engineering capstone project part a

The Young Engineers Guide To University Capstone Projects

Engineering degrees are as wide and varied as the potential careers on offer out in the real world. There’s plenty of maths to learn, and a cavalcade of tough topics, from thermodynamics to fluid mechanics. However, the real challenge is the capstone project. Generally taking place in the senior year of a four-year degree, it’s a chance for students to apply everything they’ve learned on a real-world engineering project.

Known for endless late nights and the gruelling effort required, it’s an challenge that is revered beforehand, and boasted about after the fact. During the project, everyone is usually far too busy to talk about it. My experience was very much along these lines, when I undertook the Submarine That Can Fly project back in 2012. The project taught me a lot about engineering, in a way that solving problems out of textbooks never could. What follows are some of the lessons I picked up along the way.

It’s A Team Game

Engineering is a team sport, and a big capstone project will drill this into you quickly. The bigger the project, the larger the team, and it’s important to learn how to work in such an environment in order to succeed. I led a team of seven other budding engineers, who aimed to design, build and test a flying submersible vehicle in just under twelve months.

In that team, there were a mixture of personalities, skills and cultures. Keeping this in mind is key to getting the best out of your people. There’s little to be gained by demanding your orthodox Jewish team mate show up to work on Saturday morning, just as it makes little sense to put your fluid mechanics expert on to dreary stress analysis problems. A happy team is a productive team, and it generally makes sense to play to your strengths where possible. Understanding your team is key if your project is to be a pleasant experience, or a disaster.

We were lucky to have a broad spectrum of abilities across the team. One member stepped up to manage the team’s documentation, becoming a pro at LaTeX. Another put his modelling abilities to work on the CAD side of things, while another ran the stability calculations to ensure we’d have a working aircraft at the end of the day.

Obviously, it was important for all team members to have an idea of the greater scope of the project, but allowing team members to find their niche helped everyone buy in to the greater whole. Sometimes, difficult decisions had to be made, and there will always be work that nobody wants to do. But by sharing tasks carefully and with everyone contributing to the best of their abilities, we were able to achieve more as a team.

Get this right, and you’ll have a less stressful project, and finish with a group of lifelong friends. Get this wrong, and you’ll get destroyed in the peer assessment and never want to talk to your team again. You’ll be spending a whole year in the trenches together, so make sure you choose the right people!

You’re Gonna Have A Lot Of Meetings

Unfortunately, when you’re working with other people, you’re gonna have to have meetings to keep everyone abreast of developments. This goes for team members, as well as outside stakeholders such as sponsors or project supervisors. If managed poorly, these meetings can become excessively long and tiresome, so it’s important to stay on top of things.

Agendas should be short, sharp, and shiny – and provided in advance. It’s a massive waste of time if you’ve called a meeting and nobody has brought the necessary materials because you didn’t make it clear beforehand. It’s likely your project supervisor is a professor who is busy with all manner of other things, and won’t tolerate such mistakes, so don’t make them in the first place.

It’s also important to keep discussions on topic. Don’t spend 40 minutes discussing the relative merits of fiberglass versus carbon fiber when you haven’t even decided on a basic layout for your vehicle, as an example. These things happen quite naturally, but it’s important to pull the conversation back to the key agenda topics if you’re going to get out of the room before sundown.

Finally, it pays to learn when you’re communicating effectively. If you’re raising your voice or stating the same thing over and over again, and people still aren’t understanding you, it’s likely time to change tack. You may need to understand their position first, before beginning to explain your own. Also, drawing a diagram often helps. Or in my case, getting someone else to draw a diagram because your own skills are somewhat lacking – Thanks, Lara!

Making Stuff Is Hard

If you’re lucky, you’ll go to a university with a well-equipped machine shop. They’ll let you spend untold hours turning out parts, and you’ll graduate with a great appreciation of the machinist’s craft. We weren’t so lucky, and instead had to prepare drawings to have our parts produced by the university’s own machining staff. This in itself is a powerful learning experience, as it’s important to be able to create drawings to standard that can be properly interpreted by others.

Between the university’s workshop and our CNC machining sponsor, we learned from experienced operators what works and what doesn’t in a variety of machining methods. Sitting down in meetings with our production partners, we were able to learn from their decades of experience. We set about refining our parts to cut production costs to the bone, something we likely wouldn’t have thought to do had we been let loose ourselves on the tools. Learning from the pros about how to minimise set ups and avoid repetitive tool changes reduced our costs by a factor of ten.

There were also pitfalls along the way. Our composites knowledge was weak, and we were trying to do some things a little unconventionally. Combined with a miscommunication, our wings ended up twice as heavy as intended, significantly harming our flight performance. Capstone projects are strictly time-limited due to the constraints of the degree, and a small mistake such as this one proved difficult to remedy after the fact. It’s important to stay sharp and detail oriented, from start to finish.

Don’t Forget About Presentation

A significant part of a capstone project is documenting and presenting the project. The reality is, many capstone projects fail to achieve all of the lofty goals they set out to reach at the start of the year. Ours was no exception – our flying submarine did become airborne, but failed to achieve a submersible mission before deadline. Despite this, the true purpose of the capstone project is to learn – and our documentation and presentations reflected this.

We were able to discuss the stability criteria and structural requirements for a fixed-wing submersible vehicle. Our testing regime had highlighted the viability of using a single ducted thruster for both air and underwater propulsion. We’d also learned how to build effective thrust testing rigs, as well as unconventional wing structures with some success. In this regard, we had a lot to show for our work, and many other teams were in the same position.

By producing clear documentation of our work, and presenting our final seminar with clarity and focus, we were able to communicate to the audience and markers the value of our project. This in turn led to us achieving solid grades, which is what we were all there for in the first place!

In summary…

If you’re approaching your capstone project, a little prep work done early can go a long way. Find a project you’re passionate about, and assemble a team of students with the right attitude and skills to get the job done. Prepare yourself for the inevitable mistakes along the way, and soak up as much knowledge as you can from the people who are there to help you. Your capstone project can be a great stepping stone towards your eventual career , so it pays to get it right. Good luck with your studies, and if you’re doing something really great, you may just want to let us know!

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What Is a Capstone Project in Engineering?

For Faculty Lecturer Alyssa McCluskey , the capstone project at the University of Colorado’s Engineering Management Program (EMP) boils down to two things: agency and opportunity.

Agency, because students can chart their own course. And opportunity, arising from that agency, allows students to become leaders on their own or within their organizations. McCluskey ought to know: Capstone worked for her as a student and she knew, eventually, it could work for others as well.

“In my civil engineering capstone, we could explore and create different solutions to the use of biosolids, and I was really proud of the report and presentation that we produced,” McCluskey says. “I did send the report to my future employer, a research institute in Boston, and was hired partially based on the document that I had sent them. And I just remember really enjoying the process. So I wanted to bring that to this Program as something to offer the students.

What Is a Capstone Project?

In the Engineering Management Program, students can now elect to cap off their engineering curriculum with a capstone project. The project can be anything that uses their management and engineering skills to make a product, design software or find innovative ways to affect change within their industry.

In the past, students were given a list of topics to write an 8-10 page paper using concepts learned throughout the program to culminate their degree. McCluskey found that the traditional method was serving neither students nor faculty well. This method seemed like just regurgitating material and lacked a meaningful experience for students to use what they learned throughout the degree.

Looking for more flexible options for CU students, the EMP decided to offer two paths for degree completion: completing the full coursework, 30 credit hours, or taking 27 credit hours of coursework and completing a final 3-credit capstone project in their final semester.

“We made the capstone flexible so students can explore any ideas or topics of interest,” McCluskey says. “Anything from hot topics in project management to anything they found interesting over their courses in the EMP. I encourage them to look at courses they really enjoyed, talk with professors they enjoyed learning from, meet with professionals working in areas they are interested in and think of topics around that.”

A Diverse Range of Capstone Project Ideas

EMP just launched this program and there are four students in the first cohort, each working on a unique capstone project. All of them are focused on finding practical solutions to real-world problems.

One student’s capstone is about finding effective methods and tactics to increase employee engagement within the Office of Information Technology (OIT).

“This is a student who’s employed at OIT at CU,” McCluskey says. “And so she was asking how do we retain our employees and make them happy and want to stay? She found some startling statistics that close to 50% of employees are thinking of leaving.”

This capstone is especially topical given the nature of the Great Resignation where many employees are seeking better opportunities and are no longer willing to settle for the status quo.

“She did a number of surveys, listened to podcasts, took some courses and came up with a plan that she’s trying to implement within her department based on the capstone she worked on,” McCluskey adds.

Another fascinating engineering capstone project idea was one student’s mission to make a more sustainable satellite, combining interests in both sustainability and the aerospace industry.

“They developed a tool to quantify the environmental impacts of producing, launching and disposing of a satellite,” McCluskey says. After inputting the information into a spreadsheet, it comes out with “the carbon footprint of what the satellite would produce. And not only that but also ranking which areas you should spend your [resources] and get the most bang for the buck that’s most probably going to reduce your carbon footprint,” McCluskey says.

Given the concerns about orbital “space junk,” this capstone project addresses a need in aerospace that could be all the more germane as technology allows us to explore beyond our own planet.

And for the person on the move whose arms are constantly full and trying to literally—and figuratively—juggle the messiness of life, one student came to the capstone project with an idea already in hand: “merge bottle technology”—magnetized stacking water bottles that allow you to carry different beverages or food in one place, even at different temperatures.

“What I saw was great,” McCluskey says. “As a parent, you’re having to carry all these things, right? Also, he found that people in the healthcare industry and first responders who might be on a shift for a long time were interested right away. You can keep something hot, you can keep something cold, you could put food in one and drinks in another. Teachers as well. They have all these bags and bunches of containers they carry around. So instead of having multiple water bottles for your coffee and your water, you could just carry one stack.”

