Engineering Commons^™

Modeling And Simulation Of The Thermoforming Process In Thermoplastic-Matrix Composite Materials, Philip M. Bean

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thermoplastic-matrix composite materials have unique advantages over traditional thermosets including faster processing, improved fracture toughness, and recyclability. These and other benefits have caused increasing interest in the use of these materials in both aerospace and automotive industries. Due to the differences in behavior, these materials require a different type of manufacturing process to thermoset matrix composites. This manufacturing process generally involves using pre manufactured tape-layers. These layers, containing both thermoplastic-matrix and fiber-reinforcement, are aligned to the desired orientation, and stacked up into a “tailored blank” using an automated tape layup machine. They are then heated to the thermoplastic melting temperature …

Development Of A Rapid Fatigue Life Testing Method For Reliability Assessment Of Flip-Chip Solder Interconnects, Cody Jackson Marbut

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The underlying physics of failure are critical in assessing the long term reliability of power packages in their intended field applications, yet traditional reliability determination methods are largely inadequate when considering thermomechanical failures. With current reliability determination methods, long test durations, high costs, and a conglomerate of concurrent reliability degrading threat factors make effective understanding of device reliability difficult and expensive. In this work, an alternative reliability testing apparatus and associated protocol was developed to address these concerns; targeting rapid testing times with minimal cost while preserving fatigue life prediction accuracy. Two test stands were fabricated to evaluate device reliability …

All-Terrain Storage Surfboard Carts, Ben M. Kennedy, Danny Riedeman, Roberto Gonzalez

Mechanical Engineering

All Terrain Storage consists of three mechanical engineering students: Roberto Gonzalez, Ben Kennedy, and Danny Riedeman. The goal of All Terrain Storage is to design and create two portable storage devices for the non-profit organization AmpSurf. AmpSurf helps veterans, people with disabilities, and anyone else who could be helped through adaptive surfing and other outdoor activities. Their current method of storing and transporting equipment for events is carrying it from the trailer in the parking lot through the sand onto the beach. This document will provide: a more thorough introduction to AmpSurf and the project, the objectives, background information, the …

Process-Property-Microstructure Relationships In Laser-Powder Bed Fusion Of 420 Stainless Steel., Subrata Deb Nath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) is an additive manufacturing technique for fabricating metal components with complex design and customized features. However, only a limited number of materials have been widely studied using L-PBF. AISI 420 stainless steel, an alloy with a useful combination of high strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance, is an example of one such material where few L-PBF investigations have emerged to date. In this dissertation, L-PBF experiments were conducted using 420 stainless steel powders to understand the effects of chemical composition, particle size distribution and processing parameters on ensuing physical, mechanical and corrosion properties and microstructure in comparison …

Photochemical Etching Of Nitrided Stainless Steel Piston Rings, Steven Sonntag

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Piston rings are designed to provide a seal between the piston and the cylinder wall of internal combustion engines, keeping oil from the crankcase from getting into the combustion chamber. This means piston rings are the main point of contact between the piston and the cylinder wall, which causes the piston to experience high amounts of friction and wear. By texturing the surfaces of the cylinder wall and/or the piston ring, the amount of contact area can be reduced, allowing for less friction, slower wear, and better gas mileage. In this thesis experiments, photochemical etching processes were developed to etch …

Optimization Of The Practice Of Slow Cooling Steel Bars: A Redesign And Modernization Of Materials, Eryn Johnston

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Throughout the process of steel making, certain grades of steel are a higher risk for defects caused by the inability to quickly diffuse hydrogen through the steel when cooled to room temperature at a normal rate based on the ambient air temperature. To reduce the hydrogen flaking defects that are caused due to hydrogen entrapment in the steel, the process of slow cooling is utilized. This process reduces the cooling rate of steel bars by keeping them at a higher temperature for extended periods and in turn gives the hydrogen a chance to fully dissipate from the steel. In many …

A Scalable, Chunk-Based Slicer For Cooperative 3d Printing, Jace J. Mcpherson

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cooperative 3D printing is an emerging technology that aims to increase the 3D printing speed and to overcome the size limit of the printable object by having multiple mobile 3D printers (printhead-carrying mobile robots) work together on a single print job on a factory floor. It differs from traditional layer-by-layer 3D printing due to requiring multiple mobile printers to work simultaneously without interfering with each other. Therefore, a new approach for slicing a digital model and generating commands for the mobile printers is needed, which has not been discussed in literature before. We propose a chunk-by-chunk based slicer that divides …

