Third and Fourth Year Projects
The third year design projects challenge students with an open-ended project. This requires them to draw on their engineering knowledge and demonstrate innovation in their designs. Our fourth-year Honours students are expected to complete year-long research and design projects which integrate the knowledge and skills students gained in the first three years of their professional engineering degree.
Automated Apple Harvester (ENGME380)
As New Zealand transitions to 2D apple orchard structures, how will future machines harvest the apples? As a design challenge, 3rd year student must design, build and test an autonomous Apple Harvesting Machine to remove and box small scale fake apples from a small scale 2D apple orchard. Come and watch these mini-machines in action and findout which one will win the much coveted 3rd Year Design Challenge Trophy.
12-metre Woodsman Sculpture (ENGCV380)
The 3rd year Civil Engineers are tasked with the design and construction of various types of structures. This year they are tasked to develop designs for a 12m tall sculpture of a woodsman for the NZ Timber Museum at Putaruru. On completion this will be a landmark visible for a considerable distance from the site. Students will showcase their work through a poster display illustrating the conceptual designs they have developed during the paper.
Honours Research & Development Project (ENGEN582)
This paper is the engineering “capstone” project. Running all year, each student investigates a complex problem and/or develops a substantial prototype, either individually or as part of a team. Students work on a large variety of projects, from autonomous harvesting to new concrete technology, trying to solve problems that matter. Many projects are supported by local engineering businesses, and involve a real industrial issue that the company faces. Students review the academic and technology literature, record a research & development journal, and write and defend a dissertation.