Yet another capstone project focuses on the uncertainties inherent in software product development and how that uncertainty affects humans at the neurobiological level.

“This student is in the software product management field, so she studied how we can better support employees to deal with uncertainty,” McCluskey says, “and she came up with four main things that companies can do to help their employees deal with that.”

The capstone project identified four key strategic theories—frequent stakeholder communication, a transparent roadmap with dependencies, iterative feedback opportunities and integration and focus on analytics—that empower product managers to ameliorate uncertainty among stakeholders during the software development process.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that students focus their capstone project not on abstract concepts, but on tangible strategies that have the potential for immediate real-world application. As a result, these capstone projects can help a student stand out as a desirable employee and a potential leader in their field or company.

Communication and Research: Soft Skills for Engineers that Pay Dividends

Many people—even many experts— know their field and products inside and out but struggle with communicating their ideas and knowledge to key audiences within their company or to clients. To help develop these skills, part of the capstone project incorporates a communication course.

“This involves working on your writing, working on your presentation skills, and working on peer reviews,” McCluskey says.

Good communication also means translating sometimes complex ideas and knowledge into a “language” that a wide audience can understand. That’s a skill that students refine over the course of their projects.

“You may understand something so well that you’re using acronyms others don’t know and you just lose the reader right away,” McCluskey says. “So that’s something we spend some time on. What’s nice is that we switch throughout the semester with our peers as well as the instructors and advisors so that if anybody is unfamiliar with something, it’s highlighted.”

Another benefit of the capstone project is that it allows students to stretch and improve their research skills beyond the usual Google search. Rachel Knapp, assistant professor and applied sciences librarian at CU, spoke to the capstone cohort and went over online resources available to CU students via OneSearch and discussed best practices in research strategies—for instance, how to narrow a topic and get the best out of information searches and how to determine which journals you may want to publish in. If capstone students get “stuck” in their research or are not getting the results hoped for, they can set up an appointment with a CU librarian to help with ideas and options.

Armed with this information, the capstone gives the students a chance to put into action much of what they’ve learned during the EMP and presents a valuable opportunity to live out what being an engineering manager is all about.

“They come in and they are the project manager of their capstones, ” McCluskey says. “So they get a chance to implement all the things you can think of that go into that: time management, building out your product schedule, problem-solving skills, thinking ahead, identifying what you might run into that’s going to cause a problem. They start to build their confidence because they’re now experts on this topic.”

Taking on a project of this nature flexes many skills including writing and planning, constructively giving peer feedback, and setting and achieving goals—while also making a student an attractive hire or a more effective contributor in their current position.

“The student who created the toolbox for the sustainable satellite,” McCluskey says, “is actually presenting to some higher-ups in his company who have expressed interest in what he’s done. So that’s not only letting our student be seen by people up in his organization but also giving him a way forward and fast track in that sense.”

“This is a Chance to Explore Something That Interests You”

For students, these ideas for capstone projects lead to something beyond typical coursework: the freedom to explore. Instead of listening to lectures and wondering, “Will this be on the test?” EMP capstone cohorts take the reins of their interests and bring those ideas to the world with the idea of solving a problem for individuals (teachers/mothers/first responders) or an entire industry (more sustainable satellite building for aerospace).

“This is a chance to explore something that interests you,” McCluskey says. “You’re not coming to a class prescribed exactly what you have to learn. You get to choose where you want to put your time and where your interests lie. It’s a win-win: You’re getting credit for it, and you're also coming out with something that you might personally believe in or want to move forward with.”

McCluskey is proof positive of the benefits of the capstone. She still works with advisors she knew from 30 years ago.

She says, “You’re really developing those relationships as well, not only with your classmates through working together in peer reviews and class, but also with your advisor and other professionals you interact with over the semester.”

“I’m their guide on this adventure,” McCluskey adds. “I bring in some guest speakers so they can learn from outside experts. I try to base the guest speakers on student interests like entrepreneurship and journal editors for publishing papers to help spark and refine student ideas. I also have lectures and guest speakers on communication best practices throughout the course, and then help them stay on track.”

Advisors, faculty or working professionals who are chosen by each student, meet with them at least five times over the semester, all the while reviewing the work. These relationships may bear fruit later in a career and provide an important sounding board for bouncing around new ideas.

And in the end, the progress made quite literally puts a capstone on the Engineering Management Program.

“It gives you confidence and pride in the culmination of your degree,” McCluskey says. “It's not just a piece of paper, you actually have a product that you've developed and the ability that you can do something like this.”

Engineering Capstone Projects: For EMP, It’s Just the Beginning

For McCluskey, this is an exciting time. Seeing the four students come through the capstone project fills her with optimism for the future of the project and, more importantly, what it offers to EMP students willing to take on the capstone and flex their engineering skills.

She sees students come in with ideas that are all over the board and then with her help along with other advisors, refine the ideas so they are manageable and attainable. It is gratifying for McCluskey to hear what the cohort had achieved at the end of this pilot program.

“We had them present to all the advisors at the end of the semester and they offered beautiful presentations,” she says. “They were high quality. They were very articulate. They answered questions. It was fun to see the advisors’ excitement with the different products.”

It could be that one student's capstone becomes the cornerstone of another student’s in the future; that it could, as McCluskey says, “spawn another idea for the next capstone. There might be somebody interested in a project that someone else did before and they could take it to the next step.”

For now, the capstone project is offered only in the spring semester, but with growing interest, it could be offered every semester.

The hope is that each session of capstone projects will spur more inspiration and more innovation.

“I was ready for some bumps along the road,” McCluskey says. “I was able to be pretty agile and move where I saw the needs that were there. So I’m really excited to learn more from these students and watch more students grow from an idea to a product they’re proud of. So I’m excited to just have more of them.”

Learn More About the EMP Capstone

To learn more, please visit the Engineering Management Program website or email [email protected] for more information about the capstone project.

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Industry Sponsored Capstone Design Projects

Each year, hundreds of teams in the Texas A&M University College of Engineering participate in senior capstone projects as part of the degree requirements for their major. Senior capstone projects allow students to collaborate on team projects sponsored by industry, government agencies and others. They apply their knowledge and skills to develop design solutions that meet sponsor requirements.

Each capstone project is assigned to a team of four to six engineering seniors. The team has access to the SuSu and Mark A. Fischer '72 Engineering Design Center , a 60,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility. The center features a fabrication center (including a CNC, mills and lathes), a prototype center (various types of 3D printers, PCD board milling, reflow and surface mount soldering), a parts library, and access to experienced staff.

Capstone projects may be one or two semesters, depending on the major. Project deliverables may include conceptual designs, engineering analysis studies, hardware/software prototypes and test data.

Benefits to Industry

Benefits to industry members of participating in our senior capstone projects include that they:

Get innovative design concepts to existing problems.
Receive prototypes of developed solutions.
Get quality technical work from a team of senior undergraduate students.
Evaluate a student team for potential future hires.
Raise company awareness within the engineering industry.
Showcase a project at the annual Engineering Project Showcase.

Texas A&M University offers several contractual options to accommodate industry needs for confidentiality, intellectual property and deliverables.

If you are interested in opportunities for sponsoring a capstone project, please contact the office of Industry and Nonprofit Partnerships at [email protected] .

Departmental Capstone Designs

See below for information on capstone design across various engineering departments:

Aerospace engineering
Biological and agricultural engineering
Biomedical engineering
Computer science and engineering
Electrical and computer engineering
Manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology
Industrial and systems engineering
Mechanical engineering
Ocean engineering
Civil and environmental engineering
Electronic systems engineering

Sponsored project details can be found in the "Team Description" section of the booklet.

Mary J.S. Roth, Ph.D., P.E.

Managing an Engineering Capstone Project

This spring semester I am teaching a section of my program’s capstone project course and I’ve been thinking about how best to structure the course.

ABET (the organization that accredits engineering programs) defines a capstone project as a culminating major engineering design experience that 1) incorporates appropriate engineering standards and multiple constraints, and 2) is based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier coursework. The earlier coursework should include knowledge and skills related to the various civil engineering disciplines (e.g., structural engineering or geotechnical engineering) as well as knowledge and skills related to project management.

Two challenges for a faculty member teaching a capstone project are 1) identifying a project that is at an appropriate level of challenge for the students and that can be successfully completed in the allotted time and 2) structuring the course so that the students take responsibility for project management and, under their management, the students have a high probability of successfully completing the project.

For this coming semester, I have identified a project that I believe will provide an appropriate level of challenge and that the students should be able to complete in the allotted time. However, I have been thinking about ways I might structure the course so that the students will have responsibility for managing and completing the project. Because this is a one-semester course, the students will need to quickly engage with the project and avoid the problem of time scallop. (Time scallop is “the tendency to increase effort exponentially as the final deadline approaches” – p. 389, Moor and Drake 2001.)

I looked for papers on best practices for structuring a project of this type and I found a paper by Moor and Drake (2001). It is the most recent article I could find that addressed the issue and I decided that their approach—perhaps with some updates to include greater use of digital communication and documentation—is something I could adopt.

Moor’s and Drake’s approach has three major components — a milestone schedule, weekly project meetings, and the documentation of student work through design memos. Paraphrasing heavily from their paper, the three components are described below.

Milestone Schedule

During the first week of the project, the students are given a list of the requirements for the final products that they are expected to produce by the end of the semester. Using sticky notes, the students examine the list of requirements and determine what tasks they will complete to meet these requirements and they write each task on a separate sticky note.

The students then arrange the sticky notes on a board to create a rough Gantt chart for the project ( Gantt chart – Wikipedi a ) to illustrate the dependence of some tasks on others as well as tasks that can be conducted in parallel. (During this phase it is also likely that the students will identify additional tasks that will need to be completed and those can be written on additional sticky notes and added to the board.) Once the students have ordered the tasks that need to be completed, the students then align these tasks with the dates for the semester.

