Manufacturing Commons^™

Schaeffler E-Axle Value Engineering, Andrew Powers

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project aims to design a manufacturable E-Axle end housing that improves system performance while reducing cost. The project is focused on utilizing Schaeffler's manufacturing competencies to achieve a simple assembly with a significant reduction in cost per part, while using existing machines or processes within the company. The design development process will follow the conceptual design stage through Finite Element Analysis and classical engineering calculations. Cross-functional design reviews will be conducted to ensure that agreement can be reached on the manufacturing feasibility of the design. Concepts will be entered in a decision analysis sheet to identify the best one …

Extending Trailer, Alex Grove

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this research project is to revolutionize the convenience in towable transportation. This innovative design aims to enhance the versatility of pull-behind trailers by incorporating an extendable feature, allowing users to effortlessly adjust the length according to their specific needs. Whether navigating tight spaces or accommodating extra cargo, our trailer adapts to diverse situations, providing unmatched flexibility. In addition to its adjustable length, the trailer is engineered to be compactable, addressing the storage constraints often faced by users with limited space. The collapsible design ensures easy storage without compromising on functionality, making it an ideal solution for individuals …

Yankee Feedstock Project, Nathan Mcanany, Richard Gualtiere

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This report details the design process, application, considerations, costs, and functionality of an automated tape “feedstock” machine. Yankee Insulation Products will use this project to create rolls of Aluminum foil tape that are included in their Therma-Dome assembly kit. The goal of this design will aid in the streamlining and effectiveness of the current process. When designing the automated process, the current process was evaluated for areas of improvement. Design parameters were also given to the project by the sponsoring company that were to be considered and incorporated.

Shape Inverse Prediction Of Magnetic Field-Actuated Soft Robots By Neural Network Machine Learning, Lineth J. Perez Monsalve

Theses and Dissertations

Soft robotics has drawn tremendous interest in recent years because the compliance and motion of soft robotics enable biocompatibility and versatility for many applications, such as human-machine interaction, wearable and assistive devices, and health monitoring. This study introduces a novel predictive modeling approach using neural networks for shape control of magnetic soft robots. The robots are made of silicone materials embedded with hard magnetic particles, which respond to the external magnetic field provided by a ring-type of permanent magnet. These robots, free from physical connections to external devices, i.e., non-tethered actuation, hold significant potential for applications in healthcare, such as …

Assessment Of Surface Waviness In A Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Process, Shammas Mahmood Shafi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is increasingly recognized for its ability to produce metal components with high deposition rates and efficiency, particularly in the aerospace and automotive sectors. However, one significant challenge that WAAM faces is achieving surface quality that complies with industry standards, as well as creating geometries that closely resemble the initial design. A crucial factor contributing to this challenge is surface waviness, which is an inherent characteristic of the WAAM process. This waviness arises from the geometry of the weld beads and the overlap distance between them. It can adversely affect the fusion quality of successive layers, …

Functional Verification Of Additively Manufactured Metallopolymer Structures For Structural Electronics Design, Nathan D. Singhal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As an attempt to improve the overall cost-effectiveness and ease of structural electronics manufacturing, this study characterizes the mechanical and electrical responses of structures which are fabricated from a novel metallopolymer composite material by fused deposition modeling as they are subjected to quasi-static, uniaxial mechanical tension. Baseline values of tensile properties and electrical resistivity were first obtained via ASTM D638-22 standard testing procedures and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), respectively. A hybrid procedure to measure in-situ mechanically dependent electrical behavior was subsequently developed and implemented. The mechanical and electromechanical testing was followed by the derivation of stochastic values for several mechanical …

Using Tensile And Compressive Stress Superposition During Incremental Forming To Manipulate Martensitic Transformation In Ss304, Elizabeth M. Mamros, Fabian Maaß, A. Erman Tekkaya, Brad L. Kinsey, Jinjin Ha

Faculty Conference Papers and Presentations

Single point incremental forming (SPIF) is a flexible manufacturing process that has applications in industries ranging from biomedical to automotive. In addition to rapid prototyping, which requires easy adaptations in geometry or material for design changes, control of the final part properties is desired. One strategy that can be implemented is stress superposition, which is the application of additional stresses during an existing manufacturing process. Tensile and compressive stresses applied during SPIF showed significant effects on the resulting microstructure in stainless steel 304 truncated square pyramids. Specifically, the amount of martensitic transformation was increased through stress superposed incremental forming. Finite …

Thermomechanical Process Simulation And Quantification Of Nanoscale Precipitation Influencing Ductility And Strength During Alloy Processing, Alyssa Stubbers

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Experimental process simulation and quantification of microstructure development during processing are challenging due to limitations with machinery temperature capability, inadequate resolution and sampling volume of currently available characterization techniques, and difficulty characterizing material microstructures as close to processing-relevant conditions as possible. This dissertation addresses how process simulation can be performed using Gleeble thermomechanical technologies and how microstructure development during these processing simulations can be quantified both in-situ and ex-situ.

