Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Multiscale Modeling Of Cardiac Growth And Baroreflex Control, Hossein Sharifi

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering

The heart functions within a complex system that adapts its function to any alteration in loading via several mechanisms. For example, the baroreflex is a short-term feedback loop that modulates the heart's function on a beat-to-beat basis to control arterial pressure. On the other hand, cardiac growth is a long-term adaptive response that occurs over weeks or months in response to changes in left ventricular loading. Understanding the mechanisms that drive ventricular growth and biological remodeling is critical to improving patient care. Multiscale models of the cardiovascular system have emerged as effective tools for investigating G&R, offering the ability to …

A Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis Of Oxyacetylene Combustion Flow For Use In Material Response Boundary Conditions, Craig Meade

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering

Oxyacetylene torches are used in the aerospace industry and research to test thermal protection system materials (TPS) due to their high flame temperatures and high heat flux capabilities. The purpose of this work is to determine a combustion model to accurately simulate the high temperature flow of an oxyacetylene torch. The flow conditions around a sample material can then be used as boundary conditions when modeling TPS material response. Two separate combustion models with equilibrium chemistry were investigated using ANSYS Fluent™; the Eddy-Dissipation Model, and the Partially Premixed model.The results of this study are compared to existing experiments for validation.

Biologically – Plausible Load Feedback From Dynamically Scaled Robotic Model Insect Legs, William Zyhowski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Researchers have been studying the mechanisms underlying animal motor control for many years using computational models and biomimetic robots. Since testing some theories in animals can be challenging, this approach can enable unique contributions to the field. An example of a system that benefits from this modeling and robotics approach is the campaniform sensillum (CS), a kind of sensory organ used to detect the loads exerted on an insect's legs. The CS on the leg are found in groups on high-stress areas of the exoskeleton and have a major influence on the adaptation of walking behavior. The challenge for studying …

Analytical Heat Transfer Modeling Of The Microwave Heating Process: A Focus On Carbon Black, Craig Offutt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Electronic waste (e-waste) has become a significant environmental issue due to the rapid advancement of technology, increasing demand for electronic devices, and shorter lifespan of electronics. One critical step in processing the e-waste involves ball milling as a means of preparing the recycling e-waste for the recovery of critical materials. Ball milling is a technique that involves the mechanical crushing and grinding of electronic waste to reduce its size and improve its reactivity during recovery. Our focused recovery technique is based on a microwave recovery technique of these critical materials from e-waste. The size and distribution of the e-waste with …

Design And Validation Of An Aerodynamic System For A Formula Sae® Vehicle Using Vehicle Dynamic Simulation And Experimentation, Evan S. Cole

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This thesis presents the design, simulation, and experimental validation for the aerodynamic system for a Formula SAE® vehicle. The Society of Automotive Engineers ® (SAE) hosts a collegiate competition annually called Formula SAE® where students design, fabricate, and test a small “formula style” vehicle. The vehicle performs in relatively slow maneuvers, around different courses and tests to evaluate the vehicle’s overall performance. Over the years, collegiate teams have put significant research into the design and manufacturing of the aerodynamics of these vehicles. In order to justify this undertaking for future teams at West Virginia University’s Formula SAE® program, a comprehensive …

Jcati Carbon Fiber Recycler- Fiber Conveyance, Taylor Miller

All Undergraduate Projects

Sponsored by the Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation (JCATI), this project stems from a partnership between Central Washington University’s Mechanical Engineering Technology program and The Boeing Company. The goal of this partnership was to create a device that repurposes carbon fiber from wing trimmings from the 777. The device features four different students’ projects including the crusher, shredder, oven heating system, and the fiber conveyance system; the focus of this project. The JCATI Carbon Fiber Recycler needed a device to transport material from the shredder to the oven to make for an easier, more seamless production process. To solve …

Rc Baja – Drivetrain & Chassis, Tyler Clerf

All Undergraduate Projects

Two of the most important subsystems of a vehicle are the drivetrain and chassis. The drivetrain is responsible for transmitting the power from the power source to the wheels. The chassis provides a sturdy host for all components. An optimal drivetrain will most often reduce the output speed and increase the torque from the motor, while minimizing losses. The ideal chassis will have minimal deflection with easy-to-use mounting points. The vehicle being created will compete in the CWU RC BAJA competition as well.