Using this detailed schedule of tasks, the students identify project milestones where each milestone is defined as the completion of a significant aspect of the project and typically represents the completion of multiple tasks. The collection of all the milestones covers all the required aspects of the project. The students then create a simplified milestone schedule for the semester.

Weekly Project Meetings

Starting the second week of the semester, the students participate in and run weekly project meetings. These meetings are focused on project tasks — identified pieces of work that need to be completed to meet the milestones for the project. Each project task is designed to result in some concrete deliverable (e.g., a drawing, a set of calculations, a draft of text, etc.) and each project task will have one student who has been identified as the “primary person responsible” (PPR). The PPR insures the completion of the task whether that task is something they complete themselves or whether the task is completed by a group of students under the PPR’s supervision.

The students take turns being the project manager and at each meeting, the project managers lead the group through the activities listed below. Activities one through three are led by the current project manager (who has served in the role since the previous project meeting) and activity four is led by the next project manager (who will continue in the role of project manager until the next project meeting.) The project manager changes each week so that all students have at least one opportunity to be project manager. The four activities during the project meeting are described below.

Project manager selection: The project manager for the next week is selected. The current project manager continues to lead the meeting through steps two and three but the new manager is chosen during this first step so that the new manager can use the early parts of the meeting to prepare to take over as project manager.
Project tasks review: The group reviews the project tasks that were to be completed during the time since the last project meeting. If a task was completed, the PPR provides a quick review of the major results of the work completed. If the task has not been completed, the PPR explains what caused the delay. This is not a time for excuses but a time to note and address any roadblocks that may affect the project as a whole.
Milestone schedule review: The milestone schedule is reviewed, noting all completed and delayed milestones and updating the entire schedule as needed to reflect the impact of any delayed milestones.
Project task planning: Based on the progress to date and the updated milestone schedule, the group determines what are the next tasks to complete along with the PPR and the due date for the task.

After the weekly project meeting, each project manager writes a memo to document their portion of the meeting. These are two separate memos. The previous project manager prepares a summary memo that reports on all tasks (completed and delayed) that were to be completed during the time they served as project manager. For each completed task, the previous project manager reports on the major results and references the memo where the details of the completed project task can be found. For any incomplete tasks, the previous project manager reports on the cause for the delay, the impact of the delay on the project as a whole, and any lessons that can be learned to avoid similar types of delays in the future. Finally, the previous project manager reviews the performance of the team in relation to the milestone schedule and provides an updated milestone schedule.

The project manager for the upcoming period is responsible for an objective memo. The objective memo is comprised of a simple list of the next tasks to be completed including any incomplete tasks from the previous period. For each task, the memo lists the expected deliverable, the PPR, and the due date.

The summary memos written by the previous project manager and the new project manager are then distributed to the project team (including the faculty advisor). To take advantage of technology and communication changes since Moor and Drake wrote their paper in 2001, in my course the project managers will submit their memos to a shared Google drive and will share the documents with the team by posting a link to the document using a Slack message to the team. (The team will be using a shared Google drive for document storage and Slack for communications.)

Design memos

For every project task completed, the student who has been identified as the PPR for that task writes a design memo. The memo is a one-page summary (in standard memo format) that briefly describes the project task and summarizes the findings/result of that task. The one-page memo is followed by attachments that provide all supporting materials necessary to document the work completed. As with the summary memos created by the project managers, the design memos will be submitted to a shared Google drive.

At the end of the project, the design memos that each student submits will be used to document the student’s individual contributions to the project and, for my course, I will have the design memos count for 50% of the student’s final grade.

I’m excited to see how this course will turn out!

Moor, S. S., and B. D. Drake. 2001. “Addressing Common Problems in Engineering Design Projects: A Project Management Approach.” Journal of Engineering Education, 90 (3): 389–395. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2001.tb00618.x .

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41030 Engineering Capstone

Undergraduate

Description

This subject is the second phase of students' capstone project and involves the implementation and write-up of their final project. Students can refer to 41029 Engineering Research Preparation as a reminder of what needs to be completed prior to the commencement of this second phase of work.

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Engineering Capstone Projects

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Final year engineering students undertake a Capstone Project with industry that provides an authentic problem solving engineering experience.

Opportunities that enable student teams to directly interact with industry as potential employers are highly regarded and encouraged.

All projects must offer realistic, challenging, yet achievable engineering problems for teams of students, and must add real value to existing, anticipated or simulated problems in industry.

Industry partners working with students are exposed to potential future employees while they collaborate on the project.

Additionally, the Capstone Project provides a real and focused problem solving opportunity from an external perspective, which is complemented by the resources of the University. Furthermore, it creates a sustainable relationship that may lead to ongoing and larger-scale R&D collaborations.

For further information for industry

Industry Engagement Team STEM College Email: [email protected]

For further information for current students

Please submit a request via the RMIT Student Connect portal

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Please note, the capstone project proposal form is only for industry proposing a project idea. If you are a student, please submit a request via the RMIT Student Connect portal .

Capstone Project FAQs

What is the duration of a capstone project.

Capstone Projects run for an academic year.

Projects commence at the start of Semester 1 (end of February) and finish at the end of Semester 2 (end of October).

When do we need to submit a project proposal?

The deadline for project submissions is one month prior to the commencement of semester.

We strongly advise determining projects towards the end of the preceding year, for students to consider them early and for industry to complete any legal or administrative documents that may arise.

What are the preferred project deliverables?

Delivery of a tangible outcome is expected, preferably a physical product.

It is recognised, however, that some projects may result in the delivery of a numerical model or the presentation of a well modelled and tested process.

What happens once we submit a project proposal?

Your project will be shared with academic supervisors in the School of Engineering. Once an academic supervisor has agreed to take on your project, they will contact you for initial discussions before advertising your project to students.

Students submit an expression of interest for available Capstone Projects. You can negotiate with the academic supervisor how students are selected to undertake your project.

Once students are selected, a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Agreement must be signed by the industry partner, RMIT and each student involved in the project.

The academic supervisor, industry partner and students meet at the start of the semester to discuss the project topic and deliverables.

If we propose a project and guide the students through it, who owns the intellectual property (IP)?

Prior to any collaboration, RMIT and the industry partner will sign a Work Integrated Learning Agreement. This contract states that IP will remain with the industry partner, other than for the purposes of the students being assessed. A template of the WIL Agreement can be sent to industry partners for their review.

What is the expected contact time between students and industry?

Students are expected to meet with their academic supervisors for at least an hour a week.

It is suggested that an industry partner would meet students for project milestones, which would occur once a month. However, industry partners are welcome to attend as many project team meetings as they wish, and are able to.

Will these projects be showcased at EnGenius? What is EnGenius?

EnGenius is an annual design showcase held by the School of Engineering, where final year students present their Capstone Projects. The event is a fantastic opportunity for students to network with industry representatives, and for industry to connect with future graduates.

Find out more about EnGenius .

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

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Capstone Senior Design (Capstone) is the final required course for the Bachelor’s degree; it provides the opportunity for students to integrate their curricular and experiential journeys into a multi-semester team project with a real-world outcome.

The Capstone experience applies the engineering sciences and other knowledge domains to the design of a system, component, product, process, and/or set of research inquiries. The Capstone projects reflect current, practical, and relevant industrial and mechanical engineering design projects or may involve a combination of both disciplines. Students bid for or develop their team’s particular design project with the approval of appropriate faculty. In the project assignment process, design teams are self-formed, or configured of students with similar interest areas. Each project includes the use of open-ended problems, development and application of research and design methodologies, formulation of design problem statements and specifications, generation and consideration of alternative solutions, along with safety, usability and feasibility considerations, and detailed system descriptions. It also includes realistic constraints such as economic factors, sustainability, along with global and social impact, to name a few. Throughout the Capstone experience, students are also challenged to think and act as a ‘team’ and to consider how notions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging affect their decisions, actions, and results.

Capstone projects are often sponsored by outside clients, including early-stage ventures arising from NU’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Sometimes, ambitious student-proposed technical ideas can (and have) become startup ventures themselves.

Sponsor a Project

The breadth of engineering challenges, both ME and IE, reflect the diversity of the project sponsors. Our sponsors, both corporate and non-profits, range from the aerospace industry to biomedical and regional hospitals. Department faculty sponsor projects for related to their research interests and for custom equipment for their research labs and, increasingly, students enter the program bringing their own sophisticated projects.

In many respects, our project sponsors are the life blood of the program. They bring current real world problems to the students and expect real solutions. Sponsors want to know the patent searches will be done and that intellectual property rights have been considered and protected.

The project sponsors must provide a contact person and are expected to provide timely feedback and interactions. The project should include a prototype deliverable or implemented solution. A “not for work” grant to be negotiated and expensive required items for the prototype are requested from the sponsor. Northeastern will provide computer simulation and basic machining processes. It is usually for the corporate sponsor and Capstone Design Coordinator to discuss and negotiate the details of this arrangement. Protection of the sponsor’s intellectual property is a major concern throughout this process.

At the beginning of the two semester sequence, the students self-assemble into groups and, after reviewing project descriptions, indicate their preferences. The preferences are used to assign the projects. Once projects are assigned, the students meet with their faculty advisor weekly and with representatives of the sponsor, through onsite visits, Skype or teleconferences, on a basis determined by the sponsor. The evaluation and reporting processes are tightly structured. The program culminates with a day long series of public presentations judged by a panel of our alumni.

90+ Inspiring Capstone Project Ideas For Civil Engineering: Building Dreams

Post author By admin
September 30, 2023

Explore a range of innovative and practical capstone project ideas for civil engineering students. Enhance your skills and make a significant impact in the field.

Suppose that you’re at the final stretch of your civil engineering academic journey. You’ve learned the ropes, tackled challenges, and now it’s time for the grand finale—the capstone project.

Think of it as your chance to shine, to put all your skills and ideas into action. But here’s the fun part: you get to pick what you want to work on.

