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Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Technology

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Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology

Aric Bryant, Chair
Phone : 607-587-4690
Fax : 607-587-4620
Administrative Assistant Phone : 607-587-4617
Email : bryantam@alfredstate.edu

The Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology Department has several programs that prepare graduates to join the workforce as successful technical and management professionals in a variety of industries, including electrical engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology, computer engineering technology, and mechatronics technology. Because the department maintains active contact with related industries and professional societies and works closely with them to assist graduates in exploring their profession and creating contacts for employment, graduate placement is excellent. Educational opportunities also occur through projects, competitions, and field trips in addition to memberships in several active professional society student chapters.

MISSION

To prepare graduates for immediate employment and continued educational opportunities through a quality technical and experience-based education.

FACILITIES

    • Advanced Electronics Laboratory – (SET 456) Each work station in this laboratory has a computer that controls automated test equipment stations with a waveform generator, digitizing oscilloscope, multi-meter, and power supplies. Students can capture the oscilloscope display, run automatic frequency response, or measure device characteristics and insert these results into their laboratory reports. The work stations have programs for data analysis and circuit simulation such as Excel, MATLAB, LabVIEW, Multisim and Ultiboard. Internet connections allow quick reference to manufacturer’s data sheets. In addition to the general-purpose and automated test equipment, the laboratory also contains radio frequency (RF) test equipment such as a spectrum analyzer and data communications test equipment to investigate modulation and transmission. 
    • Automated Manufacturing Laboratory – (SET 369) Provides direct experience with computer numerical control (CNC) machines, robotics, and the integration of robotic concepts to automated manufacturing. This includes a 3-axis HAAS mini mill, HAAS mini CNC lathe and an Emco 155 vertical mill. Part design and programs for operation of the CNC systems are prepared and executed. This lab is also equipped with a 3-axis coordinate measuring machine (CMM) for parts inspection and reverse engineering.
    • Computer-Aided, Mechanism, and Mechanical Design Laboratory – (SET 396) Provides a true design environment that is supported by the latest software for drafting, solid modeling, product design, mechanism and system design, calculations, presentations, and analysis. Labs consist of either “stand alone” desktop computers or student laptops. The laboratory is also equipped as a standard industrial research and development laboratory in the area of mechanical systems dynamics. This facility enables students to analyze rotational equipment, industrial power transmission devices, and various mechanical linkage designs. Using a “learn-by-doing” approach, students are able to apply the theoretical concepts conveyed during lecture to complete rigorous laboratory assignments.
    • Data Acquisition Laboratory – (SET 449B) Here students are introduced to general characteristics of electromechanical sensors and transducers, electrical measurement systems, electronic signal conditioning, data acquisition systems, and response characteristics of instruments. Industrial equipment, such as a punch press, drill press, and metal lathe are equipped with sensors that are configured to measure physical quantities such as force, strain, displacement, velocity and acceleration. Computers in the laboratory running LabVIEW software perform data acquisition, calculation and report generation with a graphical user interface. Utilizing renewable energy sources requires environmental monitoring. Laboratory activities could include using transducers to measure wind speed and direction, solar radiation, and temperature along with voltage, current and power measurement.
    • Electronic Fabrication Laboratory – (SET 462A) This is a freshman "skills" laboratory covering a wide range of basic electronic fabrication techniques. It introduces the student to layout and design software tools for sheet metal chassis and printed circuit boards (PCBs) designs, electronic component identification, the proper use of soldering/de-soldering tools, wire-wrapping, schematic layout, and PCB design and fabrication techniques, as well as familiarization with a wide range of hand and power tools and proper safety practices. The laboratory is equipped with a kick-shear, punch press, bending brake, drill presses, Pace solder stations, and CNC rapid prototype machine. The laboratory contains a safety chemical vapor hood used for chemical etching of PCBs. The soldering work stations also feature individual ventilation fans. Once students learn the foundational techniques, students are allowed to use the fabrication resources for later class projects.
    • Electrical Machines Laboratory – (SET 454) Electrical machines convert electrical energy into mechanical energy or vice versa. A fundamental distinction can be drawn between DC, AC, and three-phase machines. The machines used for training in electrical engineering are designed so that nearly all of the circuitry and drives found in industry, commerce, and at home can be conveyed in a didactic fashion in hands-on training. Using the servo drive and braking system, it is possible to easily determine all of the relevant data for electrical machines. Electrical Machines modules include DC machines, shunt-wound, series-wound and compound-wound machines 300W (EEM 2-3), AC machines 300W, universal motor 300W, single-phase induction motor with operating and auxiliary capacitor 300W and split-pole motor 300W (EEM 3-3), asynchronous machines 300W and three-phase induction motor with squirrel cage and distinct pull-out torque 300W (EEM 4-3), and synchronous machines and mains synchronization 300W, synchronous machines 300W and mains (grid power) synchronization 300W (EEM 5-3).
