Mechanical Engineering is one of the four disciplines within the school of Engineering under Debre Berhan University. The department is striving to provide Stimulating Environment for the free development and Exchange of ideas.
Undergraduate
B.Sc Program in Mechanical Engineering
Duration 9 Semester study and six month practice
Requirement 295-7 credit points
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM
1.1 Background
Debre Berhan University, under the Ministry of Education, was established in 2006. The university has expanded different schools and faculties to fulfill the objective of the university. School of engineering established in 2009 as a five years course of engineering education and started by Civil and Electrical engineering programs.
In September 2010, the school will be expanded to include instructions in Mechanical Engineering and construction technology management programs that the undergraduate program is intended to cover five years.
From the previous established universities’ experience, stakeholders and employers have expressed concerns that the graduates of the engineering Programs lack practical and innovative skills. This lack has been coupled by deficiency in communication and managerial skills of the graduates. It is believed that this curriculum has incorporated the necessary consideration that will address the issues raised by stakeholders and employers.
1.2 Vision and Mission
Vision
The vision of the Mechanical Engineering Program, School of Engineering at Debre Berhan University is to be the prime center of Mechanical Engineering Education and research in Ethiopia
Mission
The mission of the mechanical engineering program is to offer an outstanding, professionally oriented undergraduate engineering education and conduct applied research and consultancy service that will bring qualitative change in manufacturing industry and technical services in Ethiopia.
We will achieve our mission by:
Devising innovative and customized curricula that prepare for engineering practice, advanced education, and leadership in manufacturing sector and technical services
Supporting theoretical instruction by workshop, laboratory practices and industrial visits and practical instruction;
Arranging obligatory industrial internship opportunities for all students through summer employment at least for four months
Involving undergraduates and graduate students in applied research
Diversifying graduate programs as per the need of the industry and the country
Encouraging extra curricula student professional activities
Students and stake holders’ evaluation of teaching and learning program.
Participation of staff in applied research, consultancy service and training that solves technical problems of manufacturing sectors and other technical services in the country
1.3 Strategic Goals
i) Increase relevance of undergraduate program to the industry
ii) Diversify the undergraduate programs in the areas related to Mechanical Engineering
iii) Increase diversity, quantity and quality of academic staff and technical assistants
iv) Increase industry supported researches and consultancy activities
v) Increase attractiveness of the Program to students
Achieve high standards for instructional quality
Improve effectiveness of student advising
Provide effective mechanism for student informal feed-back.
Facilitate student access to industrial practice and job placement by working with professionals and entrepreneurs associations.
Support student professional clubs and extracurricular activitie
Professional Profile of Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering is a profession that deals with the design, manufacturing, selection, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of all forms of machinery, equipment, and industrial systems. The profession plays a vital role in the establishment and sustainable operation of a nation's manufacturing industries, transport systems, power generation, construction, and mining industries.
The tasks which professional mechanical engineers undertake are too many to list them all. Some of the typical engineering tasks these professionals are expected to deal with are:
product design, development and manufacturing;
industrial plant design, equipment selection, plant erection, commissioning, operation and maintenance;
industrial gas- and water-supply system/component design;
automotive and construction equipment design and maintenance;
energy conversion system/component design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance;
heating, refrigeration, air-conditioning system/components design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance;
industrial project design and evaluation;
project management;
Factory and technical service management in the capacity of general manager, technical manager, operation manager, maintenance manager, and sales manager.
Due to the very broad nature of the profession of mechanical engineering, the profession has numerous areas specialization at global level. In the current Ethiopian context, one could specialize in any one of the following areas:
Product Design and/or Applied Mechanics
This area of specialization focuses on the design of a product, starting from the need analysis through three dimensional modeling, strength and dynamic analysis up to prototype manufacturing and testing.
Engineering Materials
It deals with the study and application of materials used in mechanical engineering.
Manufacturing Engineering/ Engineering
It deals with the design of manufacturing processes (like casting, forming, machining, joining, assembling, etc.) of an engineering product, starting from its design to planning and management of the manufacturing operations.
Thermal and Power Plant Engineering
It deals with the design, selection, installation, commissioning, maintenance and operation of energy conversion, heating, cooling systems and equipment that utilize thermal primary energy resources.
Fluid Machinery
It deals with the design, performance analysis, selection, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of rotating machines such as pumps, blowers, compressors and various types of turbines.
Maintenance Engineering
It deals with systematic application of reliability theory, condition monitoring and reconditioning techniques, and preventive maintenance programs to increase plant or equipment availability.
Automotive Engineering
It deals with the design and maintenance of a motor vehicle and its accessories.
Aeronautic Engineering
It deals with design and maintenance of an aircraft and its accessories.
Mechatronics and/or Robotics
It deals with control of mechanical systems and interfacing of mechanical system with electronic controllers and computer.
Industrial Engineering
It deals with optimal design of manufacturing plant and optimal management of material, human and machine resources in manufacturing operations to minimize production costs and maximize product quality.
Depending on the engineering tasks one is undertaking or the position one is holding, a professional mechanical engineer working in an industrial facility can have professional titles and/or job specifications like Design Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Maintenance Engineer, Installation Engineer, Utilities Engineer, or management title/job like General Manager, Technical Manager, Operation Manager, Maintenance Manager, Sales Engineer, and rendering consultancy services in the field.
2. GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The general objective of the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Program is to provide broad-based education and training in mechanical engineering and its applications leading to a Bachelor of Science Degree, to enable graduates to meet the challenges of the engineering profession in a rapidly changing environment that exists in a developing country. These challenges require the ability to apply existing knowledge in new ways thereby creating new systems and opportunities as well as adapting existing Engineering to local production conditions. These require the ability to manage service, maintain and improve upon existing systems.
develop applied research programs on country the development policy and strategy
Disseminate the program research and consultancy activities to the industry
Accelerate industrial linkages through industrial training and consultancy services
Strive to create incentive mechanism for researchers at university level
Strive to make university salary and benefits competitive
Develop and implement a staff development plan that will consider the high rate of staff turnover and practice oriented education
Assure the graduate curricula strengthen the undergraduate program and utilize the School's expertise.
Arrange short term training and visits to the staff
Introduce a full-fledged undergraduate program in industrial engineering through a transitional minor program
Assesses the need for Material Engineering program in five years time
The program gives more emphasis to practical education to increase the relevance of the program to the industry, keeping the current capacity of 50 students
The curricula based on needs of the industry and development to give emphasis to practical education and introduce specialization through electives such as
Manufacturing Engineering
Plant Engineering
Motor Vehicles & Construction Equipment
Product Design etc.
Strengthen practical instruction in workshop Engineering, maintenance of machinery and laboratory exercise by employing more technical assistants and improving the quality and quantity of facilities
Introduce a course in entrepreneurship
Develop students skill for modern engineering practice through intensified design projects, CAD, computer based analysis
Increase student visualization ability through audiovisual teaching aid systems.
Introduce a six month compulsory industrial internship
Dear students projects to the country development strategy
