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Tympanostomy Tube Efficiency Study, Reem Ghumrawi, Kristi Weir
Tympanostomy Tube Efficiency Study, Reem Ghumrawi, Kristi Weir
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The ventilation of the middle ear, crucial for maintaining optimal ear health, is often impeded by factors such as swelling, inflammation, and mucus in the eustachian tubes, particularly during upper respiratory infections or allergies. This issue, prevalent in children due to their narrow and horizontal eustachian tubes, prompts the insertion of tympanostomy tubes by ENT surgeons to establish an alternative airway for pressure equalization and fluid drainage. Despite the common belief in the effectiveness of these tubes, there is a notable dearth of research validating their optimal functionality. This study aims to address this gap by systematically comparing the efficiency …
Optimizing Metal 3d Printing, Abram Brown, Lauren Novak
Optimizing Metal 3d Printing, Abram Brown, Lauren Novak
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Partnered with Lauren Novak we are doing our senior design project on optimizing metal 3D printing with the company nVent. A brief scope of the project is that nVent uses a metal 3D printer to create tooling that is used in a hydraulic pressed and used to create iterations of prototypes during the design process. We will be researching how to decrease the amount the time of the 3D print while doing load tests with vblocks, wiping tools, and a rib tool. The tests will be on the tooling made using different parameters including infill density, infill geometry, wall thickness, …
Extending Trailer, Alex Grove
Extending Trailer, Alex Grove
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The goal of this research project is to revolutionize the convenience in towable transportation. This innovative design aims to enhance the versatility of pull-behind trailers by incorporating an extendable feature, allowing users to effortlessly adjust the length according to their specific needs. Whether navigating tight spaces or accommodating extra cargo, our trailer adapts to diverse situations, providing unmatched flexibility. In addition to its adjustable length, the trailer is engineered to be compactable, addressing the storage constraints often faced by users with limited space. The collapsible design ensures easy storage without compromising on functionality, making it an ideal solution for individuals …
Improving The Peak Performance Lifespan Of A Two-Piece Composite Bat, Angelina Sicurezza
Improving The Peak Performance Lifespan Of A Two-Piece Composite Bat, Angelina Sicurezza
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The push for innovation and enhancement of sports equipment in recent years has led to significant advancements in composite materials. This project aims to propose new design possibilities that will improve the lifespan of a two-piece composite bat. Using finite element analysis (FEA) software, various fiber orientations and materials were modeled and analyzed for their impact response. Two unique quarter-cylinder designs along with a baseline design were modeled with symmetric boundary conditions. The proposed bat deigns include a helicoidal model and a CFRP-Aramid hybrid model. Comparative analysis of the elastic responses revealed that both the helicoidal and hybrid models demonstrated …
Ambient Temperature Strength Degradation Of A Ceramic Matrix Composite Due To Solid Particle Erosion, Jonathan Clawson
Ambient Temperature Strength Degradation Of A Ceramic Matrix Composite Due To Solid Particle Erosion, Jonathan Clawson
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Solid particle erosion (SPE) is an issue for aircraft exposed to hard, fine particles, such as sand or dust, that can be ingested into the engine at a high velocity without reaching their melting point, resulting in material removal. SPE can be attributed to the intake of particulate debris from the runway or from airborne particulates. The cumulative mass loss from SPE damage affects the structural integrity and performance of the engine; however, its effects on ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), that are being employed in the aerospace industry, are not well understood in literature. The limited SPE research studies that …
Materials Testing For Large Format 3d Printing, William Jenkins
Materials Testing For Large Format 3d Printing, William Jenkins
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
An ABS Carbon Fiber blend was printed into single walled hexagons at a variety of settings on a Cincinnati BAAM large format 3D printer. These hexagons were then cut down into sheets and had tensile and flexural test samples cut out of them, in order for materials testing to be performed. Tensile strength, tensile strain, young’s modulus, flexural strength, deflection and elastic modulus were all determined. A desktop CNC machine and a planer were purchased for the manufacturing of these samples, and an efficient cutting procedure was designed and optimized. After all data collection concluded, this data was thoroughly analyzed, …
