Senior Design Program

Management and Engineering for Manufacturing is a unique program at UConn that spans both the school of business and the school of engineering, and produces some of the brightest, most talented leaders for the technical world we live in. MEM students have a range of skills including technical engineering skills, and also finance and accounting, project management, marketing, six sigma, supply chain, and more.

Senior Design is a capstone course during which students work on teams with businesses, manufacturers and other organizations to complete a project given by the sponsor. In 2021, MEM had 12 teams with 10 sponsors, like Frito Lay, Dymax, Belimo, Prysmian, Lyman Orchard, NUWC/Navy, Holo-Krome and Sikorsky. The projects completed by students included designing and building workstations, developing new facility plans, streamlining manufacturing processes to increase production, fall protection, a spring test stand, automated sanitation processes, and more.

Sponsors present a challenge or idea and work with a student team to create the solution. Sponsors gain access to UConn faculty, trained student engineers, as well as first-hand experience working with students who may become future employees. At the same time, students learn to work collaboratively in a real world setting while producing periodic reports on their ideas, strategy, techniques and progress. Students begin by researching the problem, brainstorming a range of solutions and traveling to the sponsor’s site to learn more about the sponsor and project.

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Benefits of Sponsorship

Access to UConn Engineering and Business faculty and students, as well as state of the art laboratories and equipment.

Tackle a challenge, make an idea a reality, or develop or improve a project or process without utilizing your staff's time and energy.

A small team of talented UConn engineers with business acumen partner with your company, supervised by you and our faculty.

Fresh approach and ideas for engineering, manufacturing and business problems.

Strategic recruiting that creates a talent pipeline for your company.

Knowledge that your company contributed to the education of future engineers and business leaders.

How it Works

During the two semesters of each Senior Design project, sponsors gain first-hand experience teaming up with potential future employees to help the project succeed. Our students learn how to work collaboratively in a real-world setting, while producing periodic reports on their ideas, strategy, techniques and progress. Each team of 3-5 seniors is mentored by Engineering and Business faculty in collaboration with the sponsor. MEM Students whose degree spans both Engineering and Business must also include business processes and analysis and make sure their designs accomplish not only the technical specifications, but also meet the business demands.

Robotic Process Automation
Output Improvement of Screw Assembly Process
Sustainable Sanitation Initiative for Workforce Efficiency
Improving Furnace Maintenance Procedures and Eliminating Risk of Fall-Related Injury
Cost Savings through Eco-Friendly Heat Transfer
Spring Fatigue Test Stand
Enhancing Manufacturing Processes to Increase Productivity
Lyman Orchards Future Facility Design
Expulsion of Small Diameter Devices from Torpedo Tube Cartridges
Analyzing Digital Outputs of Ultra-Low Freezer
Reduction in Ergonomic Risk Factors
Design and Validation of Wearable Hydration Sensor
Non-Contact Testbed for Railroad Application
Understanding the Capabilities of IoT in Manufacturing

Automated Instant Measurement System
Competitor Analysis of UV Light Curing Machines
Robot Feeding System Implementation
Optimized Post Processing Treatment of Additively Manufactured AISi10Mg
Courier Software Efficient Use
Clamp Fixture Improvement for 5-Axis Machining
Design of Rack-Based Li-Ion Battery Module for Grid Storage Application
Integrated Workbench Implementation in Sub-Assembly
Manufacturing Blank Production Improvement Project
Bio-Inspired Navigation Device for the Visually Impaired
Fire Suppression Tank Autonomous Weight Detection Sensor System
Cell Redesign for Bolt Rework Process
Spreader Capacity Analysis
Improved Ultrasonic Wire Splicer

Value Stream Mapping
Army Ant Emulation
Electric Formula Car: Manufacturing and Documentation of Car and Suspension Uprights
VNA Material Movement Analysis
Smart Automatic Candle Extinguisher
Cost-Risk Analysis for Nano-coating Process of Electrolyzers
IoT for Predictive Maintenance
Electrically Actuated Valve
Advanced Composite Manufacturing Process
Assembly Process Improvement with Cobot
Autonomous Robot Docking Station
Distributed Hydroponic Farming
Single Use Personal Sanitary Barrier
Process Improvement for Research Lab’s Data Management for Thermal Barrier Coating
Creating Manufacturing Agility
Industrial IoT
Universal Solution to Glove Waste