Engineering Design Clinic

"A Decade of Design"

Dr. Sam Anand, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, now serves as Director for the UC Engineering Design Clinic. The Clinic offers a multi-disciplinary cap-stone design course for Engineering College Seniors. Seniors from Mechanical, Materials, Computer, Electrical, and Civil Engineering form design teams solving design projects for tri-state industries.

Companies such as General Motors, Ford Motor, Daimler Chrysler, General Electric, Procter & Gamble, Ethicon, Hillshire Farms & Kahn's, H. J. Heinz, Cintas, Cummins Engine, Cinergy, Lexmark, Civacon, United Air Specialists, CAE/Ransohoff, Xerox, Motoman and Sweco (to mention a few) participate by submitting Design Projects to the Clinic at the end of the Autumn Quarter (Nov - Dec). These projects are then reviewed by the co-directors and other faculty for design content and suitability for Clinic use. The student teams work on their design solutions from January to June, with full access to the University's resources and research facilities. Companies help defer some of the administrative costs by paying a nominal fee and direct expenses (approximately $3000 on the average).

In essence, this is an internship program. It stimulates and challenges the senior engineers by enabling them to work on real industrial problems of practical importance. Industry is thus able to participate in the education and training of our graduates. In turn, the students often create new processes, systems and products for our local industry. It is truly a win/win situation.

While the Clinic enjoys the business of repeat customers, they also welcome new businesses and industries to participate. Often, Alumni and Design Clinic veterans come back to submit projects and serve as company monitors for the teams. Each team is assigned a faculty member who serves as an advisor or "coach," thus ensuring high professional and academic standards. Value Engineering is a principal focus. Feasibility, design trade-offs and cost analysis are all included in formal presentations and reports of the teams.

Creative brainstorming, critical thinking skills and team dynamics are facilitated through a variety of laboratory activities. Students sharpen their communication skills by practicing presentation and technical writing methods. Guest speakers from industry provide seminars on management topics such as Leadership, Total Quality and Entrepreneurship.

As the seniors practice and apply their technical expertise and academic skills with the practical design problems, they get ready for the real world in the workplace.

We encourage Alumni to participate. Please call Tom Curtis, Director for Industrial Relations at Engineering Design Clinic, at (513) 556-1169. He will be happy to discuss the Program in further detail with individuals or groups at industries in the tri-state area.