Other Engineering Commons^™

An Engineering Approach For Evaluating The Lifetime Experience Of Sex Trafficking Victimization, Kimberly Starr Nagulpelli

Dissertations

This research is an original approach that applies industrial engineering and operations research tools to the sociological problem of sex trafficking victimization. Such an approach enables quantitative evaluation of the impacts on an individual’s lifetime by anti-trafficking efforts and public policies.

A fully interconnected, lifetime model for the experience of sex trafficking victimization is defined as the result of a comprehensive review of literature. Beginning with victimization risk, the defined model is an anticipatory tool to understand the incidences and consequences to individuals during their lifetime. This research develops the model further into a Discrete-Time Markov Chain (DTMC) with definitions …

Air Pre-Heat System Optimization For Flash Dryers, Sophia Louden

Honors Theses

Primient, a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources is the industrial sponsor for this project. The company is currently using Plate & Frame Heat exchangers to heat up a 40% by-weight glycol and water solution that is then used to preheat the incoming ambient air. Glycol is being added to reduce the risks of freezing in the system during the winter season. It is important to highlight that this fact affects the heat transfer properties of the liquid overall. Since air heating is a highly energy-demanding process, an outlet stream of hot water produced …

Optimization Of Material Flow Of Woodshop Through Layout Redesign, Madison Wegner

Honors Theses

A local high-design outdoor site furniture company – Landscape Forms – worked with the senior design team to create alternative layouts for the woodshop within the company. This senior project will offer three categories of alternative layouts: short, mid, and long term. By offering multiple time frame layouts, Landscape Forms will be able to implement changes based on time frame and need. A project plan indicates all tasks required to meet these objectives as well as a timeline for accomplishing this plan. Research including worker movement diagrams, stakeholder interviews incorporating woodshop employees and engineers, a man and machine utilization study, …

Study Of Sustainable Development In Paper, Printing And Packaging Material Applications To Support Circular Economy, Prashant Ramesh Kotkar

Dissertations

To support circular economy and sustainability, the use of suitable material in paper, printing, and packaging industries, for several types of industrial printing material and printed product applications, plays a significant role for end user applications. Several types of packaging printing materials, specifically those finished with different printing technologies and exposed to different environmental conditions are targeted.

The purpose of this research study is to improve design and evaluation for paper, printing, and packaging material sustainability in end-user applications, to deal with the addressed sustainability issues brought by the paper, printing and packaging products end user groups. As the impacts …

Cost Efficient 3d Printed Mold For Thermoforming, Julianna Buck

Honors Theses

Traditional machined thermoforming molds are extremely expensive to produce. For small business owners who will have a very low volume of production this is not always a viable solution. To counteract this, the 3D thermoforming mold team strives to create a detailed manuscript complete with all the necessary information on how to produce a quality thermoforming mold through 3D printing. This manual will include information on producing a mold with parameters such as time to 3D print, type of printing materials, a cost analysis of producing the mold, and pre- and post-processing of the mold in preparation for production. The …

Hinging, Propping, And Latching Mechanisms For Sunseeker Solar Car, Zachary Ruppenthal

Honors Theses

In this project, designs for the hinging, propping, and latching mechanisms on the 2021 Sunseeker Solar Car were created. These designs allow for the car’s array of solar panels to be held at any desired angle to maximize collection of solar power and give the team access to the battery and driver compartment. Removable telescoping prop rods with pin attachments are used to set the array at a desired angle. The hinging mechanism allows for the array to be lifted vertically prior to rotation in order to avoid interference with the car’s roll cage. To accomplish this, two four-bar linkages …

Versatile Home Workspace Environment, Kayli Holmes

Honors Theses

Since the initial spread of COVID-19, many individuals around the world have experienced a rapid shift from an external workplace, to needing a dedicated workspace within the home. While some individuals have been faced with new distractions like family members and pets, others have been faced with the struggle of having a workspace in common areas, where relaxation and socialization normally occur. Due to the needs for many people to work from home and be isolated from coworkers, it is essential for living spaces to be adaptable to meet these needs. Producing an effective separation can help lead to overall …

Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture, Erin Riley

Honors Theses

The goal of the Yoda Chemical Company Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture project and subsequent report was to identify and recommend plant optimization opportunities associated with the potential recovery of five waste streams. Additionally, an analysis of the upgrade’s design was completed in order to determine the economic viability of fiber recapture. Beginning the analysis, the five waste streams were identified and analyzed. The waste streams include the top liner, back liner, and filler liner primary cleaner rejects on the K1 machine, the common rejects from under the K3 paper machine, and the tertiary cleaner rejects from stock preparation.

