Engineering Commons^™

Design And Prototyping Of An Adjustable Putter, Daulton Morgan

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Being able to demo a golf putter is essential for a golfer since the feel of the putter is critical in determining what suits the golfer best. Due to the market being primarily dominated by right-handed players, it is difficult for left-handed players to demo high quality putters since the selection is sparse.

This report is about designing and integrating an interchangeable fastening system that allows a putter to be altered between a right and left-handed orientation, while still maintaining the traditional look of a putter. The report covers the necessary design steps, the prototyping of the putter, the projected …

Optimal Design Of Automotive Exhaust Thermoelectric Generator (Aeteg), Hassan Fagehi

Masters Theses

A consumption of energy continues to increase at an exponential rate, especially in terms of automotive spark ignitions vehicles. About 40% of the applied fuel into a vehicle is lost as waste exhaust to the environment. The desire for improved fuel efficiency by recovering the exhaust waste heat in automobiles has become an important subject. The thermoelectric generator (TEG) has the potential to convert exhaust waste heat into electricity as long as it is improving fuel economy. The remarkable amount of research being conducted on TEGs indicates that this technology will have a bright future in terms of power generation. …

A Genetic Algorithm Incorporating Design Choice For The Preliminary Design Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Kenneth Michael Mull

Masters Theses

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are currently at the forefront of aerospace technologies. The design of these aircraft is complex and often performance characteristics are coupled to multiple design attributes. At the early design phase both discrete and continuous design choices are present limiting the feasibility of traditional derivative based optimization techniques. In place of these methods, the design space can be explored using a genetic algorithm that mimics the process of natural selection, providing a capable and reliable base airframe constructed from the required performance metrics. By incorporating a genetic multidisciplinary optimization algorithm early in the conceptual design phase, aircraft …

Design And Validation Of An Electro-Hydraulic Pressure-Control Valve And Closed-Loop Controller, Jerry Boza

Dissertations

Electro-hydraulic pressure-control valves are used in many applications, such as manufacturing equipment, agricultural machinery, and aircrafts to name a few. They are often used to actuate hydraulic clutches, such as those found in power shift transmissions. A traditional pressure-control valve with open-loop control algorithm is typically used in clutch applications. This scheme often results in inconsistent or undesirable system behavior due to the nature of open-loop control as well as the nonlinear system dynamics and uncertainties.

In this research two new electro-hydraulic pressure-control valves were designed in order to decouple the valve and control port (hydraulic) dynamics. This was achieved …

Design For Manufacturability: Off-Road Toyota Bumper, Drew Donlon

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The purpose of this project is to design a new off-road bumper that is improved from the stock form of a 1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner and a 1996-2004 Toyota Tacoma. The current state of the component is too weak to endure to off-road endeavors, and a kit bumper market is virtually untapped for these vehicles. The objectives of this project were met by redesigning the stock front bumper, conducting a finite element analysis on the model to test for strength, prototyping the bumper with CNC cut cardboard, and conducting a full cost analysis including the costs for waterjet and laser cutting …

Automated Bearing Press, David Baker, David Brock, Engelbert Diec

Mechanical Engineering

Our group was presented with a challenge to design an automated machine to replace Micro-Vu’s current manual pressing operation. We moved, planned, and scheduled our tasks for the three quarters we will be working on this project by using a Gantt chart. In designing the machine, we generated concepts and used analysis and prototyping to select the most promising ones. Our final design uses a pneumatic press to press the parts, and it includes magazines to hold the parts before pressing, pneumatic actuators to move the parts to and from the pressing location, and a lever to separate the defective …

E-Learning Design For Microsoft Access & Asp.Net, Jonathan Choi, Christopher Hom

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The problem definition is that the current video tutorial series is outdated and lacks interactive features that aid with E-Learning. The goal of the project is to create a platform that incorporates features such as structure, interaction, assessments, and competency tests. The project revolved around integrating four softwares together in order to create an effective E-Learning platform. The four softwares were Adobe Captivate, Camtasia, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Visual Studios. Adobe Captive is used to store the tutorial video and assign quizzes. Camtasia is used to record the tutorial videos. Microsoft Access is used to store all the questions given …

Crop Selection, Cost Analysis, And Irrigation System Design For The Replanting Of A Nut Orchard, Maximilian Bricker

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This report was made to help the landowner of Bricker Farms make decisions regarding the replanting of his orchard. The decisions that need to be made in this process include: which crop to plant, how to plant it, and how to improve the distribution uniformity of irrigation water on the orchard. The report does not give definitive final decisions, but presents viable options that the landowner can utilize when deciding. In addition to the options that are presented, the report offers suggestions to the landowner so that the replanting process is done properly in a timely and economically-friendly manner.

