Specialty – Mechanical materials and processes (MMP)

The Mechanical Materials and Processes (MMP) specialty trains engineers who are capable of selecting, designing, and optimizing materials and processes to meet the technological challenges of key sectors such as transportation, energy, and advanced industrial equipment. The program addresses mechanical properties, tribology, durability, and recyclability within an integrated approach, linking design, performance, and environmental impact. Particular attention is given to the specificities of different material families (metals, polymers, and composites), with a focus on shaping, functional adaptation, and surface engineering, all studied in direct relation to the current and future needs of the industry.

Candidater

Guide des UV

Programme

The MMP program trains engineers who are capable of imagining, designing, and optimizing materials and processes at the heart of industrial innovations. It is built on strong foundations in materials strength, computer-aided design (CAD), quality, and project management, enriched by in-depth expertise in materials engineering and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Students develop a thorough understanding of the mechanical and tribological behavior of materials, as well as the links between material formation, microstructure, and properties of metals, polymers, and composites. They are trained in shaping, durability and protection studies, service behavior, and material selection methods, combining practical experimentation with advanced numerical simulation. This holistic approach enables them to design innovative solutions that address the current and future challenges of industry.

Academic staff

The faculty is composed of researchers and professors from the Materials and Surfaces team within the Roberval Mechanics Research Unit. The members of this team are involved in numerous research projects conducted with industrial partners at both national and international levels, ensuring a close alignment between the topics taught in the engineering program and the major technological challenges, both current and future.

Equipment

The MMP specialty offers students access to instrumented mechanical testing machines (tensile testing, fatigue, Charpy impact pendulums, etc.), a molding room (injection, RTM, etc.), tribometers for studying friction and wear, as well as an injection press. The program also provides advanced observation equipment (interferometric optical microscopes and scanning electron microscopes) for detailed analysis of wear and material microstructure, as well as dedicated thermal treatment equipment to modify and optimize material properties. Finally, the program has a fleet of computing stations equipped with simulation software, offering students a comprehensive environment to connect experimentation with modeling.

Internships and industrial relations

Students complete a six-month mechanical engineering internship in the 3^rd semester, allowing them to gain their first general professional experience, followed by a six-month final project (PFE) in the 6^th semester, carried out either in a company or a research laboratory. Thanks to its strong ties with the industrial sector, the program offers numerous opportunities for internships and projects, facilitating a fast and successful professional integration.

International

Students in the MMP specialty are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities for studying abroad, either for academic semesters at partner universities or for internships in a wide range of destinations. These include: Technische Universität Berlin (Germany), Technische Universität Wien (Austria), Glasgow University (UK), Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Barcelona (Spain), Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Rhode Island University (USA), Sherbrooke University, École de Technologie Supérieure Montréal (Canada), Universidade Federal do Paraná, Escola Politécnica São Paulo (Brazil), Arturo Prat University (Chile), KAIST: Korea Advanced Institute of Technology (South Korea), Hong Kong University, UTseuS Shanghai (China), and more.

The MMP specialty also offers the possibility of obtaining a dual degree in collaboration with Cranfield Institute of Technology (UK), Braunschweig University (Germany), University of Zaragoza (Spain), and the Federal and Technology Universities of Curitiba and Itajubá (Brazil).

Around 17% of MMP students spend one semester or more abroad for their final year project. Various final projects have been carried out with industrial partners in Denmark (Siemens), Germany (Airbus), Norway (Schlumberger), the Czech Republic (GE Aviation), among others. Additional projects have taken place in university laboratories, such as Cranfield, Chalmers, and Itajubá.

Career prospects

The MMP specialty prepares engineers for careers where mechanical engineering and materials science are closely intertwined. A significant proportion of graduates are hired for research and development roles, primarily within industrial groups.

Approximately 9% of MMP graduates take their first job abroad.

Key sectors for MMP graduates include aerospace and space industries, mechanical construction, energy and environment, metallurgy, and plastics industries. Some fast-growing fields, such as offshore energy and alternative energy, are also in need of MMP graduates.

This partnership ensures that the MMP program evolves in response to the ever-changing needs of the industry, enhancing the employability of its engineers in leading companies such as Safran, Aubert & Duval, Aircelle, STELIA, Plastic Omnium, Siemens, Vallourec, Alstom, Airbus, Dassault, GDF Suez, Atofina, Camfil, Faurecia, ANF Bombardier, Schlumberger, SBM Offshore, CEA, DCNS, and more.