Mechanical Automotive and Materials Engineering

UWindsor engineering professor Hoda ElMaraghy was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada during a ceremony Friday in Halifax.

Dr. ElMaraghy, a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering, is director of the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Centre and held the Canada Research Chair in Manufacturing Systems for 14 years.

During its Celebration of Excellence and Engagement, the society recognized her as a “world leader in manufacturing systems.”

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The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs met with engineering students and faculty Tuesday to learn about industrial automation and manufacturing innovations taking place at the University.

Chrystia Freeland visited the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation to meet with faculty and students who specialize in mechatronics, 3D printing, metal forming, and electric vehicles.

Mohammad Anvaripour, a PhD candidate in electrical and computer engineering, showed Freeland how he is developing complex systems to prevent collisions and improve collaboration between humans and robots in automated workplaces, such as an automotive assembly plant.

Doctoral candidate Hamed Kalami presented a cost-effective, 3D-printable hand brace he designed to assist people with connective tissue disorders.

UWindsor researchers and students will share more than $6 million of more than $558 million in Discovery research funding announced Tuesday by Kirsty Duncan, federal minister of science and sport.

Duncan visited the University of Windsor campus to announce the funding as part of the government’s plan to attract global talent, promote diversity, and provide nearly 4,300 researchers and students across Canada with the means to pursue world-leading discovery work.

UWindsor interim president Douglas Kneale said the announcement provides a major boost to the advancement of science and engineering.

“Whether one’s area of research is a singular endeavour or a team effort, whether it’s curiosity-driven or hands-on applied, this investment in researchers at the University of Windsor and elsewhere will pave the way to untold discoveries,” he said.

UWindsor boasts nearly 30 Discovery Grants recipients focused on research in such areas as advanced manufacturing and ecology.

When Bruce Minaker, associate professor and acting department head in Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering at the University of Windsor, began initially exploring routes to patent his invention, he recalled a previous mechanical engineering student he had taught — now the director of the International Intellectual Property Law Clinic. Dr. Minaker reached out to clinic director Wissam Aoun, who responded with interest.

Minaker’s invention is a new style of front suspension for motorcycles. His idea sprouted from his time as a motorcycle rider and enthusiast, and after working with engineering students for many years as a project advisor for the senior capstone design course.

Minaker explains: “For many years, the telescopic fork has been the standard for motorcycle front suspensions, despite the fact that it has some well-known weaknesses. These include fork bending deflection under braking forces, the associated sliding friction that results when that bending occurs, and the reinforcement needed in the frame to counter the large bending loads near the steering head bearing.”

Nearly 100 local and international scientists, engineers, policy makers, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs gathered June 20 to 22 in the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation to discuss recent advances in renewable energy generation, transmission, storage, and consumption.

The Energy and Sustainability 2018 Summit examined studies on climate change, waste and recycling, green buildings, green economy, and social sustainability and featured an electric conversion performance vehicle.

The multidisciplinary field of mechatronics integrates mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering to design and implement complex engineering and manufacturing systems.

A new collaboration with global tech giant Siemens has enabled the University of Windsor to launch a world-class industry certification in mechatronic systems.

The weekend Siemens Mechatronic Systems Certification Program focuses on key industrial skill areas such as electrical components, sensors, motor controls, programmable controllers, hydraulics, and pneumatics. In addition to teaching the technical knowledge, the program also stresses trouble-shooting and system-based technical thinking via hands-on training.

Six engineering students will spend the summer in the United Kingdom improving their research skills in water treatment and renewable energy technologies.

As part of the Canadian Queen Elizabeth (QE) II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program, the third-year mechanical and civil engineering students will spend three months abroad collaborating on two separate projects with Aberystwyth University and the University of Surrey.

Ankit Bhat, Shreya Patki and Damir Ferhatovic, will travel to Guildford, Surrey to work with Dr. Martand Singh on a project that focuses on using concentrated solar power for sustainable water desalination — the removal of salts and minerals to produce water suitable for human consumption or irrigation.

“I find it very interesting to be working on something that will be used in our generation,” says Bhat. “Water scarcity is a major issue. If we can convert salt water to clean drinkable, potable water using sustainable energy, we can solve one of our world’s biggest problems in providing clean water around the globe.” 

High academic performances and leadership skills landed 21 University of Windsor engineering students scholarships from the Ontario Professional Engineers Foundation for Education.

Asif Khan, chair of the Windsor-Essex chapter of Professional Engineers Ontario, awarded students on behalf of the foundation during a ceremony at the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation for recipients who received scholarships in the past three years.

“For me, the most significant benefit has been that the financial support has allowed me to fully dedicate my time and energy into succeeding in my studies,” said Steven Vrantsidis, a recipient of the foundation’s $1,500 Entrance Scholarship.

The Ontario Professional Engineers Foundation for Education (OPEFE) is a charitable foundation run by a volunteer board of directors that provides scholarships to encourage engineering students to pursue careers in the profession. The scholarships are financed through donations from professional engineers in Ontario, as well as corporate and individual donations.

A $5,488,206 grant through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) program will advance University of Windsor research onnon-destructive testing of materials and use of coatings for multiple industry sectors.

The project will be led by Dr. Roman Maev, director generalof UWindsor’s Institute for Diagnostic Imaging Research (IDIR) and physics professor, cross-appointed to the university’s Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering (MAME) Department. Dr. Andrzej Sobiesiak, head of the MAME department, will assist as co-principal investigator. 

The project, Novel Quantitive Nondestructive Quality Evaluation of Advance Joining and Consolidation Manufacturing Processes, will develop and test resilient coatings and tools for their application, as well as non-destructive ultrasonic testing methods that can be done on-site for efficiency.

University of Windsor engineering students clinched three of four scholarships offered province-wide by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers.

In partnership with The Personal Insurance Company, the society annually awards two undergraduate and two graduate students enrolled in engineering programs across Ontario. 

UWindsor’s Chrissy Ure and Rania Toufeili, both environmental engineering MASc students and  

Adib Shamsuddin, an undergraduate mechanical engineering student in the automotive stream, will each receive a $2,500 scholarship towards their engineering education.

The three were recognized for their academic excellence and volunteer activities on campus and in the community.