The analyses are the foundation of any engineering project. For this project Mechanical Design, Statics, and Dynamics …

Balsa Wood Bridge Senior Project, Ryan Moe

All Undergraduate Projects

For all of human history, people have been working to increase efficiency. This project followed in that pursuit by forcing engineers to create a 400 mm long bridge out of only balsa wood and glue that could withstand over 20 kgs of force with the bridge weighing a maximum of only 85 grams. The bridge also needed to have a lifting mechanism to raise it 140 mm above the starting position.

To accomplish this task, a strong truss needed to be built. Balsa wood is strong in compression so a truss with more beams in compression was used. Statics was …

Jcati Carbon Fiber Recycler: Gearing And Shredding, Diana Faamausili

All Undergraduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to build and improve on the carbon-fiber recycler at Central Washington University. The carbon-fiber recycler consists of four components such as a crusher, shredder, conveyor, and oven. This report will focus on the shredding and gearing elements. The chain drive on the shredder and the gearing module were replaced with a synchronous belt drive.

The pitch diameters for the sprockets on the shredder and the center distance of the shafts was evaluated to find the belt length. The velocity ratio and the angular velocity was used to find the minimum torque on the shaft. …

Nasa Student Launch Payload Deployment, Kallysta Ray

All Undergraduate Projects

For the NASA Student Launch Competition, a deployment system was created to deploy the payload of the rocket. To accomplish this the deployment system was designed, analyzed, manufactured, and tested to meet the requirements from the NASA Competition. The requirements included deployment of the payload as well as staying within 4 pounds. The project requirements were researched and each of the proposed components had analyses completed. The analyses included weight calculations, stress, and deflection analyses using statics, mechanics of materials, and dynamics. There were many discussions throughout the project between the teammates to ensure all components of the payload and …

Jack And Alex Rc-Baja, Alex Vornbrock

All Undergraduate Projects

Teams of two mechanical engineering students were tasked with the construction of an RC Baja car qualified by the rules and regulations of the Baja competition as well as specifications set by the individual team member for their portion of the vehicle. This proposal focuses on the Chassis and Drivetrain of the vehicle while team member Jack Stutz oversaw the steering and suspension. Teams will compete against each other in various modes to determine the best vehicles of the competitors. The chassis was made of standard aluminum, the remaining parts made by the students were made with PLA; both materials …

F-1/10th, Max Otterby

All Undergraduate Projects

Team members Nate and Max were tasked with designing, building, and testing an RC controlled vehicle to complete in a competition. This competition consists of an off-road course, on road course, and an obstacle course. The team set out to win this competition by creating a more than capable vehicle for the competition. This engineering report will cover Max’s contributions to the project.

The team was split into two roles. Max taking on steering and suspension, Nate taking on drivetrain and chassis. Each team member took responsibility for the design and construction of those systems. The design chosen was based …

Nasa Student Launch - Payload, Eli Kirk

All Undergraduate Projects

A team of mechanical engineering, physics, and computer science students from Central Washington University have constructed a fully functional subscale model rocket to be flown at the NASA Student Launch competition. The rocket’s payload was designed to open the nose cone and take a photo of the rocket’s surroundings after descending from the launch. Smaller parts were constructed through machining and 3D printing that will be added to the purchased major component, the linear actuator, in order to perform the required tasks. These tasks are signaled by an attached electronics board, which will receive an RF command remotely, execute code, …

Nasa Student Rocket Launch, Ethan Stapleton

All Undergraduate Projects

The Rocketry Payload team consisting of Kallysta, Eli and Ethan needed to build a payload that flew in a rocket also built by the team. After the rocket has landed, a camera is deployed outside the rocket through a 3-inch gap created by a linear actuator. The camera must rotate 360 degrees and take photos of the surrounding area. The entire system must weigh less than 4.4 pounds as well. The team designed this system using their knowledge obtained through the Mechanical Engineering program at Central Washington University. It was important for them to keep in mind that the system …

Rc Baja Drivetrain & Chassis, John Lange

All Undergraduate Projects

This project is centered around the development of the drivetrain and chassis for a 1/10th scale RC Baja vehicle capable of withstanding loads over the course of an RC Baja competition consisting of a solemn, drag race, and challenge course while maintaining high speeds and short acceleration times.

