Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Hitch Cart “Landing Gear”, Rebekah White, Jose Raygoza, Randy Hernandez, Brandon Leon

Mechanical Engineering

This report aims to allow our sponsor, to review our design process of the Hitch Cart Landing Gear Prototype. In the design overview section of this report, we discuss the primary design modifications we made to the wheel mechanism of the existing hitch cart prototype, including the addition of the ACME screws and the folding brackets. This allows our sponsor to see the intended improvements made to the past prototype and understand the primary goal of our project. Then, in the implementation section, we cover the entire manufacturing process to allow our sponsor to understand what manufacturing steps must be …

Finite Element Analysis Of The Bearing Component Of Total Ankle Replacement Implants During The Stance Phase Of Gait, Timothy S. Jain

Master's Theses

Total ankle replacement (TAR) implants are an effective option to restore the range of motion of the ankle joint for arthritic patients. An effective tool for analyzing these implants’ mechanical performance and longevity in-silico is finite element analysis (FEA). ABAQUS FEA was used to statically analyze the von Mises stress and contact pressure on the articulating surface of the bearing component in two newly installed fixed-bearing total ankle replacement implants (the Wright Medical INBONE II and the Exactech Vantage). This bearing component rotates on the talar component to induce primary ankle joint motion of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. The stress response …

Efficacy Of Passive Ventilation With High Exhaust Demands: A Case Study Of Cal Poly Sst, Siddarth Bokka

Construction Management

The Simpson Strong Tie Demonstration Laboratory serves as a multipurpose space allowing students at the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at California Polytechnic State University to build full scale construction projects. The building features a material storage area, a high bay for construction of full-scale projects, and a mezzanine level that houses digital fabrication equipment. However, the building was never designed to house the specific equipment currently installed on the mezzanine and ventilate the exhaust fumes from them. Rather, the building relies on passive natural ventilation that is likely ineffective at properly exhausting hazardous fumes, resulting in complaints from …

Band Motor Crankshaft For Hydrogen Combustion Engine, Lincoln Hofer, Jacqueline Mendoza Cortes, Austin Rhee, Roze Raymond

Mechanical Engineering

This report outlines the steps in which a group of four mechanical engineers at California Polytechnic State University California, San Luis Obispo, addressed an issue brought up by Professor Roger Benham from the Materials Department. The task included developing an automated and modular testing platform for a revolutionary concept crankshaft prototype – meant for a hydrogen combustion engine - developed and produced by the sponsor: Roger Benham. A testing platform is necessary to measure the performance of the shaft design created to eventually implement this subsystem into a complete hydrogen engine design. Values being tested include geometric validation, maximum static …

Slitter Blade Sharpener, Griffin Buchan, Regan Lane, Kinsale Sproule

Mechanical Engineering

Within this document, our team, “Think Sharpener”, will discuss the following work we have completed since the Critical Design Review: material and part procurement, the manufacturing process for our prototype, and a discussion of our results from testing our final Verification Prototype (VP). To summarize our team’s work during the last portion of this project, our design for the slitter blade sharpening mechanism required us to consult the IME department for materials and manufacturing guidance, order pneumatic components from various online hardware companies, and test our VP to verify we met the engineering design specifications. Our slitter blade sharpening mechanism …

Road Embedded Traffic Actuated Turbine (Retat), Derek Terry Cedillo, Jairo Fernandez Garcia, Alejandro Samaniego, Yosef Towfique

Mechanical Engineering

The Road Embedded Traffic Actuated Turbine (RETAT) project aims to revolutionize sustainable energy solutions by harnessing the power of passing vehicles to generate electricity. This Final Design Review (FDR) encapsulates the evolution of the project, from conceptualization to the tangible realization of the Verification Prototype created by a team of mechanical engineering students. The RETAT boasts an innovative design, incorporating square steel tubing and a unique linear-to-rotational energy conversion mechanism. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the design, implementation, and testing phases, highlighting achievements, challenges, and areas for refinement. As the RETAT project strives to contribute to a cleaner, …

Tagalong Trail, Sean Wahl, Jason Davis, Quinlan Stephens, Ryan Johnson, Vinh Vo

Mechanical Engineering

The Cal Poly mechanical engineering team working on the Path of Lights and Sounds for the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast has now completed their project. In the last quarter of their project, they were able to finalize their tile’s structural design while iterating through several electronics board designs. Through this iteration, they were able to create a final electronics board and designed a water-resistant enclosure to house the board. A new team member was added, allowing them to manufacture 28 tile structures and 30 electronics assemblies over the course of two and a half weeks. This proved to …