Stanley Black And Decker Slag Removal Design Project, Colt Hemphill, Kyle Stober, Andrew Raymond, Robert Artrip
Stanley Black And Decker Slag Removal Design Project, Colt Hemphill, Kyle Stober, Andrew Raymond, Robert Artrip
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
My group given the task of designing a system to remove the slag of large metal plates. Removing this slag is an important step in creating the final assembly of a model. Currently we the operators are flipping the plates using a large magnet and crane. The issue that we see with the current method is the risk of injury while having the plate suspended in the air. These plates can reach upwards of 600lbs and poses a serious threat to the operators if the magnet is not secured correctly. Our new system for removing the slag is designed to …
Schaeffler Icvd Coating Machine, Louis Mcgrath
Schaeffler Icvd Coating Machine, Louis Mcgrath
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is mutual technology used to deposit thin film through a gaseous phase by vaporizing the solid materials. This conventional process usually requires high thermal stability of the materials, which is not applicable for most of the polymeric materials. Therefore, a novel process, initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) is developed by introducing the gaseous monument and initiator to form the thin film in-situ. By adjusting the free-radical polymerization in the vapor phase, a variety of thin and uniform polymer films can be achieved. Depending on the chemistry, iCVD has many categories. This report explains the design …
Yankee Feedstock Project, Nathan Mcanany, Richard Gualtiere
Yankee Feedstock Project, Nathan Mcanany, Richard Gualtiere
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This report details the design process, application, considerations, costs, and functionality of an automated tape “feedstock” machine. Yankee Insulation Products will use this project to create rolls of Aluminum foil tape that are included in their Therma-Dome assembly kit. The goal of this design will aid in the streamlining and effectiveness of the current process. When designing the automated process, the current process was evaluated for areas of improvement. Design parameters were also given to the project by the sponsoring company that were to be considered and incorporated.
Porous Bearing Research Rig, Josh Beranek, Hannah Liggett, Jonathan Lemmon, Brandon Allen
Porous Bearing Research Rig, Josh Beranek, Hannah Liggett, Jonathan Lemmon, Brandon Allen
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Our team has decided to continue the research of fluid bearings, specifically, that of the journal and porous bearing. This will continue off of research currently being done at the University of Akron by graduate student Elizabeth Clifford who has developed a mathematical model for a porous bearing. Our job will be to create a testing rig that will be able to either prove or disprove this model. To do this, the rig will need to be able to take measurements of temperature and pressure at key areas within the bearing. It will also need to be readily capable of …
Propulsion Heat Analysis Nuclear Trajectory Optimization (Phantom), Ana Clecia Alves Almeida, Jonathan Davis, Ryan Dippolito
Propulsion Heat Analysis Nuclear Trajectory Optimization (Phantom), Ana Clecia Alves Almeida, Jonathan Davis, Ryan Dippolito
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Interplanetary Travel requirements necessitate the use of increasingly complex propulsion systems. Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) is a cutting-edge concept that holds immense potential for the future of space exploration. By utilizing nuclear fission to heat a propellant and generate thrust, NTP offers the potential for unprecedented efficiency, enabling faster interplanetary travel and extended mission capabilities. A nuclear thermal rocket engine is a type of propulsion system that utilizes the heat generated by a nuclear reactor to heat and expel a propellant, typically hydrogen, at high velocities to produce thrust. The engine consists of three main subsystems: the nuclear reactor, the …
Schaeffler E-Axle Value Engineering, Andrew Powers
Schaeffler E-Axle Value Engineering, Andrew Powers
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This project aims to design a manufacturable E-Axle end housing that improves system performance while reducing cost. The project is focused on utilizing Schaeffler's manufacturing competencies to achieve a simple assembly with a significant reduction in cost per part, while using existing machines or processes within the company. The design development process will follow the conceptual design stage through Finite Element Analysis and classical engineering calculations. Cross-functional design reviews will be conducted to ensure that agreement can be reached on the manufacturing feasibility of the design. Concepts will be entered in a decision analysis sheet to identify the best one …
