Electro-Mechanical Systems Commons^™

Optimizing The Processing Temperature For Synthesis Of Silver Nanoparticles Within Cellulose-Wool Keratin Supramolecular Matrix Using Butylmethylimmidazolium Chloride Ionic Liquid, Ngesa E. Mushi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

To date, the synthesis of silver nanoparticles on the surface of cellulose and wool keratin biopolymer, while dissolved in ionic liquid, is attractive because of its biomedical potential. However, the optimal processing temperature for the nanoparticle formation is unclear. The previously reported temperature of approximately 120°C gives unpredictable results. The current study employs a combination of 50% cellulose and 50% keratin, along with 69 mg of silver chloride, in Butylmethylimidazolium Chloride BMImCl ionic liquid, using a single-pot process to produce a supramolecular film via non-derivatized mechanochemical interactions. The primary objective is to experimentally establish the processing temperature to achieve stable …

Aerospace Fastener Installation Tool, Anthony I. Berghout, Matthew K. Eggers, Liam Dunsmore, Jose Pardo

Mechanical Engineering

Contamination, particularly in aerospace manufacturing environments, is a significant concern, especially with fastener designs that incorporate torque-rated breakaway pieces for easier installation. These breakaway pieces are also known as pintails. Howmet has tooling that can collect loose pintails during installation, but they have small capacities and are not ergonomic for aerospace technicians. Their current need is for a light and ergonomic tool capable of installing a wide variety of Ergo-Tech® fasteners while having a large capacity to collect pintails and improve aerospace manufacturing methods. For this Critical Design Stage, we have finalized a design that allows Pintails to pass through …

Edwards Lifesciences: Esheath+ Scoring Automation, Tony Lee Avina, Kirth Hirth, Charith Sunku, Humberto Salazar-Banuelos

Mechanical Engineering

Due to a non-disclosure agreement with our sponsor, Edwards Lifesciences, the contents of the report have been omitted.

Foot Pedal Assistive Device, Julian Rubinstein, Connor Jessen, Isabelle Utsler, Sydney Alexander

Mechanical Engineering

Individuals with lower-limb mobility problems may have trouble accurately locating the pedals of a three-pedal manual transmission car, and some medical conditions cause individuals to fatigue more quickly when driving. This project aimed to create a device that assists in locating the user’s feet, indicates to the user which pedals are currently in use, and provides a visual and physical warning if they are not in the correct place. The project sponsor, Alan Keizer, is the primary stakeholder in this project. This device will be designed specifically for Alan’s Subaru BRZ and will address Alan’s specific lower-limb mobility issues that …

Torsional Vibration Kit Simulator (Tks), Joseph Thachet, Luca Lawson, Ryan Ota, Otis Mcloughlin

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of this project was to create torsional vibration on a shaft while limiting axial and radial vibration. To do this an eddy current brake was used to slow down a rotating shaft. The electromagnets used to create the eddy currents are able to be turned on and off at a frequency produced by a function generator. This power cycling of the electromagnets creates an alternating braking force thereby inducing torsional vibration while limiting the other two vibration types

Heart Valve Leaflet Cutting Automation, Gabriella Aclan, Josh Deweese, Lizzie Dilao, Jason Wong

Mechanical Engineering

The content contained in this report is confidential and proprietary information of Edwards Lifesciences.

Large Backflow Check Valve Life Cycle Test Stand, Colin Bentley, Christopher Carloni, Ethan Gray, Luke Romanini

Mechanical Engineering

Backflow preventers are plumbing devices containing internal check valves used to prevent cross-contamination between downstream contaminants and potable water supply. Zurn Wilkins needs a life cycle test stand to mechanically force open check valves submerged in contaminated water and verify check performance. The stand needs to be modular to work with a range of check types and sizes.

