Michael A. Latcha, PhD.
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Oakland University
115 Library Drive
Rochester MI 48309-44799

416 Engineering Center
Phone: (248) 370-2203
FAX: (248) 370-4261
Email: latcha@oakland.edu

Courses taught (last 10 years)

• ME 4300 Mechanical Systems Design
• ME 4999 Senior Mechanical Engineering Design Project

  Papers and philosophy

  • The Melting Pot Approach to Senior Design - 2004
  • The Melting Pot Approach: Assessment and Improvement - 2005
  • MELTING-POT DESIGN AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY - 2007
  • Melting-Pot Senior Design at OU: 10 Years of Lessons Learned - 2014
  • Leveling the Playing Field Thorough Incorporating 3D Printing in Capstone Courses - 2016
  • Engineering Consulting and Development for Start-up and Small Firms in Capstone Courses - 2016

  Guidelines for producing parts via 3D printing

  Projects

  Year	Winter	Summer	Fall
  2024	Research, industry, small business, challenge projects
  2023	Research, industry, small business, challenge projects	EV racing kart, small business projects	Research, industry, small business, challenge projects
  2022	Research, industry projects	Industry, small business projects	Industry, non-profit projects
  2021	Research, industry, student projects	Industry, student, small business projects	Industry, research, small business projects
  2020	Industry, student projects		Research, student, small business projects
  2019	Industry, student projects	Industry, small business projects	Industry, student, small business projects
  2018	Industry, student projects	Industry, small business projects	Industry, student, small business projects
  2017	Industry, student projects	Industry, non-profit projects	Industry, OU projects
  2016	LDB, industry projects		LDB, industry projects
  2015	Leader Dogs for the Blind		Industry, SECS projects
  2014	Skittle sorting		Small parts counter
  2013	Slaloming robot II		Slaloming robot III
  2012	Tennis-ball tossing robot		Slaloming robot I
  2011	Stair-climbing robot III		Stair-climbing robot IV
  2010	Stair-climbing robot I		Stair-climbing robot II
  2009	Fire-fighting robot		Ball-finding robot
  2008	Student-selected global products IV		No-fuel cell phone charger
  2007	---		Rope-climbing, dart dropping robot
  2006	Student-selected global products II		Student-selected global products III
  2005	Ball bearing tossing robot		Student-selected global products I
  2004	Line-following robot		Rope climbing robot

• ME 5400 Numerical Methods for Mechanical Engineers

Senior Design Laboratory (SDL)

Industry partners are encouraged to contact us to explore the possibility of sponsored senior design projects.
For more information, please visit the Senior Design Laboratory website.

Research Interests

ZZULI ABET Workshop, July 2019

• ZZULI ABET Workshop Presentation
  
• SECS Program Assessment Overview
  
• Sample course evaluation - ME 4300
  
• ME Self-Study Report, 2014