Short Strand Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polylactic Acid Filament For Additive Manufacturing, Dale Chenoweth, Lukas Seggi, Luke Phillips
Short Strand Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polylactic Acid Filament For Additive Manufacturing, Dale Chenoweth, Lukas Seggi, Luke Phillips
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
In this design project, the additive manufacturing filament of short strand carbon fiber (SSCF) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composite was developed. The micro-size, precision cut SSCFs were mixed with the PLA pellets through a melting homogenization process. Through this process the composite material block is cut and divided into pieces for ease of pelletizing. The material block pieces are then pelletized to be fed through the single screw extruder to develop the SSCF-PLA composite filament. The SSCF-PLA filaments were manufactured with a varying amount of SSCF ranging from 0.5% to 10% of the material block's weight. Development of a 1% …
Battery Dunnage, Paul Hirsch, Alex Cox, Ben Strubbe
Battery Dunnage, Paul Hirsch, Alex Cox, Ben Strubbe
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Schaeffler is launching a new assembly line for a battery in 2025. As part of the project, it is necessary to design and fabricate a reusable dunnage (packaging) specialized for the battery, meant for safe domestic transportation in the United States. Through an iterative process, the team developed a final dunnage design out of steel components that had a maximum footprint of 62 in X 43.5 in X 29.25 in and a weight of 821.682 lbs. The dunnage is stackable on itself up to two high, weighing a total of 4,918.724 lbs. when loaded with four batteries. The design was …
Development Of A Modular Solar Shingle, David Dye, Andrew Schmidt, Mitchell Cozzens
Development Of A Modular Solar Shingle, David Dye, Andrew Schmidt, Mitchell Cozzens
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The goal of this research project is to design, prototype, and test an array of solar roofing shingles using print-in-place principles using an automated circuitry printer and 3D printed components. The shingle shall emphasize ease of installation, maintenance, and affordability in contrast to the current market for solar roofing. The design goal is to develop a manufacturing process to be more cost and time effective than current manufacturing techniques. The prototype will consist of a roof with this system, demonstrating the durability, assembly, and ease of installation. Finally, material/design suitability will be implemented in conjunction with postprocessing techniques to create …
Dome Tester, Clark Bates, Nikolas M. Kulin
Dome Tester, Clark Bates, Nikolas M. Kulin
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
We are reconfiguring and modifying the previously built dome tester to be more user friendly and mechanically applicable. This has a long-term goal of being a usable teaching tool for manufacturing education within the college of engineering and polymer sciences. The dome tester pushes a metal dome into a clamped sheet of metal to test its forming limits and where necking occurs. We have implemented a better method of viewing the sheet sample as it is being deformed, and improved measuring methods for the distance a sample is deformed. By introducing these changes in conjunction with improved documentation of the …
Hendrickson Lift Kit, Matthew Rozmajzl
Hendrickson Lift Kit, Matthew Rozmajzl
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This research project will be completed with Hendrickson Trailer as the sponsor. The goal of the project is to create a lift kit for a newer suspension system. The lift kit must provide enough lift force to lift an axle off the road and suspend it off the road while in transit. There are similar systems offered for different products at Hendrickson, but the configuration of this system is such that new brackets must be designed. The benefit of such a system is a reduction in wear on the lifted tires, and thus an increase in the life of the …
Design Of Force Indicator For Ballistic Armor Trauma Pad, William Keenan, Anthony Cinalli, Patrick Kennedy
Design Of Force Indicator For Ballistic Armor Trauma Pad, William Keenan, Anthony Cinalli, Patrick Kennedy
