Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Manufacturing: The Qualitative Study Of A Transition To A Green Facility, Brandon David Staves

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This qualitative study focused on answering three core questions: How have facilities reduce pollutions in regards to the quality of air, water, land, light and noise? Which Types of pollution reduction projects are more or less successful to implement? What types of pollution are facilities focusing on and why? The results of the 15 companies surveyed show a variety of projects that facilities have used to reduce pollution, it also shows that cost is a major factor in the unsuccessful projects, and that facilities are actively focused on reducing Air, Land, and Water pollution. While the data shows a variety …

Maquiladoras In Central America: An Analysis Of Workforce Schedule, Productivity And Fatigue., Jose L. Barahona

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Textile factories or Maquiladoras are very abundant and predominant in Central American economies. However, they all do not have the same standardized work schedule or routines. Most of the Maquiladoras only follow schedules and regulations established by the current labor laws without taking into consideration many variables within their organization that could affect their overall performance. As a result, the purpose of the study is to analyze the current working structure of a textile Maquiladora and determine the most suitable schedule that will abide with the current working structure but also increase production levels, employee morale and decrease employee fatigue. …

Performance Prediction Of Drying Process In Residential Clothes Dryer Using Multiphysics Modeling And Simulation, Molly Shircliff

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The clothes dryer is the second highest consumer of electricity among household appliances in the U.S. However, few improvements have been made to the overall design of dryers since the 1970s. For this reason, energy efficiency research in domestic clothes dryers is a promising topic. In order to effectively and accurately research and test efficiency and design of new prototypes of the dryer, a mathematical model of the air-vented, residential dryer was created in the Energy Systems Lab at Western Kentucky University, using the text-based environment of MATLAB. This model was developed and simulated using numerical solver techniques. This model …

An Engineering Approach To Industrial Research And Development Of Pillows, Wesley Patterson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Comfort during sleep, though taken for granted, involves a great amount of research and engineering. Few give it a second thought, but nearly one-third of a person’s life is spent with their head on a pillow, thus making them a point for increased quality. Having been approached by a tier-1 bedding manufacturer, a team of both mechanical and electrical engineers was been tasked with the goal of creating a valid research tool that the customer, Tempur-Sealy, will utilize in the company’s research and development of high-end pillows. The team sought to tackle this project utilizing tools and knowledge gained throughout …

Optimization Of Process Parameters In Micro Electrical Discharge Machining (Edm) Of Ti-6al-4v Alloy, Farshid Alavi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Ti-6Al-4V has a wide range of applications such as in the automotive and aerospace industries. Nevertheless, titanium alloys are very difficult to machine by conventional methods. Micro-EDM is a non-conventional machining method that uses the thermal effect of precisely controlled sparks. Manufacturers are looking for the methods and optimal settings to increase the productivity of micro-EDM in terms of lessening machining time and tool wear. Moreover, surface integrity of the machined area is crucial for some products such as biomedical implants.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the micro-EDM process parameters on response variables, in …

A Case Study Of Multiple-Use Finish Electrodes For Die-Sinking Edm, Troy A. Robertson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examines the use of one finishing electrode to finish multiple dies without remachining the electrode. The multiple-use electrode finishing experiment in this study addresses technology in the die-forging industry. Methods of manufacturing spherical straight bevel forge gear dies have relied on die-sinking Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) practices that showed great potential for advancement. The focus of this study is solely on the improvements of electrode use in EDM finishing-processes. The surface finish quality itself is not an area of concern other than maintaining that it does not diminish. The focused concern is maximizing the process by using one …