Since its foundation in 1918 and during the following 45 years it is the development of  Machine-Building Engineering Institute that is inseparable with the name of  V.A. Dobrovolsky, the leading honored Ukrainian Engineer and Researcher in the field of machine parts and general machine building, Honored Science and Engineering worker, who  had been maintaining an active role  in 1918-1919 within the organization of Odessa Polytechnic (former industrial) University and headed it in 1946-1957 as the Director.  V.O. Dobrovolsky was continually in charge of the Department of General Machine Construction (later on of Machines’ Parts), including researches in the field of grippers, worm gearboxes, bearing parts and etc., published more than 160 scientific papers, among which there were 10 fundamental studying guides and this was  for the employment period at Odessa Polytechnic University. 135 thesis works out of 200 defended thesis till 1960 at OPU were devoted to the mathematics of the Department of Machine’s Parts. Prof. V.A. Dobrovolsky is known as the worldwide scientist, top specialist in the field of machine construction who brought out a galaxy of talented researches, trained more than 60 DSc and PhD to build up the framework of Odessa Scientific School of Machine Science  and Engineering   Department (for the present time Machine Construction Institute). K.I. Zablonsky (Rector of OPU in 1969-1985), his student, took over the head position after V.A. Dobrovolsky. Under his charge in 1961-1988 the Department became supporting in Odessa and one of the most leading  in Ukraine; stiffness in machine construction was adopted into a scientific trend. K.I. Zablonsky had  developed  the bases of reasonable constructional design of machines in the realm of machine construction and transmission that were reflected in a great number of  research  works. K.I. Zablonsky provided with 430 scientific works, including 11 monographs and 25 creative works, trained 45 PhD and 5 Doctors of Engineering Sciences.

      Prof. Alexander F. Dashchenko, Honored Science and Engineering worker of Ukraine, Prize winner of Ukraine State Prize in the realm of science and engineer in 2001,  was appointed as the Dean of the Department of Machine Construction and Robot Systems in 1989. Under his sufficient participation  in 1991 the Department of Machine Construction and Robot Systems were reorganized into “Institute of Machine-Building Engineering”.