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The purpose of the Force Indicator for Ballistic Armor Vests is to obtain an approximate value for the impact a bullet delivers through a trauma pad after the Kevlar layer stops the initial bullet. This approximation will be applied in the field to assist in medical treatment of gunshot wounds. The indicator is made from a pressure-sensitive film located behind the Kevlar layer and trauma pad, and it can be easily removed in the field for examination. The impact vest and force indicator are self-contained for ease of implementation. The device will be tested with 9mm, .22 Long Rifle, and …
Frostflex, Isaac Edmondson, Caleb Edmondson, Joey Esker, Nadine Salem
Frostflex, Isaac Edmondson, Caleb Edmondson, Joey Esker, Nadine Salem
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Research has shown that the majority of heat lost during physical exercise leaves the body through the hands, feet, and the face. Our design project seeks to develop cooling glove technology to increase the rate at which heat leaves the body during recovery from physical exertion. The goal of this project was to investigate different ways in which heat absorption through various mediums can be manipulated and scaled into an adaptable, flexible design in which athletes of all levels, from recreational to professional, can improve their physical performance with the use of our gloves. Deliverables include a functional prototype, product …
Nidec Automated Winder, Michael Pugh, Ben A. Swartz, Andrew Leonard, Garrett Dostal
Nidec Automated Winder, Michael Pugh, Ben A. Swartz, Andrew Leonard, Garrett Dostal
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Nidec Drive Systems is a leading electric motor manufacturing company with several facilities in the US and around the world. However, as of recent, Nidec has started to see some signs of old and outdated production machines affecting their production numbers even though the demand for electric is ever increasing. In an attempt to repair some of these issues, Nidec reached out to the University of Akron to look for senior design groups to help design and standardize better production machines. We were tasked with redesigning a new winder, which is a machine that winds the copper coils to the …
Timken Black Oxide False Brinelling Project, Elizabeth Kotzalas
Timken Black Oxide False Brinelling Project, Elizabeth Kotzalas
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
There is a known issue that occurs in wind turbine main shaft bearings, among other bearing types and applications during transportation or while the turbine is powered on, but the bearing is not spinning. This issue is damage that is confined to mostly the raceways but can damage the rollers over time. It is called false brinelling and is a material removal from the raceways due to repeated tiny vibrations of the rollers over the same area. A question was posed on whether black oxide surface treatment could reduce false brinelling wear on bearings in this application, and as a …
The Passing Board, John Fitzgerald
The Passing Board, John Fitzgerald
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
For my Honors Research Project I am taking a more personal route and looking to solve a childhood question/issue by designing a board that is small and easy to transport while also giving the best bounce pass possible. My proposed project would be a board that a soccer player can play a bounce pass onto and receive the ball from. The base of this design sounds simple enough, however, I would like to implement a way that the board can be adjusted to alter the angle of return of the soccer ball after the bounce. I also want to design …
Space Force Design Project, Emily Greene, Ashton Orosa, Julia Patek, Nathan Doty
Space Force Design Project, Emily Greene, Ashton Orosa, Julia Patek, Nathan Doty
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The objective of our research project is to develop a lab testbed composed of a curved surface to represent a spacecraft hull, a mobile robot equipped with repair tools, and a robotic arm equipped with a laser 3D scanner. This project is part of a larger grant to the University of Akron from Space Force and Air Research Labs. The lab testbed developed in this project will be used to assist in creating and testing a software and algorithm to inspect and repair spacecraft while in orbit. The project will involve researching spacecraft hulls to create an accurate simulation bed, …
Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge, Bryce Towne, Ethan Andrews, Carter Moore, Andrew Sobel
Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge, Bryce Towne, Ethan Andrews, Carter Moore, Andrew Sobel
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge is a competition held by the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) that challenges students to create a hydraulically powered vehicle to compete in four different races over two days. The vehicle has to be fully powered by hydraulics, with human power (such as pedaling) being used to move the hydraulic fluid. Electronics and pneumatics can be used to control the flow of the hydraulic oil. Vehicles also must have an energy storage device to take advantage of regenerative braking. The final competition was at the Norgren facility in Colorado from April 12th to April 14th. …