Interactive Water Vortex Exhibit, Simon Way, Emily Laing, Roqaya Naseri, Makenzie Kan

Mechanical Engineering

The San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum requested an interactive water vortex exhibit to both engage and entertain inquisitive guests, ages two to eight. The goal was to design and manufacture an exhibit that would educate its users on the fluid mechanics behind water vortices. They activate the mechanics by spinning a wheel, which is perceived as the catalyst to manipulate the flow of water to successfully create a whirlpool. Our team has created an interactive display that will enlighten young minds, providing the museum with an educational exhibit which shares a concept not currently taught by any other. Our project …

Cnc Retrofits, Fabian Samano, Murat Askin, Daniel Lonczak, Zane Campise

Mechanical Engineering

The Boxford CNC Lathe is a machine used for educational purposes. The goal of the CNC Retrofits project is to improve the Boxford MT2’s performance and functionality to enable Mr. Lonczak to manufacture customized ballpoint pens. Within this Final Design Review (FDR) document, we present design updates since the CDR and implementation/assembly techniques. This work culminates in a solution to Mr. Lonczak’s needs which is analyzed in three subsystems: main control, spindle position tracking, and user interface. Within this report, we show the results of each subsystem’s verification process. These results prove that the design concept was met by describing …

Maitreya Desalination, Riley Taft, Hudson Kispert, Brendan Dizon

Mechanical Engineering

This document relays the design and manufacture of a dual power input Reverse Osmosis desalination unit. It's power sources are electric drive and human power via recumbent seated cycling. Fresh water outputs range from 4 - 7 GPH for human power inputs of 150 - 280 Watts depending on the selected gearing ratio from the derailleur.

Integrated Actuator, David Hefter, Mathew Smith, Amanda Westmoreland, Akanksha Maddi

Mechanical Engineering

This Final Design Review document outlines the senior project design that we, a team of four mechanical engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, are developing for Charlie Refvem, a lecturer in the mechanical engineering department. The final design has undergone significant modifications since the Critical Design Review, such as a redesigned vertical shaft, material changes, and the incorporation of belt tensioners. These redesigns are thoroughly discussed in the context of testing and assembly error resolution.

The document outlines the detailed steps for the production and testing of the design verification prototype. This includes the procurement and manufacturing of components, …

Deep Ocean Vehicle Applications And Modifications, Nichole "Nikki" T. Arm

Master's Theses

This project had two primary goals: (1) to explore opportunities to further a deep-ocean vehicle’s reach using alternative pressure spheres, and (2) to implement an existing deep-ocean vehicle (lander) in active scientific research.

I gained a greater understanding of the limitations and design choices made for existing pressure spheres using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). My simplified FEA model predicted sphere failure for the existing 30% Fiber Glass 70% Nylon injection molded spheres at an external pressure of 3,954psi or 2,690m ocean-depth (only a 7.38% error compared to the tested minimum failure depth), so I determined it a valid model. I …

Discourse Analysis In Engineering: Investigating Patterns In Brainstorming Conversations, Aimee Chiem

Master's Theses

Brainstorming is a critical part of the engineering design process and can have a significant impact on the outcomes of the overall project. While research has studied the outcomes of brainstorming and the ideas that teams generate, the role that language and conversation play in these activities is still relatively underexplored. Observing the different ways people use specific types of discourse can reveal how conversations can affect brainstorming itself. To that end, this research aims to answer the following questions:

1) What are the different kinds of discursive moves that students make during engineering brainstorming activities?

2) What patterns or …

Design And Scale Model Of Wave Generator For The Testing Of Wave Energy Conversion Devices, Amanda Olla

Master's Theses

As the climate crisis draws more concern, research and development in wave energy as a renewable energy source has increased. Devices such as wave energy converters (WECs) are being researched, tested, and implemented to make wave energy a competitive power source. Testing of these devices is limited due to environmental concerns such as weather, location, and other issues. WECs require testing in a marine environment, however, performing testing in the actual environment may be difficult due to weather, access, mounting, and other issues. To eliminate environmental unknowns from testing, a wave simulator device can mimic wave behavior without the need …