    • Embedded Controller Laboratory – (SET 449A) This laboratory provides an integrated engineering systems approach toward understanding automation principles with emphasis on embedded microcontrollers. Exposure to electrical, mechanical, and process control areas is integrated into this laboratory allowing for evaluation of embedded controller applications using motion control and peripheral devices such as dc and stepper motors, pushbuttons, switches, seven segment and liquid crystal displays (LCD), matrix keypads, analog to digital converters, speakers and radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) interface links.
    • Energy Storage and Conversion Laboratory – (SET 246) Provides hands-on experience in the areas of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics. Classroom theory is reinforced through the application to HVAC systems, wind turbines, solar-thermal, fuel cells, batteries, and other thermal-fluids process equipment. The characteristics of the laboratory systems are investigated, tested, and evaluated for component and overall efficiencies. Students gain experience in the operation of data acquisition, process control, temperature, pressure, fluid flow control, combustion, and system-level test equipment.
    • Fluid Power Laboratory – (SET 252) This lab is used for both lower- and upper-division fluid power courses. Lab facilities include fully functional pneumatic and hydraulic system components. Students design and fabricate working fluid power circuits to reinforce topics covered in the classroom setting. Upper-division students use the hydraulic laboratory facilities to prepare for an optional industry certification offered at the end of the semester.
    • General Purpose Laboratories – (EJ 414, EJ 415, EJ 417) General purpose laboratories are equipped with web, office, and programming software. They are used for a variety of courses such as programming, web, database, and microcomputer applications. 
    • Industrial Controls Laboratory – (SET 454) This laboratory contains multiuse work areas. When used as an introductory electrical circuits and a digital electronics laboratory, students bring in their breadboard notebook constructed in the fabrication lab and use it to build and test simple circuits to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of circuit theory and digital electronics. Other test equipment such as oscilloscopes, meters, power supplies, and signal generators are on each workstation. This laboratory is also equipped with eight matched sets of AC and DC fractional horsepower machines and the test equipment necessary to analyze their performance. Stepper motors, servo motors, programmable logic controllers (PLC), transformers, rectifiers, synchronous machines, loading devices, variable frequency drives, and a simulated transmission line relay demonstrator are available and used for laboratory experiments.
    • Machine Tool/Manufacturing Laboratory – (SET 380) Is equipped with 20 manual tool room style engine lathes, vertical and universal milling machines, drill presses, and radial drill presses. Traditional machining operations are introduced and reinforced in this laboratory with the goal of giving the students “hands-on” exposure to various methods and techniques applied to production so as to give a better understanding of the related design concepts.
    • Materials Testing Laboratory – (SET 384) Includes a 160,000-pound universal testing machine and other test equipment to examine impact, torsion, hardness, and fatigue. Metallographic preparation and computer-aided image processing are used to examine material structure. Heat treating furnaces are also used to investigate the effects of thermal processing.
    • Metrology and Measurements Laboratory – (SET 379) Serves as a state-of-the-art "quality assurance" center and is anchored by new equipment recently donated by area companies. Facilities include a manual coordinate measurement machine donated by Helmel Engineering and a digital Starrett optical comparator and direct computer controlled coordinate measurement machine, both acquired through a grant from the Gleason Foundation.
    • Microelectronics Laboratory – (SET 462B) This laboratory gives the student a realistic experience in semiconductor manufacturing processes. In industry, the nature of the integrated circuit (IC) fabrication process is highly complex and absolutely intolerant of mistakes. Complex ICs have a multitude of transistors, capacitors, and resistors. Fabrication of these devices is rather simple in theory - deposit, pattern, etch, and repeat. However, the actual fabrication process is unbelievably detailed at every step. For very complex ICs, there can be 500 or more individual process steps! The slightest mistake at any of these steps can render the entire device useless. Through a recent grant opportunity, this laboratory was equipped with Modu-Lab semiconductor device manufacturing equipment and a clean-room facility. Oxidation/diffusion, photolithography (spin/bake/expose/develop), etch, and vapor deposition stations allow the student the opportunity to design, build, and test their own simple solid-state devices, while gaining experience in clean room operations.
    • Microfabrication and Semiconductor Manufacturing Facility – (SET 468) This classroom includes a clean room for advanced miniature device and circuit development. The facility provides state-of-the-art instruments for designing, fabricating, characterizing and testing of complex micro-scale structures and devices in MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and Microelectronics. The recent upgrade allows fabrication of very small MEMS devices such as sensors, actuators and microfluidic systems, and more advanced microelectronic components such as integrated circuits (ICs), transistors, capacitors, inductors, resistors, and diodes.