This project utilized 3D printing and CNC manufacturing techniques to produce a lightweight frame and efficient drivetrain. A 3800 KV brushless motor drives a two stage gearbox, which transfers force to a 90 degree locked differential to produce high torque and even application of force at low motor RPM. To support the …

Jack & Alex Rc Baja, Jack Stutz

All Undergraduate Projects

There are paramount necessities to build an RC car such as the steering and suspension. Without either, the vehicle will not be able to ascertain basic movement characteristics. The team will compete in the RC Baja competition with the other students which will have various challenges and obstacles that they will endure. The device must be able to complete tests that will prove competence for the competition. By using knowledge of prior classes and experience, the team will produce a functional device for the event. Mechanics of materials and statics were used to determine the bending strength of the control …

Jcati Carbon Fiber Recycler: Crusher System, Devin Riley

All Undergraduate Projects

With a substantial rise in Carbon Fiber use across all industries, the need for a way to recycle the waste has grown as well. A group of Mechanical Engineering Technology students at Central Washington University funded by the Joint Center for Aerospace Technology (JCATI) have created a machine to recycle waste wing trimmings from the Boeing company’s airplanes. This machine consists of 5 different sub-assemblies being the oven, crusher, gear train, conveyor, and shredder. The purpose of this project was to decrease the deflection in the crusher caused by bulging in the housing and movement of the bearings. To decrease …

Rc Baja - Drivetrain And Chassis, James C. Cando

All Undergraduate Projects

The annual RC Baja competition which is held at Central Washington University during the third week of April, showcases the different remote-control vehicles built by the student teams and put the vehicles in series of different challenges such as the sprint, slalom, and motocross. The objective of the senior project is to design, manufacture, and test mainly a drivetrain system as well as a chassis. The drivetrain system provides power for the driving force and the chassis provides housing for the different components of the vehicle. The process began with setting requirements for the vehicle that was used to determine …

Rc Baja Suspension And Steering, Garrett Bailey

All Undergraduate Projects

The RC Baja team set out to engineer and construct a working remote-control device that can compete in the ASME Baja Competition. The students have a focus on either suspension and steering or drivetrain and chassis. This report is centered on the suspension and steering. First, multiple analyses were completed using engineering methods such as mechanical design, statics, strengths of materials, and dynamics for parts of the device. The calculations found in the analysis are then used to create designs for the parts so that they will meet the requirements and be successful in the competition. After the parts are …

Rc Baja 2023 Drivetrain And Chassis, Nathan Norby

All Undergraduate Projects

Students’ objective this quarter was to design a remote-controlled vehicle that utilizes a 4-link rear suspension, an I-beam front suspension, the ability to withstand a substantial front impact and several gearing options. The team also used several agreed upon design requirements to quantify the results of the objective.

To meet these objectives students followed a strict engineering method. Students split into a team’s divided the work into two sections. Max was responsible for the suspension and steering and Nathan was responsible for the chassis and drivetrain. Methods included engineering analysis which used mechanics of materials, static analysis, dynamic analysis, and …

Balsa Wood Bridge, Daniel R. Netro

All Undergraduate Projects

When building a bridge, there is a lot of criteria that need to be met so it can be functional. These criteria for this balsa bridge competition are what the bridge is made out of and can only weigh so much, the bridge must hold a certain amount of weight and not fail due to it, must allow a “vehicle” to go through the bridge and under it. For this bridge, the only material that can be used is balsa wood and any glue. With this, the strength of the material can be found and multiple calculations can be used …

Jcati Carbon Fiber Recycler: Oven Heating System, Kezyah Mantanona

All Undergraduate Projects

Central Washington University Mechanical Engineering Technology students are working with the Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation (JCATI) to create a device that recycles carbon fiber wing trimmings produced by the wing manufacturing process for the Boeing 777 airplanes. The solution to this problem was to utilize crushing, shredding, and pyrolysis to remove the resin from the composite material and provide carbon fiber that can be repurposed. This project focuses on both the Oven Enclosure which will house the Oven Heating System as well as the heating elements and control circuit that are responsible for allowing the material to reach …

Advanced Microstructural Characterization Of Functionally Graded Dental Ceramic Material For Materials-Informed Finishing, Angani Vigneswaran

Theses and Dissertations--Manufacturing Systems Engineering

Yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) has gained popularity as the choice of material for dental prosthetics. Ivoclar Vivadent’s IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime dental ceramic incorporates a unique gradient technology that varies the yttria content over the thickness of the material. The top layer is composed of 5Y-TZP which is desired for its optical properties while the bottom layer is composed of a much stronger 3Y-TZP. In between the two layers, 5Y-TZP and 3Y-TZP are mixed to form a transition layer. Varying the amount of yttria allows for more esthetically pleasing translucency in the visible areas of the restoration without compromising …