Two different …

Design Of Outdoor Residential Lighting Fixture, Jenna Vanmarter

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Understanding Individual Color Perceptions Within Print And Digital Media, Morgan Haskins

Honors Theses

Color is a subjective attribute that is seen differently by each individual and this research is intended to build upon the subjective nature of color perceptions. This research aims to determine the effect of subjectivity on print and digital design and of extended gamut printing and effective color management on color perception. The significance of understanding color perception is directly applicable to consumer perception of designs using color. If designers want their brand to be immediately recognized and be positively accepted, they must be able to accurately reproduce their brand colors with little to no color difference and be able …

Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture, Abigail Cortright

Honors Theses

The goal of the Yoda Chemical Company Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture project and subsequent report was to identify and recommend plant optimization opportunities associated with the potential recovery of five waste streams. Additionally, an analysis of the upgrade’s design was completed in order to determine the economic viability of fiber recapture. Beginning the analysis, the five waste streams were identified and analyzed. The waste streams include the top liner, back liner, and filler liner primary cleaner rejects on the K1 machine, the common rejects from under the K3 paper machine, and the tertiary cleaner rejects from stock preparation.

Two different …

Development Of A Flexible Printed Paper-Based Battery, Justone Crosby

Honors Theses

Market demand for flexible electronics continues to grow, which, in turn, increases the demand for flexible energy storage devices. There are several types of energy storage devices available, including the alkaline (Zn-MnO₂) battery, which is the subject of this project. This project's objective was to develop a flexible, printed paper-based battery, which may be a sustainable solution to the increasing market demand. This device is low-cost and can be manufactured commercially using a scalable process.

The proposed device is an alkaline flexible cell, whose components can be printed onto paper. This alkaline system includes a zinc-based negative electrode …

Comparison Of Pretreatment Methods For Cellulosic Ethanol, Michael Eaton

Honors Theses

Bioethanol provides a great alternative to regular ethanol sources because it uses secondary substrates that are byproducts of other industries, rather than substrates that compete with food products. The technology is available for industrial bioethanol production, but the production costs just aren’t competitive enough with traditional ethanol production. The goal of this project was not to prepare a proposal for a bio-ethanol plant with all of the associated costs and financial calculations, but rather to provide a direct comparison of two pretreatment methods to highlight which factors could make one method less costly than the other. Pretreatment is a critical …

Autonomous Vehicle Interior Design, Luis Vargas

Honors Theses

As technology in the automotive industry advances and self-driving vehicles become more commercially available, design concepts for their interiors must also be developed. Research was conducted on automotive design and autonomous technology, drawing inspiration from production and concept vehicles of the past, present, and future. A survey was conducted to gauge possible consumer needs. Hand sketches, small-scale models, and a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model was produced. A full-size model was developed using various material-forming processes, including 3D printing, woodworking, clay sculpting, and metal machining. The interior was designed with consideration for safety, comfort, and technological advancements to satisfy the needs …

Emergency Department Triage Process Improvement, Tessa Williams

Honors Theses

This senior design project was completed at Ascension Borgess Hospital located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The mission of Ascension Borgess Hospital is to provide patient centered care. In 2018, 562 patients left the Emergency Department (ED) without being seen, which is a large safety risk for the patients and hospital. Based on this, as well as other obstacles, this project focused on meeting the mission of Ascension Borgess by improving key ED metrics that impact patient centered care. In order to meet that mission, this study aims to improve patient experience, safety and quality of the care provided, profitability for the …

An Overpayment And Improved Reconciliation Process, Logan Wright

Honors Theses

Managerial errors in the form of late entry separations result in operating inefficiencies and excess costs to a company, as reconciliations will need to occur between paychecks issued and active employees versus separated employees. This is an issue that is currently plaguing Whirlpool Corporation (Whirlpool) in their U.S. operations. After the implementation of a plan to restructure their Human Resources (HR) Department and payroll unit to achieve HR Excellence, Whirlpool experienced problems with their payroll process resulting in inaccurate payments to separated employees. This senior project designed a two-phase process, first phase being prevention and second phase being a lean …

An Investigation Of The Efficacy Of Corn Cob Hemicellulose As A Gas Barrier And Dry Strength Agent On Previously Uncoated Linerboard, Zachary Witherspoon

Honors Theses

Two types of xylan, water soluble and insoluble, were extracted from corn cobs and made into liquid coatings and applied to uncoated linerboard with a fine, #8 Meyer rod, with the intention of creating a gas barrier and increasing strength properties. The xylan coatings were plasticized with sorbitol and crosslinked with citric acid, and the crosslinking reaction catalyzed with sodium hypophosphite. A 1% konjac glucomannan comparison coating was created (with the same plasticizer and crosslinker) to serve as an alternative coating based on previous research in the department, but it failed as a paper coating due to the presence of …

Compressed Air Systems Evaluation And Improvement, Lukas Swoboda

Honors Theses

This project was centered on recommending a new air compressor system for the Fluid System Connectors division of Parker Hannifin in Otsego, Michigan. The recommended compressor for the plant is a 250hp variable speed drive Ingersoll Rand Compressor. It is recommended that this compressor, along with two 35hp compressors already purchased by Parker be tied together using an automated system. In addition to the compressor, a flow controller was recommended to be implemented into the system.

