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Articles 1 - 30 of 85
Full-Text Articles in Mechanical Engineering
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
Dupont Seal Mold Assembly Machine, Brett Biederman, Craig Hanchett, Matthew Chilton
Dupont Seal Mold Assembly Machine, Brett Biederman, Craig Hanchett, Matthew Chilton
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The Seal Assembly Machine is a custom-built device that is designed to seat a thin polymer part between two mating pieces of metal tooling. To meet the specifications of the sponsor, the Seal Assembly machine must perform its function more quickly and accurately than manual labor at the same task. At the time of compiling this report, the machine is not yet functional due to time constraints.
Grinding And Super-Finishing Test Machine Project, Michael Simon
Grinding And Super-Finishing Test Machine Project, Michael Simon
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
A research project in The University of Akron to study grinding and super-finishing of silicon nitride ceramic was initiated by Dr. Siamak Farhad and sponsored by the Timken Company, with the assistance of undergraduate students Michael Simon, Ryan Hosso and Mathew Rozmajzl. The study required analysis of forces and scratches generated during grinding processes of silicon nitride samples. A testing assembly was designed and constructed to record the forces generated during grinding and super-finishing of silicon nitride samples in a computer-numerical-control machine. Silicon nitride samples were subjected to desired grinding and super-finishing operations and all forces generated during the process …
Human Powered Vehicle Team Challenge, Sydney Nedlik, Spencer Brodie, Maria Griffin, William Schell, Ryan Serraglio
Human Powered Vehicle Team Challenge, Sydney Nedlik, Spencer Brodie, Maria Griffin, William Schell, Ryan Serraglio
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Design and build a Human Powered Vehicle in a team of five. Compete at the ASME HPVC competition in March of 2022. Re-establish the Human Powered Vehicle Team at the University of Akron.
Quickcut Waterjet Cutter, Kennedy Dunn, Jacob Storrow, Benjamin Laughrey
Quickcut Waterjet Cutter, Kennedy Dunn, Jacob Storrow, Benjamin Laughrey
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The QuickCut Waterjet Cutter was created in 2019 as a senior design project. This is the third iteration of the waterjet cutter. The goal of this project was to create an operable CNC waterjet cutter that is able to cut 1/16” tensile specimens consisting of nonferrous metal or plastic. This machine will be utilized in the Manufacturing Laboratory at the University of Akron to provide education to interested students on the waterjet cutting process, how it operates, and industrial application of the technology. Waterjet cutting is a subtractive manufacturing process which is recognized for its specialized applications such as cutting …
Multi-Platform Suppressor Design Project, Wyatt A. Openshaw, Alex B. Chiples
Multi-Platform Suppressor Design Project, Wyatt A. Openshaw, Alex B. Chiples
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The Multi-Platform suppressor is a design that is meant to bridge the gap in the suppressor market by being compatible and configurable with both rifle and pistol platform firearms. In the specific design and prototype referenced in this report, the Multi-Platform suppressor was designed to be used with 9mm pistol and 5.56x45mm rifle calibers with safety, effectiveness, and practicality in mind. To achieve this, the suppressor is configurable, utilizing a Nielsen device in the pistol configuration and a solid mount adapter that replaces the Nielson device piston and spring while in the rifle configuration. This allows the suppressor to retain …
Chemical Clean Automated Loader, Jordyn Bryner
Chemical Clean Automated Loader, Jordyn Bryner
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
TTM Technologies (TTM) is a global printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer. The work described in this report was completed in the TTM North Jackson, Ohio location. This plant focuses primarily on the manufacturing of rigid and rigid-flex PCBs for the aerospace and defense industry. TTM North Jackson has an ongoing labor dependency issue due to the shortage of workers the nation is facing. To solve this problem, TTM has focused the efforts of their new engineers and interns on automating processes that are labor dependent. The goal is to provide design guidance to be used later by TTM to automate …
Npt Test Machine, Lauren Cash
Npt Test Machine, Lauren Cash
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Located at the Research facility at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, the Non-Pneumatic Tire (NPT) Program is currently in the prototype phase. However, airless tire structures are quickly gaining popularity as an alternative to a traditional pneumatic tire. The NPT Test Machine is a measurement fixture that will perform a series of evaluations to determine the stiffness of an NPT; this will allow the program to expand and evolve more rapidly into a manufacturing phase. In this Senior Design Project, a complete test solution was researched, designed, built, programmed, and validated so that data can be collected, and tires …
Sintering Of 3-D Printed Metals, Adam Shuppe, John Griffiths
Sintering Of 3-D Printed Metals, Adam Shuppe, John Griffiths
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
There is a 3-D printer which prints metals such as 17-4 PH. In this project, we will learn how to use the machine to print samples, create a sintering graph for the material, and compare the properties with materials sintered using the machine. We will try to get as close as possible to the properties of the samples sintered using the machine. There will be a lot of samples made and tested, and we will learn how to use a testing machine and all other testing equipment in the department.
