The Mechanical Engineering Department is the largest department at Cal Poly with more than 1,250 undergraduates and is ranked as the second-best undergraduate focused mechanical engineering program in the country by U.S. News and World Reports.
The curriculum shares a common philosophy that real engineering work requires not only a solid understanding of theory but also hands-on experiences and skills to finish the job. With state-of-the-art laboratories, student clubs and organizations, and machine shops, the program effectively combines theory and practical application to prepare students for careers in a wide variety of industries and graduate school.
Modified from me.calpoly.edu
Senior Projects from 2012
HEPA Filter Evaluation Furnace Control Unit, Matt Gainer, Marc Goupil, and Andrew Woolrich
Supermileage Chassis Dynamometer, Jose Garcia, Steve Janning, Timothy Lui, and Kyla Purvis
Design of an Independent Star-Clip Organizer (ISO), Christopher Gonzales, Greg Lovasik, and Daniel Silveira
Silicon Wafer Temperature Distribution, Daniel Gonzalez, Nathan Jones, and Dylan Justice
Formula SAE Turbocharger Engine Development, Eric Griess, Kevin McCutcheon, Matthew Roberts, and William Chan
Hexapod Linear Actuators, Brett Hartt, Brian Gilchrist, and Vincent (Vince) Truman
Sole Power: Pedal Phone Charger Final Report, Nicole Hensley, Anthony Ruh, Krista Schmidt, and Joseph Garcia
Throwing Frame For Athletes With Dissabilities, Andrew Higgins, Stefan Owechko, Gabriel (Gabe) Terrasas, and Kevin Crisfield
HandiTrike - Recumbent Tricycle, Sean Higginson, Kevin Howie, and Vinay Patel
Design of a Human Powered Helicopter Airframe, Sheen Kao, Daniel Layton, and Philip Sobol
Intelligent Airbag Deployment, Alan Kenyon, Dominic Nicoletti, Lindsay Mosbrucker, Hiram Lew, and Steven Arms
Pedaling and Braking Forces and Their Effect on Suspension Performance, Kathleen Kramer, Nik Goodell, and Cesar Giron
Compressed Air Foam Fire Grounds Evolution Tests, Justin A. LaPolla, Alexander L. Morano, and Vincent P. Luchsinger
THERMOCOUPLE CALIBRATION DEVICE, Angelica M. Larios, Cameron D. Peck, and Andrew J. Smith
Unilateral Paddling Device for Kayaking, Geoffrey Ledbetter, Derek Brangham, and Courtney Sheffield
Solar Turbines Creep Test Fixture, Rene Maciel, Eric Nelson, and Chris Ewald
Innovative Cargo Rack Solutions, Travis McCart, Brian Blummer, and Whit Ratcliff
Formula Hybrid Drivetrain Design, Zachary (Zak) McFarland, Alex Pruitt, and William Domhart
Wolfpack Gear Inc. Composite Frame Firefighter Backpack, Gabriel Mountjoy, Blair Ridings, and Carl Drummond Buchenroth
Mercedes-Benz Engine Oil Level Monitor, Andrew Oshinsky, Eric Frasch, and Jeremy Ramos
Human Powered Helicopter: Rotor Structure, Joseph Ram and Juan Carlos Olvera
Quantifying Proximal Conformability of a Thoracic Aortic Stent Graft, Dylan Reinsdorf and Kendall Smith
Mini Pump, Stephen Scruggs, Britta Berg-Johansen, and Kyle Kriete
Micro-Grid Wind Energy System, Aaron Steinkraus, Brian Huntziker, and Cesar Hurtado
Aerodynamic Test Platform for Human Powered Vehicle (HPV), Spencer Wangerin, Spencer Lillywhite, and Colburn Davis