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Active Car Spoiler, Kaiden Marouf, Connor Mccabe, Shane Nelson
Active Car Spoiler, Kaiden Marouf, Connor Mccabe, Shane Nelson
Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses
This following thesis presents the development and evaluation of an active car spoiler system designed to adjust its angle of attack based on the prevailing driving conditions in real-time. The project aimed to enhance the vehicle's acceleration, handling, and braking, by actively modifying the spoiler's angle of attack to optimize downforce and drag for a variety of driving scenarios. Research was conducted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software and vehicle dynamics modeling to collect precise calculations and results for a number of wind speeds. The analysis process incorporated iterative refinement of the airflow around the spoiler considering factors such as …
Aiaa Design, Build, Fly: Aerodynamics, Julian Brown, Victor Bueno Garcia, Kyle Lam, Keaton Viadro
Aiaa Design, Build, Fly: Aerodynamics, Julian Brown, Victor Bueno Garcia, Kyle Lam, Keaton Viadro
Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses
As part of the Santa Clara University Senior Design Project, the AIAA Design, Build, Fly: Aerodynamics team was responsible for designing and testing the wings, tail, and control surfaces of an aircraft designed to participate in future AIAA Design, Build, Fly competitions. Named Evergreen in honor of professor John J. Montgomery, the unmanned aerial vehicle was designed and constructed in collaboration with the AIAA Design, Build, Fly: Structures and Controls senior design team. Aiming to construct a competitive aircraft for the competition, the team decided that a target weight of approximately 3.5 kg and a cruise speed of 25 m/s …
Aiaa Design, Build, Fly: Structures And Controls, George Simon, Peyton Clark, Gabe Shedid, Jonathan Kleinman
Aiaa Design, Build, Fly: Structures And Controls, George Simon, Peyton Clark, Gabe Shedid, Jonathan Kleinman
Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses
For their Santa Clara University Senior Design Project, this team chose to create an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with the intent of participating in the AIAA Design, Build, Fly competition. Divided into two subteams, Aerodynamics and Structures & Controls, the teams worked together to model and construct a working prototype aircraft. The Aerodynamics team focused on selecting adequate airfoil and wing dimensions for the main wing and tail through the use of aircraft design software and CFD simulations. Aiming at a cruise speed of approximately 25 m/s, the team decided that the NACA 4416 airfoil would be the most suitable, …
Rhea Breast Pump: Implementation Of Biomimicry Technology, Harper Daniels, Leanne James, Laini Reynolds, Courtney Rowe, Julia Yaklich
Rhea Breast Pump: Implementation Of Biomimicry Technology, Harper Daniels, Leanne James, Laini Reynolds, Courtney Rowe, Julia Yaklich
Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses
Rhea Breast Pump is an innovative breast pump that implements biomimicry informed technology for a more efficient and comfortable breastfeeding experience. Our design implements a tongue actuator in conjunction with vacuum to mimic the suckling motion of a baby’s mouth, a heating element for pain alleviation, and a soft flange to maximize comfort. The development of this device is motivated by the goal of empowering women, specifically nursing mothers, to maintain their independence and individuality while raising a family. Our team, consisting of all female engineers, strongly believes in and supports the notion that women can and should have the …
Stabilization Trajectory And Recovery System For High Altitude Weather Balloon Payloads (S.T.A.R.), Robert Canalas, Aaron Juan, Miles Nguyen, James Oblitas, Anne Paloma
Stabilization Trajectory And Recovery System For High Altitude Weather Balloon Payloads (S.T.A.R.), Robert Canalas, Aaron Juan, Miles Nguyen, James Oblitas, Anne Paloma
Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses
Of the 657,000 global balloon launches each year, only 20% of payloads are recovered, leading to unsustainable business and environmental practices. This paper details the development and evaluation of the S.T.A.R. (Stabilization, Trajectory, and Recovery) system, which increases the recovery rate of weather balloon sensors by enabling ideal landing conditions. System testing concludes that S.T.A.R. is capable of housing weather sensors in a fully controllable glider capable of targeted landing. If properly scaled up and redesigned for mass production, the S.T.A.R. system increases weather-sensing equipment recovery for weather-reporting institutions around the world. Although the featured iterations consist of basswood, carbon …
