Mechatronics Design Track for Senior Engineering Students at Temple University
A newly designed senior-level course, Mechatronics Design, is now available in Fall 2025 in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Temple University. This course is a new section of MEE4177: Design & Realization of a Mechanical System, alongside the mechanical systems and thermofluids systems tracks. Unlike the other sections, this version focuses on the development of integrated mechatronic systems, combining mechanical design, electronics, and programming. It is designed to give students practical experience in building real-world systems through a hands-on, team-based approach.
The course is structured around the 2025-2026 ASME Student Design Competition, which challenges teams to design, fabricate, and test a waste collection and sorting system. The devices must extract small, colored cube-shaped waste units from stationary bins without moving or damaging them, sort them into garbage or recycling categories based on color, and deliver them to designated locations. This challenge sets the foundation for a semester-long project that teaches students how to design and integrate mechanical components, sensors, actuators, and embedded control systems.
In Fall 2025, the course includes eight students split into two teams, each tasked with independently developing a fully functional waste collection robot. These teams will compete with one another throughout the semester in performance-based evaluations. Students will gain experience in prototyping, iterative testing, and engineering decision-making, while also representing Temple University in a globally recognized competition.
This course is a unique opportunity for students to apply theoretical knowledge from their earlier coursework in a challenging and collaborative environment. It strengthens engineering design, teamwork, and system integration skills, while preparing students for professional practice and international competition.
More information on the ASME Student Design Competition can be found at: https://efests.asme.org/competitions/student-design-competition-(sdc)
The course syllabus is also available here: MEE 4177 Syllabus_sayginer-25F.
