Rigorous hands-on boot camp in mechanical engineering teaches school students to design, build and innovate

Thirty-two students from 15 schools from around the UAE spent four days in an intensive, hands-on mechanical engineering boot camp at American University of Sharjah (AUS), where they manufactured tools, learned about 3D printing, built robots and so much more.

“Mechanical engineering is continuously growing with new innovations and technology. It is a cross-cutting field that designs new solutions. From manned and autonomous vehicles to finding ways to generate green energy, it is a versatile field that allows its members to truly participate in making a difference in the world. The boot camp provided students with real-time and hands-on experiences where they experienced what it means to be a mechanical engineer, but also soft skills that are important in any field they choose to enter into. It is important to work with students at a young age to widen their horizons and give them a variety of experiences that help them make informed decisions upon graduating from school,” said Muhammed Jasim, Laboratory Instructor at the AUS College of Engineering (CEN) and boot camp organizer.

Sponsored by Petrofac, the boot camp offered students the opportunity to learn about designing, building and 3D printing using Autodesk Inventor to sketch and build their products. They assembled individual 3D printed parts into a functioning nutcracker and manufactured a barbeque grill and a hammer using hand and power tools and  computer numerical control machines.

Students also underwent a crash course on robotics and building their own LEGO robot, which they learned to program. 

“In the robotics workshop, they learned how to create a robot by assembling mechatronic components with electrical circuits, implementing boolean logic and integrating the parts to build a complete robot. They put their skills to the test by assembling and programming a LEGO differential drive robot that could complete various challenges, such as autonomous parking and adaptive cruise control,” explained Ali Wadi, Laboratory Instructor at CEN.

The boot camp also included modules on renewable energy where they designed an off-grid solar energy system by selecting the appropriate solar panel, charge controller and battery; automotive engineering where students assembled a model kit for a four-stroke four-cylinder petrol engine, which helped them understand an engine’s parts and how it functions; and microfluidics where students learned about microfluidics biomedical applications. Students designed and built a network of micro channels using simple CAD programs and laser engraving on acrylic sheets.

Offering a hands-on mechatronic workshop during the boot camp, Wasim Almasru, Lab Instructor at CEN, said the workshop introduced students to microcontrollers, digital signal acquisition or generation, pulse width modulation for analog signal generation, and sensors. They used an Arduino Inventor's Kit to complete three projects: a traffic light, a digital switch system and fire alarm system.

“At Petrofac we’re proud to support young people as they discover and experiment in engineering. The boot camps are a fun way of learning new skills in new fields, as the students begin to consider their future career paths. A big thank you to the organizers and everyone who participated,” said M. Narasimham, Petrofac’s Head of Discipline – Mechanical Engineering.

The AUS Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a bachelor’s degree program and a master’s degree program in mechanical engineering. The department’s 15 state-of-the-art labs in a variety of specializations offer students hands-on experience and practical knowledge. AUS is ranked among the top two (tied) in the UAE and top ​300 universities globally in the category of ​mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing ​engineering, according to QS World University Subject Rankings (202​3​).

 For more information about these programs, please visit www.aus.edu/cen/departments/department-of-mechanical-engineering.