Engineering Commons^™

Skylux Smartphone Controlled Skylight, James A. Green Vi

Computer Engineering

There are numerous electric skylight openers available for purchase for home-use, but the majority of them are remote based, or operated by a wall-unit. Furthermore, these devices are in hard to reach places, so if one were to lose the remote on a remote operated system, the only option is to contact the manufacturer for a new device. As such, my senior project, in collaboration with Colton Sundstrom’s senior project, build upon our existing capstone project in order to allow operation of the Internet of Things (IoT) device over the internet. Our client, Richard Murray, was unsatisfied with the current …

Manufacturing Of A Carbon Fiber Part With Complex Geometry, Caitlyn Pellemeier, Eric Rodan, Alex King, Nicolas Carlucci

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this study is to determine the best method for manufacturing a part with precision tolerances and a small deflection requirement. The desired tolerances include a flatness of 0.002in, parallelism of 0.005in, heat tolerance of 60℃, and a max deflection at the loaded end of the part of 0.28mm. To accomplish this, our team uses carbon fiber as the part material because compared to traditional metals it is stiffer and lighter. Carbon fiber molding processes are explored and narrowed down to Liquid Composite Molding (LCM) and Resin Transfer Molding (RTM). These processes use dry fiber combined with epoxy …

Powder Bed Surface Quality And Particle Size Distribution For Metal Additive Manufacturing And Comparison With Discrete Element Model, Irene Yee

Master's Theses

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) can produce complex parts that were once considered impossible or too costly to fabricate using conventional machining techniques, making AM machines an exceptional tool for rapid prototyping, one-off parts, and labor-intensive geometries. Due to the growing popularity of this technology, especially in the defense and medical industries, more researchers are looking into the physics and mechanics behind the AM process. Many factors and parameters contribute to the overall quality of a part, one of them being the powder bed itself. So far, little investigation has been dedicated to the behavior of the powder in the powder …

Modular Utility Rack And Accessory Line, Ian Philip Thomas

Construction Management

There is a large gap in the market for heavy duty work racks for fleet vehicles. Modular racks have recently been introduced to the industry allowing contractors the ability to customize them to their needs. However, all customizable racks are limited to lightweight applications. The high strength steel rack I have designed is both modular, and sturdy enough to handle up to an estimated one thousand pounds. On our website, contractors will be able to scroll through the available attachments for his make and model rack and view them built on to his vehicle in 3D computer generated graphics.

Student Shop Access And Inventory Control In The College Of Architecture And Environmental Design Shops, Ryan Raj Mattel, Chris Steven Chen, Kevin Michael Gallagher

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The Cal Poly College of Architecture and Environmental Design shops, directed by David Kempken, give the opportunity for thousands of students to use the “Learn By Doing” philosophy and operate various machinery, tooling, and devices to complete projects inside and outside of the classroom. These students are able to check out tools and machinery to complete these projects on a weekly basis. This report will discuss the complexities and shortcomings of the current database system, FileMaker Pro, that is used for these transactions. The report will furthermore discuss the design and methodology of replacing this system with an improved integrated …

Reducing Same Day Missed Appointments, Lucas Madison, Tyler Moore, Jolani Chun-Moy

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Radiology Associates (RA) is a diagnostic imaging center that offers high-quality, digital medical imaging and interventional radiology services for patients, physicians and healthcare organizations across the Central Coast. They are an ongoing problem that involves a considerable portion of their patients not showing up for their appointments Our project aims to reduce same day missed appointments at Radiology Associates. Radiology Associates currently has a no-show rate of 13.48%. They lose approximately $240 for every same day missed appointment. Our goal was to find new ways to reduce their no-show rate to 8%. Based on our calculations, Radiology Associates could save …

Cru Android App, Dylan Sun

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The Cru app is focused on connecting students and faculty to one of the many Cru ministries here in San Luis Obispo. The app is capable of connecting individuals to a specific community group and ministry teams, gathering information about upcoming Cru events and gatherings, and direct rideshare capabilities. The Cru Android App utilizes Java and other industry standard technologies to fully deliver a well-rounded user experience and to be connected with Cru. In this project, I increased Cru app’s access control abilities and updated the app overall to be ready for an alpha release.

