The School of Mechanical Engineering of Yanshan University (ME) is originated from the School of Heavy Machinery of Harbin Institute of Technology. In 1958, Harbin Institute of Technology moved the specialties of Steel Rolling, Forging, Metallurgical Equipment, and Machinery Manufacturing to the industrial Fularji District, Qiqihar City, and the School of Heavy Machinery of Harbin Institute of Technology was formally established.

In 1985, in order to benefit social development, YSU took the initiative to set up a branch campus in Qinhuangdao City with the approval of the former Ministry of Machinery Industry, and formed a pattern of running a university in two cities with four departments on two campuses: the Mechanical Engineering Department-1, the Mechanical Engineering Department-2, the Metallurgical Machinery, and the Mechanical Engineering. In 1997, YSU combined the two campuses and renamed as Yanshan University, and ME was formally established.

YSU is the first batch pilot university of Chinese Engineering Academic Programs, and ME's Mechanical Design Manufacturing and Automation is the first pilot specialty of this program. The specialty of Mechanical Design Manufacturing and Automation received the MOE accreditation of Engineering Education in 2012, and reaccreditation in 2015. The specialty of Material Processing was accredited by China Accreditation Engineering Education Association and received Washington Accord experts' field evaluation in 2016. On June 2, China became the 18th full signatory of the Washington Accord, an influential international accreditation agreement for professional engineering academic degrees. ME was awarded one second prize of national-level teaching awards and two first prizes of provincial teaching awards. ME students were honored with 33 first prizes of national-level awards, 47 second prizes of provincial awards among others.