Engineering Commons^™

Energetics And Kinetics Of Dislocation Initiation In The Stressed Volume At Small Scales, Tianlei Li

Doctoral Dissertations

Instrumented nanoindentation techniques have been widely used in characterizing mechanical behavior of materials in small length scales. For defect-free single crystals under nanoindentation, the onset of elastic-plastic transition is often shown by a sudden displacement burst in the measured load-displacement curve. It is believed to result from the homogeneous dislocation nucleation because the maximum shear stress at the pop-in load approaches the theoretical strength of the material and because statistical measurements agree with a thermally activated process of homogeneous dislocation nucleation. For single crystals with defects, the pop-in is believed to result from the sudden motion of pre-existing dislocations or …

Mobility Aid: A Dual Purpose Walker And Scooter, Zack Blois, Robia Choi, Kristin Dills

Mechanical Engineering

The Mobility Aid project was proposed by Theresa Mortilla and Idee Shapiro. The goal of the project was to design and build a device that can quickly and easily transform between a mobility walker and an electric scooter to allow for more freedom of mobility. The inspiration for this project arose from the fact that Theresa suffers from multiple sclerosis in her legs and can only walk for about thirty minutes at a time until she gets too fatigued and must sit down and rest. This device would provide her with the ability to continue moving while giving her legs …

The Quadricycle Hand And Foot Cycle, Marissa Chin, Parker Drennan, Spencer Nelson, Kevin Reidy

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents the design process from concept generation to manufacturing for a hand and foot powered cycle named the Quadricycle. The Quadricycle project is a joint effort at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo between the Mechanical Engineering and Kinesiology Departments. The project objectives are to design a portable cycle that can be powered by hands and feet simultaneously in order to provide recreation and rehabilitation for a person with a disability. This project is funded under a grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Asme Human Powered Vehicle, Benjamin Knaus, Philip Basmadjian, Nick Supat

Mechanical Engineering

Speed Solutions has been contracted to design and build a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) frame and drivetrain for the Cal Poly HPV club to use in their 2011 race season. This project is being funded by the Cal Poly HPV club and their sponsors. The goal is to design, test and build a bicycle frame that the HPV club can attach to a fairing of their design. Primary design considerations will include speed, weight, cost, rider ergonomics, reliability and ease of repair. This vehicle will be used to compete in ASME’s Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) series of races.

Foam Wars Ii, Sumant Advani, Sivadas Menon, Casey Pieplow

Mechanical Engineering

The team producing Foam Wars II consists of three Mechanical Engineering students and five Kinesiology students (three the first two quarters and two the last quarter) at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The project is the second iteration of Foam Wars as a senior project at Cal Poly, sponsored by Dr. Kevin Taylor under the National Science Foundation grant. Persons with disabilities often feel limited when it comes to recreational activities and Foam Wars would provide them with an outlet to interact and engage themselves in a group setting. The game consists of various wheelchair attachments that would …

Use Of A Press-Fit Grip Sleeve For Cable-In-Conduit Superconductor Integration: Effects Of Tensile And Fatigue Loading, Paul Michael Hayes

Masters Theses

Presently, one of the most promising sources for a future of abundant, low-emission, and efficient energy comes in the form of nuclear fusion. However, in order for it to become a reality, fusion technology must overcome the obstacle of plasma confinement. Utilizing the tokomak based design for magnetic plasma confinement; ITER is currently developing a fusion reactor to prove its commercial viability.

The purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility of pulling toroidal field cable with a press-fit grip sleeve that utilizes friction to generate a gripping force. Such a design is being considered by ITER to integrate …

Effect Of Moisture Absorption On The Sinter Quality Of Central Solenoid (Cs) Coil Pack, Zeshaan Sher Mohammed

Masters Theses

Fusion energy has been said to be the solution to all the world’s energy problems. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is the flagship project to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion energy. The Central Solenoid (CS), an important component of the reactor, is needed to induce plasma current, initiate, ramp-up, ramp-down, and sustain plasma in a very controlled manner. In order to achieve this, the CS coil packs must be manufactured under controlled conditions. The CS conductor is an advanced cable-in-conduit Nb3Sn superconductor. The CS cable will be made in long continuous sections but with thousands of meter of cable …

Solid Target System For Use On An 11 Mev Cyclotron, Andrew Carl Williamson

Masters Theses

Molecular imaging is becoming an important contributor to the development of personalized medicine. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a technology that enables molecular imaging by allowing a physician to detect and map the location of various physiological processes. The purpose of this work is to design, fabricate and test a mechanism that would make the production of the PET isotope, copper-64 practical for both researchers and commercial suppliers. In order to have the maximum usefulness, the design needs to fit and operate within several constraints. A one dimensional thermal analysis indicated that operation of the system under existing cooling conditions …

A Study Of Golf Club Head Kinematics Near Impact, Stephen James Murphy, David Wadsworth Lavelle, Kevin Philip Melancon

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Do Surfaces With Mixed Hydrophilic And Hydrophobic Areas Enhance Pool Boiling?, Amy Rachel Betz, Jie Xu, Huihe Qiu, Daniel Attinger

Daniel Attinger

We demonstrate that smooth and flat surfaces combining hydrophilic and hydrophobicpatterns improve pool boiling performance. Compared to a hydrophilicsurface with 7° wetting angle, the measured critical heat flux and heat transfer coefficients of the enhanced surfaces are, up to respectively, 65% and 100% higher. Different networks combining hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions are characterized. While all tested networks enhance the heat transfer coefficient, large enhancements of critical heat flux are typically found for hydrophilic networks featuring hydrophobic islands. Hydrophilic networks indeed are shown to prevent the formation of an insulating vapor layer.

Comparative Corrosive Characteristics Of Petroleum Diesel And Palm Biodiesel For Automotive Materials, Haseeb Asma

Haseeb ASMA

Corrosive characteristics of biodiesel are important for long term durability of engine parts. The present study aims to compare the corrosion behavior of aluminum, copper and stainless steel in both petroleum diesel and palm biodiesel. Immersion tests in biodiesel (B100) and diesel (B0) were carried out at 80 degrees C for 1200 h. At the end of the test, corrosion characteristic was investigated by weight loss measurements and changes on the exposed metal surface. Surface morphology was examined by optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDS). Fuels were analyzed by using TAN analyzer. FTIR, GCMS …

Sae Baja: Final Drive Gearbox, Michael Mccausland, Michael Watkins, Ian Masterson, Andrew Sommer

Mechanical Engineering

This paper presents the results of a manual transmission project for SAE Baja. A full engineering process is documented, including problem definition, scheduling, conceptualization, decision theory, synthesis, analysis, manufacturing, and testing. A comparison is made between existing and potential mechanical power train solutions. The final design is analyzed in dynamic simulations, AGMA stress, predicted FFT spectrums, and shifting rod buckling. A number of complicated parts are manufactured through investment casting and direct CNC machining. Issues in the final assembly have prevented the project from being fully realized, recommendations are made for future SAE Baja teams.

Energetyka Niskoemisyjna, Wojciech M. Budzianowski

Wojciech Budzianowski

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A Conrad Probe On A Boundary Layer Measurement System, Charles Rocky Ulk

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design, calibration, and performance evaluation of a type of two-hole pressure probe anemometer known as a Conrad probe, as well as its subsequent implementation on an autonomous, compact boundary layer measurement device and its first application for subsonic in-flight measurements of a swept wing boundary layer. Calibration of the Conrad probe was accomplished using two calibration functions and a non-nulling method for resolving in-plane flow velocity direction and magnitude over a range of ±30 degrees. This approach to calibration and application offered the advantages of rapid data acquisition with lower energy consumption than alternative methods for …

Adapted Paddle Launch Vehicle, Duane Menton, Erik Granstrom, Matthew Resendez, Shannon Crilly

