The University of St. Thomas

Senior Design

Engineering Design Clinic

ENGR 480-481 Engineering Design Clinic serves as the capstone for seniors majoring in engineering. Student design teams, with coaching from a faculty coordinator, develop engineering solutions to practical, open-ended design projects conceived to demonstrate the value of prior basic science and engineering courses. Ethical, social, economic and safety issues in engineering practice will be considered as well.

Students apply previously learned engineering principles to the solution of real problems in an actual industrial setting. Student design teams work with the assistance of faculty advisors and industrial liaisons. Opportunity will be provided for objective formulation, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of alternative solutions.

In the first semester, while working closely with their sponsor and faculty advisor, students fully understand the design problem, acquire information, determine engineering requirements, develop design concepts, trade them off and select a viable concept and perform detailed design. During the second semester, students order materials, complete any software development, build and integrate their machines/devices, and finally evaluate performance through test. See Lab Equipment List.

If you have a project we could work together on next year, or would like further information, please contact faculty coordinator Perry Parendo, pkparendo@stthomas.edu. The proposal deadline is August 1, 2008. Invitation to Sponsor Senior Design Project: 2008-09 Academic Year

Senior Design Show

Senior Design Show AdThe Senior Design Show is held annually. This year, it will be held May 9, 2008.  Dean Ron Bennett Welcome Letter. It is based on project work from the Senior Design Clinic I-II (ENGR 480-481) sequence and represents the culmination of a year's worth of work by teams of engineering seniors in both electrical and mechanical engineering. By providing valuable solutions to the client company and a learning environment for the students, an energizing environment is generated.

2007-2008 Projects

  1. Active Exhaust – Polaris Industries/Victory Motorcycles
  2. Autonomous Aircraft Landing System – Lockheed Martin
  3. Auto-Scrubber – 3M Corporation
  4. Biodiesel Process – Crown Iron Works
  5. Catheter Handle – St. Jude Medical
  6. Ergonomic and Efficient Grille Application – Andersen Corporation
  7. Food Chafer – Service Ideas, Inc
  8. Personal Ultrasonic Golf Club Cleaner – Private Inventor
  9. Project ReSaLT – Private Inventor 
  10. Punch Cycle Tester – Mate Precision Tooling
  11. Savage Squirrel Protection Team – River Falls Municipal Utility
  12. Team Energy (IPod Charger) – Lockheed Martin

2006-2007 Projects  

  1. An Evaporative Cooler Designed for Sub-Saharan Africa - USDA CSREES – Higher Education Challenge Program
  5. LASAG Laser Welding Tool - LASAG Industrial Lasers
  7. Optical Landing System - Lockheed Martin 
  8. Trail Sensor System - City of St. Paul Parks and Recreation Board

2005-2006 Projects

  1. Communication Device for the Disabled – Team AbleNet
  2. Transit System Demonstration Model – Team Intelligent Transportation
  3. Laser Machining Assist Gas Flow Characterization and Optimization – Team LASERDYNE SYSTEMS Division, PRIMA North America, Inc.
  4. Variable Cooling System – Team Lockheed Martin
  5. Precision Tooling Assembly Cost Reduction – Team Mate Precision Tooling
  6. Medical Device Automated Manufacturing Cell – Team Restore Medical
  7. Omni-Directional Rover Wireless Control System – Team Lexen
  8. Clogged Nozzle Detection System – Team Toro
  9. Solar Powered Water Pasteurizer – Team USDA CSREES

2002-2003 Projects