Laboratories

The Corrosion Research Laboratory provides a state-of-the art environment in which to conduct advanced corrosion research to better understand the principles of corrosion and electrochemistry. The 810 square foot facility is well equipped with the necessary research tools to perform detailed studies and investigation of uniform corrosion, localized corrosion, and (in conjunction with the Fracture Mechanics Laboratory) environmentally-assisted cracking of different materials in different corrosive environments.

The laboratory equipment available for experimental work includes a salt spray system, an accelerated weathering tester, alternate immersion corrosion test stations, Gamry corrosion testing systems, EG&G electrochemical testing systems, and slow strain rate test capabilities.

The laboratory supports faculty research, the Materials Engineering Undergraduate Research Program, and instruction in several courses, including the basic Engineering Materials Laboratory course, Mechanical Behavior of Materials, and Corrosion.

This modestly sized 925 square feet facility houses approximately $2.8 million of sophisticated equipment to perform studies and investigation of the structure, chemical properties, physical properties, microstructure and nanostructure of advanced materials. The laboratory provides excellent opportunities for performing highly advanced research studies in the field of Materials Engineering.

Major equipment includes Zeiss Ultra 55 FESEM and Oxford EDAX/EBSD, a multi channel spectroscope system supporting Auger Surface Analysis X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and AUGER electron spectroscopy, a JEOL Scanning Electron Microscope, an atomic force microscope, KEVEX - EDA Microprobe Chemical Analysis System, and Ultrasonic Flaw Detector with 3D scanner. Other equipment includes Buehler Image Analysis System, Micromet Microhardness Tester, SPI Sputtering System, Dilatometer, Ecomet 6 Metallography, and Analytical Balance.

The Laboratory supports faculty research, the Materials Engineering Undergraduate Research Program, and instruction in several courses, including the basic Engineering Materials Laboratory course, Mechanical Behavior of Materials, and graduate classes in Corrosion, Thin Film Technology, Failure Analysis, Biomaterials, and Nanaomaterials & nanotechnology.

The 3560 square feet Boeing Automation Engineering Laboratory is informally subdivided to serve multiple instructional and support purposes:

• Application of Computer Technologies to Manufacturing Engineering (1290 Sq. ft.)
• Manufacturing and Processes Learning Enterprise (930 Sq. ft.)
• Lecture Discussion and basic computing (570 Sq. ft.)

The balance of the space is reserved for fork lift access (680 Sq. ft.) and supplies storage.

Area A for Application of Computer Technologies to Manufacturing Engineering, is equipped with eight PC stations, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) lathe and milling machines, and a Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) system that incorporates conveyor, pallet, barcode reading, and robot capabilities. Software support includes MS Office, MasterCAM, AutoCAD, AML, MCL II, and Simfactory. Instructional courses using this area include Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM), Manufacturing Systems Design, Robotics, Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), and Advanced CAD/CAM.

Area B for the Manufacturing and Processes Learning Enterprise includes machine tools, a mold injector, tool cabinets, a thermojet rapid prototype modelar, nondestructive test apparatus (e.q., magnetic particle, dye penetrant, eddy current and brittle coating inspection), and other items appropriate to product manufacture. Instructional courses using this area include Process Design and Manufacturing Engineering, Product Design, Senior Design, MAPLE Projects, and Quality Engineering.

The multi-purpose Automation and Robotics Laboratory meets a wide range of student and instructional needs. The 1600 square feet space provides a small lecture discussion area, a small tabled seminar and work area, and a computing area equipped with 20 student stations. Peripherals support includes a laser printer, color laser jet printer, plotter, scanner, and data projector.

Software support for instruction and student work includes MS Office, MS Project, AutoCAD, Macromedia Flash, CATIA, I-DEAS, MasterCAM, Decision Tools and MHAND. Classes that utilize the facility include Introduction to CAD Graphics, Introduction to CAD Animation, Engineering Statistical Applications, Engineering Project Management, Facilities Planning and Design, Engineering Decision and Risk Analysis, CAD/CAM with CATIA, and Engineering Operations Research. The newest software addition is the RoboDK - Simulator for industrial robots and robot programming.

