Teaching Laboratories
The teaching laboratories and fabrication facilities are available to students for personal projects and class-related work. In the approximately 6,000 square-foot space, students conduct experiments that range in complexity from basic instrumentation and fundamental exercises to advanced experiments in such diverse areas as automatic controls, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, stress analysis, vibrations, microcomputer-based data acquisition, aerodynamics, and control of mechanical systems.
The teaching lab is replete with state-of-the-art equipment, including data acquisition systems, dynamic strain indicators, an Instron testing machine, photo-elastic demonstrations, a wind tunnel, and Digital Image Correlation (DIC) systems. Students can also utilize the tools of a fabrication facility. Equipment in the fabrication portion of the laboratory includes 3-axis CNC milling machines, manual and CNC lathes, drill presses, band saws, power hacksaws, sanders, surface grinders, 3D printers (15 Prusa MK3S+ and 2 Fortus), and laser cutters.
This lab also functions as a teaching space for the following undergraduate courses: Intro to Machining, MECE Lab I and II, Machine Design, and Senior Design. In addition, it serves graduate students enrolled in fabrication-heavy courses such as Robotic Studio and Digital Manufacturing and graduate students pursuing research. The lab is also a major hub for all the MECE student organizations that use the space to host club meetings and depend on access to tools and equipment to make their projects competition-ready each year.
MechTech Laboratory
The MechTech Laboratory provides a dynamic learning environment for both undergraduate and graduate students. Through courses such as Mechatronics, Robotics Studio, and MEMS Sensors & Systems, students engage in hands-on exploration of electromechanical systems.
The laboratory aims to deepen students' understanding of embedded systems, fostering innovation and excellence in mechanical engineering and technology.
MechTech is equipped with workstations that include essential tools and instruments for testing, such as power supplies, function generators, multimeters, and oscilloscopes. A soldering station is also available, allowing students to prototype electronic components. The lab offers a wide range of resources and materials for constructing and testing both analog and digital electronic circuits.
CAD Lab
The CAD Lab is a modern computer-aided design laboratory equipped with 30 Dell Precision 670/650 workstations with Wildcat 6100 or Quadro FX 3400 video cards. Machines have software for design, CAD, FEM, and CFD, including Pro Engineer, Maya, IDEAS, FLUENT, and FEMLAB.
Other resources include the Columbia MakerSpace. Learn more about this affiliated workshop here.