In this article, we’re your trusty companions on this exciting journey. We’ve got a bag full of capstone project ideas designed just for you, the future civil engineer. These aren’t just projects; they’re your ticket to making a real impact in the world of engineering.

So, get ready, because we’re about to dive into a world of innovation, practical problem-solving, and opportunities that could shape your engineering career.

Table of Contents

Capstone Project Ideas for Civil Engineering

Check out some of the best capstone project ideas for civil engineering:-

Structural Innovations

Design a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing pedestrian bridge.
Develop a modular building system for disaster-stricken areas.
Create a floating structure for coastal communities vulnerable to rising sea levels.
Investigate innovative materials for constructing earthquake-resistant skyscrapers.
Design a cable-stayed bridge with minimal environmental impact.
Develop a retractable roof system for sports stadiums.
Reinvent traditional building foundations using advanced materials.
Design a high-speed railway bridge with minimal noise pollution.
Create a structure that harnesses wind energy for power generation.
Innovate adaptive structures that change shape in response to environmental conditions.

Environmental Sustainability

Design a zero-waste office building with integrated recycling and composting systems.
Develop a green roof system to improve urban air quality and reduce heat island effects.
Create an automated waste sorting facility for efficient recycling.
Optimize the use of natural lighting and ventilation in building design.
Construct a wastewater treatment facility powered by renewable energy.
Design an eco-friendly public park with sustainable landscaping.
Develop a passive house prototype for energy-efficient residential construction.
Implement a rainwater harvesting and purification system for a community.
Create a sustainable agriculture system on urban rooftops.
Implement a solar panel array on a commercial building to reduce energy consumption.

Transportation Engineering

Develop an autonomous public transportation system.
Design a high-speed maglev train for intercity travel.
Create a traffic management app to improve commute times.
Implement a dynamic toll pricing system to reduce traffic congestion.
Develop a transportation hub with integrated modes of transit.
Optimize traffic flow at a major intersection using AI-based systems.
Create a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Design a hyperloop transport system for long-distance travel.
Develop a smart parking system to reduce urban congestion.
Plan and design a bicycle-friendly urban transportation network.

Geotechnical Engineering

Study the impact of climate change on soil erosion and propose mitigation strategies.
Develop a predictive model for sinkhole formation in karst regions.
Design deep foundation systems for tall buildings in seismic zones.
Investigate soil liquefaction and propose solutions for infrastructure protection.
Create a geotechnical database for soil properties in a specific region.
Study the effects of underground mining on surface structures and land stability.
Design an earth-retaining structure for a hilly terrain development project.
Develop innovative methods for soil testing and characterization.
Investigate the use of geothermal energy from the ground for heating and cooling.
Investigate the use of geosynthetics in stabilizing slopes and embankments.

Water Resources Management

Design a decentralized wastewater treatment system for rural communities.
Develop a real-time flood monitoring and warning system.
Investigate the impact of climate change on groundwater resources and propose adaptation strategies.
Design a sustainable water supply system for an arid region.
Implement a riverbank erosion control project.
Study the feasibility of desalination for freshwater production.
Develop a water quality monitoring network for lakes and rivers.
Design a green infrastructure plan for reducing urban runoff.
Investigate the use of floating wetlands for water purification in polluted water bodies.
Create a comprehensive stormwater management plan for a city.

Construction Management

Develop a project management software tailored to construction industry needs.
Investigate lean construction practices for minimizing waste and enhancing efficiency.
Create a risk management framework for construction projects.
Implement a safety management system using IoT sensors and wearable technology.
Study the use of prefabrication and modular construction for cost and time savings.
Develop a BIM (Building Information Modeling) platform for construction coordination.
Design a sustainable construction site layout to reduce environmental impact.
Investigate the feasibility of 3D printing in construction for building components.
Create a construction waste recycling plan for a large-scale project.
Optimize construction project scheduling and resource allocation using AI.

Materials Engineering

Investigate the use of biodegradable materials in construction for sustainability.
Study the structural integrity of bamboo as a sustainable building material.
Design a self-healing concrete mixture to extend the lifespan of structures.
Develop lightweight and durable materials for aerospace construction.
Investigate the use of recycled plastics in road construction.
Study the corrosion resistance of advanced coating materials for bridges.
Design sound-absorbing materials for noise pollution reduction in urban areas.
Develop materials for energy-efficient insulation in buildings.
Investigate the use of phase-change materials in temperature-regulating construction.
Develop a fire-resistant building material using nanotechnology.

Urban Planning

Develop an inclusive and accessible urban park design.
Design a citywide network of greenways and pedestrian pathways.
Investigate urban sprawl and propose policies for compact city development.
Create a transportation-oriented development plan around a major transit hub.
Design a smart waste management system for urban areas.
Develop an urban agriculture program to increase food security.
Investigate the use of vertical farming for sustainable food production in cities.
Design public spaces for social interaction and community engagement.
Create a sustainable tourism plan for a historic urban district.
Create a masterplan for an eco-friendly and self-sustaining urban community.

Surveying and Mapping

Investigate the accuracy of satellite-based positioning systems for land surveying.
Design a GIS (Geographic Information System) for disaster management and response.
Create a mobile app for crowd-sourced mapping of public infrastructure issues.
Investigate the use of LiDAR technology for archaeological site mapping.
Develop a 3D mapping system for monitoring coastal erosion.
Design a real-time land-use monitoring system using satellite imagery.
Investigate the use of drones for vegetation mapping in natural reserves.
Create a GIS-based urban planning tool for sustainable development.
Develop a land parcel management system for efficient land registration and taxation.
Develop an autonomous drone-based mapping system for topographic surveys.

These capstone project ideas encompass a wide range of civil engineering disciplines and provide ample opportunities for students to choose projects that align with their interests and career aspirations.

Challenges and Solutions

Here are some common challenges that civil engineering students may encounter during their capstone projects, along with potential solutions to address these challenges:

Challenge 1: Project Scope and Definition

Challenge: Defining the scope of the capstone project can be challenging, leading to ambiguity and potential scope creep.
Solution: Clearly define the project scope in the initial project proposal, including specific objectives, deliverables, and boundaries. Regularly revisit and refine the scope as the project progresses.

Challenge 2: Resource Constraints

Challenge: Limited access to specialized equipment, materials, or software can hinder project progress.
Solution: Seek collaborations with industry partners or academic departments to access necessary resources. Explore cost-effective alternatives and prioritize resource allocation.

Challenge 3: Time Management

Challenge: Balancing coursework, project work, and personal commitments can be demanding and may lead to time management issues.
Solution: Create a detailed project schedule with milestones and deadlines. Use time management tools and techniques to stay organized and prioritize tasks effectively.

Challenge 4: Technical Complexity

Challenge: Complex technical issues or unexpected challenges may arise during the project.
Solution: Maintain open communication with project advisors and mentors for guidance. Break down complex problems into manageable tasks and seek expert advice when needed.

Challenge 5: Team Dynamics

Challenge: Working in a team can sometimes lead to conflicts or differences in work styles.
Solution: Establish clear roles and responsibilities within the team. Foster effective communication and conflict resolution skills. Regularly evaluate and adjust team dynamics as needed.

Challenge 6: Data Collection and Analysis

Challenge: Gathering and analyzing data for the project may be time-consuming and require specific expertise.
Solution: Develop a comprehensive data collection plan. Collaborate with experts in data analysis or use specialized software for efficient data processing.

Challenge 7: Budget Management

Challenge: Staying within budget constraints while meeting project goals can be challenging.
Solution: Create a detailed project budget and monitor expenses closely. Prioritize cost-effective solutions and seek sponsorships or grants if necessary.

Challenge 8: Regulatory Compliance

Challenge: Navigating complex regulations and obtaining permits for certain projects can be time-consuming.
Solution: Engage with regulatory agencies early in the project planning phase. Seek guidance from experts familiar with local regulations.

Challenge 9: Communication and Reporting

Challenge: Effectively communicating project progress and findings to stakeholders and advisors can be challenging.
Solution: Maintain regular communication with project advisors and stakeholders. Create clear and concise progress reports and presentations.

Challenge 10: Risk Management

Challenge: Identifying and mitigating project risks is crucial but often overlooked.
Solution: Conduct a thorough risk assessment at the project’s outset. Develop contingency plans and regularly review and update them as needed.

By acknowledging these challenges and implementing proactive solutions, civil engineering students can navigate their capstone projects successfully and achieve their project goals while gaining valuable practical experience in the field.

Benefits of Capstone Projects

Have a close look at the benefits of capstone projects:-

Real-World Application

Imagine finally putting all that textbook knowledge to practical use. Capstone projects let you do just that. It’s your chance to step into the real world of civil engineering and tackle actual problems.

Skill Power-Up

Think of capstone projects as your training ground for a wide range of skills. You’ll sharpen your project management, research, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, which will come in handy in your future career.

Portfolio Boost

Successfully completing a capstone project is like adding a shining star to your professional portfolio. It’s tangible proof of your ability to take on complex engineering challenges and turn them into solutions.

Industry Insights

Many capstone projects involve working with industry pros. This exposure gives you a sneak peek into how things work in the real engineering world and could lead to some exciting job opportunities down the road.

Unleash Creativity

Capstone projects encourage you to think outside the box. You’re free to come up with innovative solutions to problems, which is a breath of fresh air in the world of civil engineering.

Problem-Solving Guru

Through capstone projects, you’ll master the art of problem-solving. You’ll learn to dissect issues, identify constraints, and come up with ingenious solutions.

Teamwork and Diversity

Some capstone projects require teamwork and might involve multiple disciplines. This exposes you to a diverse range of perspectives and teaches you the ropes of working in a team.

Confidence Boost

Completing a capstone project is like leveling up in the game of engineering. It boosts your confidence and makes you feel ready to take on big challenges in your future career.

