Mechanical Engineering Student Shop

Non-ME Student Use

Students from other departments can be trained and have access to the Mechanical Engineering Student Shop only if the shop is compensated for the training and subsequently for the hours of machine time. Payment for these services is processed from a valid UT account and is billed electronically by the ME Shop through inter-department transfers (IDTs). Only by approval of the Chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Department can these charges be waived.

The cost for training is $20/hour (or $80/Class) and the class takes four hours to complete. Instruction is safety intensive and provides basic instruction for the operation of the mills and lathes. These classes are offered, based on our workload, during the first two weeks of each month. In special instances groups can request a specific date for certification, subject to approval by the Shop Supervisor.

Notification is posted one week prior to the class on bulletin boards by the elevators in the ETC building and it is the student's responsibility to check for these notices, read pertinent information relating to proper attire, and sign up for the class. Each class is limited to six students, based on the number of machines available for training. A minimum of four students required for the class to be taught.

Once the student has successfully completed the certification class he or she is given a card which allows them access to the shop. Appropriate tooling is available for projects and materials can be purchased from the shop. Again, a valid UT account must be used for these purchases. Machine time is charged at $10/hour.

Safety rules are posted in the student shop and are strictly enforced. At the beginning of certification class each student must read and sign a list of these rules. Also required is an emergency contact in case of an accident. Students violating any of the safety rules will lose all shop privileges and not be allowed back into the shop. Students working in the shop are not allowed to bring friends into the shop as observers.

The student shop is available Monday-Friday from 8am-11: 45am and 1pm-4:45pm except when there is a scheduled class meeting in the shop. These will include certification classes held each month at various times and the ME 350 labs, which meet Tuesday and Thursday throughout the fall and spring semesters.