A mechanical and electrical engineering interdisciplinary capstone design project

Since Spring 2000, and running every semester, the University of South Carolina Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Electrical Engineering have collaborated on a capstone senior design project. In the beginning, the collaboration was between a junior level mechanical engineering class and the electrical engineering senior capstone design class. The collaboration has evolved and is currently between both departments' senior capstone design classes. This paper outlines the growth of the collaboration from inception to current state with focus on the recent history of the collaboration. In its current embodiment students from mechanical engineering design, develop, construct and deliver a robotic vehicle platform for electrical engineering students to place a microcontroller for use in the autonomous control of the robotic platform. The integrated and completed robotic platform is used in the Southeastern Conference IEEE student competition held each Spring. The collaboration is considered successful by both departments and is used as a key example of an interdisciplinary design effort between the two departments for ABET review considerations.