UW Engineering Shop

Student Projects

 

Students are encouraged to use the UW Engineering Shop for senior-design projects and other applications utilizing design curriculum. Student use of the facility will be limited to course-related work only.

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What we expect from non-engineering UW students

To discuss your project in person, please bring the following information:

• Project name/course number
• Laboratory room number
• Principal investigator, instructor, or advisor
• First and last name of person requesting the work
• Phone and email contact for requestor
• Part material and quantity
• Well-annotated drawing

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What we expect from UW engineering students

These policies are an exercise of what is expected of an engineer in industry and the same process the Shop technicians use to design and fabricate projects for customers.

• Parts must be modeled and drawn in SolidWorks or Fusion 360, no matter how big/small.
• If multiple parts are used, a solid model assembly is also required.
• If the parts are attached to another part or assembly (including off-the-shelf items), those must also be represented in the assembly model.
• Fasteners and off-the-shelf hardware must be included in the assembly model, where applicable. Do not make use of SolidWorks "Toolbox" hardware/components. Instead, download SolidWorks models directly from McMaster-Carr.
• Drawings of each part and assembly are required and must be created on title blocks with appropriate dimensions, tolerances, quantities, and materials.
• Assembly drawings with a bill of materials are to be created, where applicable.
• Physical engineering drawings or electronic drawing files (in .pdf, .dxf., slddrw, or .dwg format) are acceptable for viewing.
• If you do not have a SolidWorks drawing template, you should download and make use of the UW Shop drawing templates and styles. Note that these are preloaded into SolidWorks in the ME/ESE computer labs and can also be found under the Shop’s “Solidworks” link.
• Use the "Pack and Go" feature of SolidWorks to create .zip files when sharing either SolidWorks assemblies or drawings.  This helps eliminate “missing part/broken reference” errors when sharing files with the Shop.
• The only time drawings are not required is when water jetting parts (a .dxf file of the part outline is required) or when students will cut material “to length” themselves (however, a cut list is required at a minimum).
  • A checked/approved drawing package is highly recommended to ensure miter cuts and clocked/indexed features end up on the correct face of your cut parts.
• The Shop will not teach nor mentor CNC programming or machining, due to the expense of equipment, time taken to learn even the basics and becoming accustomed to each machine’s programming language, error system, etc…
• The Shop has found this also applies to students welding on their own projects.  We don’t hold welding instruction courses and it’s not time conducive to either students/staff to rush training in this area.  Therefore, we only allow student welding on a case by case basis when someone has (prior to coming to UW) completed a welding certificate program (in the style of welding they’re requesting) from a collegiate level or higher welding institution.
• Students must read the Shop Student Handbook & complete Shop Safety Assessment prior to using any Shop equipment.
• The Shop’s “Walk-In Hours” are 1-3 pm, Mon.-Fri. and are best used for quick consultations. 
• To make use of Shop facilities and for staff consultation, students must email the Shop staff (uw-shop@uwyo.edu or smille61@uwyo.edu) to schedule a meeting that will start within the hours of 7-11 am, Mon-Fri.
• Before material can be ordered or fabrication begin, a complete drawing package must be approved, and a work request must be created at the Shop’s website (https://form.jotform.com/uwyoshop/work-order) for labor and material to be tracked by the Shop.

Additional policies for ME/ESE-4060/4070 students

• A single and approved “ME/ESE 4060/4070 Senior Design Purchase Request Form” is required before material can be ordered, or fabrication can begin.  Work with your advisor or the ME office to obtain this form, complete it and then begin purchasing once your drawing package has been approved either by Shop staff or your advisor.   
• Shop staff consultation time will be provided for free. The first 15 hours of Shop labor (machining, fabrication, welding, 3D modeling, etc.) will also be free.
• Once a team has exhausted the first 15 “Free hours”, the Shop manager will notify the team and request a meeting to review the team’s budget and remaining project scope. No work halt is necessary if it appears the project can be completed within the project budget and timeframe.  However, the work will be stopped when a team has exhausted its budget for machining/fabrication and the Shop manager will call a meeting with both the team and the advisor to evaluate.

 

SolidWorks Information | Innovation Wyrkshop Center