Automotive Electives

Suggested Technical Electives for BSME Students Majoring in Mechanical Engineering who are Interested in an Automotive-Related Career

(see also: BSME degree majoring in Automotive Engineering)

Students must complete 12 credits of technical electives; no more than 3 credits can be from List # 2. Please see the Timetable of Classes for course availability.  Most technical electives are taught no more than once per year.

List #1 Technical Electives

ME 4204 – Internal Combustion Engines (3 credits) - typically taught Spring only.
Analysis and design of gasoline and diesel engines. Fundamental processes and their application in current technology. Thermodynamics: air standard and air-fuel cycles. Combustion: stoichiometry, fuels, chemical equilibrium, chemical kinetics, flame propagation, knock, pollutant formation and control. Flow processes: volumetric efficiency, intake and exhaust tuning, two-stroke scavenging, carburetion, fuel injection, super- and turbo-charging. Cannot be taken P/F. Pre: ME 2134 (MIN grade of C-), ME 3414 (MIN grade of P). 

ME 3604 – Kinematics (3 credits) - typically taught once per year (semester TBD).
Kinematic analysis and design of cams, gears, and linkages, velocity, acceleration and force analysis, kinematic synthesis, balancing, kinematic and force analysis by complex numbers, computer-aided analysis, and synthesis of linkages. Pre: ESM 2304 (MIN grade of P).

ME 4524 – Introduction to Robotics and Automation (3 credits) & ME4584 Robotics Lab (1 credit) - Fall only.
Automation, robot technology, kinematics, dynamics, trajectory planning, and control of two- dimensional and spatial robots; robot programming; design and simulation of robotic devices.  Pre: ME 2004 (MIN grade of C-), ME 3524 (MIN grade of P), ME 3534 (MIN grade of P).  Cannot be taken P/F.  Must enroll in both lab and lecture.

ME 4534 – Land Vehicle Dynamics (3 credits) Spring only.  ***Required course for AUTE major***
Analytical methods for land vehicle dynamics. Mechanics of pneumatic tires on pavement and steel wheels on rails. Vehicle stability, handling, response to random guide way and roadway irregularities, ride quality computation methods and standards, suspension design. Pre: ME 3524 (MIN grade of P).

ME4544 – Automotive Engineering (3 credits) Fall only. ***Required course for AUTE major***
Vehicle performance, drive train, suspension, steering, and brake systems. Steady state and transient conditions.  Cannot be taken P/F. Pre: ME 3524 (MIN grade of P).

ME 4554 – Advanced Technology Motor Vehicles (3 credits) - typically taught Fall only.
Energy use and environmental issues for motor vehicles: Emissions standards, fleet requirements, dynamometer testing, fuel economy, and vehicle performance. Alternative fuel vehicles: Characteristics and infrastructure of fuels, batteries, electric vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles. Vehicle design: Modeling and simulation of vehicle energy use and performance, component sizing. Fuel cells for transportation. Heavy-duty vehicles and busses. Low mass vehicles and future vehicle technology. Pre: 3114 or 3124 or 3134. Cannot be taken P/F. Pre: ME 2134 (MIN grade of C-). Graduating Seniors only.

ME 4564 - Vehicle Controls (3 credits) - Fall only ***Required course for AUTE major***
Overview of vehicle control systems and control algorithms for anti-lock braking, stability, road holding, lane departure, traction control, and tire pressure monitoring. Advanced driver assist systems and intelligent tire technology. Hands-on experience with hardware-in-the- loop systems. Mathematical modeling and simulation of vehicle control. Pre: ME 3524 (MIN grade of P), ME 3534 (MIN grade of P).

ME 4614 – Mechanical Design II (3 credits) Spring only.
Design of mechanical elements such as welded joints hydrodynamic bearings, spur gears, shafts, brakes. Alternative fatigue design methods, cumulative fatigue, mechanical design computer software. Pre: ME 3624 (MIN grade of P). 

ME 4624 – Finite Element Practice in Machine Design (3 credits) Fall only.
Application of the finite element method to stress analysis problems in mechanical design. Modeling techniques, proper use of existing computer programs, interpreting of results, application to design modification. Pre: ME 3624 (MIN grade of P).

ME 4634 – Intro Computer-Aided Design and Manufacture (3 credits) Spring only
Participants will study the computer-aided design and manufacturing of mechanical systems. A mechanical system will be designed including preliminary design, analysis, detail design, numerical control programming, and documentation. Applications programs will be written and interfaced to the CAD/CAM database. All assignments will be carried out on a CAD/CAM system. Cannot be taken P/F. Pre: ME 3024 (MIN grade of P).

ME 4644 – Introduction to Rapid Prototyping (3 credits) Fall only.
Participants will study topics fundamental to rapid prototyping and automated fabrication, including the generation of suitable CAD models, current rapid prototyping fabrication technologies, their underlying material science, the use of secondary processing, and the impact of these technologies on society. The rapid prototyping process will be illustrated by the actual design and fabrication of a part. Programming skills required.  Graduating Seniors only. Cannot be taken P/F.  Must be graduating senior. Pre: ME 3024 (MIN grade of P).

ME 4664 – Intro Global Collaborative Engineering Design (3 credits) Fall only.
Participants will study topics fundamental to global collaborative engineering design, product data management, and collaborative product data management. These topics will be applied during a team project with team members located overseas, utilizing state-of-the-art collaborative engineering and product data management software and hardware technologies. Partially duplicates 5664. Credit may only be received for one course. Cannot be taken P/F. Pre: ME 3024 (MIN grade of P).

ME 4744 - Mechatronics (4 credits) Fall only.
Electromechanical design and control applications. Theory, modeling, simulation, analysis, design and building of electronic interfaces and controllers; sensors and actuators; software development, micro-controller technology, and applications. Design Lab/Studio. Cannot be taken P/F. Pre: ME 3534 (MIN grade of P), ECE 3254 (MIN grade of P), (CS 1044 (MIN grade of P) or ECE 1574 (MIN grade of P) or CS 2505) (MIN grade of P).

List #2 Technical Elective

BSE 2484 – Engines and Power Trains (3 credits) - typically taught Fall and Spring.
Fundamentals of the construction and operation of current internal combustion power units. Control of power utilizing clutches, transmissions, drive shafts, and differentials.