A Systematic Approach To High Blood Pressure Risk Analysis And Healthcare Cost Reduction In Young Adults [Metodología Sistemática Para El Análisis De Riesgo Y Reducción De Costos De Servicios Médicos De Hipertensión En Adultos Jóvenes], Francisco Rafael Torres Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to utilize publicly available data to estimate the current rate of occurrence of undiagnosed High Blood Pressure (HBP) in young adults (18 to 24 years old) and the out-of-pocket healthcare expenses associated with complications of HBP, to provide feasible alternatives to mitigate the effects on a region's economy. This has been done by building a Risk Factor Simulation Model that utilizes known HBP risk factors’ correlation to HBP, insurance coverage data, and rate of diagnosis to formulate the average Risk Factor Value for a region, which through an Annual Expected Cost Function estimates the …

Reinventing The Wheel, Esther K. Unti, Ahmed Z. Shorab, Patrick B. Kragen, Adam M. Menashe

Mechanical Engineering

Reinventing the Wheel selected tires and designed wheels for the 2018 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Formula SAE combustion vehicle. Available tire options were evaluated for steady-state and transient performance as well as vehicle integration. A single-piece composite wheel with hollow spokes was designed to meet stiffness, strength, and tolerance requirements. A detailed study of wheel loading and geometric structural efficiency was performed. Finite element analysis was used to iterate the geometry and laminate. A two-piece male mold was designed and machined to manufacture the wheel. Removable silicone inserts were used to create the hollow spokes.

Single Arm Recumbent Bicycle, Alexander Borsotti, Ryan Westermann, Sean Liston

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of this report is to outline and cover the scope of work for the Single Arm Recumbent Bicycle Senior Project. The report will give an introduction of the problem, a background of the existing research or products relating to our project, the objectives of our project, our project management plan, our final design, manufacturing, testing, our project management, and final recommendations for improving the final design. The team is being supported by the Quality of Life Program, a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of those injured in duty while serving our nation.

Up until now, …

Daimscale — 1:14th Tractor-Trailer For Testing Driver Assistance Technology, Christopher Marrale, Jase Sasaki, Devin Bodmer

Mechanical Engineering

Active driver assistance systems are becoming increasingly wide-spread throughout the automotive industry due to their potential for safer roads and decreased costs of transportation, but testing these systems on real trucks can be time consuming, dangerous, and costly. Testing these systems on a small-scale tractor-trailer combination will lead to faster and more efficient development of driver assistance systems and can be used by both engineers and students, leading to a larger field of experienced developers to improve these systems.

Our goal will be to design, manufacture, and build a scale 6x2 model of the tractor portion of a Daimler semi-truck …

Model-Based Predictive Analytics For Additive And Smart Manufacturing, Zhuo Yang

Doctoral Dissertations

Qualification and certification for additive and smart manufacturing systems can be uncertain and very costly. Using available historical data can mitigate some costs of producing and testing sample parts. However, use of such data lacks the flexibility to represent specific new problems which decreases predictive accuracy and efficiency. To address these compelling needs, in this dissertation modeling techniques are introduced that can proactively estimate results expected from additive and smart manufacturing processes swiftly and with practical levels of accuracy and reliability. More specifically, this research addresses the current challenges and limitations posed by use of available data and the high …

Electroplating Of Copper On Tungsten Powder, Richard Berdos

Masters Theses

Strengthening, resistant and shielding properties, to name a few, can be achieved by implementing a surface material coating onto an engineering component. Various elements of these compounded parts can augment the functionality of the part, such as, increased life time and more interactive surfaces. Tungsten has proven to be a challenge to plate with other metals, but if done correctly, the results can allow for the cold spray of tungsten. Cold spraying tungsten particles alone provides a challenge because the powder is too hard and instead of adhering, it erodes the surface it is attempting to plate. Coating tungsten in …

Thermo-Physical Modelling And Experimental Analysis Of The Laser-Material Interactions During Cw Laser Polishing, Shirzad Mohajerani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Laser polishing (LP) represents one of the finishing/superfinishing technologies that has experienced a rapid growth over the past two decades. However, while undeniable progress has been achieved on the experimental and/or practical side, the development of the mathematical models continue to be somewhat slower and still dominated by significant simplifying assumptions.