Zurn Wilkins is the primary stakeholder for this project. Secondary stakeholders include commercial and residential building owners, contractors, and water utility companies, who rely on their products for safe and efficient water management. The team for this project consists of four Cal …

Hydropower Collegiate Competition, Aiden D. Foster, Devon Bountry, Joanna Vo, Timothy Rinker, Amanda Rodriguez, Minh Nguyen, Eli Haushalter, Sophie Watkinson, Maiya Holton, Breanne Evans

Mechanical Engineering

The Cal Poly SLO HCC team presents a feasibility study and engineering design review package for retrofitting the non-powered Ritschard Dam in Colorado into a hydroelectric facility as part of the 2025 Hydropower Collegiate Competition. Through a rigorous and multi-staged assessment of plausible dam sites in the western US, the team has chosen the Ritschard Dam in Colorado to implement an electromechanical component designed to accommodate a large range of flowrates stemming from a large variance in upper reservoir capacity due to geographical and climate effects. The team evaluated non-powered dams based on technical feasibility, electric grid proximity, power generation …

Conversational Social Robot, Julianna M. Christopoulos, Mackenzie Goldman, Cece E. Hujanen, Jared Hunter

Mechanical Engineering

Background: Social robots are used in various settings to reduce burden on human workers and expand opportunities for people in need of assistance.

Challenge: Design a humanoid robot head and torso capable of holding conversations and interacting with a user using a LLM and motion. Conversations are limited to discussing Cal Poly resources and opportunities with visitors to the Bently Research Center on campus.

Fused-Silica Microelectromechanical Systems For Relative Gravimetry, Ethan Doerstling

Theses and Dissertations

Gravimeters are devices that measure gravitational acceleration which can be used by the United States Air Force (USAF) in the areas of navigation and remote sensing. Fused-silica microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices offer capabilities to make inexpensive relative gravimeters with higher thermal stability than common silicon devices while maintaining good gravitational sensitivity. The fused-silica devices in this research were designed, simulated, fabricated, and tested to observe their performance as gravimeters. The devices exhibit properties of highly sensitive accelerometers but the current designs do not qualify as gravimeters. This study provides information to improve the sensitivity and stability of these fused-silica MEMS …

Mechatronic System Mobility Enhancement Device For Patient With Cerebral Palsy, Tori N. Saenz

Honors Theses

The primary objective of this project was to design and fabricate the electronic, power, and control systems for a mobility device oriented around the needs of a young man with cerebral palsy, named Lane Bryant. This project was completed during the Mechanical Engineering Capstone Senior Design Experience. A separate group completed the design and fabrication of the wheelchair’s ergonomic and structural elements. Research on the typical operation of existing electric wheelchairs was completed to form a baseline of operating parameters. Observations from a previous wheelchair for Lane, called the Wild Thing, guided many design choices. The power supply was designed …

Pressure Switch Tester, Michael Starasinich, Andrew Dobson, Jordan Huschen, Mitchell Smith, Melvin Brown Iii

Honors Capstones

Abstract—- The Pressure Switch Test Stand is a comprehensive and automated testing solution designed to streamline the actuation and validation of simultaneously. At the core of the system is a PLC-controlled architecture that enables precise control and simulation of pressure conditions, replicating real-world scenarios to ensure accurate and reliable switch performance.

This test stand integrates robust mechanical fixtures, a reliable pneumatic control system, custom-designed electrical circuits, and a modular software interface, working in unison to deliver consistent and high-fidelity testing outcomes. Each pressure switch undergoes a sequence of pressure ramps and holds, with the system continuously monitoring switch states, activation …

Validating An Electronics Cooler Experiment And Optimizing Its Performance Using Ansys Icepak, Daniel V. Curl

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Researchers at the University of Arkansas' Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Research Departments have designed and built a cold plate and substrate design for a 10 kV SiC MOSFET power module. Many variables define the design of the cold plate and substrate system and have quantifiable effects on the device’s performance. These variables include but are not limited to geometry and material selection of the fins and substrate. Manufacturing many test designs, running experiments, and comparing their performance is a time-consuming and expensive design optimization method that may be effective for some low-cost applications. Still, simulation is often a more cost-effective …

Development Of A Cost-Effective Daq For Measuring Brake Performance In Race Cars, Adrin Alias

