Dr. John Wagner has had the opportunity to teach at Clemson University, Purdue University – College of Technology at Kokomo, and the State University of New York at Buffalo. To continuously improve his teaching skills, he often completes seminars and workshops hosted by the Office of Teaching Effectiveness & Innovation at Clemson.

Clemson University, Clemson, SC

ECE & ME 4570/6570 (Fundamentals of Wind Power): 3(3,0). Introduces wind turbine systems, including wind energy potential and application to power generation. Topics include wind energy principles, wind site assessment, wind turbine components, power generation machinery, control systems, connection to the electric grid, and maintenance. May also be offered as ECE 4570. Preq: ECE 2070 or ECE 3200, with a C or better.

Created an on-line asychronous multi-disciplinary technical elective course on wind turbine systems including wind energy principles, wind site assessment, wind turbine components, power generation machinery, control systems, connection to the electric grid, and maintenance. For the graduate level, a multiple week design project allows students to specify a residential wind energy system and assess the economic viability.

ME 202: Foundations of Mechanical Systems. 3(3,0). Introduces students to the basic physical elements of mechanical engineering systems. Problem solving, design, and resourceful application of mathematics and general principles from the students’ science courses are emphasized throughout.

ME 2900/3900/4900: Creative Inquiry in Mechanical Engineering. 1-3 (1-3). Students work in extended teams (including sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students) addressing research and development problems under the supervision of a faculty lead. Engineering principles and best practices will be employed. Team work, professionalism, and communication skills are emphasized. May be repeated for a maximum of nine credits. Preq: consent of instructor.

ME 3050: Modeling and Analysis of Dynamic Systems. 3(3,0). Presents techniques for developing and analyzing models of mechanical, electrical, electromechanical, fluid and thermal systems. Transient, steady-state and frequency response are determined using analytical and numerical methods. Covers tools for stability analysis and statespace representation. Covers linear free- and forcedvibrations in single- and multi-degree-of-freedom systems with lumped-parameters representation, methods of vibration absorption and isolations. Preq: ECE 2070 and ECE 2080 and MATH 2080 and MATH 3650, each with a C or better. Preq or concurrent enrollment: ME 3070 with a C or better.

ME 3060: Fundamentals of Machine Design. 3(3,0). Introduction to failure theory and fatigue analysis. Integration of these topics with selected portions of mechanics of materials and application of them to the design and analysis of machine elements. Preq: ME 2040 and ME 3070, each with a C or better. Preq or concurrent enrollment: MATH 3650, with a C or better.

ME 4020: Internship in Engineering Design. 3(1,6). Creative application of general engineering knowledge in solving an open-ended design problem provided by a sponsor typically external to the University. Progress is evaluated by a faculty jury. Students present results to the jury and sponsor through written reports and oral presentations addressing University written/oral competency goals. Students must have completed all required 3000-level ME courses before enrolling in this course. Preq: ME 4010 with a C or better. Coreq: ME 4021.

ME 4030: Control and Integration of Multi-Domain Dynamic Systems. 3(3,0).  Introduction of control theory with sensor, actuator, and dynamic plant integration to develop, model, control, and analyze mathematical models of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems. Transient dynamics are determined using analytical and numerical methods with feedback control systems.  Strong emphasis is placed on system design using computer simulation tools. Preq: M E 3050 with a C or better.

ME 4150 / ME H4150: Undergraduate and Honors Undergraduate Research. Variable. Individual research projects to be conducted under the direct supervision and guidance of a faculty member. May be repeated for a maximum of six credits. Preq: Consent of instructor.

ME 4160: Control of Mechanical Systems. 3(3,0). Physical modeling and feedback principles are presented for control of mechanical systems. Transient response, root locus and frequency response principles are applied to the control of basic mechanical systems such as electric motors, fluid tanks, or thermal processes. PID control laws are emphasized.

ME 4170/6170: Mechatronic System Design. 3(2,3). Mechatronics integrates control, sensors, actuators, and computers to create a variety of electro-mechanical products. Includes concepts of design, appropriate dynamic system modeling, analysis, sensors, actuating devices, and real time microprocessor interfacing and control. Laboratory experiments, simulation, and design projects are used to exemplify the course concepts. Preq: ME 3050 with a C or better. Coreq: ME 4171.

