Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

The discipline of mechanical engineering of CUG originated from the specialty of exploration machinery of Beijing College of Geology (the predecessor of CUG) in 1954 and was renamed Mechanical Design and Manufacturing and Its Automation in 1998. In 1994, the master’s program in the second-level discipline of mechanical design and theory was approved; in 2005, the master’s program in the first-level discipline of mechanical engineering was approved; in 2014, the Ph. D. program in the second-level discipline of geological equipment engineering was independently established based on the Ph. D. program in the first-level discipline of geological resources and geological engineering. It ranked 95 (class C) in the Fourth Round China Discipline Ranking and ranked 86 in the Best Chinese Subject Ranking in 2019. In 2019, the specialty of mechanical design and manufacture and its automation based on this discipline was selected as the first-class undergraduate specialty program of “Double-Ten-Thousand Plan” at the state-level.

This discipline is mainly featured in geological engineering and resource exploration equipment technology, mechanism digital synthesis and equipment innovational design theory, and advanced manufacturing technology of gemstones and precious metals. After development for years, the discipline has formed 3 stable major discipline fields (mechanism and dynamics of mechanical system, tribology and surface engineering, micro-electromechanical system and advanced manufacture) and one characteristic discipline field (geological engineering equipment and its automation). It has made great contributions to providing powerful support for the national strategic goals of “Made in China 2025” and “the Belt and Road”, serving the development of geological resources and geological engineering in China, improving the level of equipment manufacturing industry in Hubei province and ensuring the security of national resources.

This discipline possesses many teaching and scientific research platforms such as Key Laboratory of Deep Geodrilling Technology of Ministry of Land and Resources,  National Center for International Research on Deep Drilling Equipment of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Engineering Research Center of Rock-soil Drilling & Excavation and Protection, Ministry of Education,  Hubei Intelligent Geological Equipment Engineering Technology Research Center, and Hubei Jewelry Engineering Technology Research Center. In the past 5 years, it has undertaken more than 200 scientific research projects, such as major international scientific and technological cooperation projects, major national science and technology projects, key R&D programs, and key programs supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China; won 4 science and technology prizes at province and ministry level; published over 200 SCI papers and has been granted over 160 national patents for invention, and more than 20 achievements have been commercialized. The research findings have played an important role in continental and oceanic scientific drilling, natural gas hydrate production test in the South China Sea, trenchless pipe laying engineering, creative design and processing of gemstones, and oil and gas resources exploitation.

With the talents cultivation idea of “high moral character, thick foundation, intensive specialty and unity of knowledge and practice”, it has paid attention to the cross integration between the discipline of mechanical engineering and the one of geological resources and geological engineering and has established the perfect postgraduate education and cultivation system. It has trained many outstanding students, such as Han Lei, model of the Stars of Self-improvement of Chinese College Students (only 10 in China in 2018), and one Winner of 100 Excellent Doctoral Dissertations in China. In recent 5 years, more than 200 graduate students have graduated from master’s and doctor’s degree programs, and the  graduate students have published more than 80 papers as the first author and obtained more than 100 invention patents as the main members. In recent 5 years, it has held 8 international academic conferences, and more than 20 teachers have participated in international academic conferences held abroad; the proportion of postgraduate students participating in international academic exchanges has reached up to 6.19%, and the proportion of domestic academic exchanges has reached up to 100%.

There are 34 full-time faculty members in this discipline, including 6 professors, 26 associate professors and 4 doctoral supervisors. Now it has possessed one team of high-level international supervisors composed of 1 winner of National Outstanding Youth Science Foundation, 1 German Humboldt Scholar, and 2 winners of Hubei Outstanding Youth Science Foundation.