Mechanical Engineering

This course is intended to be an overview of computer-aided design (CAD) for students with no prior 2D or 3D experience. In this introductory CAD class, students learn basic drawing and modifying techniques for drafting and technical drawing, using CAD software to create drawings that can be used to build objects in real life. This course will provide an emphasis on translating real objects into computer space and vice versa. Through this, students will learn how to create suable designs and will be able to evaluate the different uses of design. Not only is this a good introduction to computer-aided design for students pursuing engineering, but it is also a good way for other students to add CAD design to their resumes.

An introduction to programming without the expectation of prior experience. Emphasis on learning the language of choice, solving problems, visualizing data via simple plots, and using modern tools. Weekly lab involves hardware. No prerequisites.

This course is designed to introduce students to the engineering profession and its practices. Various projects and activities are completed. The students learn about engineering analysis, data acquisition, sketching, critical thinking, ethical decision making, the design process, problem formulation, design evaluation and selection, teamwork, oral presentation skills, and effective writing.

Engineering as it relates to the immediate community around us. Theoretical work includes systems risk analysis, project planning, and engineering economics, but also highlights ethical implications inherent in the decisions made by engineers as they design products ranging from automobiles to healthcare devices to software to appliances for communities. Concretely, students will complete a project designed to make a positive impact in the community. No prerequisites.

Design for America (DFA) Studio will develop a pipeline of innovation leaders that create impact through the implementation of DFA projects. This course is open to all Illinois College students and has no prerequisites. The course can be taken for 1 or 2 credit hours. A one-credit hour course would meet once per week while a two-credit hours course would be twice per week. Students will use the DFA process and utilize design software such as SketchUp for projects. Projects may be with local communities or Illinois College.

This course covers the analysis and behavior of resistors, capacitors, and inductors in both static and dynamic contexts, alongside the types of electrical energy sources utilized. Students will learn to apply Ohm’s Law, Kirchhoff’s laws, and various network theorems to analyze DC and AC circuits, focusing on power flow and response characteristics. The course also includes the design and analysis of operational amplifier (op amp) circuits for instrumentation purposes. Students will gain the ability to model and mathematically describe circuit behavior under static and dynamic conditions. The course features extensive use of a strong laboratory component to reinforce theoretical concepts and develop hands-on skills with electronic instruments. The course includes 4 class hours and 2.5 lab/tutorial hours each week.   

This course in Materials Sciences and Engineering is ideal for 3-2 engineering and physics students interested to pursue mechanical, civil, industrial, materials science and general engineering. This course provides balanced, current treatment of the full spectrum of engineering materials, covering all the physical properties, applications and relevant properties associated with engineering materials. It explores all the major categories of materials while also offering detailed examinations of new materials with high-tech applications. The course involves investigating the relationships that exist between the structures and properties of materials.

Force, moments, and couples; conditions of equilibrium; distributed forces; center of gravity and moment of inertia; trusses; frames; beams.

Kinematics, kinetics, simple harmonic motion, work, energy, power.

This course covers the fundamental concepts of temperature, work, and heat. Specific topics include the Laws of Thermodynamics, gas laws, entropy, conditions of equilibrium, gas cycles, the Maxwell relations, chemical potential and equilibrium, Gibbs' phase rule, Clapeyron-Clausius equation, kinetic-molecular theory, and the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. This course does not include a lab period.

This course is designed to equip students to use software to analyze and solve practical engineering problems. After completing this course, students can move from a general problem statement to a software solution. Students will develop skills in logic, algorithm design, data structure design, and debugging. Students apply these skills to a variety of engineering, mathematical, and numerical methods problem areas. The topics covered include analysis of data from source files (e.g. text files, Excel files), advanced plotting, methods of solving differential equations, numerical integration, linear algebra, roots of polynomials, curve fitting (linear and polynomial regression), interpolation, and finite element analysis. 

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of engineering that combines mechanical engineering, electronics, computer science, and control engineering to design and create intelligent systems and products. It focuses on the integration of mechanical systems with electrical and digital components to develop smart, automated, and efficient solutions. This course is designed to introduce engineering students to the field of mechatronics and its applications in robotics, automotive systems, manufacturing & automation, medical devices, consumer electronics, and aerospace and defense. The students complete various projects, including a major design project. Through these projects and other activities, the students learn about the development of smart, efficient, and adaptive systems that improve automation, precision, and functionality in various industries, teamwork, oral presentation skills, and effective writing. Students are assessed through performance on projects, exams, quizzes, homework, written reports, and oral presentations.

This course is designed to provide students with a fundamental understanding of fluid behavior with an emphasis on liquids. The topics covered include fluid statics and dynamics, laminar and turbulent flow, pressure, forces including hydrostatic forces on submerged surfaces, momentum and energy equations, dimensional analysis, drag, incompressible and compressible flow, energy and hydraulic grade lines, and simple pumps. The course includes 4 class hours and 2.5 lab/tutorial hours each week.  

Introduction to advanced conduction, convection, and radiation models, as well as studies in mass transfer. A special focus is placed on applying these models (for example, in cooling electronics, building thermal management, or the industrial refrigeration of foods).

In order to become a U.S. licensed professional engineer, one must first pass the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. This course prepares students to pass this exam by going over the extended list of topics. This course is strongly encouraged for students going into the industry. 

The first of a two-course sequence, Senior Seminar I is the culmination of the engineering education experience at Illinois College. During this course, the instructor will introduce students to the selected, real-world problem and may form students into teams. Class time may be used for lecture on a specialized topic, project selection, documentation, literature reviews, hands-on experiences with the project, or visits to the site of interest. 

A continuation of Senior Seminar I, this class focuses on the execution and documentation of the project started the semester before.