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An Undergraduate Instructional Laboratory Model for a Modern Mechanical Engineering Program

Michael Ohadi, Ming Sheu, Arman Molki

Department of Mechanical Engineering The Petroleum Institute P.O. Box 2533, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

Abstract

Hands-on laboratory skills play a vital role in preparing the next generation of mechanical engineering students to assume successful career paths in the 21st century. Our team reviewed several undergraduate laboratory models at a number of well-recognized undergraduate engineering institutions. When possible, we also sought the feedback of some of these institutions and gathered the lessons learned in their developing undergraduate laboratories. Using the gathered information, we have developed our own model for a set of four mechanical engineering laboratories that we believe will address the needs of a modern mechanical engineering program. Students are required to take three of the four offered labs. The labs begin in the fall semester of the sophomore year and successful students will complete the three required labs by the end of their junior year and can take the 4th lab in their senior year as a technical elective. This paper provides the information on each of the four lab modules, including the experiments covered in each lab and the specific educational objectives sought in each lab.

Introduction

The Petroleum Institute (PI), which was founded in 2001, is supported by a consortium of five major oil companies. These are: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), British Petroleum (BP), Judco, Shell, and Total. The prime sponsor is ADNOC, providing more than 60% of the funds and having established close working relationship with the PI. ADNOC is a $40B company, owned by and operated in the United Arab Emirates with diverse interests in the oil and gas industry, including various subsidiaries and operating companies in the major business areas of exploration, drilling, production, refining, and gas processing operations, as well as transportation and marketing. The Petroleum Institute is a higher educational institute that trains the workforce for the oil and gas industry, and particularly for the companies involved in the sponsoring consortium. PI offers undergraduate (and soon graduate studies) in the five major engineering fields of chemical, electrical, mechanical, petroleum, and petroleum geosciences engineering. Additional engineering disciplines are expected to be added in the future, in-line with the needs of the sponsoring consortium and the local oil companies. The Petroleum Institute also provides research and continuing education services to its sponsors thus justifying the need for state-of-the-art laboratories at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”

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Sheu, M., & Ohadi, M., & Molki, A. (2005, June), An Undergraduate Instructional Laboratory Model For A Modern Mechanical Engineering Program Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14414