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Joint ventures between educational institutions and area industries have always proven to be beneficial partnerships. These joint ventures are not new for The University of Toledo Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering department and our regional industries. Our area industries have played a long-standing role in the successful educational process for our students, both on and off campus.

At The University of Toledo, Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (M.I.M.E.) Department a capstone design course has been in place for many years, under the title of Synthesis I and II. During the recent transition to semester system in August 1997, the department revised the course in its scope and objectives with input from industries. The course is now titled M.I.M.E. Senior Design Projects. As part of the new course, the department has embarked on a new endeavor -- Senior Design Clinic.

The Senior Design Clinic is a joint collaboration among the M.I.M.E. department Senior Design students, faculty and industries. As participants in the clinic, students work in teams using knowledge gained in earlier courses to solve real world design, manufacturing and operational problems relevant to industries. Oral and written communications with participating companies as well as teamwork are stressed. Other topics include design for manufacturing, patents, product liability, safety, ethics, technical report writing, and presentation skills. Industries play a major role in the success of this program by providing an engineering project challenge and technical as well as financial support. As members of the clinic, the industries seek and obtain a solution to a specific engineering project or problem relevant to their organization within a short time.

The Senior Design Clinic provides a variety of benefits for the participating industry, students, faculty, the department as well as the community. The outcome of the Senior Design Clinic is a win-win situation for all of the participants. Benefits from the program are:

for INDUSTRY

• Access to students, faculty and research and instructional facilities while sharing resources.
• An avenue to investigate a solution to an engineering project/problem relevant to industry in an economical fashion.
• Community outreach for industry, thus prominence in the community.
• Influencing students on what the workforce expects from a graduating engineer, thus preparing as well as evaluating potential employees for entry-level engineering positions.

for STUDENTS

• Access to industrial facilities and employees (networking).
• Exposure to teamwork and additional real world experience prior to graduation.
• Entering the workforce more qualified and confident to meet the expectations of employers and their customers.
• Access to industries that are looking for entry-level engineers.
• Opportunities to enhance written, oral and presentation skills.

for FACULTY

• Networking with area industries.
• Access to engineering facilities not readily available on campus.
• Service for the short-term engineering needs of industry.
• Exposure to industries who may want to collaborate on a more long-term research project involving faculty and students.
• Professional Development and community involvement.

for DEPARTMENT

• Networking with industries for students and faculty.
• Support from industries will allow greater freedom and a wider variety of projects to be implemented for our students each semester.
• Excellent contact for department co-operative experience program.
• Mechanism to reconnect alumni in the workforce with the department through their company and our students.
• Effective community outreach in a win-win situation.

for COMMUNITY

• Contribution to the area economic development.
• More experienced engineers entering the workforce.
• National prominence with a successful community partnership.

Academia and industry working hand in hand to prepare the engineers of tomorrow is a successful endeavor for all parties involved. The M.I.M.E. Department invites you to join the M.I.M.E. Senior Design Clinic as a participating industry sponsor.

Use the form at the top of the page to view past design clinics.