To address this research gap, after identification of underlying thermo-physical processes during LP through a comprehensive literature review, two CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) models are developed to simulate the laser-material interactions and eventually predict the final geometry of the irradiated surface. In this context, a 3D CFD model is …

Feasibility Of Hybrid Thermoplastic Composite-Concrete Load Bearing System, Camerin M. Seigars

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thermoplastic composites have many advantages over thermoset composites such as being recyclable, rapidly manufacturable, and more impact resistant. The goal of this thesis is to assess the feasibility of using thermoplastic composites in structural applications through literature review, mechanical testing, design of a load-bearing hybrid composite-concrete structures, and the implementation of thermoplastic composites for tensile reinforcement of concrete. The study had four objectives covering the stated goal.

1. Conduct a literature review to direct thermoplastic material selection
2. Characterize thermoplastic material mechanical properties using standardized mechanical testing
3. Design a hybrid composite-reinforced concrete beam, and
4. Develop thermoplastic shear connectors to develop composite action …

Design Survey Of Laminated Composite I-Beam, Mrinmoy Saha

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Composite I-beams are popular for high-strength low-weight applications. Learning the macro-mechanics and designing the composite I-beam properly are necessary. In this report, a design overview of the composite I-beam is discussed which is based on classical lamination theory where it includes the homogenization approach, the plane stress assumption and the Kirchhoff hypothesis. Using these assumptions, a method was developed to come up with the effective material properties of a beam. Formulas to calculate maximum deflection and maximum bending stress and shear stress and the stress concentration at the connection of web-flange are discussed which describe ways for designing and manufacturing …

Microstructure And Mechanical Properties Of Selective Laser Melted Superalloy Inconel 625., Md Ashabul Anam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Selective Laser Melting (SLM), a powder based Additive Manufacturing (AM) process, has gained considerable attention in the aerospace, biomedical and automotive industries due to its many potential benefits, such as, capability of fabricating complex three-dimensional components, shortened design to product time, reduction in process steps, component mass reduction and material flexibility. This process uses metallic powder and is capable of fabricating complex structures with excellent microstructure which make SLM not only an improvement over other manufacturing processes but also innovative material processing technology. Inconel 625, a nickel-based super alloy is widely popular in aerospace, chemical and nuclear industries. This alloy …

Modeling And Validations Of Control Parameters For Material Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Of Thixotropic Aluminum Alloys., Lars Herhold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing (AM) with metals has been accomplished mainly through powder bed fusion processes. Initial experiments and simulations using Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (MEAM) have been performed by various researchers especially using low melting alloys. Recently Stratasys Inc. submitted a patent application for the use of their Material Extrusion technology also called Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) where they describe the process using thixotropic semi-solid alloys. Currently this process using semi-solid, engineering type alloys such as A356 or THIXALLOY 540 aluminum have not been researched to evaluate the control parameters. This research combines the in-depth knowledge of applying thixotropic semi-solid aluminum …

High Strain Rate Dynamic Response Of Aluminum 6061 Micro Particles At Elevated Temperatures And Varying Oxide Thicknesses Of Substrate Surface, Carmine Taglienti

Masters Theses

Cold spray is a unique additive manufacturing process, where a large number of ductile metal micro particles are deposited to create new surface coatings or free-standing structures. Metallic particles are accelerated through a gas stream, reaching velocities of over 1 km/s. Accelerated particles experience a high-strain-rate microscopic ballistic collisions against a target substrate. Large amounts of kinetic energy results in extreme plastic deformation of the particles and substrate. Though the cold spray process has been in use for decades, the extreme material science behind the deformation of particles has not been well understood due to experimental difficulties arising from the …

Identification System For Heart Valve Manufacturing, Nicholas Robert Jensen, Edgar Davis Nix, Judith Evelyn Gonzalez, Albert Austin Liddicoat

Mechanical Engineering

Abstract withheld due to NDA constraints

Farmbot Trackless Redesign, Cole Thomas, Cailey Kamm, Clayton Alderson, Otto Akerstrom

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

For this project the team PLANT3D worked along with Rory Aronson and FarmBot to generate a cheaper more user-friendly design for the FarmBot Genesis 1.3. Working with Rory and FarmBot, we as a team generated a list of design requirements and engineering specifications for the project. These requirements centered around creating a more accessible FarmBot model for the average person to be able to purchase and set up with ease. Much of this required taking the existing system and eliminating the most common problem areas. These were the track system, built using 1.5 meter aluminum extrusions and the complex interchangeable …

Fixing Vertebral Compression Fractures With Medtronic, Kelly Fitzgerald, Trevor Bingham, Alex Denbaugh, Jordan Tang, Jon Stearns

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

No abstract provided.

