The ME Capstone Senior Design Program was officially started in August 2008 under the direction of then department chair Dr. Jonathan Wickert with Lecturer Jim Heise serving as the Design Projects Coordinator. The program was partially funded and supported by the College of Engineering Extension Center for Industrial Research And Service (CIRAS) under the guidance of Director Ron Cox.
Program focus is to provide Mechanical Engineering seniors enrolled in capstone senior design course ME 4150: Machine Systems Design with the opportunity to work on industry-sponsored projects and communicate with practicing engineers from the sponsoring companies. The inclusion of sponsored projects from industry aligns perfectly with Iowa State University’s mission as a Land Grant University. By providing the access to engineering students in a classroom setting the program can assist in the economic expansion of manufacturers in the state of Iowa. In addition, companies from outside the state as well as start-ups, non-profit organizations, ISU departmental needs and student competition teams have been able to take advantage of the program. From fall 2009 through spring 2023 semesters, the program also included one section of ME 4660: Multidisciplinary Engineering Design. This course included students from other engineering majors besides mechanical engineering.
During November 2021, Jake Behrens of CIRAS provided Iowa economic impact numbers for the program. Teams of students working on Iowa industry projects from fall 2008 through spring 2021 semesters resulted in:
- 284 projects with Iowa manufacturers
- 135 different Iowa companies
- $87.4M in estimated monetary impact
- Approximately 209 jobs directly created by ME Capstone projects
The program started modestly with eight in-state industry sponsors but has grown significantly over time. This increase has been driven by two factors – enrollment growth and increased awareness of the program benefits. Capstone Facts and Figures shows the growth in course enrollment, number of projects enlisted and sponsor funding support commitments. A typical capstone project will involve two senior design teams of 5 students each. The typical project will involve approximately 500 man-hours of vested time per team. If a labor cost of $100/hr were applied per man-hour this would mean each project is providing the sponsor with an equivalent effort worth of $100k for an requested support of $5000 (for small manufacturers – under 500 employees) or $8000 (for large manufacturers – over 500 employees). Project results will often add significantly to the return in investment. The sponsor gets to work directly with student teams providing them the opportunity to evaluate the individuals as potential employment prospects.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering continues to manage the program to insure its sustainability. Support for the program increased operating hours for the Boyd Lab along with an increased number of student technicians employed in support of the program.
Past Project Sponsors
Advanced Analytics Technologies, Inc., Agri-Drain Corporation*, Ag Leader Technology*, ALMACO Inc.*, ALTEC Industries*, Aluma Trailers Inc.*, A-M-E Company, American Hydraulics Inc., American Power Quilting Systems, Inc.*, American Profol Inc., AP Lumina LLC, Armstrong Machine Company, Inc., Artistic Manufacturing*, Art’s Way Manufacturing*, Assembled Products, Inc., B&M LLC, Bee-Line Equipment Company, BeStill Enterprises, Boeing Corporation, Boyt Harness Company*, BrandFX*, Bratney Companies*, Brite Belt, Inc., Brown Medical Industries, Cargill , Caterpillar, Inc.*, CEI Equipment Company, City of Ames, CIVCO*, Cleaveland Aircraft Tool, Clow Valve Company, Cobham Mission Systems, Collins Aerospace*, Con-Agra Foods, Inc., Conductix-Wampfler , Inc.*, Corteva Agri-Science, Cosma International of America*, Courage League Sports, CPM Roskamp*, Creative Composites, Ltd., Curries Division of Assa Abloy*, Cactus Jacks Originals, Camp Courageous of Iowa*, Cardinal Glass, Cycle Country Powersports Accessories , D&B Agro*, Dalton Ag Inc.*, Danfoss Company*, Delta Sports Products Inc., DeeZee Manufacturing*, DEMCO Products*, Dexter Laundry, Diamondback, LLC*, Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Ltd., Dodgen Industries, Doosan Bobcat*, Double HH Quality Products, Eaton Corporation*, EMC Insurance, ESCP Corporation*, Emerson Process Management* (Fisher Controls), Engineered Welding Company, Environmental Tillage Systems Inc., ESAPCO*, Ewing Family Farms, EZ Way, Farmers Corrugated, LLC, Flexsteel Coporation, Fusion, Genesis Systems Group, GOMACO Corporation*, GW Nutrition, Hach Inc.*, Hadar Athletic Manufacturing*, Hagie Manufacturing, Harris Vaccines Inc., Harmony House of Iowa*, HEM Manufacturing , Heuer Labs LLC, HON Company, HyCapacity, Inc., Hydac USA, Hydraforce*, IDFI, Inc*, Image First Signs Inc., Infinium, International Paper, Intoxalock*, Iowa Customs, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Jacobs Manufacturing, Jancy Engineering, Inc.*, JBI Distributors, John Deere*, Johnson Helicopter Services (Mills County Choppers Inc.), Kent, Inc – Grain Processing Corporation*, Kreg Tools, Inc.*, Kooima Ag, Legacy Manufacturing Inc.*, Lansing Housing Products, Inc., Larson Door Inc., Lennox Industries Inc., Light Ring Incorporated, Liguria Foods Inc., Linden Propeller Company, Link Manufacturing*, Maintainer Corporation, Marshalltown Company*, McClure Vision, Merck Animal Health*, Michelle Akan (CRNA)*, Mobile Track Solutions, Inc.*, Molded Products, Inc.*, Monarch Materials Group, Montezuma Manufacturing Inc., Mount Vernon Drivers ED LLC, MWI Inc., Nova Tech, Inc., NuScale Power, Inc/Kiewit Power Inc. , Opportunity Village, Original Saw, Ozonics Inc., P.M. Lattner Manufacturing Company*, Paragon International Inc.*, Pella Windows Inc.*, Pengo Corporation, PMW Equipment Company, Power Engineering and Manufacturing, Ltd.*, Pure Fishing*, Quanex Building Materials Inc., R-Pipe, Inc., Rail-Way, Inc., RJ Thomas Company*, RADA Manufacturing Company, Robert Bosch Tool Corporation, Robust System Solutions*, Rock Industries, Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC*, Roto Rooter, Inc.*, Round 2, Inc., Ruster Bikes, S and R Manufacturing, SeaBee Corporation, Simply Said Inc., SmithCo Inc.*, Snap-On Tools*, Stellar Industries, Sukup Manufacturing Corp, Summit Products Inc., SuperFlow Technologies Group, Swarm Robotics, Systems Equipment Co., Terex Cranes*, TFI Lighting Products, Thombert, Inc.*, TPI Composites of Iowa*, TruArt Graphics, Inc., UAVX LLC, United Equipment Accessories, Inc.*, UL Newton*, Valqari*, Valqari LLC, Valent BioSciences Corporation, Vanmark Equipment, Van Gorp Corporation, Vectronic Aerospace, Veridian*, Vermeer Corporation*, VTS EZ Liner Inc., Waters Hot, Inc., Weiler Products, West Des Moines Schools – Crossroads Park Elementary, WheelEZ LLC, Whirlpool Corporation, Wilson Trailer, WindSmart, Winegard Inc., Windsor Windows Inc*., Winnebago Industries*, ZinPro, Inc.*
* indicates sponsored multiple-projects