Networking Goldmine

Rubbing shoulders with industry pros, mentors, and advisors during your capstone project can lead to valuable connections. Who knows, it might open doors to internships, job offers, or exciting research opportunities.

Academic Hero

Knocking it out of the park in your capstone project can be the grand finale to your academic journey. It’s like getting that final achievement unlocked, and it can give your GPA a nice boost.

Advancing Knowledge

In some cases, capstone projects contribute to our understanding of civil engineering. They might involve groundbreaking research or the creation of new methods, adding to the body of knowledge in the field.

Career Prep

Capstone projects are your boot camp for the professional world. They prepare you for what’s waiting out there, from project management to client communication and industry standards.

Personal Growth

Undertaking a capstone project is more than just an academic exercise. It’s a journey of personal growth, resilience, and adaptability. You’re not just learning engineering; you’re becoming an engineer.

In a nutshell, capstone projects in civil engineering are your ticket to a dynamic, challenging, and rewarding career.

They’re not just about studying engineering; they’re about living it, breathing it, and making a mark on the world.

What is an example of a capstone project for civil engineering students?

Here is an example of a capstone project for civil engineering students:-

Project Description

Imagine you and your fellow civil engineering students teaming up to transform the way people move in a bustling urban area. This capstone project isn’t just about getting a grade; it’s about reshaping the future of transportation. Here’s the scoop:

Project Components

Traffic detective work.

Your first task is to play detective with traffic data and surveys. You’ll dive deep into traffic patterns, figure out those notorious congestion points, and identify the times when traffic turns into a real-life maze.

Green Commuting Solutions

Think bikes, pedestrian-friendly pathways, and turbo-charged public transit. Your mission is to reduce the number of cars on the road, cut emissions, and give people eco-friendly options for getting around.

Eco-Friendly Evaluation

We’re talking eco-warrior level here. You’ll examine how the current transportation system impacts the environment. That means looking into air quality, carbon footprints, and even the noise that traffic creates.

Infrastructure Makeover

Get ready to roll up your sleeves. You and your team will come up with innovative designs to make traffic flow smoother. We’re talking wider roads, optimized traffic lights, and even swanky transit hubs . Oh, and don’t forget to think sustainable—green materials and construction, please!

Safety Overhaul

Safety is our top priority. You’ll implement safety measures that will make parents everywhere breathe a sigh of relief. Think better signage, improved lighting, and pedestrian crossings that practically scream “safety first.”

Community Connection

You’ll become best friends with the locals. Chat with them, gather their feedback, and make sure their concerns are front and center in your plans. After all, it’s their city you’re improving.

Cost vs Benefits

You’re also our financial whizzes. Crunch those numbers and figure out if all these incredible changes make sense economically. How much will it cost? What’s the long-term payoff?

Expected Outcomes

A dazzling urban transportation makeover plan that beats traffic snarls, champions eco-friendliness, and keeps everyone safe.
Clever ideas for the latest traffic tech and super-smart infrastructure.
A report that proves how your changes will make the air cleaner, the city quieter, and the carbon footprint smaller.
A report that spills the beans on what your community had to say.
Cold, hard numbers that prove your plan makes financial sense.
A show-stopping presentation to city bigwigs, transit honchos, and the friendly folks from your community.

This isn’t just a capstone project; it’s your chance to be a superhero for urban mobility. You’ll be tackling real-world problems, making a city greener, and getting ready to change the way we all get around in the future. Ready for the ride?

Does civil engineering have capstone?

So, you’re nearing the finish line of your civil engineering journey, and you might be wondering, “What’s this capstone project everyone’s talking about?” Well, think of it as the ultimate showstopper of your engineering education—a bit like the grand finale at a fireworks display.

Here’s the lowdown

A capstone project in civil engineering is like your golden ticket to the real world of engineering. It’s not just about textbooks and exams anymore; it’s about getting your hands dirty with actual, real-world engineering challenges. Here’s why it’s so darn exciting:

Solving Real Problems

Instead of dealing with hypothetical textbook problems, you’re diving headfirst into actual engineering conundrums. Picture designing a bridge, revamping a city’s infrastructure, or finding solutions to traffic snarls.

Hands-On Action

You won’t be glued to your desk; you’ll be out there, planning, designing, and sometimes even building stuff. It’s engineering in action!

Expert Guidance

You won’t be on this adventure alone. You’ll have wise professors and mentors by your side, sharing their wisdom, and helping you navigate the twists and turns of your project.

Crossing Boundaries

Sometimes, your project might blur the lines between engineering and other fields like architecture, environmental science, or urban planning. It’s like a fusion of knowledge.

Problem-Solving Extravaganza

Capstone projects are where you flex your problem-solving muscles. You’ll face challenges head-on, think critically, and come up with ingenious solutions.

Real Impact

Your project isn’t just for a grade; it can make a real difference. It might improve a community’s quality of life, enhance infrastructure, or address pressing environmental concerns.

Showcasing Your Skills

This is your moment to shine. Your capstone project showcases to future employers or grad schools that you’re not just a student anymore; you’re an emerging engineer, ready to take on the world.

Documenting and Sharing

You’ll document your project’s journey—what worked, what didn’t, and why. You might even present your findings to a panel of experts, just like a pro.

In a nutshell, a capstone project in civil engineering is like your engineering graduation party. It’s where you put all your skills and knowledge to the test, and it’s where you transition from being a student to becoming an engineer ready to tackle the real-world challenges that await. Get ready for an engineering adventure like no other!

What is capstone project in civil engineering?

Alright, so you’ve made it to the final stretch of your civil engineering journey, and you might be wondering, “What’s this capstone project thing everyone’s talking about?” Well, think of it as the grand finale of your engineering education, where all those equations and theories get their moment in the spotlight.

Here’s the scoop

A capstone project in civil engineering is like your golden ticket to the real world of engineering. It’s not just about books and exams anymore; it’s about tackling real, juicy engineering challenges. Here’s why it’s so exciting:

Solving Real-World Problems

Instead of solving textbook problems, you get to dive headfirst into actual engineering issues. It could be designing a bridge, making a city more eco-friendly, or finding ways to battle traffic congestion.

You’re not just studying engineering; you’re doing it. You’ll be in the trenches, planning, designing, and sometimes even building stuff.

You won’t be alone in this adventure. You’ll have professors and mentors guiding you, sharing their wisdom, and helping you navigate the twists and turns of your project.

Interdisciplinary Fun

Sometimes, your project might blend engineering with other fields like architecture, environmental science, or urban planning. It’s like a big, exciting mash-up of knowledge.

Problem Solving

Capstone projects are all about flexing your problem-solving muscles. You’ll face challenges, think critically, and come up with innovative solutions.

Real-World Impact

Your project isn’t just for a grade; it can actually make a difference. It might benefit a community, improve infrastructure, or address pressing environmental concerns.

This is your chance to shine. Your capstone project demonstrates to future employers or grad schools that you’re not just a student; you’re a real engineer in the making.

In a nutshell, a capstone project in civil engineering is like your engineering graduation party. It’s where you put all your skills and knowledge to the test, and it’s where you transition from being a student to becoming an engineer who’s ready to tackle the real-world challenges that await. Get ready for an engineering adventure like no other!

How do I choose a topic for capstone project?

So, you’re at that crossroads in your civil engineering journey where you get to choose the ultimate adventure—the capstone project. But how do you pick the topic that’ll make your heart race with excitement? Here’s your roadmap:

Follow Your Passion

Start with what fires you up. What part of civil engineering makes your eyes light up? Whether it’s sustainable architecture, transportation systems, or earthquake-resistant structures, choose something you’re genuinely curious about.

Seek Wise Counsel

Don’t be shy about tapping into the wisdom of your professors and advisors. They’ve been around the engineering block and can guide you toward topics that match your skills and interests.

Real-World Problems

Think about the real-world challenges that keep civil engineers up at night. Is there a particular problem you’re itching to solve? Maybe it’s revamping an aging bridge, making construction more eco-friendly, or tackling urban congestion.

Bridge the Gap

Dive into existing research and see where the gaps are. Is there an area that’s begging for more investigation? A capstone project that builds on what’s already out there can be a game-changer.

Assess Resources

Take stock of what resources you have at your disposal. Do you have access to specialized equipment, datasets, or industry connections? Your project should play to your strengths.

Think Feasibility

Keep your project’s scope in check. Be realistic about what you can accomplish within your time frame and available resources. A manageable project that gets done is better than an ambitious one left unfinished.

Career Vision

Consider your career goals. Is there a niche within civil engineering that aligns with your ambitions? Choosing a project in that direction can give you a head start in your chosen field.

Community Impact

Projects that make a difference in the community can be especially rewarding. Think about how your work can benefit the people around you or even society as a whole.

Brainstorm and Share

Get your creative juices flowing and brainstorm a list of potential topics. Then, chat it up with your fellow students. They might offer fresh perspectives and help you fine-tune your ideas.

Reflect and Decide

Take some time to reflect on your options. Consider the significance, challenges, and personal fascination each topic holds for you.

Gather Feedback

Don’t be an island—share your shortlist with professors, peers, or even industry pros. Their insights can be the secret sauce that elevates your choice.

In the end, remember this: Your capstone project isn’t just an academic exercise; it’s your chance to leave your mark on the world of civil engineering. So, choose a topic that not only excites you but also aligns with your goals and aspirations. Your adventure begins now!

In closing, the world of civil engineering is a treasure trove of possibilities when it comes to capstone projects. These projects aren’t just academic exercises; they’re the keys to unlocking a world of practical knowledge and future career opportunities.

As you venture into your capstone journey, remember that it’s not just about tackling problems; it’s about molding the future of civil engineering, construction, and sustainability. Each project is your chance to let your creativity soar, refine your ability to solve complex issues, and collaborate with industry experts.

The experience you gain from capstone projects is priceless. It equips you with the skills and insights needed to thrive in the professional world, turning you into a well-rounded engineer.

