Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
Facilities and Equipment
Hands-On Learning Environments
Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering students at St. Cloud State University gain practical experience in modern laboratory and research spaces designed to support innovation, experimentation and applied learning. From materials testing and thermal sciences to robotics and rapid prototyping, our facilities provide the tools and technology students use to connect engineering theory with real-world applications.
Materials Lab
The Materials Lab, located on the first floor of the Engineering and Computer Center building, offers students an opportunity to evaluate and test a variety of materials, including biological, metals, polymers and more.
Instron Model 1331 (Instron Servo Hydraulic Material Test System)
This machine allows our students to test the strength of metals and plastics. The Instron tests how much force the material can withstand. An example of on-the-job application includes a vehicle suspension fatigue test to see how the materials are expected to hold up over time.
858 Mini Bionix II Material Test System
Similar to the Instron, this machine tests the strength of materials. This machine is primarily used for biological materials. Students are able to take a skin graft and learn about how the material behaves in different situations.
Charpy Impact Toughness Tester
Our students are able to test the amount of energy absorbed when materials are hit with force. Tough materials are able to absorb a lot of energy while fractured and brittle materials absorb very little energy.
Hardness Testers
This machine allows our students to learn about the strength of materials. The machine applies force on the material, leaving a dent. Students examine the dent to determine the strength.
Creep Tester
Over time, plastics tend to droop when continuous force is applied. This machine emulates a continuous force with use of weights and allows students to test and evaluate different plastic materials.
Heat Treating Oven
Metals change properties with heat. This oven allows students to heat materials up to 1650 degrees Fahrenheit and evaluate how heat treatment affects the material properties.
Microscopes
Our Materials Lab offers a number of microscopes for students to take a closer look at materials they are testing.
Olympus Metallograph Microscope
Metallography has grown increasingly complex with more exotic alloys developed for today’s advanced products. Our students will learn about the different enhancing materials used in metal and will be able to take an up-close look.
Leica Luminescence Stereo Microscope
This microscope allows our students to evaluate fractured surfaces at magnifications up to approximately 250 times with a full apochromatic lens. The large depth of field supports assessment of failure initiation.
Thermal Sciences Lab
The Thermal Sciences Lab, located in the basement of the ISELF building, is equipped for our students to study thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer and related subjects including a wind tunnel facility.
Refrigeration Trainer
Through a partnership with St. Cloud Technical and Community College, students built a small commercial freezer with visible components. This refrigeration trainer helps bring the textbook to life, allowing hands-on opportunities.
Rankine Cycler
The Rankine Cycler models the cycles of a power plant, reinforcing students' understanding of the power cycle through a hands-on approach.
Additional Facilities
Explore our Robotics Lab, Imaging Center, and Rapid Prototyping Lab—state-of-the-art spaces where students gain hands-on experience with industrial robots, advanced material analysis, and 3-D printing to bring engineering designs to life.
Robotics Lab
Through use of a dozen industrial robots, students learn skills for jobs in the engineering field. The industrial robots in this lab are similar to those graduates will work with in their professional fields.
Imaging Center
The Imaging Center, located in the basement of the ISELF building, is designed to allow analysis and characterization of materials with advanced instruments including atomic force and scanning electron microscopes.
Rapid Prototyping Lab
The Rapid Prototyping Lab, located on the second floor of the ISELF building, is equipped with a variety of 3-D printers. These printers are used in many of the MME classes to visualize designs and make functional prototypes.