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Water Conservation Device, Michael Eichermueller, Michael (Mike) Moren, Florian Liefhold, Philipp Von Vopelius, Christoph Wagner, Tommy Stendel, Jacob Venzor

Mechanical Engineering

The Water Conservation Project (WCP) is a design concept to reduce the water consumption on startup of a shower. Every time a shower is started with a conventional tank water heater, approximately 7.5 liters of cold water is flushed down the drain without being used before the hot water reaches the faucet. For a city the size of San Luis Obispo, this amounts to approximately 121 million liter of water per year. The main goal of this project was to devise a way to conserve the cold water that is contained in the hot water pipes before every shower. Ultimately, …

Equine Hoof Block, Aaron Murano, Jason Smith

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Ground Support Equipment For Northrop Grumman Massive Heat Transfer Experiment, Michael A. Manuel, Christopher J. Sparber, Greg A. Trent

Aerospace Engineering

California Polytechnic State University students designed, built, and certified ground support equipment for the Northrop Grumman Massive Heat Transfer Experiment. The Cal Poly design team built the 10000, 20000, and 30000 assemblies to meet Northrop Grumman requirements. The requirements included interface limitations, design load factors, delivery, and testing specifications. The design process consists of requirements generation, conceptual design, preliminary design, design reviews, manufacturing, and certification. The hardware was successfully completed and is used at the Johnson Space and Kennedy Space Center.

Final Design Report: Vibration Table For Cvbt- Vt4 Design Team, Thomas Bevan, Matthew Laurino

Mechanical Engineering

CVBT (Center for Vocational Building Technology) teaches villagers in Northeastern Thailand how to make various concrete products. Many of these products require the use of a vibration table in order to remove air and water trapped within the concrete. Removal of these voids improves the outside surface of the molded concrete, and also allows the use of a lower water to cement ratio, allowing a much stronger finished product. The currently used vibration table (VT3) has several disadvantages associated with it, which the new table (VT4) eliminates. Compared with the VT3, the VT4 has a more rigid tabletop and improved …

Pg&E Flow Loop Simulator, Cole Brooks, Seth Berger, Ben Thacker

Mechanical Engineering

PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant requested a full-sized Flow Loop Simulator to train technicians by giving them hands-on experience. The basic design requirements were established to determine the scope of the project and develop the specific characteristics of the system. The detailed system design is composed of a piping schematic, a three-dimensional layout of the system components and piping, and a skid structure for the support and transportation of the system. Heat transfer and fluid mechanics were used to analyze the system to size components.

Human Powered Helicopter, Brenton Haven, Daniel Hudson, Eli Knight

Mechanical Engineering

Fall of 2009, The Cal Poly Aircraft Construction club restarted Cal Poly's quest for the Sikorsky prize. The Sikorsky prize rewards the first a human powered helicopter to sustain controlled hover for one minute without stored energy. Throughout the 1980’s, Cal Poly made three attempts; the most successful being the DaVinci III. Also, the DaVinci III was the first ever publically recognized successful human powered helicopter to leave the ground. This scope of this project is to improve the DaVinci III fuselage and drivetrain for the DaVinci IV. The DaVinci IV adopts the DaVinci III system layout and improves both …

Solar Array Suspension Mechanism Final Design Report For Atk Space, Alex Gould, Randon Kruse, Jeremy Graul, Patrick Barney

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this project is to improve the existing Solar Array Suspension Mechanism used by ATK Space for the manufacturing and testing of deployable solar arrays. The current system requires too much time to operate and has too many removable parts that may fall and damage the solar arrays. Through the design and verification process the team successfully constructed a quick connecting suspension mechanism that requires no tools to use and has no removable parts. The final design includes the existing force gauge and large adjustment bars used by ATK Space with the addition of a compression spring adjustment …

Improved Commuter Rail Workstation Table Through Crash Energy Management, Trevor Ness, Brandon Baker