The Fracture Mechanics Laboratory occupies approximately 1100 square feet and provides mechanical testing support for faculty research, the Materials Engineering undergraduate Research Program, and several instructional courses including the basic Engineering Material laboratory course, Process Design and Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Senior Design, Thin Film Technology, Composite Materials, and Failure Analysis.

Testing Resources including a Drop Impact tester with Dyna Tup, 20 Kips Universal servo-hydraulic with upgraded MTS 486-16 controller, 20 kips Universal servo-hydraulic with upgraded MTS 486-20 controller, 110 Kips Universal servo-hydraulic with MTS 486-20 controller, and 250 Kips upgraded Ametek servo-hydraulic system.

The MacDonald CAD Graphics Laboratory, named for a former faculty member who was instrumental in its initial development and was noted for his expertise in teaching design, serves multiple purposes. Equipped with 32 high-capability and accessorized PCs, the laboratory provides access to AutoCAD, I-DEAS and CATIA Software for instruction and research. The 1300 square foot facility also incorporates a tabled area for team project work.

Courses taught in the facility include Introduction to Engineering (MSE 101/L), Introduction to CAD Graphics (MSE 105), Introduction to Engineering CAD and Graphics (MSE 508/L), Principles of CAD/CAM (MSE 508/L), and CAD/CAM with CATIA (MSE 516/L).

The Richard M. Pickett Materials Engineering Laboratory is used for the instruction of undergraduate engineering students in the properties of engineering materials and the testing methods used in the evaluation of those properties. The facility, named for a former faculty who was instrumental in the development of the laboratory, is also used for undergraduate and graduate instruction and research in several topic areas.

The 3000 square foot laboratory is well-equipped to perform a wide range of mechanical testing, data acquisition, and investigation pertaining to the structures and properties of materials. Equipment located in the facility for use in the basic engineering materials course includes tensile test machines; hardness testers; instrumented impact testers; microscopes; cut-off, coarse grinding and polishing wheels; metallograph; bending and rotating beam fatigue testers; furnaces; cold roller; friction and wear tester; data acquisition PCs, loggers and plotters. More advanced state-of-the-art equipment is available for learning and performing advanced materials testing and characterization.

The basic engineering materials laboratory course is aimed at preparing the student to undertake future engineering projects. The laboratory experience is focused on improving the abilities of the students to:

• Apply theory to engineering problems
• Perform experiments and obtain reliable data
• Communicate the results of engineering activities
• Develop a better understanding of the selection and use of materials
• Develop and grow as a professional engineer

Experiments performed in the course include X-ray to identify an unknown material, impact test, tensile test of different materials, cold working and annealing of copper alloys, heat treatment and hardenability of steels, age hardening of aluminum alloys, and measurements of corrosion rates of different materials in different environments. Groups of students then design, execute and present their own engineering projects, providing them with the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their creativity and their leadership, planning, and communication skills.

The non-equilibrium materials laboratory focuses on processing non-equilibrium materials, especially amorphous metallic materials, to broaden the fundamental science behind these unique materials.  Areas of interest include glass foams, biocompatibility, mechanics, thermal and electrical properties, and corrosion of bulk metallic glass and binary and ternary metallic glass thin films.

The laboratory is equipped with a micromechanical load frame, a differential thermal analyzer, thermal and electron-beam evaporation and sputtering chambers, and tube resistance furnaces. 

The laboratory supports faculty and student research for both graduate and undergraduate students. The topics of research interest are directly related to several graduate courses, including biomaterials, nanomaterials, electronic materials and phase transitions. 

Some of facilities and equipment include: Melting and Processing: 2-gun thin film sputtering system, High temperature (1200 oC) tube furnaces (2) Mellen 1600 C high temperature box furnaces, Mechanical Testing 1000 lb. Tensile/compression/bending substage with specimen heater for JEOL5800 SEM MTEST Windows Data Acquisition System w/load cell, displacement transducer, software Specimen

Microscopy Preparation: Allied Metallograph Specimen Cutter Buehler automated grinder/polisher, Buehler Electromet polish/etch, Thermal Analysis Perkin-Elmer DTA7 calorimeter, Ultrasonic Analysis

(Panametrics 5052 UA), 30 MHz ultrasonic analyzer with oscilloscope for measuring elastic wave speeds in solid specimens. 5-and 25-MHz transducers for both longitudinal and shear wave measurements are available for either transmission or reflection geometry