Reactive Particle Swarm Control Architecture And Application For Scalar Field Adaptive Navigation, Shae Taylor Hart
Reactive Particle Swarm Control Architecture And Application For Scalar Field Adaptive Navigation, Shae Taylor Hart
Engineering Ph.D. Theses
Adaptive navigation is a subcategory of navigation techniques that attempts to identify goal locations that satisfy specific criteria in an unknown area. In 2D scalar field adaptive navigation (SFAN), primitives navigate to or along features of interest in an unknown, possibly time-varying, planar scalar field. Features include extrema, contours, and fronts. This work solves the 2D SFAN problem using swarm robotic techniques. Robotic swarms are a subset of multi-robot systems that use decentralized control of simple interchangeable robots to perform collective actions. A subgroup of swarms is the Reactive Particle Swarm (RPS), characterized based on its simplicity, reactivity to its …
Soft Shell Helmet Cover, Jo Espiritu, Caleb Chiang, Jay Laborin, Serry Srouji, Mathew Franke
Soft Shell Helmet Cover, Jo Espiritu, Caleb Chiang, Jay Laborin, Serry Srouji, Mathew Franke
Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses
Lattice structures usage for attenuation is growing in popularity as 3D printing methods allow for the easier production of complex structures. The application of these impact attenuators allows for wider applications that can lead to better products in sports such as football to prevent head trauma. In this paper, we aim to design and test lattice structures to determine a lattice model that best prevents impacts through drop and compression testing to provide an outer layer of protection for football players. Initial validity through finite element analysis provided four potential lattice structures with a single parameter. Physical testing determined the …
Nautilus Rov Robot Manipulator, Dana Stefanides, Jenny Huynh, Andrew Stewart, Steven Reimer, Andrew Nguyen, Rebecca Walters, Matt Hayes
Nautilus Rov Robot Manipulator, Dana Stefanides, Jenny Huynh, Andrew Stewart, Steven Reimer, Andrew Nguyen, Rebecca Walters, Matt Hayes
Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses
Global warming and climate change are prevalent issues in today’s society. As a result, research in the ocean, our world’s biggest ecosystem, is imperative in efforts to protect the environment. Santa Clara University’s Robotic Systems Lab contributes to this field through work and developments on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). An existing ROV system called Nautilus consists of a robot arm, end effector, and storage system in order to collect various types of sediments at a depth of 300 feet. However, the previous system does not meet that requirement. In direct collaboration with researchers within the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, …
Robotic Arm Extrusion End Effector, Nicholas Viamin, David Blouin, Savannah Hunt, Nico Figueroa
Robotic Arm Extrusion End Effector, Nicholas Viamin, David Blouin, Savannah Hunt, Nico Figueroa
Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses
This senior design project aims to enhance the capabilities of the Rotrics AIO Desktop Arm (Dexarm) by designing and implementing an extrusion device capable of smooth and consistent extrusion for 3D printing applications. The project focused on ensuring safety, affordability, and ease-of-use for users, while achieving precise control over the extrusion process. Various mechanical and electrical components were carefully selected to ensure compatibility with the Dexarm and to provide optimal performance. To maintain safety, extensive testing and risk assessments were conducted to minimize any potential hazards associated with the extrusion process. To achieve smooth and consistent extrusion, precise control mechanisms …
Self-Diffusion In Misoriented Aluminum (111) Substrates After Jump-To-Contact, Noah Kane Manuel
Self-Diffusion In Misoriented Aluminum (111) Substrates After Jump-To-Contact, Noah Kane Manuel
Mechanical Engineering Master's Theses
Self-diffusion between misoriented aluminum (111) substrates after jump-to-contact (JC) is studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Diffusive behaviors of three twist misorientation angles, 2.45°, 4.40° and 6.00°, are studied at temperatures ranging from 75% to 95% of the melting temperature of aluminum. The existence of the post-JC interface is found to enhance diffusive behavior of atoms near the interface. The 4.40° misorientation angle has the highest pre-exponential factor of diffusion and the lowest activation energy, when compared to the other angles. For all misorientations the activation energies in the direction perpendicular to the JC interface was found to be the lowest. …