Ballistic Impact Mitigation Pad, Adam Pianalto, Nathan Mayer, Wyatt Smith, Nick Green, Douglas Wild
Ballistic Impact Mitigation Pad, Adam Pianalto, Nathan Mayer, Wyatt Smith, Nick Green, Douglas Wild
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
In our senior design project we have decided to work under Dr. Jon Gerhardt on creating a gel pad to mitigate blunt force behind bulletproof vests. Extensive research on injury, materials, manufacturing methods, and NIJ standards was completed during this project. Through the use of advanced modeling software and additive manufacturing, we prototyped a functioning pad to test and compare to a pad that is currently available in today's market. The results proved to be very successful, but there are many areas to improve upon down the road.
Agv Design, Vincent Orzel, Zachary Woodrum
Agv Design, Vincent Orzel, Zachary Woodrum
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This report details the design and calculation work done towards creating an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) for use in the steel and metal related industries. Steel Equipment Specialists (SES) is a major manufacturer of coil transportation vehicles for these industries. SES believes the future of coil transportation within the mills includes AGVs in some circumstances. The team was tasked with exploring the design and cost of a base model for use in future designs, since SES has not yet modeled or manufactured an AGV. This design was successful under the stress from the application in calculations, and the cost of …
Door Barricade, Alex Cerino
Door Barricade, Alex Cerino
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
My senior capstone project will be a door barricade. The main idea for the use of the door barricade is for schools in the case of an intruder. The barricade that I will be designing is a solution to the inefficient barricades that I saw at my high school. It could also be used at businesses and homes. My design would be easy to use and have a fail-safe option. The two areas of mechanical engineering technology that my capstone project will focus on are stress analysis and electronics. Every part for my door barricade is drawn in SolidWorks. All …
Design And Analysis Of One-Piece 10” Carbon Fiber Wheels For Zips Racing Zr20 Formula Sae Racecar, Patrick Kruse, Henry J. Wathen, Jordan J. Hyde, Nicholas D. Dobben, Jordan D. Blake
Design And Analysis Of One-Piece 10” Carbon Fiber Wheels For Zips Racing Zr20 Formula Sae Racecar, Patrick Kruse, Henry J. Wathen, Jordan J. Hyde, Nicholas D. Dobben, Jordan D. Blake
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Reducing the weight of a vehicle in racing can substantially improve the vehicle dynamics and general performance capabilities. More specifically, the reduction of the unsprung corner weight can provide noticeable performance gains in handling and responsiveness, leading to a quicker, more agile car due to a lower yawing moment of inertia. Unsprung weight reduction also improves the car’s ability to maintain contact between the tires and the road surface for a more consistent grip. In this project we identified the loads that act on the wheel rims according to the data collected from the sensors in the car’s suspension, and …
Dji Drone Modification, Sean Lacey, Seth Mancuso, Bryce Mckenzie
Dji Drone Modification, Sean Lacey, Seth Mancuso, Bryce Mckenzie
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
For this project, we set out to create a lightweight carrying case that would be mounted to a DJI Phantom 3. This case is designed to transport small packages, such as medications, from a delivery vehicle to their final destination. Based on our maximum drone lifting capacity of 600 grams, our case, servomotor, and contents had to weigh less than or equal to that value. The coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase in contactless delivery options along with the push for immunocompromised people to avoid contact with people that may be sick. Our product would help transport necessary supplies …
Development Of A Heavy-Duty Aluminum Rail Hole Punch Manufacturing Fixture, Reese Hawthorne
Development Of A Heavy-Duty Aluminum Rail Hole Punch Manufacturing Fixture, Reese Hawthorne
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This report details the development and testing of an improved replacement for a worn manufacturing fixture which was used to position the location of four drilled holes on the outside of a heavy-duty aluminum rail. Commissioned by JohnDow Industries, the new process improves upon the old one by implementing an electro-hydraulic punch and new locating fixture. The new design produced higher quality slots, decreased cycle time by 15%, and aimed to improve the ergonomics of the process for the employees. All these factors contributed to making the aluminum rails a high-quality end product for JohnDow’s customers. Further iteration of the …
Hydraulic Vehicle Challenge, Jacob Steiner, David Kotovets, Evan Blitz, Luke Fetherston, Alex Colucy
Hydraulic Vehicle Challenge, Jacob Steiner, David Kotovets, Evan Blitz, Luke Fetherston, Alex Colucy
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The target goal of this project is for a team of students to design a vehicle which is based on human power as the primary mover of the system and achieves vehicle propulsion through the required use of hydraulics and pneumatics. In summary, the rider will power a pump that will generate pressure in order to move the fluid that drives the motor. This will result in the powered rotation of the wheels. As there are many possible designs, naturally, this means that the final design for the vehicle will have specific limitations such as weight and the required use …