Distillery, Clare Nicholas, Patrick Hanlon
Distillery, Clare Nicholas, Patrick Hanlon
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The goal for this project is to make a cost effective still. We will be implementing cost saving parts to create a cheap but effective still. From initial research conducted, we will try to combine a stainless steel still and copper still together so that the cheaper material (stainless steel) and the component that removes sulfur compounds (copper) are both implemented. The ME side of the project will focus on the actual design and construction of the parts that will be implemented into the still. Included in the design process will be calculations of heat transfer for the current and …
Coaxial Beam Eaxle Modeling And Analysis For Gawr Limits, Alexander Cebriak, Jackson Foster, Chris James
Coaxial Beam Eaxle Modeling And Analysis For Gawr Limits, Alexander Cebriak, Jackson Foster, Chris James
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The goal of this project was to design three different models of a coaxial beam eAxle for a range of electric vehicles. The requirement was to satisfy three different loading conditions, each characterized by a GAWR. These three loading conditions were 3000lb, 7500lb, and 10,000lb. This was done by first creating a model based on a basic outline given by Schaeffler. This model was then analyzed using Ansys®, and then iterated upon by designing new models using the 3D design program Solidworks. The iteration process was continued using more Ansys® analysis, as well as calculations to determine things like bolt …
Recycling Metal Chips Into Usable Materials, Alex Mortensen, Ben Mortensen
Recycling Metal Chips Into Usable Materials, Alex Mortensen, Ben Mortensen
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This report entails the scope, design considerations, and plans for creating a metal chip converter into metal briquettes. The construction is a set of machines with multiple processes to make the conversion happen. The process includes washing fine metal chips, drying them off, compressing them, and melting them down into usable briquettes. This project is intended to make a simple process to recycle metal chips into usable material for reuse. The project's objective is to reduce the costs of storage and recycling waste by offering a solution to recycle it into materials the shop can reuse.
Landing Gear Sealing Solution, Andrew Milligan
Landing Gear Sealing Solution, Andrew Milligan
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
XYZ Landing Gear Solutions has been tasked with redesigning two internal components of the landing gears for the ABC-123 aircraft program. The customer, ABC Aeronautics, informed XYZ Landing Gear Solutions that a particular system of the landing gear does not meet the necessary performance requirements of the program. As a result, the entire system will have to be removed, facilitating the need for a redesign of the two components that the system interfaced with. The focus of this project will be completing the redesign process for both of these components. “Redesign” and “design” will be used interchangeably in this report. …
4wd Baja Upright And Wheel Hub, Nathan Thompson, Jonathan P. Larson, Spencer D. Compan
4wd Baja Upright And Wheel Hub, Nathan Thompson, Jonathan P. Larson, Spencer D. Compan
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The University of Akron Zips Baja Team has switched to a 4-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle as per the 2023 Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) rules. The 2022 Baja Vehicle was 2WD, thus the upright and wheel hub were designed exclusively for a 2-wheel-drive (2WD) Baja vehicle. This report entails the design process and methods of verification for the design of the 4WD upright and wheel hub.
Adjust-A-Ramp, Taylor Sharrits, Courtney Banks, Emily Beck, Jazmin Buenrostro
Adjust-A-Ramp, Taylor Sharrits, Courtney Banks, Emily Beck, Jazmin Buenrostro
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Adjust-A-Ramp is a portable ramp designed to ensure the safety of consumers and prevention of damage to cars, specifically towards low profile cars. A low-profile vehicle includes any vehicle that has a clearance off the ground of 6.5 inches or less. Advantages of low-profile vehicles include improved handling, better braking, increased fuel efficiency, increased stability, and an overall luxury aesthetic. The reduced tire size increases grip on smooth surfaces with better wheel response, creating a fast, more efficient ride. The simple tire tread patterns and the stiff sidewalls allow for lower rolling resistance which increases fuel economy. The Adjust-A-Ramp can …