• Contact Info

Riffell, Daniel J.

Teaching Associate Professor

Positions

Teaching

courses taught

  • MCEN 1025 - Computer-Aided Design and Fabrication
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018
    Introduces CAD software and relevant concepts, including orthographic projection, sections, engineering drawing, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, and an introduction to manufacturing methods. Final design project involves rapid prototyping.
  • MCEN 1208 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018
    Subject matter to be selected from topics of current interest. Credit to be arranged.
  • MCEN 4045 - Mechanical Engineering Design Project 1
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
    First part of a two-course capstone design experience in mechanical engineering. Covers problem definition, determining design requirements, alternative design concepts, engineering analysis, proof-of-concept prototype and CAD drawings. Students make several oral design reviews, a final design presentation, and prepare a written report. GEEN-BS and GEEN-BSGE students are not required to complete MCEN 2000, MCEN 3022, MCEN 3030 or MCEN 4026 but have additional prerequisites of GEEN 1400, 2400 and 3400.
  • MCEN 4085 - Mechanical Engineering Design Project 2
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
    Second part of a two-course capstone design experience in mechanical engineering. Includes refinement of prototype, design optimization, fabrication, testing, and evaluation. Students orally present the final design and prepare a written report and operation manual for the product. GEEN-BS and GEEN-BSEPL students are not required to complete MCEN 4026.
  • MCEN 4228 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022
    Subject matter to be selected from topics of current interest. May be repeated up to 15 credit hours. Same as MCEN 5228.
  • MCEN 4238 - Design for Community
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
    Design for Community (D4C) will provide engineering students with practical experience in consulting while offering valuable engineering services to University and industry clients. Focuses on preparing students for the practice of engineering by acting as a consultancy for clients' engineering-related design and fabrication needs. Students may be expected to work in teams or individually under the supervision of project directors, depending on project scope. Each student or team will assist several clients during the semester. The D4C will pursue the following goals for its students: provide a practical just-in-time learning experience for students interested in engineering consulting; prepare students for the practice of engineering design with underspecified real-world problem sets; prepare students for the professionalism needed to interact with clients; provide outreach that connects communities outside the Department of Mechanical Engineering and serves clients that would not have access to engineering resources otherwise.
  • MCEN 5045 - Design for Manufacturability
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
    Topics include general design guidelines for manufacturability; aspects of manufacturing processes that affect design decisions; design rules to maximize manufacturability; economic considerations; value engineering and design for assembly. Presents case studies of successful products exhibiting DFMA principles. Priority enrollment for students admitted to the MS or BS/MS design track. Prerequisite of MCEN 4026 required for undergraduate students.
  • MCEN 5228 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2024
    Subject matter to be selected from topics of current interest. May be repeated up to 15 credit hours.
  • MCEN 5930 - Professional Internship
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2023 / Summer 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
    This class provides a structure for Mechanical Engineering graduate students to receive academic credit for internships with industry partners that have an academic component to them suitable for graduate-level work. Participation in the program will consist of an internship agreement between a student and an industry partner who will employ the student in a role that supports the academic goals of the internship. Instructor participation will include facilitation of mid-term and final assessments of student performance as well as support for any academic-related issues that may arise during the internship period. May be taken during any term following initial enrollment and participation in ME graduate programs. Department permission required to enroll.

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