Applications Of Virtual Reality In Construction, Erick Baeza

Construction Management

Virtual reality, a technology that has just been recently introduced to the construction industry, has gained popularity for its many practicalities which include but not limited to; cost savings, time savings and detections of design errors. This case study summarizes the applications and benefits that virtual reality brings to the industry, in particular to Lendlease’s Oceanwide Plaza project located in Downtown Los Angeles alongside drywall subcontractor, Martin Bros. The information for this case study was gathered through means of a phone call interview with Martin Bros’ foreman, Gilbert Benavidez and face-to-face interviews with Lendlease’s field superintendent Wade Nevitt and assistant …

Industry Perspectives On The 40-Hour Work Week As It Relates To Overtime In The Pacific Northwest, John S. Korsmo Iii

Construction Management

The construction industry has a stigma for construction projects often being behind schedule, delayed, or delivered late. Many projects that find themselves in this predicament will utilize overtime to make up for the loss in schedule. However, a number of published studies shows evidence that extended overtime produces a decrease in labor productivity. Does the structure of the 40-hour work week have an affect on this loss of production with overtime? This paper will examine the structure of the 40-hour work week with an emphasis on a 4-day, 10-hour day schedule as well as overtime productivity. This study explores the …

Student-Assistants In Cal Poly, Facilities Planning And Capital Projects, Nicholas Adam Long

Construction Management

The Cal Poly, Facilities Planning and Capital Projects Department has been an under utilized resource for students who desire the opportunity to work in the field while attending school. This internship-like opportunity would give the student an opportunity to step into the shoes as an owner’s representative. With over sixty separate construction projects consistently occurring around campus, students should be given the opportunity to work under supervision of a Cal Poly Project Manager as a student-assistant. Through multiple interviews with the Cal Poly, Facilities Planning and Capital Project Department Project Managers, it was agreed that there was a need to …

A Case Study On The Use Of Bluebeam On Commercial Construction Projects, Victor Michael Beglitsoff

Construction Management

No matter the size, every construction project has their own unique characteristics and logistics that come with it. But one thing is certain, every project has a specific set of construction documents that include; contracts, drawings, specifications and other important information. To guarantee the overall success of the project, companies must find ways to be the most effective and efficient to reach their specific goals. Using a technological software such as Bluebeam allows companies to excel in what they do best. Using Bluebeam as their primary PDF viewer on construction projects allows them to approach their project with a positive …

Standalone Wireless Humming Music Synthesizer (Humsynth), Anna Shabrova, Chad Carlson

Electrical Engineering

The HumSynth is a voice controlled music synthesizer. Unlike the commonly found voice modulators on the market, this product uses a vocal input in place of the traditional keyboard interface. This allows the instrument to serve as an intuitive learning tool for those not proficient in music theory. By using their voice, the consumer is able to get a feel for different scales and keys additionally bypassing the physical learning curve of learning a traditional instrument. By the date of submission this project performs basic functions in recreating the pitch input but does not meet the full specs. The enclosure …

Predicting The Vote Using Legislative Speech, Aditya Budhwar

Master's Theses

As most dedicated observers of voting bodies like the U.S. Supreme Court can attest, it is possible to guess vote outcomes based on statements made during deliberations or questioning by the voting members. In most forms of representative democracy, citizens can actively petition or lobby their representatives, and that often means understanding their intentions to vote for or against an issue of interest. In some U.S. state legislators, professional lobby groups and dedicated press members are highly informed and engaged, but the process is basically closed to ordinary citizens because they do not have enough background and familiarity with the …

Applying Neural Networks For Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems, Alex Kost

Master's Theses

A proof-of-concept indirect tire-pressure monitoring system is developed using neural net- works to identify the tire pressure of a vehicle tire. A quarter-car model was developed with Matlab and Simulink to generate simulated accelerometer output data. Simulation data are used to train and evaluate a recurrent neural network with long short-term memory blocks (RNN-LSTM) and a convolutional neural network (CNN) developed in Python with Tensorflow. Bayesian Optimization via SigOpt was used to optimize training and model parameters. The predictive accuracy and training speed of the two models with various parameters are compared. Finally, future work and improvements are discussed.

Manufacture Of Complex Geometry Component For Advanced Material Stiffness, David Russell Bydalek

Master's Theses

The manufacture, laminate design, and modeling of a part with complex geometry are explored. The ultimate goal of the research is to produce a model that accurately predicts part stiffness. This is validated with experimental results of composite parts, which refine material properties for use in a final prototype part model. The secondary goal of this project is to explore manufacturing methods for improved manufacturability of the complex part. The manufacturing portion of the thesis and feedback into material model has incorporated a senior project team to perform research on manufacturing and create composite part to be used for experimental …

Virtual Stethoscope/Otoscope Duo, Camila P. Monchini, Paige R. Mazur, Christian Navarro

Biomedical Engineering

The virtual stethoscope/otoscope duo is a medical device intended to allow patients to be seen by their medical provider via internet consultations from the comfort of their own home. This device allows patients to substitute in-person doctor visits by checking a patient’s cardiovascular, respiratory, and auditory health. This document is the statement of work for the virtual stethoscope/otoscope duo and contains information on similar products, patents, and relevant literatures containing virtual technologies that assist in patient diagnosis. Product specifications and other details for the device such as performance evaluation review techniques can also be found within this document outlining the …

Beauchemin Residence, Hannah E. Rogers

Architectural Engineering

The following report details the structural engineering completed on the Beauchemin Residence, as well as the associated drawings, details, and special considerations. The Beauchemin Residence is an existing single story wood frame building on raised wood floor, located in the city of San Clemente. The scope of work includes calculations for a new roof, new walls (gravity & lateral), retrofit of the existing foundation, new foundation, and providing calculations. The process and progression of the structural design is documented, and correlated to the final product in the Appendix A & B.