Mechanical Engineering

Workstation tables in commuter rail trains have been identified as an area for improving passenger safety during train collisions. The goal of this senior project was to create such a table using a composite sandwich structure designed to safely absorb energy. Testing of previous table designs was used to establish engineering specifications for the static loading, work surface durability, and impact performance requirements of the new table. Analytical and finite element models were used to analyze new concepts until a design was achieved that could meet all specifications. The tabletop developed consists of a crushable aluminum honeycomb core with fiberglass …

Cal Poly Formulasae Engine Development, Matthew Ales, Rafael Mendoza, Mitchell (Mitch) Thomas, Leon Vinokurov

Mechanical Engineering

This project, engine development, was sponsored by Cal Poly FormulaSAE. The FormulaSAE team proposed this project in order to have a more reliable and more powerful engine for their car, to improve their overall performance at their competition. The baseline output of the engine is 37 hp and 24 lb-ft of torque. The goal of this project was to increase the output to 45 hp, to meet requirements determined by a trade study. We planned to increase the engine’s output using several strategies.

We evaluated all potential design decisions using a Ricardo WAVE model. Ricardo WAVE is a software tool …

Traversing Probe Assembly, Josh Bugni, Andrew Sofranko

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Composite Suspension For Formula Sae Vehicle, Reid Olsen, Andrew Bookholt, Eric Melchiori

Mechanical Engineering

This senior project report describes how a redesign of the 2008 Cal Poly Formula SAE vehicle's suspension components was conducted using carbon fiber components.

Supermileage Seat And Wheel Development And Production: Final Report, James Casey Alvernaz, Verent Chan, Brian Hamstrom, David Lewis, James Sciaini

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents the design and manufacturing efforts of the Cal Poly senior project team Central Coast Composites. It details the design, analysis and manufacturing of a composite seat and wheels for the Cal Poly Supermileage team. It further outlines suggestions for future efforts to manufacture composite wheels for Cal Poly Supermileage team's Urban Concept Vehicle.

Flying Blanket, Keane Daquioag, Ryan Grable, Eric Reynolds, Kaitlin Spak

Mechanical Engineering

This report contains the design plan for PolyNet Design’s Senior Design Project. The PolyNet Design team comprises four mechanical engineering seniors who created a prototype for Raytheon Missile Systems. The overall goal of this project was to create a system that will launch a blanket from a packaged and folded state to an unfurled state and then securely wrap the blanket around a target. The team began with five initial concepts, and chose the Four-Rod model as their first construction concept. Construction of the Four Rod model evolved through several design iterations. The team tested the final prototype extensively, using …

Turbine House: A Net-Zero Energy House, Karen E. Hernandez

Honors Capstone Projects - All

Current use of fossil fuels has raised adverse problems in today’s society. The biggest one of them is the climate change caused by emissions of greenhouse gases. For this reason, renewable energies, or energy flows which are replenished at the same rate as they are used, are needed to reduce carbon emissions in the range of 60-80% by the end of the twenty-first century. [1] Energy used in houses nationwide contributes to 16% of generated greenhouse gas emissions. [3] This large percentage of greenhouse emissions could be reduced by designing and developing energy efficient houses, or net-zero energy houses, such …

Evaluation Of Quasi-Static Indentation Damage In Aluminum Honeycomb Core - Graphite/Epoxy Sandwich Structures, David Eisenberg

Honors Capstone Projects - All

Sandwich composites utilize a low density core and relatively stiff face sheets. These structures are ideal for applications that require high compressive strength, high bending stiffness, and very low weight such as aerospace vehicles. However, one problem with sandwich composites is their susceptibility to low velocity impact damage. Low velocity impacts result in both external damage, in the form of dents, and internal damage, in the form of core crushing, face sheet delaminations (two adjacent plies separating from one another), fiber fractures and matrix cracks. In general, it is assumed that visibly evident damage will be repaired. Barely visible impact …