Control System For 3d Printable Robotic Hand, Htoo Wai Htet

Honors Theses

Humanoid robotics is a growing area of research due to its potential applications in orthosis and prosthesis for human beings. With the currently available technologies, the most advanced robotic hands used in prosthetics or robotics can cost from $11,000 to $90,000, making it inaccessible to the general population of amputees and robotics hobbyists. Most of the features provided by these expensive technologies are superfluous to many users, creating a great gap in cost and services between users and technology. Using the emerging 3D printing technology, my project is to construct a 3D printed robotic hand that can reproduce as many …

An Iteration On The Horizon Simulation Framework To Include .Net And Python Scripting, Morgan Yost

Master's Theses

Modeling and Simulation is a crucial element of the aerospace engineering design pro- cess because it allows designers to thoroughly test their solution before investing in the resources to create it. The Horizon Simulation Framework (HSF) v3.0 is an aerospace modeling and simulation tool that allows the user to verify system level requirements in the early phases of the design process. A low fidelity model of the system that is created by the user is exhaustively tested within the built-in Day-in-the-Life simulator to provide useful information in the form of failed requirements, system bottle necks and leverage points, and potential …

Seismic Design Of A Prestressed Concrete Bridge, Alperen Ozel

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Latest advancements in software have become an indispensable tool in structural analysis. The main goal of this thesis is to examine dynamic responses of bridges in seismic activity with the help of such tool as CSi Bridge. Therefore, throughout this study, a prestressed concrete bridge model will be thoroughly designed. In the first section, the required materials and structural components will be introduced. The following section will cover calculations required for modeling. The actual modeling of the structure will be carried out in Section 3. In Section 4, the set of required analysis for seismic design such as modal, pushover …

Steel Compression Members With Partial-Length Reinforcement, Morgan Herrell

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Steel wide-flange columns in existing truss bridges may be built-up with flange cover plate reinforcement to increase compressive capacity. This thesis investigates the use of partial-length steel cover plates about column mid-height to improve the weak-axis buckling resistance.

The present research first reviews literature concerning the Euler buckling of members with partial-length reinforcement. Inelastic buckling is simulated by 3-D finite element analysis accounting for cover plate length, cover plate area, bolt hole perforations, yield stresses, residual and locked-in dead load stresses, and initial out-of-straightness. The model is validated by a load test of a full-scale column with bolted reinforcement plates. …

Transfers To A Gravitational Saddle Point: An Extended Mission Design Option For Lisa Pathfinder, Andrew D. Cox

Open Access Theses

Any possible LISA Pathfinder extended mission will immediately follow the primary mission after completion of scientific observations and technical demonstrations in a Sun-Earth L1 libration point orbit. One extended mission concept with scientific appeal is a spacecraft path that includes multiple encounters with a gravitational equilibrium point. This point, also termed a saddle point, exists where the total gravitational acceleration sums to zero and is distinct from the five Lagrange points in the three-body problem. This investigation seeks a strategy to design such a path subject to a variety of constraints. Periodic, quasi-periodic, and manifold structures are explored to …

Orchard Bin Atv Trailer, Neil F. Leitz

All Undergraduate Projects

A local orchardist was experiencing a problem that was being caused by their lack of apple picking bin moving equipment. The orchardist needed a well-engineered solution to this lack of equipment. The solution arrived at was a five bin trailer. There were multiple design requirements for this trailer, including the device needing to be able to interface with an ATV, be able to be loaded by hand, be able to carry five bins, and not exceed a budget of $750. While perfecting the design of the trailer, a number of different disciplines were utilized, which included dynamics, kinematics, static loading …

Asme Mini Rc Baja: Drivetrain, Jason M. Moore

All Undergraduate Projects

Title and author: ASME mini RC Baja Drivetrain by Jason Moore; partner Mike Cox. (Engineering Technologies, Safety, and Construction)

Abstract/Artists Statement: The issue that this project is concerned with is how to design and build a drivetrain, steering and suspension systems for an RC car. The systems must be simple and functional. Furthermore, these systems will be designed to fit on a small chassis and not interfere with each other. They also need to be strong and durable enough to propel the car forward and maneuver through various obstacles and be built in a way that is easy to take …

Design And Experimental Investigation Of An Oxy-Fuel Combustion System For Magnetohydrodynamic Power Extraction, Manuel Johannes Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A general consensus in the scientific and research community is the need to restrict carbon emissions in energy systems. Therefore, extensive research efforts are underway to develop the next generation of energy systems. In the field of power generation, researchers are actively investigating novel methods to produce electricity in a cleaner, efficient form. Recently, Oxy-Combustion for magnetohydrodynamic power extraction has generated significant interest, since the idea was proposed as a method for clean power generation in coal and natural gas power plants. Oxy-combustion technologies have been proposed to provide high enthalpy, electrically conductive flows for direct conversion of electricity. Direct …

System Level Analysis And Design For Wireless Inter-Chip Interconnection Communication Systems By Applying Advanced Wireless Communication Technologies, Xin Zheng

Theses and Dissertations

As the dramatic development of high speed integrated circuits has progressed, the 60 GHz silicon technology has been introduced to enable much faster computer systems and their corresponding applications. However, when signals are propagating at 60 GHz or higher frequencies on a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), the crosstalk among signal buses and devices, trace losses, and introduced parasitic capacitance and inductance between high density traces, become significant and may be severe enough such that the inter-chip communications will not be able to meet computer system signal specifications. High speed circuit signal integrity researchers in both electronic industries and academia have …