Robotic Origami Worm, Carter Josef, Michael Freeman, Mohammad Hasan

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Soft robotics can solve many unique engineering problems. The ancient art of origami has inspired design for a new breed of robots. In this research, a novel fold design was created which has high linear stiffness, high bending stiffness, and the ability to deform omnidirectionally in order to turn. The robot is operated using a DC motor to expand and contract and electromagnets to control friction. The robot moves very quickly compared with many other origami robots in the literature. Other interesting ways to control friction were explored including expansion mechanisms. An origami design was created and tested that expands …

Exoskeletons - Designing For Social Justice, Grace Cd Murphy

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Many engineering professionals believe that discussions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and social justice do not belong in engineering because engineering is supposed to be a neutral or objective field. Through an extensive review of the literature and a survey sent out to potential users, the need for DEI in engineering was examined. Many current engineering projects do not take into consideration social justice principles which leaves certain groups further marginalized and disempowered while empowering a select few. Engineering has the opportunity to be a field of service, but first risks and benefits must be weighed and the outcome …

Hardware-In-The-Loop Reaction Wheel Testbed With Camera Vision, Abigail Romero, Harvey Perkins, Stephen Kwok-Choon

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Reaction wheels are widely used in aerospace systems as a method of attitude control. This research was focused on the design, development, and testing of a hardware-in-the-loop reaction wheel testbed that can be used for research and teaching applications related to satellite navigation and control. This project successfully utilized commercial off-the-shelf components to develop a reaction wheel capable of controlling the orientation of a freely rotating platform, as well as tracking objects using computer vision.

Additive Manufacturing For Medical Education, Michael Noon

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

A growing body of evidence is suggesting that anatomical knowledge, the keystone of many medical specialties, is suffering among new graduates. While a host of reasons are provided, one common thread that many point to is the decline of cadaver dissections in the classroom. Many virtual audio-visual tools are used to address this gap, yet evidence has shown their ineffectiveness. Given this gap, the high degree of flexibility found in additive manufacturing (AM), and the many uses AM has already found in the medical field, we propose its use to fill this gap, allowing for students to learn with touch …

Review Study On Promoting Diversity And Inclusion In Engineering Education Through Digital Twins, Devon Bountry

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This study investigates the effect of digital twins in engineering education. This research was based on published research papers, conference papers, and case studies. Throughout a large range of studies, it was shown that digital twins can increase learning motivation and retainment through uses such as game-centered learning, personalized learning, and virtual prototyping. Particularly in engineering laboratory classes, digital twins can increase the variety of laboratory options while not increasing the cost due to equipment. This results in less barriers for students as there are more learning tools available at no additional cost or other requirements.

Sociotechnical Thinking In Statics And Dynamics, Raul Espinoza

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project introduced Canvas modules to instill a sociotechnical mindset in engineering students. By emphasizing the synergy between social and technical systems, the modules aim to produce engineers capable of crafting solutions that are technically adept and socially responsible.

Upper Limb Tensegrity Exoskeleton, Emily Mendyke, Sha'anan Levy, Alan Zhang

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Tensegrity structures are composed of stiff rods and elastic cables suspended in a flexible tension network. Their inherent properties have several key advantages when used in assistive medical devices such as supportive braces or rehabilitation exoskeletons: 1) the lightweight and natural compliance reduces the power consumption required to operate the system; 2) the system stiffness and pretension can be individually tuned to accommodate the user’s needs; and 3) the impact-resistant properties can protect users in the event of collisions and falls. This project explores the design space of assistive tensegrity devices to augment human dexterity in the upper limb. Suitable …

Analysis Of Gait Parameters And Knee Angles In Ultimate Frisbee Players: Implications For Balance And Injury, Ethan Nikcevich

Master's Theses

Biomechanics research investigating gait and balance of ultimate frisbee players is an unexplored topic. Ultimate requires a wide range of motions that could improve balance and is also a sport prone to frequent injury. This study explores the impact of playing ultimate on gait parameters associated with balance and knee angles associated with joint injury. Gait trials were conducted on 8 ultimate players and 8 control participants between the ages of 18 and 23 to obtain total double support time, stance phase time, single support time, load response time, abduction-adduction (AA) angles, internal-external (IE) rotation angles, and flexion angles of …

Co-Simulation Of Active Magnetic Bearing Rotors Using Adams, Msc Apex, And Simulink, Shea A. Charkowsky