Whether you’re devising groundbreaking solutions, working alongside diverse teams, or building a network with seasoned professionals, every aspect contributes to your personal and professional growth.

So, approach your capstone project with zeal, dedication, and the understanding that you’re not only fulfilling an academic requirement but also leaving a mark on the field of civil engineering. Your journey in this realm is just beginning, and capstone projects are your gateway to a dynamic and fulfilling career in civil engineering.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i choose the perfect capstone project for me.

Consider your interests, future career goals, and the availability of resources. Seek guidance from professors for personalized suggestions.

What is the significance of sustainability in civil engineering capstone projects?

Sustainability is crucial as it aligns with global environmental goals. It also adds value to your project by addressing real-world challenges.

How can I overcome challenges in project management during my capstone project?

Effective communication, careful planning, and adapting to unforeseen obstacles are key to overcoming project management challenges.

Is it better to focus on a specific area of civil engineering for my capstone project, or should I opt for a broader topic?

The choice depends on your interests and goals. Both specific and broad topics can lead to successful capstone projects.

What are the potential career benefits of completing a noteworthy capstone project?

A well-executed capstone project can enhance your resume, demonstrate your skills to potential employers, and open doors to exciting job opportunities.

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Onshape for Engineering Capstone Projects

Calculus. Physics. Chemistry. Statics. Thermodynamics. Fluid Dynamics. Programming.

These courses define the typical undergraduate experience for engineering students around the world . Thanks to this challenging lineup, also typical are late-night test-cramming sessions, long hours in the library puzzling over problem sets, crunching and re-crunching numbers for lab write-ups, and a few all-nighters where dinner consists of Mountain Dew and Snickers out of the vending machine.

Engineering undergraduate programs are notoriously grueling, but most culminate in a rewarding opportunity to show off all that you’ve learned through a senior capstone engineering project.

This time-honored tradition is an important step in cementing years of learning through applying knowledge in the design and execution of a novel self-directed capstone engineering project. While these projects are often undertaken by college students during the final year of an engineering program, more and more high schools are also introducing the concept as the culmination of a multi-year engineering or STEM curriculum.

What is a Senior Capstone Project?

In a capstone project, budding engineers must demonstrate that they have mastered their subjects and bring their knowledge to bear on a complex multi-disciplinary problem. An authentic capstone project involves students collaborating on a team to investigate a real-world problem, devising solutions within time and budget constraints, building and testing prototypes, collecting data to improve, and presenting and publishing their findings. In other words, perform as real engineers.

The most challenging aspects of completing a successful capstone project are both technical and organizational. A capstone project might be the first time a student must collaborate on a team, manage complex design data, and coordinate a months-long project schedule.

Cloud-Native CAD for Capstone Engineering Projects

Onshape is the tool that many professional engineers and engineering companies rely on to meet the challenges in capstone engineering projects and real life.

Let’s look at a few of the main challenges encountered by capstone project teams – as well as professional engineers, robotics teams , and extracurricular competition teams – and how Onshape, a cloud-native CAD platform , meets them.

CAD Data Management

Just about any engineering project, whether it is a Formula SAE car, an auto-focusing microscope, an autonomous drone, a carbon fiber bicycle frame, or a CubeSat , requires CAD data. CAD is the language of design, and designers in any field rely on it to develop, refine, and communicate their ideas.

The more complex the project, the more complex the CAD data. Even a moderately sized capstone project CAD model can contain hundreds of parts, assemblies, subassemblies, drawings, and other data. With traditional CAD, managing this data quickly becomes a full-time job. Keeping track of files, versions, and iterations can grind the design process to a halt.

Onshape seamlessly handles the data management for you, enabling engineers to spend their time designing. With Onshape , every action a designer makes is automatically saved in the cloud. When design milestones are reached, clicking a button creates an immutable snapshot of the design stored as a version .

Engineers will dream up new design directions or variants throughout the design process. With file-based systems, the idea of heading off in a new direction can be so daunting that engineering teams avoid it, stifling creativity. With Onshape, creating a branch to explore design ideas is easy and risk-free.

When teams embrace the power and flexibility of branching and merging, a project might entail dozens of branches as engineers organically try out ideas, add features, and investigate designs. This fearless design mode encourages pursuing new ideas without confusion or complications as the project evolves. Ideas formulated in design branches can be discarded or selectively merged into the main design workspace.

Assembly Management

For any engineering project, CAD data is essential, but as mentioned above, the size and number of CAD documents can become unwieldy. Onshape was built to solve this problem, and, done right, large or complex assemblies can be easily managed without slowing down the collaborative design process.

In particular, as projects grow in size and complexity, it is important to consider strategies to maintain document performance, reliability, and organization.

Maintaining Performance

With desktop CAD, as your model becomes bigger, you need a more powerful computer with more RAM and a faster processor.

Fortunately, Onshape is different. Onshape’s unique cloud-native architecture does all of the computation and processing. You can keep your existing laptop, even if it’s old or underpowered; Onshape will distribute all your data management and geometry calculations across various dedicated servers to provide a fast and responsive modeling experience.

Even with Onshape’s powerful servers at your disposal, it is still helpful to consider a couple of ways to keep your documents working at top speed.

For example, imagine your team is designing a 3D-printed airplane. It is possible to design the entire plane, including all structural elements, control surfaces, fasteners, motors, and electrical components, in a single Part Studio. As you can imagine, that Part Studio might eventually contain hundreds of features.

A problem can arise when you want to modify one of the features far up the feature list. After you change, all the features down the chain will have to regenerate. That takes time, regardless of how much server power you have.

Consider ways to divide your design across multiple Part Studios or even multiple documents as you design. When dividing across Part Studios, you can drastically reduce the size of your feature list. When dividing across documents, each document contains versioned reference to other documents, which can be a performance boost, particularly if the references are to versions of other documents.

Check out these help documents for more information:

Onshape Help page for Linking Documents

Onshape Help page for using Derived Features

Document History and Versions Learning Center Course

Linked Documents Learning Center Course

Performance Considerations

Increase Reliability

As mentioned above, one of the best ways to increase performance in Onshape is to divide a design across tabs or documents. With this process, you end up with Part Studios, assemblies, and documents with links or a reference to other Part Studios, assemblies, and documents. Onshape is built for this and can handle as many links as you need to facilitate your design process, but it is important to be intentional and strategic with this approach.

A common practice is for your top-level design to contain a Variable Studio and reference sketches. Variable Studios are tables of variables in Onshape that can serve as global variables to drive the rest of your design. Variable Studios can be shared across tabs within a document and even across documents.

Once your global variables are defined, sketches can be created that reference these variables to lay out your design's overall dimensions and structure. Then, as parts and assemblies are created, they can reference these master sketches. Updating the variables in your Variable Studio will reliably cascade through the rest of your design.

Better Organization

It takes considerable restraint, but it is important to avoid diving into a project once the initial design has been agreed upon. Effective teams take time to think through how the project should be organized. Think about the various subsystems of your project and how they are related. Also, consider your team's resources; who will be responsible for which parts of the project?

Branches were discussed above as a powerful way to manage CAD data. They also become invaluable tools for project organization . When you start modeling, consider making a development branch in Onshape where all the design work occurs. Set up regular meetings with your team to review branches and strategically merge parts of the design into the main branch as they are completed.

Branches are also useful for modeling various subsystems. A robot might have a drivetrain branch, a collector branch, and an arm branch. Each team can work on ideas within their branch without worrying about how their designs affect the other teams until the appropriate time.

As you can see, many effective ways to organize your CAD data exist. Take time to devise and communicate a system that will work for your team and your project.

Collaboration

Many capstone projects require students to work on teams and, without the right tools, can potentially complicate each stage of the engineering design process. Fortunately, Onshape was built for collaboration, and Onshape’s unique capabilities make it ideal for teams working together on a design.

With traditional CAD, one team member – sometimes just the one with the nicest computer – often owns the CAD data. And the more complicated the design gets, the less likely they are to try to share it, which would require zipping up files onto a thumb drive or sending them over email.

Onshape is cloud-native, meaning it runs on any device, be it a smartphone, tablet, Chromebook, Mac, or PC. And it doesn’t rely on files, so sharing designs is as easy as sending a URL or clicking the “Share” button. Regardless of physical location or computer horsepower, the entire team can work on the same design document simultaneously. Onshape democratizes the design process.

Onshape is the Right Tool for Large Projects

Few academic experiences are more rewarding than tackling and completing a large or complex collaborative design project. Whether it is a senior capstone project, a competition robot, or a solar race car, creating a real product of your own design is an authentic way to make your mark in the physical world and possibly make that world a little better.

Onshape is the right tool to get you there. From data management to collaboration to performance, Onshape is built to let teams design efficiently, effectively, and fearlessly.

Get Started with Onshape Education

Onshape for education brings CAD out of the computer lab and into the modern era.

Engineering Capstone

Engineering Capstone (also formerly known as Innovation Design Clinic) challenges UC Merced’s engineering students to become entrepreneurs of their knowledge, skills and research applications.

Partner organizations and/or corporations play a vital role by helping the students gain real-world experience and skills that will carry them into their future careers, while the partners also get solutions to their own engineering needs.

Engineering Capstone provides UC Merced's graduating seniors opportunities to learn and contribute in teams that include practicing engineers and other professionals from partner and sponsoring organizations.

The Capstone teams focus on engineering design projects chosen based on their potential for significant near-term effects on communities, organizations and/or industries in the region. The commitment of the teams and partners, combined with the richness and intensity of the Innovate to Grow competition, greatly enhances the traditional capstone experience.

Through Capstone, classroom learning and students' research activity are coordinated with real-world design projects developed with partner organizations and industries to help share diverse approaches to designing and building solutions that fulfill client-based objectives.

Industry partners contribute sponsorships to the program's operation, and each project sponsor’s involvement ranges from providing funds to the Innovate to Grow program, to engaging students in industry experiences.

