Engineering is a practical discipline, making hands-on training a crucial component of students' professional preparation. Instructional laboratories are an essential part of the Faculty of Engineering facilities, with lab courses integrated into the undergraduate program curriculum. Each lab course is designed with clear learning objectives to create an effective learning environment that enhances and supports theoretical coursework.
State-of-the-art laboratories serve not only as teaching support facilities but also play a significant role in senior project implementation and research. Existing equipment is regularly upgraded, and new machinery and tools are added routinely to complement theoretical course development and keep pace with technological advancements.
Laboratories
Chemical Engineering Laboratories
The Chemical Engineering program operates three major teaching laboratories. Students can access any laboratory during work hours for project work, provided they are supervised by a faculty member or a lab technician. The laboratories are equipped with pilot-scale instruments and advanced analytical techniques.
Instrumentation Laboratory: This lab is equipped with iWorx sensors and NI Elvis boards for water quality measurements and chemical systems analysis (e.g., pH sensors, temperature sensors, colorimeters, turbidity sensors) used in data acquisition projects developed by students using LabVIEW. Software such as ASPEN HYSYS, ASPEN PLUS, and OpenLCA (with the Ecoinvent database) is installed on ten computers available for student use. A process control trainer enhances understanding of PID control, allowing students to conduct various experiments related to flow, level, temperature, and pressure control.
Unit Operations Laboratory: This lab contains equipment essential for chemical engineering applications, including a continuous stirred tank reactor, a tubular reactor for chemical reactions, a catalytic packed bed reactor, and a bioreactor. A 500 mL pressure reactor with computer-aided software is also available for synthesis and digestion reactions in both research and academic contexts. Additionally, a UV-visible spectrophotometer is accessible for students to support their experiments and projects. Other units in this lab include an adsorption unit, a liquid-liquid extraction unit, a continuous rectification system, various mixers with different blade types, a fermenter, a membrane separation apparatus, and a Koehler K4500 apparatus for the distillation of petroleum products.
Materials Laboratory: This lab provides hands-on experience in material synthesis (both inorganic and organic) and includes facilities for polymer manufacturing and 3D printing with preliminary modeling using SolidWorks. Students perform synthesis and thermomechanical testing of selected materials through tensile and compression tests. This lab is equipped with state-of-the-art tools and is currently under further development to expand its capabilities.
Fluids Laboratory
The Fluids Laboratory provides a learning environment that enables students to understand fundamental flow mechanisms. With user-friendly equipment, students gain comprehensive insights into fluid mechanics, hydraulics, and the application of thermo-fluid theories to the design and evaluation of turbomachinery, including pumps, turbines, and fans. Laboratory experiments cover topics such as fluid properties, flow regimes, flow measurement, energy and power, heat transfer modes, pressure and temperature measurement, and data acquisition.
Energy Laboratory
The Energy Laboratory is dedicated to the study of energy-related technologies. Experiments are designed to train students to characterize performance parameters for common energy systems, including the measurement, analysis, and reporting of data from energy system equipment. The hands-on experience gained with various energy systems emphasizes the integration of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer concepts in energy system analysis. The available equipment covers topics such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, combustion techniques, energy conversion, and renewable energy, including various solar heaters and photovoltaic cells.
Design and Machinery Laboratory
The Design and Machinery Laboratory is a new addition to the existing labs and is currently in its development phase. The available equipment is used to study various forms of vibrations, including natural, forced, and damped vibrations. Additionally, experiments investigate vibrations resulting from the operation of different mechanisms, such as braking systems, shaft rotation, and belt drives. Students also engage in the assembly and disassembly of a piston compressor and are tasked with producing technical drawings based on measurements of its various components. Other experiments cover the application of mechanical design techniques to mechanisms such as linkages, springs, gears and gear trains, and bearings.
Mechatronics and Control Laboratory
The Mechatronics and Control Laboratory introduces students to hands-on applications of control theory in mechanical systems and the evaluation of their performance. This course allows students to further develop their knowledge of MATLAB and LabVIEW. The experiments are designed to build skills in designing and implementing control systems and cover topics such as feedback systems, PLC control systems, and mechatronic systems. An ABB robotic arm has recently been installed, providing students with the opportunity to learn about direct industrial applications related to manipulators.
Manufacturing Laboratory
The Manufacturing Laboratory provides students with hands-on experience in the fundamentals of manufacturing processes. The experiments cover topics such as material properties, metrology, foundry processes, cold and hot metal working, machining processes and machine tools, welding and joining techniques, and heat treatment methods. This facility is equipped with state-of-the-art machine tools, including a CNC machine, lathe, milling and drilling machines, cold rolling equipment, hydraulic press, welding tools, and sand casting apparatus. The laboratory also supports the fabrication of parts and assemblies for student-designed projects, particularly for senior studies.
Workshops
3D Printing Workshop
The 3D Printing Workshop is a support facility available to students and faculty for 3D scanning and producing models and parts for a variety of applications, including senior projects, competitions, and research.
Manufacturing Workshop
This facility is managed by a technician who assists faculty and students in preparing parts for various projects. It includes equipment such as a lathe, milling and drilling machines, an electric saw, and a CNC machine.
Computer and Software
The CAD Lab, operated under the Division of Computer Services, features state-of-the-art computer units equipped with a variety of software. The Mechanical Engineering program offers courses designed to introduce students to the application of CAD software for engineering problems, particularly AutoCAD and SolidWorks. Students learn the fundamental concepts of engineering graphics, including the representation of engineering objects in both 2D and 3D, CAD standards, and the proper depiction of mechanical components such as shafts, bearings, fasteners, keys, springs, gears, and cams. Additionally, the lab covers assembly drawings, dimensioning, and tolerancing. Revit will soon be added as a major required laboratory component.
The computer labs are accessible to Mechanical Engineering students, allowing them to use software such as LabVIEW, MATLAB, Ansys, and Aspen Plus.
Wind Tunnel
The wind tunnel is a powerful tool utilized for advanced laboratory experiments and research. It is equipped with a three-component balance that allows for the study of lift, drag, and pitching moments generated by various standard airfoils available in the facility, as well as customized models manufactured in-house. A smoke machine is also employed for flow visualization. The latest addition to this laboratory is a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system, which includes a high-speed camera and a seeder.
Water Tunnel
The water tunnel is currently under construction and will complement the wind tunnel facility by utilizing the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. This project is the result of a senior student project supervised by a faculty member.
Climatic Chamber
The climatic chamber provides a controlled environment for testing temperature and humidity. Its internal dimensions are 2.5 m x 2.7 m x 3 m, and it is equipped with a data acquisition system and a user-friendly controller for setting cycles.
Dynamometer
The dynamometer consists of a heavy-duty docking station, a rolling engine cart, a water-brake absorber, a driveshaft, a load cell, and a data acquisition system with a 28-channel data harness. It also includes mounting hardware, stainless braided hoses with aircraft fittings, a High-Flow Auto-Load Servo, and an engine temperature thermistor. This equipment is primarily used for engine testing and research. A series of laboratory experiments are currently being developed to be incorporated into the MEN 571 Design and Machinery Lab's pool of experiments.