Rc Baja - Drivetrain And Chassis, Sean Drake

All Undergraduate Projects

The ASME RC Baja competition is an event held every year where mechanical engineering technology students get a chance to use their accumulated knowledge of engineering and the engineering process to design and build an RC car to compete against one another at the event. The students of Central Washington University participating in the event were paired up into teams of two to work on a car. This report will discuss the drivetrain and chassis of the car, the suspension and steering were the responsibility of the project engineer Tanner Howington.

The project included the design and analysis of the …

Radio-Controlled Baja Car, Jaxx Brown

All Undergraduate Projects

The Central Washington University RC Baja competition tests students’ skills in engineering in a matter of ability to design, construct and test an RC car. The objective of this senior project is to manufacture efficient suspension and steering systems for an RC vehicle and compete at the end of the school year against other students’ vehicles. Two races will be conducted during the competition, the RC vehicle will compete in a slalom-and-sprint and a Baja. Using more than one manufacturing method and material was expected of students to create the steering and suspension systems. Through CAD software and 3D printers …

Rc Baja Project: Suspension And Steering, Chance Hills

All Undergraduate Projects

Students designed and manufactured an RC Baja car to compete in the ASME RC Baja competition. The goal of this section of the project was to create a steering system and suspension system that work together properly with a partner’s chassis/drive train systems during tests and competitions. The car needed to be able to complete in the three events, which are a drag race, a solemn course, and the Baja event. The RC will also be evaluated on the ability to climb inclines, top speed, and withstand the drop test. This proposal will explain all the details and effort that …

R/C Baja, Tanner Howington

All Undergraduate Projects

The ASME RC Baja competition derives a need for an RC car capable of performing at a competitive level in Slalom, Sprint, and Offroad racing. To accomplish this task a suspension and steering system was designed to limit the weight of the components without compromising the structural strength, which resulted in optimizing the overall speed and stability of the vehicle. The responsibilities for optimizing the drivetrain and chassis were handled by co-engineer Sean Drake.

To ensure that each component of the suspension and steering system would hold when subjected to the expected forces, various stress analyses were performed to the …

Balsa Wood Bridge, Minh Le

All Undergraduate Projects

This senior paper outlined the design and construction of an articulating balsa wood bridge. Meeting specific criteria to hold 20kg of weight hanging from the center of the bridge. Also allowing a 32 mm wide by 25 mm high object to traverse the road deck of the bridge. The construction criteria required the use of only balsa wood and glue for the structural support, with exceptions for articulation components. The total weight of the bridge must not exceed 85 grams.

To achieve these goals, the bridge was designed using static equilibrium and material strength equations to span a 470mm body …

Optimizing Biomechanical Models: Estimation Of Muscle Tendon Parameters And Ankle Foot Orthosis Stiffness, Sepehr Ramezani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The complexity of the human musculoskeletal system presents challenges in accurately identifying its characteristics, particularly due to the presence of redundant actuators on a single joint. Non-invasive measures are necessary to overcome these challenges. Optimization algorithms have emerged as a crucial tool to advance subject-specific musculoskeletal modeling allows a more realistic representation of biomechanical behaviors, enhancing our understanding of human movement and enabling better clinical decision-making. Furthermore, optimization algorithms play a vital role in customizing rehabilitation and assistive devices, such as orthoses and prostheses. The current ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) stiffness measurement methods require bulky, complex designs, and often permanent modification …

Modeling Of Transport In Anatomic Respiratory Airways: Applications In Targeted Drug Delivery And Airborne Pathogenic Transmissions, Mohammad Mehedi Hasan Akash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to explore the potential of improving the efficacy of drugs for treatment of viral infections by targeting the nasopharynx, which is commonly the first site of infection for many viral pathogens. Currently, intranasal sprays are used, but the standard protocol (“Current Use” or CU) results in suboptimal drug deposition at the nasopharynx. To address this issue, an “Improved Use” or, IU protocol has been proposed, which involves pointing the spray bottle at a shallower angle and aiming slightly towards the cheeks. The IU delivery is also robust to perturbations in spray direction, which highlights the practical utility …