We seek opportunities for students with partner organizations and industries to collaborate, discover solutions to common problems, create and streamline networking, and increase both radical and incremental innovation.

As industries and organizations become increasingly knowledge-based, and as products, processes and business systems become more complex, UC Merced engineering students are becoming an essential part of the industry and are contributing to regional economic, social and cultural growth.

You may search all past projects of Innovate to Grow since 2012, and current student teams and projects .

You may propose a project that can be evaluated for fit in Engineering Capstone, Software Capstone, or an internship, or potentially collaborative research with Faculty at UC Merced.

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Senior projects prepare engineering students for workforce

Fulton schools capstone showcase demonstrates projects beyond the classroom.

A group of people stand together around a poster board.

The Smart Pollution Analysis and Real-time Knowledge System, or SPARKS, team presents their project results at the Capstone Showcase. They analyzed air quality and pollution across Tempe in a project sponsored by Microchip Technology. Photo by Erika Gronek/ASU

Graduating seniors from across the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University displayed their senior capstone projects at the spring 2023 Fulton Schools Capstone Showcase .

The biannual event gives students the opportunity to show off their capstone projects, which helped them gain real-world experience developing innovative solutions to societal problems and prepare to enter the workforce.

The event on April 26 showcased approximately 260 projects from 1,200 students pursuing a range of degrees, including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science and engineering, computer science, computer systems engineering, informatics, industrial engineering, engineering management and biomedical engineering. The students represent the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence , the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering and the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy , all part of the Fulton Schools.

Students were joined by faculty members, peers, industry sponsors, alumni and other guests to celebrate the completion of their projects and present their findings and results.

Teams worked collaboratively over the past two semesters to carry out ideas from initial designs through prototype fabrication, as well as testing and evaluation to validate their solutions. The students’ projects also considered issues related to ethics, economics, sustainability, security, safety and professional best practices in their design solutions.

“Students are getting experience in a low-risk environment where they’re able to develop professional and technical skills that aren’t part of our curriculum but are necessary for them to be marketable in their careers,” said Ryan Meuth , an associate teaching professor in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence who also leads the Capstone Showcase and coordinates the capstone projects for computer science and computer systems engineering students.

Meuth notes that the event acts as a pipeline for students to find jobs after graduation. According to Meuth, one-third of participating students from the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence receive job offers at the Capstone Showcase event.

Analyzing air pollution

Computer systems engineering students Amber Kahklen, Carter Dunn, David Mangoli and Hunter White, along with computer science students Maxwell Calhoun and Tanishq Mor, completed a capstone project with industry sponsor Microchip Technology , a provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash IP solutions.

The students addressed air quality and pollution in Tempe, creating an array of air sensors that test for particulate matter size, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, temperature and humidity parameters. Six sensors were placed across ASU’s Tempe campus to collect data, which the team then analyzed to identify areas that had the highest levels of pollution and what contributed to those conditions.

“With this data, we can identify the factors that contribute the most to air pollution across Tempe and make predictions to improve the problems,” Kahklen said. “We hope these sensors can be used to gauge traffic conditions and see what is contributing to air pollution, whether it’s stalled traffic, construction or another factor.”

The project, titled Smart Pollution Analysis and Real-time Knowledge System, or SPARKS , also considered the environmental impact of their findings.

“Sustainability and environmentalism were top priorities in our project,” Dunn said. “We were interested in bringing air quality data to light because it can be hard to access that information otherwise.”

The students worked with technical marketing engineers at Microchip Technology, including Ross Satchell, Toby Sinkinson and Nate Thompson.

“We gave the students a lot of creative freedom within the project, so they had to work together and define a lot of the information themselves, going through academic papers to figure out what sensors to use and which atmospheric pollutants to be concerned about,” Satchell said. “The students are always wonderful to work with. This is the fourth Capstone Showcase that I’ve been involved in.”

For Satchell, a Fulton Schools alumnus, participating as an industry sponsor is a full-circle moment. He participated as a student in 2018 and was hired by Microchip Technology because of the event. Sinkinson is also a Fulton Schools alumnus and participated in the Capstone Showcase in 2022, where he was hired by Satchell.

Sinkinson and Satchell are eager to find an outlet to move the students’ SPARKS innovation forward and find a real-world application for the project.

“We go to trade shows often and engage in demos for industry members to show what our technologies can do,” Sinkinson said. “We’re hoping to pitch this project to local governors and see how we can work together to apply this research to sequencing traffic lights and analyzing the baseline of current air quality.”

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Senior Mechanical Engineering Students Design UAV System for Capstone Project

Two students looking at one student's computer screen

By Keelin Kelly

At the start of the spring semester, senior mechanical engineering students John Faetanini, Ben Parlett, Sam Gepperth and Grant Newland were tasked with designing a UAV system for The Corps, a contract engineering firm, as their senior design project.

Their project is a culminating experience, applying their classroom knowledge to real-life application. Senior design projects are coordinated through the Innovation Center which connects industry partners to student teams. These multi-disciplinary projects allow students to create new products while working to meet the needs of industrial, societal and business communities.

The team’s goal is to create an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system that can be rapidly mass produced, assembled and shipped anywhere in the world. They have spent the semester researching the current UAV market and testing materials to create a full aerodynamic design for the vehicle and determine its manufacturing process.

“It’s been really rewarding to see the project come together throughout the whole semester,” Faetanini said. “We started with nothing and are now at the point where we have the full design and a very good idea of how we’re actually going to build it.”

The Corps had minimal set requirements for the system which allowed the team creative freedom throughout the design process. The group maintained regular contact with and received feedback from their client through weekly status reports held over Zoom.

“Communicating with our client weekly has been a great learning experience,” Gepperth said. “It has helped me a lot to receive positive and constructive feedback, and it has been very good for conducing productivity in our group.”

The team discovered they could be the most productive by dividing their work into two focuses: design and manufacture. Gepperth and Newland worked on the principle aircraft design and calculations for stress while Parlett and Faetanini focused on materials and manufacturing.

“When Sam and Grant come up with a design, we have to come up with how to build it. If we go back and tell them it can’t be built that way, they have to rework their design,” Parlett said. “I feel like that very accurately represents an engineering workspace. You have your own department that says what can and can’t be done, and then you bounce it to the next person.”

In the final weeks of the semester, the group will be stress testing materials to confirm their calculations and finalize their design. They will present their project’s outcome at the School of Engineering’s Capstone Design Symposium at the end of April.

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Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Recognized as American Society of Biomechanics Fellow

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Kim Bigelow was awarded the status of Fellow in the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB). She will be recognized at the annual ASB conference in August.

Transforming the Future of UD Engineers

As the engineering industry rapidly evolves, there is a constant flow of new ideas into the School of Engineering to ensure students are prepared to make an impact in the workforce. The Dean’s Cabinet, a working group of faculty and staff leading initiatives aligned with the School’s strategic vision, are working hard to make those ideas a reality.

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Industry engagement helps prepare students for future careers

A group of Integrated Business and Engineering students at P&G headquarters

Along with coordinating the site visit, Blair has gone from capstone student to sponsor, serving as an industry mentor on a new P&G capstone project.

“Having Eric as an IBE capstone sponsor has been an amazing full circle moment,” said IBE Senior Director Kristina Kennedy. “His contributions have positively impacted the student experience and we are grateful for his efforts. P&G has been an immensely valuable partner as a sponsor of our capstone projects for more than five years and opening its doors to our students.”

Students present their capstone projects during the Engineering Design Showcase

Senior undergraduate students from the electrical engineering undergraduate programs in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering , part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, spend two semesters demonstrating the culmination of their education through a capstone project every year. To graduate, the students must spend their final year putting the skills they’ve learned to use solving a real-world problem.

One of the capstone teams also wins the Joseph and Sandra Palais Senior Design Award. The award, established by Professor Emeritus Joseph Palais and his wife, Sandra, honors a high-achieving electrical engineering project judged by a panel of participants anonymous to the students. The winning team receives a celebratory lunch and a cash prize.

Dec. 1 marked the day for students competing for the Palais Senior Design Award, along with all of the 25 total teams graduating in the Fall 2023 semester, to show off the projects they’d worked hard planning and building.

Improving pickleball players’ swings

One of the electrical engineering innovations on display was a sleeve for a pickleball paddle to help players improve their swing. The sleeve, for which development was overseen by industry mentor Kevin Berk of PURE Pickleball , slides over the bottom of a pickleball paddle and senses a swing’s strength, shows a corresponding value on a numerical display.

The value is then correlated to a pickleball coach’s instructions to swing to a certain strength level. Players using the sleeve can easily determine if they are swinging too harshly or softly.

Additionally, the sleeve device collects data from the paddle’s movements that players can compare to ideal movement data to evaluate where they can improve. In addition to improving players’ performance, the team aims to reduce injuries through the device.

“The leading injury in pickleball is ‘pickleball elbow,’ or tennis elbow where there’s too much pressure,” says Kristine Park, one of the capstone team’s members. “Having the display prevents you from using this unnecessary force that can cause those injuries.”

Through the project, participants learned and used skills such as how to design a printed circuit board, software programming and 3D printing. The team members involved say the sleeve could be expanded to other sporting equipment as well such as baseball bats and tennis racquets, leaving the door open for future possibilities.

Finding the center of the galaxy

While the pickleball paddle sleeve exemplified the use of electrical engineering for sports products, another team set their eyes on applying their skills to the stars.

Using a variety of odds and ends, including a vehicle axle as an antenna base, the team members built antennas to detect hydrogen emission frequencies in an effort to find the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

Hydrogen emissions give off radio frequencies, and the antennas the team built detect and quantify them. A specific frequency range means the hydrogen emissions are particularly strong, and that direction leads to the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

While hobbyist astronomists often pay upwards of $200 for antennas to detect hydrogen emissions, the capstone team’s designs cost as little as $60 to build using a variety of parts, including a car axle as the base of one antenna.

