MTSU engineering students’ impressive projects wrap up Mech-Tech fall expo

Emilio Sanches, left, and others watch as Kaleb Smith, right, turns on the FANUC-Cobit collaborative robotic arm for the “Meat Men: Thermoseal Meat Packager” team’s senior capstone project during the fall 2024 Mech-Tech event Dec. 5 in the Miller Education Center on Bell Street in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Tech-savvy Middle Tennessee State University and Engineering Technology and Mechatronics Engineering students exhibited their one- and two-semester capstone projects during the fall Mech-Tech expo recently in the Miller Education Center on Bell Street.

Creations included an oil filter changing robot, automated golf ball retriever, portable network speaker system, meat packager and sealer project featuring a FANUC-Cobit Collaborative Robot arm and more were among the 20-plus judged devices.

First-place Middle Tennessee State University Engineering Technology Mech-Tech Engineering division winner Hunter McMath, right, explains his senior capstone project to a fellow student during the annual fall Mech-Tech event held Dec. 5 in the Miller Education Center on Bell Street in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy) — First-place Middle Tennessee State University Engineering Technology Mech-Tech expo Engineering division winner Hunter McMath, right, explains his senior capstone project to a fellow student during the annual fall Mech-Tech event held Dec. 5 in the Miller Education Center on Bell Street in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

Wrapping up the spring and fall semesters, Mech-Tech showcases team and individual efforts before commencement ceremonies are held.

Dr. Ken Currie, chair, MTSU Engineering Technology — Dr. Ken Currie

Students, faculty and department Chair Ken Currie await hosting future Mech-Techs in the new Applied Engineering Building, scheduled to open by the fall 2025 semester on the east side of campus next to the MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Building.

“I like the effort out of most of these projects,” Currie said of the Dec. 5 event. “They used equipment we’d already purchased for the new building, and they made good use of it.”

Brian Johnson, left, of Murfreesboro, a senior Middle Tennessee State University Department of Engineering Technology mechatronics engineering major, explains to his grandfather, Forrest Caldwell, 96, of Houston, Texas, the inner workings of the Synapse Portable Network Speaker System capstone project his five-member team created as part of the biannual Mech-Tech end of semester wrap-up event in the Miller Education Center on Bell Street in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy) — Brian Johnson, left, of Murfreesboro, a senior Middle Tennessee State University Department of Engineering Technology mechatronics engineering major, explains to his grandfather, Forrest Caldwell, 96, of Houston, Texas, the inner workings of the Synapse Portable Network Speaker System capstone project his five-member team created as part of the biannual Mech-Tech end of semester expo in the Miller Education Center on Bell Street in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

Friends since sixth grade in McMinnville, Kaleb Smith and Emilio Sanches were part of a five-member “Meat Men: Thermoseal Meat Packager” team, whose objective was to properly seal and prepare a plastic tray containing meat to be sold to a customer while minimizing interaction and increasing sanitation.

Smith and Sanches said they are considering joining forces after graduation, possibly pursuing being mechatronics instructors at Motlow State Community College’s McMinnville campus.

Jeff Buck, co-president with La Vergne-based MTSU Engineering Technology industry partner Automation Nth — Jeff Buck

Jeff Buck, co-president with La Vergne-based industry partner Automation Nth, said he “enjoyed chatting with students. The projects I saw were great, and there are some impressive students.”

Coin Sorters earned first place in the Mechatronics Engineering category. Team members included Joshua Holm, Dylan Pate, Luke Flatt, Caleb Berman and Nathan Deal. Hunter McMath, an electro-mechanical engineering technology student, was awarded first place in the Engineering Technology division.

To learn more about the engineering and mechatronics engineering programs, call 615-898-5009 or visit https://et.mtsu.edu. Engineering Technology is one of 11 College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments and is located in the Voorhies Engineering Technology Building on Faulkenberry Drive.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)