt become increasingly more important as energy sources become scarcer. Engineers who can find, retrieve, and efficiently exploit energy sources are expected to be in high demand in the future.
  
• Machine Design. Students in this specialization focus on the design of reliable and cost efficient machinery. Machinery continues to become more complex, operating at ultra high speeds that push designs to extreme limits. Modern machine design relies heavily on computer simulation and complex mathematical models that have cut the design cycle time to a fraction of that of previous generations.
  
• Metallurgy. Many of the efficiency increases in high-speed machinery and industrial processes are due to breakthroughs in materials, particularly metals. Metallurgy students learn the principals of physical metallurgy and metal processing. Students learn fractography, scanning electron microscopy and crystallography. Engineers with a background in metallurgy frequently serve as design specialists in all of the above specializations.
  

At TSU, you will learn in a small-class environment with most classes having around fifteen to twenty students. Professors in the department are committed to undergraduate education and are readily available outside of classroom hours to offer you help.

A vibrant co-operative education program is also available in which students alternate semesters of coursework at Tri-State with semesters of employment at one of our co-op partners. A minimum of three rotations is required to complete the program. At the completion of the degree requirements, you will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and at least one year of practical engineering experience. Generally, graduates with work experience have a wider selection of employment opportunities at graduation.

TSU’s mechanical engineering program is accredited by ABET, the leading national accrediting body for university programs in engineering and technology. In addition to ABET accreditation, the metallurgy program is also accredited by the Foundry Educational Foundation, and is considered by the accreditation agency to be one of the top two programs in the United States!

The mechanical engineering program at TSU is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, telephone: 410.347.7700.

Contact:

Dr. Forrest Flocker, Chair

Dr. Forrest V. Wade Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
1 University Avenue

Angola, Indiana 46703
260.665.4233
flockerf@tristate.edu