The first portion of this dissertation demonstrates how Gleeble technologies can be applied to simulate complex material processing conditions in order to produce process-property profiles that can be used to inform …

Towards The Automation Of Post-Processing Of Additive Manufacturing Using Collaborative Robots, Logan Schorr

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the incredible potential that collaborative robots have, they are underutilized in several industries that could benefit greatly. These specialized fields, such as additive manufacturing, face challenges that can be solved with the use of robotics, including advanced computer vision, end-effector tooling, and process refinement. My research aims to utilize collaborative robots in an effort to solve the above stated problems, for the specific fields of additive manufacturing. Specifically within this field is the automation of post-processing; this is normally completely manual, as the tools for automation are not sufficiently developed to handle the flexibility required for additive manufacturing. This …

Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy(Rus) For Material Characterization Of Metal Am Parts, Malik Marks

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) has revolutionized the manufacturing industry by offering flexibility, customization, and rapid prototyping capabilities. However, ensuring the quality and reliability of AM parts remains a significant challenge due to variations in material properties and process parameters. The NDE method used in this study is Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy (RUS). This method was used to evaluate and understand its ability to detect internal voids and defects. Dog-bone samples were made using the 316L stainless steel alloy which were fabricated by powder bed fusion (PBF) AM technique at different processing conditions and post processing conditions. These samples were tested to find …

Understanding The Impact Of Process Interruption On Mechanical Properties In Metal Additive Manufacturing: A Comprehensive Investigation, Poojith C. Chigurupati

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Metal additive manufacturing techniques enable rapid prototyping and on-demand manufacturing while improving supply chain resiliency. Changes in microstructure and micro-mechanical characteristics of 3D printed metal parts occur due to the influence of process interruptions on melting-solidification cycles during the layer evolution in additive manufacturing processes. The process interruption can deteriorate the structural integrity of the 3D printed parts and generate micro-flaws in the interruption region. Manufacturing post-processing techniques such as Heat-Treatment methods can enhance the mechanical properties of the parts. Since variations commonly happen at the layer level, the investigation of mechanical properties must be done such that these variations …

Development And Characterization Of Vegetable Oil Based, Acrylated Resins For Stereolithography 3d Printing, Julius A. Adeyera

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The increase in the demand for additively manufactured parts and the drive towards a sustainable economy with less environmental pollution has necessitated the need for renewable materials for use in 3D printing. This study shows the development and characterization of vegetable oil based, acrylated resins for 3D printing. Bio-based 3D resins were formulated using bio-based oils with a minimum of 70% bio-based content and were ready to be polymerized using the stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing process. Two distinct vegetable oils were used to develop biobased photopolymers. Biobased acrylated epoxidized photopolymers were successfully developed that have good mechanical and chemical properties. …

Experimental Investigation Of Liquid Metal Embrittlement In Hot-Dip Galvanized Structural Steel, Amelia Mcnamee

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research investigated the liquid metal embrittlement (LME) of hot-dipped galvanized structural steel. The relationship between stress and failure time was analyzed to evaluate the potential presence of a critical stress threshold beyond which LME may occur. A testing apparatus to induce axial stress was designed and assembled in-house. A36 low carbon steel was tested in this study. Different deadweight loadings were applied to the testing sample along the axial direction. The test temperature was maintained by a programmable furnace while the sample gauge section was submerged in a molten zinc bath. Failure time and total displacement of the steel …

Effect Of Bioactive Borate Glass On Printability And Physical Properties Of Hydrogels, Fateme Fayyazbakhsh, Mehedi H. Tusar, Yue-Wern Huang, Ming C. Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Hydrogels are a key component in bioinks and biomaterial inks for bioprinting due to their biocompatibility and printability at room temperature. The research described in the present paper contributes to the advancement of bioprinting by studying the effect of bioactive borate glass (BBG) incorporated into hydrogels on printability and physical properties. In this study, we fabricated 3D-printed hydrogel scaffolds using gelatin and alginate hydrogel mixture incorporated with various amounts of BBG, a bio ceramic rich in therapeutic ions including boron, calcium, copper, and zinc. We investigated the effect of incorporating BBG on the density, viscosity, physical interactions, chemical structure, and …