Dr. Wagner developed this undergraduate/graduate technical elective course which integrates sensors, actuators, and computers to develop electro-mechanical systems. The class activities include modeling, analysis, sensors, actuators, controllers, and control algorithms. He also created the accompanying Rockwell Automation Educational Laboratory (gift-in-kind program) which features electrical circuits, programmable logic controllers, National Instruments LabView, hydraulic/pneumatic systems, conveyor belts, electric motors, and sensors.

Select experiments in undergraduate/graduate mechatronics system design laboratory

ME 4240: Mechanical Engineering Laboratory IV. 1(0,3). Continuation of ME 323. Mechanical engineering principles and phenomena are reinforced through open-ended, student designed and conducted experiments. Utilization of mature skills in measurement techniques, data analysis, and report writing.

ME 4440: Mechanical Engineering Laboratory III. 2(0,6). Continuation of ME 3330. Mechanical engineering principles and phenomena are reinforced through student conducted experiments. Presentation of fundamentals of instrumentation, calibration techniques, data analysis, and report writing in the context of laboratory experiments. Preq: ME 3330; and MATH 3020 or STAT 4110, each with a C or better. Co-Preq or concurrent enrollment: ME 3060 with a C or better.

Dr. Wagner has championed this revised undergraduate required mechanical engineering laboratory course (transitioned from one to two credit hours) with open-ended team completed experimental investigations that feature mechanical, manufacturing, material science, heat transfer, and control systems with opportunities for numerical simulations using the Matlab/Simulink software package.

Select experiments in senior mechanical engineering laboratory

ME 4930/6930: Mechatronics and Material Handling Systems. 3(2,3). Design, modeling, analysis, and experimental validation of reconfigurable computer controlled manufacturing systems. Classroom activities emphasize collaborative/team building skills, laboratory empowers multi-disciplinary student teams to apply material handling system equipment. Case studies, simulation, laboratory experiments, and design project are used to exemplify the concepts.

A National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored course with laboratory experience that has been developed in collaboration with the Departments of Mechanical, Electrical/Computer, and Industrial Engineering at Clemson University and Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Greenville Technical College. The classroom and laboratory offer students an opportunity to collaborate on engineering technologies with a focus on robotics, networked programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and conveyor systems.

Select experiments in mechatronics and material handling systems laboratory focused on PLC programming and data acquisition

ME 8200: Modern Control Engineering. 3(3,0). State-space approach to analysis of linear dynamic systems and control design, state-space representation, key topics in linear algebra and vector spaces, principles of controllability, observability, stability and performance specification; trade-offs between state variable and transfer function techniques. Observer designs, pole placement and optimal control theory; LQR and Kalman filtering. Preq: ME 8230 or consent of instructor. Students who have not completed ME 8230 but have completed an undergraduate controls course should request a registration override from the instructor.

ME 8230: Control Systems Engineering. 3 (3,0). Physical modeling, mathematical analysis and feedback principles for control of multidisciplinary dynamic systems, including mechanical, electrical, electromechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Transient response, root locus and frequency response principles applied to control of complex dynamic systems. Sensors, actuators and dynamic plant integration to develop, model, control and analyze dynamics systems. Students are expected to have completed an undergraduate course on system dynamics or obtained consent of instructor before enrolling in this course.

ME 8910/9910: Master’s and Ph.D. Research.

Advisor to Clemson’s Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Student Chapter

Purdue University, Kokomo, IN

TG 242: Technical Graphics for Supervisors. 2(1,2). An introduction to commonly encountered technical drawing practices; multiview representation, isometric pictorial, reading drawings, dimensioning practices, and working drawings. Emphasis is on technical graphics as technical communication through freehand sketching.

MET 212: Applications of Engineering Mechanics. 4(4,0). Applications of engineering mechanics are introduced, based on an elementary expansion of Newtonian physics as applied to static and dynamic force systems. Internal stresses and strains produced by these forces in selected machine elements are considered. Work, energy, and power are discussed.

State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

EAS 130: Introduction to Computers in Engineering. 2(2,0). An introduction to the application of computers to engineering problems. The basics of programming including the translation of mathematical expressions into programming statements, branching, looping, indexing, and simple input/output operations are discussed.