Overview
School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Overview
The College of Engineering, then called Imperial College of Engineering under the Ministry of Education, was established in 1953 as a two-year course of pre-engineering education, and graduates were subsequently sent abroad for further training. Two years later, a four-year program was introduced in Civil and Industrial Engineering, and BSc degrees were first awarded by His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie I in July 1958.
In 1959, the College was expanded to include instructions in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering in lieu of Industrial Engineering and the undergraduate program was extended to cover five years. The first mechanical engineers graduated from the then University College of Addis Ababa in 1963.
In late 1970s, the decade when the change from Haile Sellassie I University to Addis Ababa University took place, the programs of study in engineering were cut down to four years for a few years. It was later restored to the original five year program.
The current School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering prepared the graduate program based on the needs of the industrial sector and higher learning institutions. The MSc program was started in the Academic year 1998/1999 in three areas of specialization, namely, Thermal Engineering, Mechanical Design and Industrial Engineering. The School also launched PhD programs in three areas of specialization, namely, Thermal Engineering, Mechanical Design and Industrial Engineering in 2008
Graduate Profile
BSc graduate profile
The mechanical engineering profession can be acquired and mastered by graduates who are well educated to enter into, and dedicated to continue growing in the profession. An undergraduate Mechanical Engineering program meant to produce such graduates must be designed to provide the students a sufficiently broad and deep base of mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering sciences; broad knowledge of mechanical engineering systems, machinery and control systems; excellent knowledge of design and manufacturing theories supported by extensive laboratory exercises, workshop practices, and industrial internship; sufficient practices in the use of computers and application of software related to the field; sufficient knowledge of management concepts and communication skills, etc. In short, the program should give due emphasis to the integration of knowledge and skills to enable its graduates to enter the profession.
Due to their strong background, BSc mechanical engineering graduates can accomplish the following tasks after a brief period of on-job training:
- Represent machine and parts drawing manually and with CAD;
- Understand operating principles of machinery and systems and prepare specifications;
- Design small machinery, piping and other systems;
- Conduct strength and analysis of machine components;
- Plan production process and assembly of parts;
- Determine and optimize production costs;
- Determine lay-out of machinery and supervise machinery installation;
- Manage maintenance of equipment;
- Control quality of products;
- Optimize energy utilization in plants; and
- Manage operation of thermal power plants, renewable energy conversion systems and HVAC systems.
MSc graduate profile
In general, the profession of mechanical engineering deals with the design, manufacturing, selection, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of all forms of machinery, equipment, and industrial systems. The profession plays a vital role in the establishment and sustainable operation of a nation’s manufacturing industries, transport systems, power generation, construction, mining industries, etc.
The tasks that a professional mechanical engineer undertakes are too numerous to list all. Obviously, the capacity/ability of exercising the profession depends on factors like the level of study (undergraduate, MSc, PhD), the experience gained in practicing the profession, personal effort in updating own profession, training taken, etc. The depth of treatment of the profession at undergraduate and graduate levels differs. Some of the typical engineering tasks, executed at different levels, are sited next as examples:
- Product design, development and manufacturing;
- Industrial plant design, equipment selection, plant erection, commissioning, operation and maintenance;
- Industrial gas- and water-supply system/component design;
- Automotive and construction equipment design and maintenance;
- Energy conversion system/component design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance;
- Heating, refrigeration, air-conditioning system/components design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance;
- Industrial project design and evaluation;
- Project management;
- Factory and technical service management in the capacity of general manager, technical manager, operation manager, maintenance manager, and sales manager.
The profession of mechanical engineering is very broad in nature, and this has lead to the creation of numerous areas of specialization at the global level. The Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Faculty of Technology aspires to develop programs in many areas of specialization, taking into account the needs of the country. Currently, its specialization programs at MSc level are limited to three streams, namely, Mechanical Design, Industrial Engineering, and Thermal Engineering. Each of these is briefly described next.
Mechanical Designs
This area of specialization focuses on the design of a product, starting from the need analysis through three dimensional modelling, strength and dynamic analysis up to prototype manufacturing and testing.
Mechanical designers, with some additional training on pedagogy, will have the ability to teach, with a better competency, subjects in their area of specialization, in higher learning institutions. They will have better competency in their area of specialization to work on product development tasks, for example, in manufacturing industries and design enterprises.
Thermal Engineering
This area of specialization focuses on the design, technology selection and operation of energy conversion machines and systems, heating, ventilation and refrigeration equipment and systems; industrial processes that utilize thermal primary energy resources; design and performance analysis of fluid machines and so on.
Thermal engineers, with some additional training on pedagogy, will have the ability to teach, with a better competency, subjects in their area of specialization in higher learning institutions. They will have better competency of working in industries in which their area of focus is important, which is the case in many industries. They can be engaged in energy planning and development tasks.
Industrial Engineering
It focuses on the design of industrial plants and facilities as well as on the management aspects of material, human and machinery resources in industries to optimize the production costs and product quality.
Industrial engineers, with some additional training on pedagogy, will have the ability to teach, with a better competency, subjects in their area of specialization in higher learning institutions. They will have better competency in project management and other management tasks in industries.
PhD graduate profiles
In general, a PhD graduate is expected to exhibit the following:
- Teaching in higher education institutions in the area of specialization of the program;
- Giving consultancy services and advice policy makers and others;
- Undertaking and managing of independent research; and
- Imparting leadership in the institutions and the community at large.
Vision
The vision of the Department is to achieve excellence in teaching, research/consultancy and innovation and to be the leading Mechanical and Industrial Engineering center in East Africa.
Mission
- To offer an outstanding, professionally oriented undergraduate and graduate engineering education;
- To conduct applied research and consultancy service that will bring qualitative change in the manufacturing industry and technical services in Ethiopia;
- To establish close collaboration between industry, the Government and the community;
- To create an environment that is conducive to the cultivation of social skills and entrepreneurship among students and staff.
Under Graduate Program
- Mechanical Engineering
Graduate (MSc) Programs
- Industrial Engineering
- Mechanical Design Engineering
- Thermal Engineering
- Railway Engineering
PhD Programs
- Industrial Engineering
- Mechanical Design Engineering
- Thermal Engineering
- process Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Food engineering