    • Networking Laboratories – (SET 440 and SET 446) Two fully equipped networking laboratories are used to give students hands-on experience so critical to the competitive computer and information technology job market. The college has an academic license for VMWare software products so students, using the latest version of VMWare Workstation, can run multiple guest operating system virtual machines on our powerful lab computers creating complex layered virtual networks that can be directly connected to any of our lab network equipment. The labs are equipped with a blade server with 48 gigabytes of RAM and 12 terabyte storage array upon which VMWare enterprise software is used to create a private cloud infrastructure where students can create and access virtual appliances. The college has an academic license for all Microsoft software, which allows students to acquire experience using the latest enterprise network operating systems.
    • Power Electronics Laboratory – (SET 454) Power electronics is the technology of switching and converting high levels of electrical power. Today, this is done using semiconductor components like diodes, thyristors and IGBTs. The main area of application for power electronics is drive technology. The modular training system accompanies you on your journey from static converter technology to closed-loop control drives and offers you the possibility of dealing in detail with the topics most relevant to you. The modular system with training panels and the systematic software support allows for continuous upgrading, supplements or technology-prompted extensions. Power electronics modules include line commutated converter circuits 300W (EPE 30-3), self-commutated converter circuits 300W (EPE 40-3), converter drives with DC motors 300W (EPE 31-3) and converter drives with DC motor 300W (EPE 43-3).
    • Power System Laboratory – (SET 456) This laboratory contains professional trainer modules that simulate a power system. Each module contains hardware and software installed on its own computer for a full power analysis. A stand-alone power network is a type of power supply network that is closed and has no active lines coupling it to other parts of the electrical power supply grid. A stand-alone network is markedly smaller than a combined electricity grid and does not usually incorporate high-voltage power lines. For this type of network, there are two distinct modes of operation: stand-alone mode and isolated parallel or generator-to-generator operation. This type of supply network is frequently used for the industrial power supplies of large businesses. When this stand-alone network is connected to a smart grid, it is referred to as a microgrid. This type of grid has three different operating modes: on-grid, off-grid and dual mode. Microgrids will be playing a huge role in the smart grids of tomorrow. The Micro Grid modules include Micro Grid Stand Alone Operation (EMG 1) and Micro Grid Isolated Parallel Operation (EMG 2). Energy Management modules include Complex Loads, Power Consumption Measurement and Peak Overloading (EUC 1). This trainer contain three-phase consumers with star and delta connections (R, L, C, RL, RC and RLC loads) and measure with active and reactive energy meters for symmetric and asymmetric RL loads in the event of a phase failure or over-compensation (RC load).
    • Renewable Energy Laboratory – (SET 456) Professional Photovoltaics system allows the passage of the sun to be simulated realistically. This makes it possible to conduct experiments in the lab in practical fashion without any need for the sun itself. The design of photovoltaic systems operating in parallel with the electric power grid is realistic. In order to stabilize the electricity grid, the techniques of derating the power inverter and controllable local transformers are used. Knowledge and practical skills along with computer-based assessment of measured data are made possible by the professional photovoltaics multimedia course along with SCADA Power Lab software. The module includes solar module with solar altitude emulator, the Solar Altitude Emulator and Load Unit 1kOhm, 500W (EPH 3).
    • Student Project Laboratory – (SET 460) Space in this laboratory provides support for course projects and particularly the senior capstone design experience. This facility provides secure storage for projects and the necessary tools and support equipment. The laboratory houses a model house room layout for testing of competitive autonomous robots. The active campus Robotics Club makes use of the room for building, maintaining, and evaluating student built robots.
    • Systems Laboratory – (EJ 411) This lab is used for teaching microcomputer hardware and operating systems installation, upgrading, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
    • Thermodynamics Laboratory – (SET 344) Provides students hands-on experience with diesel and multi-fuel spark ignition engines.  Real-time equipment performance data is used for simulation, modeling, and economic analysis. Areas of the energy systems laboratory are also allocated for senior projects and the SAE Baja student club.
    • Thermofluid Mechanics Laboratory – (SET 245) Is equipped with systems which provide experience with the principles of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. Fluid flows through venture tubes, orifices, nozzles, pipes, ducts, and open channels together with system components such as pumps, fans, and piping systems are used to provide a broad range of experimentation to support basic principles. 

DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS

Computer Engineering Technology (AAS)
Computer Engineering Technology (BS)
Electrical Engineering Technology (AAS)
Electrical Engineering Technology (BS)
Mechanical Engineering Technology (AAS)
Mechanical Engineering Technology (BS)
Mechatronics Technology (AAS)
Mechatronics Technology (BS)