An Evaluation Of Methods For Assessing Robot Kinematic Model Accuracy In The Presence Of Noise, Mitchell R. Woodside, Patrick Bazzoli, Philip A. Olubodun, J. Adam Nisbett, Guixiu Qiao, Douglas A. Bristow

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

While there are many works developing methods for modeling and calibrating robot kinematics, assessing the accuracy of those models has received little attention. However, accuracy assessment is critically important for applications where the robot must operate with absolute accuracy over a large region of workspace, such as in robotic machining. When the model of such a system is well calibrated, the remaining deterministic error can be quite complex, owing to complicated gearing errors, deformations, and quasi-static thermal changes. Locating the largest deterministic error requires an exploration over the workspace, but assessing the largest error is complicated by repeatability error and …

Impact Of Quenching Intensity Conditions On Using A Finite Element Model To Investigate The Microstructure And Hardenability Of Low-Alloy Steel, J. S. Alabi, E. Heidari, M. F. Buchely, K. Chandrashekhara, S. N. Lekakh, R. J. O'Malley, V. Athavale, A. Kumar

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Quenching is one of the primary processes to improve mechanical properties in steels, particularly hardness. Quenching is well established for different geometries of individually treated steel components; while in-steam quenching of large diameter continuously cast steel bar has several specific features which are difficult and costly to experimentally optimize. the end-quench Jominy test has been used extensively to study the hardenability of different steel grades. Different numerical, analytical, and empirical models have been developed to simulate the Jominy process and to understand quenching of steels. However, it is not straight forward to translate experimental data from Jominy test on instream …

Impact Of Quenching Intensity Conditions On Using A Finite Element Model To Investigate The Microstructure And Hardenability Of Low-Alloy Steel, J. S. Alabi, E. Heidari, M. F. Buchely, K. Chandrashekhara, S. N. Lekakh, R. J. O'Malley, V. Athavale, A. Kumar

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Quenching is one of the primary processes to improve mechanical properties in steels, particularly hardness. Quenching is well established for different geometries of individually treated steel components; while in-steam quenching of large diameter continuously cast steel bar has several specific features which are difficult and costly to experimentally optimize. The end-quench Jominy test has been used extensively to study the hardenability of different steel grades. Different numerical, analytical, and empirical models have been developed to simulate the Jominy process and to understand quenching of steels. However, it is not straight forward to translate experimental data from Jominy test on instream …

A Simulation Model Analysis In The Us-Mexico Border, Carlo A. Zorola, Hiram Moya, Aditya Akundi

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Supply Chain (SC) is the flow of goods or services between supply and demand points. New or innovative strategies in SC have been researched and developed to deal with disruptive events, such as COVID-19, hurricanes, geopolitical, and even climate change. These challenges create supply imbalances, logistical challenges, and policy restrictions for transborder commerce. The DHS has implemented the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program in both the US-Mexico and US-Canada border. These lanes are dedicated queues for commercial vehicles. In 2022, the government of Nuevo León, México, opened a dedicated lane just for Tesla´s northbound commercial traffic. There has been …

Parametrization Of Fluid Models For Electrical Breakdown Of Nitrogen At Atmospheric Pressure, Shirshak K. Dhali

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In the transient phase of an atmospheric pressure discharge, the avalanche turns into a streamer discharge with time. Hydrodynamic fluid models are frequently used to describe the formation and propagation of streamers, where charge particle transport is dominated by the creation of space charge. The required electron transport data and rate coefficients for the fluid model are parameterized using the local mean energy approximation (LMEA) and the local field approximation (LFA). In atmospheric pressure applications, the excited species produced in the electrical discharge determine the subsequent conversion chemistry. We performed the fluid model simulation of streamers in nitrogen gas at …

Artificial Intelligence For Enhanced Flotation Monitoring In The Mining Industry: A Convlstm-Based Approach, Ahmed Bendaouia, El Hassan Abdelwahed, Sara Qassimi, Abdelmalek Boussetta, Intissar Benzakour, Oumkeltoum Amar, Oussama Hasidi

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

In the mining industry, accurate monitoring of the elemental composition in the flotation froth is crucial for efficient minerals separation. The hybrid deep learning algorithms offer powerful computational intelligence for real-time monitoring of froth quality in flotation processes. This soft sensor tool can provide valuable information for process control, including predictions of the elemental chemical composition. In this study, we propose a novel approach based on a Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory (ConvLSTM) neural network for real-time monitoring of chemical composition grades in flotation froth. The proposed model effectively extracts spatial and temporal patterns from video data, providing a better …