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This project explores the feasibility of creating a cost-effective data acquisition (DAQ) system for high-speed, real-time brake performance testing of Formula SAE racecars. The research addresses the limitations of the current MoTeC DAQ system currently employed by the team, which is costly and time-consuming to set up for on-car testing. The team will use a brake dynamometer for steady-state comparisons of different brake pad compounds (senior design project), but evaluating real-world performance requires on-car testing. By systematically comparing various hardware platforms, sensors, communication protocols, and storage solutions, this project aims to balance cost-efficiency with reliability and performance. The research evaluates …

Computational Modeling Of Torque Arm And Load Cell Interactions In Uta Racing Brake Dynamometer, Anthony A. Aiyedun

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The UTA Racing Team is developing a brake dynamometer to measure the coefficients of friction of various brake pads and calipers under controlled conditions. The dynamometer simulates on-track braking scenarios, testing brake pads at temperatures up to 1300ºF and pressures similar to racing environments. Its primary goal is to generate accurate friction vs. temperature graphs for various brake pad and rotor combinations, addressing the need for dedicated testing equipment. This project creates an ANSYS simulation of the torque arm and load cell interaction. The computational model accurately represents the relationship between applied torque and measured load cell force, incorporating precise …

Reconfigurable Python Autopilot Software For Rc Aircraft, Kate Doiron

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Autonomous Control Of A Hybrid Unmanned Aerial Towed System On A Moving Platform, Zachary M. Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

With tethered rotor drones being more popular for aerial surveillance, moving platforms for tethered drones are being researched. However, these systems require constant power to the rotor drones for stabilization. With this difficulty in power consumption, a hybrid drone solution is presented. The hybrid drone is similar to an airplane, with quadcopter motors attached for stabilization and thrust when not moving.

The controller for the hybrid drone was tested and verified in simulation. The simulation of the system was built in Fortran and consists of a driver, a tether, and a hybrid drone. The driver was modeled after a generic …

Development Of A 3-Dof Contactless Magnetic Joint Actuator, Elle Whitney

Theses and Dissertations

The magnetic joint actuator is a relatively recent research technology that expands on the brushless DC motor to encompass rotation in three degrees-of-freedom. These actuators involve a stator with a series of electromagnetic coils oriented normal to a spherical permanent magnet rotor which can be controlled by modulating the current of the stator coils. The development of a magnetic joint actuator that operates without a physical connection between the stator and the rotor has wide applications for robotics in dust-sensitive environments, where a device with bearings would otherwise falter. This work details the design, sensing, and control of such a …

The Prototype Of A Fully Automated Pressuremeter For Various Geotechnical Applications, Anuar Akchurin

Theses and Dissertations

The geotechnical engineering field requires high-quality in-situ testing equipment that ensures consistency in the test execution. This research focuses on developing and testing a prototype of a fully automated pressuremeter control unit to allow the industry to obtain reliable and controlled stress-strain data, thereby improving efficiency and reducing testing time.

The objectives of this work are to design and develop a system with the necessary components to perform the pressuremeter test, integrate the testing procedure into the state machine design, enable automated testing, and validate the results by comparing the stress-strain data with that obtained from the existing hand-operated pressuremeter …

Low Cost Additive Manufacturing Of Segmented Stator Composite Polymer Permanent Magnet Dc Motors, Ben Goldberg, Jordan Bailey, Connor Hawkins, Colin Haskins, Razvan Voicu

Symposium of Student Scholars

This study presents a novel approach to the design, manufacture, and optimization of segmented stators for composite construction axial flux permanent magnet DC motors. Traditional axial flux stator manufacturing is both challenging and expensive, creating a bottleneck in rapid prototyping and innovation. To overcome these limitations, the stator is divided into individually fabricated segments using advanced composite polymer materials and low-cost additive manufacturing techniques. This segmentation not only drastically reduces production complexity and cost but also allows for customized coil geometries that maximize the surface area for improved heat dissipation.

A key innovation of our design is the integration of …