Mechanical Design Engineering Education Changes to Support Modern Automotive Engineering

The contemporary context of mechanical design engineering undergraduate education is briefly reviewed. A three-course sequence for mechanical design education is proposed which meets the general needs of undergraduate students while providing a strong background for future automotive engineers. A somewhat traditional machine design course with sections on design background, power transmission, and structural design is followed by a course in modern intermediate machine design which covers recent advances in machine design and significant gaps in the traditional design curriculum. A capstone design project course in which the students work in teams completes the sequence. Some suggestions for course content and conduct are presented.