Given that leaks are also a problem in the system, it is recommended that the majority of air leaks in the system be fixed …

Life Is A Lab: Developing A Communication Research Lab For Undergraduate And Graduate Education, Autumn P. Edwards, Chad Edwards, Patric R. Spence

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Tips offered center on classroom discourse, curriculum choices, and potential assignments. In this article, we present tips for creating a thriving undergraduate and graduate communication research lab. Based on our experiences developing and co-directing the Communication and Social Robotics Labs (CSRLs), we offer 10 best practices for acquiring resources and recognition, building a strong lab community, and attaining faculty and student goals for scholarship and beyond. Our overarching approach is framed by Dewey’s (1916) pragmatist educational metaphysic, which stresses student- and subject-centered learning, enlarging experiences, and the co-construction of meaning and knowledge. Although our labs are focused on human-machine communication …

Extended Gamut Printing In Flexographic Packaging And The Impact Of Brand Management, Andrew Bogan

Honors Theses

Flexography is the dominant print process in regards to the reproduction of packaging products. Packaging, particular the color and graphics, is an essential tangible element for brand owners striving for brand management. Extended gamut printing is a printing technique that can produce high color saturations on packaging samples, which can have positive implications for brand management. Currently, most information on extended gamut printing is proprietary, making it very difficult for non-print industry members to obtain and utilize information relating to the benefits of extended gamut printing. The aim of this study was to provide evidence that packaging samples with extended …

The Effects Of Colorimetry And Spectroscopy Using The Iso M0, M1 And M2 Modes, Kaylee Flannery

Honors Theses

The use of Optical Brightening Agents (OBA’s) in printing and proofing papers has drastically increased and, while the use of OBA’s has improved the appearance for end-use consumers, it represents great challenges to those attempting to successfully color manage the print. Therefore, standards have been created in order to assist in the measurement of these papers, and can be found within ISO 13655-2009: Spectral Measurement and Colorimetric Computation for Graphic Arts Images. This newly defined measurement standard is referred to as the “M” series. While this new standard has its advantages, it also poses some disadvantages. This report will …

Gravure Printability Of Indium Tin Oxide Nanoparticles On Glass And Pet Films For Applications In Printed Electronics, Dania Awni Alsaid

Dissertations

The advancements in the field of solution processable electro-active materials and their ability to be printed on different substrates have led to the evolution of printed electronics. In this field, electronic components are manufactured with conventional printing methods. Transparent electrodes made from indium tin oxide (ITO) are part of many electronic devices. Currently in industry, highly conductive ITO films are prepared by sputtering. The sputtering and then patterning of ITO films is a sophisticated process that consumes high energy, generates waste and produces films with limited flexibility. Therefore, there is a need to investigate processing methods for creating ITO films …

Improving Rapid Prototyping Through The Installment Of 3d Printers In Automotive Companies, Kelly Mccarthy

Honors Theses

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a relatively new form of additive manufacturing that has the potential to induce a second industrial revolution. This technology utilizes a print head to lay down raw materials in successive layers to fabricate a three dimensional object. There are several techniques in 3D printing, two of which will be discussed hi this proposal: fused deposition modeling (FDM), and inkjet/polyjet matrix 3D printing.

Although this technology has been around since the 1980s, it is constantly evolving and new materials, uses, and objects are created daily. This technology presents the potential to manufacture a variety of objects across …

Inkjet Printability Of Electronic Materials Important To The Manufacture Of Fully Printed Otfts, Sooman Lim

Dissertations

In this study, the inkjet printability of materials important to fabricating OTFTs was researched. In order to understand the jetting evolution of inkjet printed inks, simulations were performed with a nano copper and nano particle silver ink. To predict the inkjettability of the nano copper ink, Z and Oh numbers at different temperatures were determined. The results from the simulation studies were compared to experimental results obtained using a Dimatix inkjet printer. For the semiconductor ink, the inkjet printability of two organic semiconductors, P2TDC17FT4 (poly[(3,7-diheptadecylthieno[3,2-b]thieno[2',3':4,5]thieno[2,3-d]thiophene-2,6-diyl)[2,2'-bithiophene]-5,5'-diyl] dissolved in 1,2-dichlorobenzene and P3HT (poly-3 hexylthiophene) were compared to determine the relationship between drop …

The Use Of Excess Aircraft As Maximization Of Resources, Jean Paul Pion Garcia

Honors Theses

The United States currently has within just 6 airfields approximately 4,600 grounded aircraft. Out of these excess aircraft, approximately 66,900 metric tons of secondary aluminum could be extracted. All this amount of material equals to approximately 147 million US dollars if sold to the current aluminum market price; the United States government could save up to 450 million US dollars just in electrical power expenses by choosing to recycle these aircraft, instead of producing primary aluminum out of bauxite. Recycling all these aircraft, would also have a positive impact in the environment, since hundreds of acres would be freed from …