A model for teaching multidisciplinary capstone design in mechanical engineering

Abstract

This paper describes a model for a multidisciplinary approach to teaching capstone design in mechanical engineering. The multidisciplinary approach described in this paper includes the involvement of four departments that have not traditionally collaborated effectively in providing capstone design experiences for students. Students in the mechanical engineering department work in teams with students from the departments of electrical engineering, marketing in the school of Business, and art in the Division of Fine Arts of the College of Arts and Sciences to complete an industry sponsored capstone design project The level of involvement of the industrial partner and the process of defining meaningful design projects that meet the goals of the mechanical engineering curriculum are described. Examples of student team solutions to design problems from the automotive industry are presented to demonstrate the multidisciplinary nature of the design projects in meeting the goals and objectives of the mechanical engineering program. The roles played by faculty from the four collaborating departments, the grading process, resource requirements, and the summative evaluation process of the educational experience are described. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of challenges involved in carrying out capstone design projects with multidisciplinary teams and suggestions for overcoming such obstacles.