Master's Theses

Apex-Adams-Simulink co-simulation is applied to active magnetic bearing (AMB) rotors, demonstrating results unshown in literature, including continuous frequency response, and unavailable in known rotor dynamics software, including touchdown bearing impact. AMBs levitate rotors without contact, so they involve no friction, wear, lubrication, pollution, or shaft speed limits and are thus valuable for large, high-speed applications. Modeling of such rotors, necessary for safety and performance, simultaneously requires flexible body dynamics and advanced control design, but simulation programs tend to specialize in only one or the other. The co-simulation method combines multiple such programs—MSC Apex (finite element modeling), Adams (multibody dynamics), and …

Theoretical And Experimental Study Of Active Magnetic Bearing Control Integrated On Bently's Rotor Kit, Arturo Mario Flores

Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on the comprehensive study of controlling a customized Active Magnetic Bearing (AMB) installed on Bently Nevada’s RK4 rotor kit in Cal Poly’s Vibrations and Rotordynamics Lab. The AMB was uniquely designed and manufactured by a Cal Poly senior project team to fit Bently’s rotor kit and the results of this research are distinctive to the custom system. To achieve practical functionality of the AMB system, we designed a controller a Virtual Instrument (VI) using the National Instrument software, LabVIEW. From the experimental study, we calibrated the programming to find unknown parameters of the AMB system and validated …

Northrop Grumman Collaboration Project, Nikkia Psomas-Sheridan, Santiago Robles, Ben Elkayam, Benjamin Ulfhake

Mechanical Engineering

The Northrop Grumman Collaboration Project (NGCP) is a collaborative club project sponsored by Northrop Grumman for the students of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (CPSLO) and Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) to create a fleet of vehicles to aid in the simulated rescue of stranded hiker. The CPSLO club is responsible for delivering an autonomous flight vehicle that can suppress a fire and retrieve a payload. Mechanical Design Team of the CPSLO team was responsible for the design of the frame, electronics housing, and payload and fire suppression systems.

Recor-Diy, Maxwell W. Ferrer

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

RecorDIY is an affordable alternative to ordering Vinyl Records from a manufacturer in the form of an at-home record-cutting lathe. This report will cover the record cutting process from audio to physical, at home record lathes that are currently available, and the possible improvements that I plan to implement in order to make these devices a more viable alternative for small artists. Current models can only create low fidelity records, specifically they struggle with lots of “noise”, extra sounds such as static that make it harder to hear the actual audio. Another issue is record size, as current models can …

Sky Survey Radio Telescope, Jack E. Mcguigan

Electrical Engineering

This document outlines the design of a radio telescope designed to perform hydrogen line sky surveys. The telescope produces radio images mapping the intensity and relative velocities of hydrogen concentrations to their sky coordinates. Over the course of a day, the telescope images the regions of space visible to it, allowing sky survey imagery to be updated daily. Sky survey images are comprised of an array of pixels corresponding to specific sky coordinates. Each 8-bit RGB pixel contains information on the concentrations of hydrogen in the brightness and relative velocity in the color. Radio images mapping the concentrations and velocities …

Valve Efficiency Testing Device, Jake Robert Rydberg, Andrew Keith Willardson, Jake Ben Jezier, Emily Marie Wannenmacher

Mechanical Engineering

This document serves as the official Final Design Review (FDR) for the mechanical engineering team on the Valve Efficiency Testing Device project for the Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery. The team attends California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The project involved designing and building a valve efficiency testing device. The goal was to create a finished test device that can be used in the Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery machine shop to test reciprocating compressor valves before they are installed. The purpose of this document is to describe the manufacturing and design verification activities that have been completed since Critical Design …

Biomechanical Knee Joint For Exoskeleton, Gabriel Ireton Ahern, Calloway Miller, Christianna Altamura, Eric Mailes

Mechanical Engineering

Our senior design project consisted of designing and manufacturing a biomechanically accurate, actuated knee joint to be integrated into an exoskeleton being developed by the Lower Limb Exoskeleton Assist Project (LLEAP), a part of the EMPOWER student association at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. As the human knee flexes and extends throughout gait motion, the center of rotation changes. Currently marketed exoskeletons have one point of rotation, which over constrains the knee and causes misalignment between the user and the suit [1]. Our goal was to mimic natural knee joint motion by changing the center or rotation, thus reducing misalignment …

Rapid Composter, Shannon Shinozaki, Avin Atencio, Jonathan Fraser, Lukas Kolbl, Russell Occhipinti

Mechanical Engineering

This project was created with the intent of automatically composting equine bio waste to be reused as plant fertilizer. The system consists of four subsystems: power generation and storage, automatic controls, aeration, and structure. Each subsystem may be manufactured independently, then put together. This system will not have access to power outlets, so it was designed to be solar-powered.