2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Abstract
Mechanics Lab is a three-credit required course by Mechanical Engineering Program. It is Laboratory experiments in mechanics of materials, vibrational analysis, computer-aided data acquisition and analysis. Emphasis placed on measurement techniques, report writing, and error/statistical analysis. Students are evaluated based on laboratory reports, homework, quizzes, a group design project, and class preparedness and participation. Each student is expected to maintain a comprehensive lab notebook of all of the material from the class.

During the semester students get to work on a measurement challenge of their own design using what you have learned in the class. The goal of the design project is to carry out an engineering experiment from conception, through definition, choice of instrumentation, data collection, data analysis, and documentation. Projects include design process, problem statements, constraints and specifications. Students have indicated that design projects helped them to understand how to apply the experimental techniques to real – life applications. The goal of this paper is to present some of the projects that students designed, as well as the challenges they faced and the skills they gained from these projects.