Palais Senior Design Award winner looks to make computer use more accessible

Among those competing for the Palais Senior Design Award, ultimately the winning team was one who’d dubbed themselves Team Sticky.

The team took its name from the project the members completed: a low-cost Bluetooth-enabled joystick for quadriplegics to operate computers.

The experience of one team member, David Bangean, inspired the project. While an electrical engineering student six years ago, Bangean became paralyzed from the neck down.

Since then, he’s learned how to use tools to work on a computer, including a joystick that can be moved with the mouth to position a cursor arrow and interact with the interface. While the joystick is an existing technology, the team decided to build its model more compact than dominant designs for portability. By blowing into the joystick or sipping on it, a pressure sensor distinguishes one movement of air from another and uses distinct air movements for right and left clicks.

Additionally, most existing joysticks are expensive at a cost of many hundreds of dollars. Some can even cost more than $1,000, making them cost-prohibitive for individuals with low incomes.

“We intended it to be very affordable and accessible, because we think it’s very important for everyone to have access to the same technology,” says team member Diana Leon.

Looking to the future, the team members already see ways to improve the design for mass production. Team Sticky hopes to make their joysticks available to the public through collaboration with industry on a large scale.

Learning valuable career skills

For Casmir Anyanwu, a member of the pickleball paddle sleeve team, his experience with the capstone project was a valuable one for his career.

“It’s the most job-like experience I’ve had so far,” Anyanwu says.

He learned how to work with a mentor and a team in a high-pressure situation while improving his skills to retrieve and research information.

For Eric Hornburg, a member of the antenna-building team, the capstone project helped further his capabilities in his job working at General Atomics , which develops technology for aviation, energy, national defense and more.

“Most of us here have jobs already,” Hornburg says. “I’ve been working in tech and aviation for 20 years. I’m going to continue to increase my potential.”

Team Sticky used the experience to hone their communication and project management skills, taking advantage of Discord ’s abilities to set up a variety of tasks and channels within their chat group in the platform.

Team member Larry Stephens found the experience insightful into how to work with others.

“I think this class is great to prepare you for after graduation,” Stephens says. “A lot of the time, you have to work on cross-disciplinary teams.”

He adds that he learned how to collaborate to work on both the hardware and software sides of a project, and he emphasized the importance of team members working well with one another to bring all the elements of an electronics project together.

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Engineering Capstone Project Part 1

Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 (ENGR90037)

Graduate coursework Points: 12.5 On Campus (Parkville)

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Eligibility and requirements
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Contact information

Semester 1 (extended).

Electrical students should contact Marcus Brazil - [email protected] Civil, Spatial, Structural and Environmental students contact Murray Peel - [email protected] Mechanical, Mechatronics and Aerospace students contact Bagus Nugroho - [email protected]

Semester 2 (Extended)

Electrical students should contact Marcus Brazil - [email protected] Civil, Spatial, Structural and Environmental students contact Murray Peel - [email protected]

Mechanical, Mechatronics, Aerospace students contact Bagus Nugroho - [email protected]

The subject involves undertaking a substantial group project (typically in groups of three students) requiring an independent investigation on an approved topic in advanced engineering design and / or research. Each project is carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff and where appropriate an industry partner.

The emphasis of the project can be associated with either:

A well-defined project description, often based on a task required by an external, industrial client. Students will be tutored in the synthesis of practical solutions to complex technical problems within a structured working environment, as if they were professional engineering practitioners; or
A project description that will require an explorative approach, where students will pursue outcomes associated with new knowledge or understanding, within the engineering science disciplines, often as an adjunct to existing academic research initiatives.

It is expected that the Capstone Project will incorporate findings associated with both well-defined professional practice and research principles and will provide students with the opportunity to integrate technical knowledge and generic skills gained in earlier years.

The project component of this subject is supplemented by a lecture course dealing with project management tools and practices.

Please note:

Students enrolled in the suite of Master of Engineering programs must be within the final 112.5 points of their degree to enrol.

Students enrolled in the Master of Industrial Engineering must be within the final 100 points of their degree to enrol.

Students are to take Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 and then subsequently continue with Engineering Capstone Project Part 2 in the following semester. Upon successful completion of this project, students will receive 25 points credit.

Intended learning outcomes

Upon completion of this subject students will be able to:

1. successfully complete a distinct engineering project;
2. effectively communicate the outcomes of various stages of an engineering project;
3. learn and apply standard engineering project management tools;
4. identify standard organisational structures, analyse the relative merits of different approaches, and implement and report on the approach taken by the project team.
5. describe the role of published research, precedent, prior art, patents, registered designs and standards in the engineering project;
6. explore and articulate the impact of activities associated with the engineering profession in the wider community.

Generic skills

Ability to apply knowledge of engineering science and engineering methods to solve complex problems.
Ability to comprehend complex concepts and effectively communicate this understanding.
Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution.
Ability to plan work and use time effectively.
Ability to function effectively in multidisciplinry teams, with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member.
Ability to manage project group dynamics.
Ability to function effectively in a professional engineering environment.
Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large.
Capacity for independent thought

Last updated: 16 April 2024

IMAGES

Principles of Engineering Capstone Project
80+ Cutting-Edge Capstone Project Ideas for 2023 and Beyond
Capstone Project Stage 1
Role of the Capstone Project for Engineering Education in Industry 4.0
Engineering Capstone Project Ideas by Capstone Project Ideas
⛔ Capstone examples. Capstone Project: Definition, Types, Structure

VIDEO

Capstone Project Part 3
Sukhpreet Kaur Capstone Project Part C
NLM 200- Capstone Project Part C
Capstone Project Part 2
Capstone Project Part 2 Presentation
Capstone Project Group 8 Part 3 Video

COMMENTS

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The capstone project has become an integral part of the university degree curriculum. It can take many various forms, but its purpose remains the same. ... "The Solar Floatie was born when the engineering side of the solar collector project was merged with the anthropology side and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals ...
Engineering Capstone Projects
STEM College. Email: [email protected]. For further information for current students. Please submit a request via the RMIT Student Connect portal. Students deliver a tangible outcome, usually a physical product, to solve a real world problem. Submit a project proposal. Please note, the capstone project proposal form is only for industry ...
Capstone
The Capstone projects reflect current, practical, and relevant industrial and mechanical engineering design projects or may involve a combination of both disciplines. Students bid for or develop their team's particular design project with the approval of appropriate faculty. In the project assignment process, design teams are self-formed, or ...
Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 (ENGR90037)
Upon completion of this subject students will be able to: 1. successfully complete a distinct engineering project; 2. effectively communicate the outcomes of various stages of an engineering project; 3. learn and apply standard engineering project management tools; 4. identify standard organisational structures, analyse the relative merits of ...
90+ Inspiring Capstone Project Ideas For Civil Engineering: Building Dreams
Here is an example of a capstone project for civil engineering students:-Project Description. Imagine you and your fellow civil engineering students teaming up to transform the way people move in a bustling urban area. This capstone project isn't just about getting a grade; it's about reshaping the future of transportation. Here's the scoop:
CAD for Senior Capstone Projects
Cloud-Native CAD for Capstone Engineering Projects. Onshape is the tool that many professional engineers and engineering companies rely on to meet the challenges in capstone engineering projects and real life. Let's look at a few of the main challenges encountered by capstone project teams - as well as professional engineers, robotics teams ...
Honeywell Aerospace prepares ASU engineering students for ...
Jonathan Hobgood, the vice president of advanced manufacturing and automation for Honeywell, manages capstone project mentors and sees high potential from ASU engineering graduates. "We hire about 70% to 80% of the students who work with us for either a capstone or internship," Hobgood said. The future of the capstone program includes plans ...
Engineering students who already did their capstone project ...
Since the 3D printer is a futuristic technology it added good value to the project. To avoid last time surprises during the final submission, we tested our project 3-4 times prior to the presentation. This helped our team to score good grades. You can check out this article for more innovative capstone projects and tips to develop the project.
Engineering Capstone
The Capstone teams focus on engineering design projects chosen based on their potential for significant near-term effects on communities, organizations and/or industries in the region. The commitment of the teams and partners, combined with the richness and intensity of the Innovate to Grow competition, greatly enhances the traditional capstone ...
Senior projects prepare engineering students for workforce
May 24, 2023. Graduating seniors from across the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University displayed their senior capstone projects at the spring 2023 Fulton Schools Capstone Showcase. The biannual event gives students the opportunity to show off their capstone projects, which helped them gain real-world experience ...
Senior Mechanical Engineering Students Design UAV System for Capstone
Senior Mechanical Engineering Students Design UAV System for Capstone Project. By Keelin Kelly. At the start of the spring semester, senior mechanical engineering students John Faetanini, Ben Parlett, Sam Gepperth and Grant Newland were tasked with designing a UAV system for The Corps, a contract engineering firm, as their senior design project
Industry engagement helps prepare students for future careers
Other projects include a device to control migraines, a first responder drone and 3D-printed sockets for prosthetic limbs. A celebration of senior capstone design projects from all engineering disciplines, the showcase will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in various engineering buildings on north campus. Visit go.osu.edu/capstone24 for more information.
Fall 2023 capstone projects produce electrical engineering solutions
Senior undergraduate students from the electrical engineering undergraduate programs in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, spend two semesters demonstrating the culmination of their education through a capstone project every year. To graduate, the students must spend their final year putting ...
Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 (ENGR90037)
The project component of this subject is supplemented by a lecture course dealing with project management tools and practices. Note: Students are to take Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 and then subsequently continue with Engineering Capstone Project Part 2 in the following semester. Upon successful completion of this project, students will ...
Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 (ENGR90037)
1. successfully complete a distinct engineering project; 2. effectively communicate the outcomes of various stages of an engineering project; 3. learn and apply standard engineering project management tools; 4. identify standard organisational structures, analyse the relative merits of different approaches, and implement and report on the ...