High Bay Capacity Utilization Tool, Dante C. Mazzanti, Skyler L. Schilke, Conner P. Lawston

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Northrop Grumman’s Space Park facility has many inefficiencies in their high bay scheduling processes. Additionally, it is very hard for project managers to figure out the capabilities of each high bay in order to schedule their specific project. The purpose of this project is to develop a tool that can be used across the facility to easily create projects, assign projects, view room capabilities, and view a master schedule of the rooms. After researching commercially available tools, our approach to designing this system was to use tools that are already utilized at the facility (Microsoft Suite and Tableau) and engineer …

The Pad Route Setting Process Design, Katherine M. Peterson, Dylan C. Breitenbucher

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

This study took place at The Pad Climbing, a rock climbing gym in San Luis Obispo. The problem was that the process of setting new climbing routes was time - consuming and potentially dangerous. This resulted in lower capacity, high labor costs, decreased customer satisfaction, and safety risk for employees and customers. The objective of this study was to analyze the route setting process and identify areas of waste and danger, then to redesign the process to improve these areas. Techniques such as time studies, Pareto charts, and process flow mapping were used to analyze the existing process. A new …

Design And Testing Of A Hands-Free Toilet Seat Opener/Closer, Jordan Benjamin Schaeffer

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

People tend to get frustrated when the toilet seat must be moved up or down before use. Men and women often leave the toilet seat in different positions when finished which can cause problems when men and women use the same bathroom. With gender neutral bathrooms gaining in popularity, this frustration will only increase. The objective of this project was to design and test a hands-free system to allow a user to quickly and easily open or close a toilet seat. For the product to be viable, it will have to be durable and easy to clean around, while also …

Solar Electric Immersion Heating Element Fabrication, Logan V. Kregness

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Believing that cooking with flame is cheaper and more efficient than cooking with electricity, Ugandan citizens have exposed themselves to several health and safety risks, including major respiratory issues through harmful emissions, pollution, and the burning down of many homes. Even though solar electric cooking is cheaper and healthier than cooking with flames in the long run, many Ugandans lack the resources to invest in cooking with electricity.

The Solar Stove student research team, led by Dr. Pete Schwartz, partnered with Aid Africa to bring solar panels and prototype solar electric cooking units to villages in Uganda. Observing how their …

Connected Alerts Across Manufacturing Facilities, Jordan J. Moy

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The lack of communication during a large project can result in costly delays when striving to achieve previously defined benchmarks. Often times, each part of a project will require verification from an employee of a specified area of expertise before being allowed to advance to the next stage. Finding these individuals can be extremely hard due to the large, spread out campus of manufacturing facilities as well as the numerous projects the company is concurrently working on. These floor support requests can sometimes take from an hour to even a whole work day, causing major delays in the production schedule. …

Process Improvement At "The Manse On Marsh", Kevin C. Manko

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The Manse on Marsh is an independent and assisted living facility that prides itself on providing life-enriching care for the elderly. Considering that the staff is essential to supply this care and turnover rates are a constant factor, the company would like to reduce the time it takes to hire new employees by at least one week. To facilitate this goal, process flow maps are utilized to assess the current state of the hiring process and metrics are applied to support future state design decisions. After performing a value added analysis and identifying areas of waste, a total of 20 …

Atlas Copco Mafi-Trench Co. Inventory Management, Logan E. Barr, Sean P. Mcgaffigan

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

This Senior Project Report includes three areas of focus pertaining to the inventory management practices of Atlas Copco Mafi-Trench Company (ACMTC) - cycle counting, ergonomics, and material purchasing. Various literature reviews as well as an analysis of the current state led to the project objectives. First, reduce time spent on the non-value added process of cycle counting. Second, eliminate the ergonomic hazard presented by the heavy inventory bins. Lastly, diminish the totals costs associated with inventory (ordering + carrying). The project objectives spurred numerous alternatives and a few specific deliverables. The creation of a ‘Small Parts Cycle Count’ Excel file …

Facilities Redesign Of Stockroom At Elcon Precision, David M. Brawner, Tyler O. Mastromattei, Jay Y. Matsumoto

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Elcon Precision is a company based out of San Jose, California specializing in the photochemical processing of materials and brazing of metals and ceramics for a variety of different industries. Three students from the Industrial Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo were contacted by Elcon Precision to help redesign their stockroom and inventory areas in their San Jose location in order to allow for the future growth of the company. Elcon asked the Cal Poly project team to help increase efficiencies throughout the stockroom by creating an alternative layout that best suited the company's needs. This …