Preparation For The Study Of Gene Expression Aboard The International Space Station, Amber Paturzo

STAR Program Research Presentations

WetLab-2 performs quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) aboard the micro-gravity environment of the International Space Station in order to research how the stress of micro-gravity affects an organism’s RNA production and gene expression. This on-station qPCR allows researchers to gather information earlier and thereby allow them to modify experiments in a matter of hours rather than wait until the next flight opportunity. After a successful validation flight on SpaceX-8 and follow-up investigation on SpaceX-9, system components must now be adjusted for a new type of biological sample. Specifically, the WetLab-2 facility includes a commercial qPCR instrument (RNA SmartCycler), a sample …

Astrobee: Air Sampling Device And Zero Robotics Game, Bryce Van Ross

STAR Program Research Presentations

Astrobee is a free-flying, 1'x1'x1' cuboid robot that is planned to be onboard the International Space Station (ISS) by February 2019. Astrobee will be the successor of the current ISS free-flyer, SPHERES. Free-flying robots possess a range of potential. They can facilitate work for astronauts aboard the ISS by performing rudimentary tasks and housekeeping (e.g., record-keeping, sensor analysis, etc.) efficiently. Free-flyers also act as innovative testbeds for guest scientists to perform zero-gravity control theory research. In recent years, SPHERES has hosted annual Zero Robotics (ZR) programming competitions in collaboration with MIT, challenging middle and high school students to write code …

Scada System Maintenance: An Often Overlooked Necessity, Charles M. Burt, Kyle Fesit

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The design and implementation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system is typically undertaken by expert engineers and integration contractors. In order to provide a robust and reliable SCADA system, good design and installation practices are required. Preserving the initial SCADA system reliability requires good maintenance. Unfortunately, SCADA maintenance is often overlooked or underestimated. There are two potential providers for SCADA maintenance activities. Some SCADA maintenance activities are best provided by the developer or installer of the SCADA system, before closing out a project contract. Other SCADA maintenance requirements are best provided by the irrigation district or SCADA …

A New Approach To Vfd System Specifications And Rebates, Kyle Feist, Randall Cole, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are used to provide flexibility and efficiency enhancements for agricultural pressurized irrigation systems. Standard 6-pulse VFDs commonly used for agricultural pumps can also create real problems with the pump motor and nearby electrical systems, unless mitigated by special equipment.

With support by the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) recently began a new rebate program for installing VFD systems for pressurized irrigation. A major component of the new rebate program is the requirement to comply with a detailed set of minimum VFD system design …

Resistance Temperature Detectors In A Cryostat Refrigeration System, Kirsten Marie Manahan, Alice Callen

STAR Program Research Presentations

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is a ground-based telescope that will survey the Southern sky every few nights. Located in the telescope will be a 3.2 gigapixel digital camera. To ensure proper instrumentation of the camera, there must be a monitored stable temperature. As part of my research, I assembled resistance temperature detectors and tested them to verify their reliability in measuring temperature in the camera’s cryostat refrigeration cooling system. Resistance temperature detectors function by the principle of thermal resistivity, in which their electrical resistances vary as temperature varies. Through testing, I was able to determine whether these particular …

Modernizing Aging Pipe Infrastructure In Irrigation Districts, Charles M. Burt, Kyle Feist, Zachary Markow

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Many irrigation and water districts in California convey water through aging concrete pipelines. In addition to huge problems with leaks and failures, districts also struggle to provide turnout deliveries with more flexible schedules. This paper discusses the problems that are encountered, and various approaches that have been or can be used. The specific pipeline designs that are discussed in this paper are generally gravity flow, flowing downhill from a canal. Most of these pipelines were originally installed under the assumptions that farmers would need high flows at low pressures for surface irrigation.

Single Camera Photogrammetry Matlab Solver Developed For Automation Of The Oil Interferometry Process, Hunter Michael Dunn

Master's Theses

Over the last 20 years, Gregory G. Zilliac of the NASA AMES Research Center has been in continuous development of a fringe-imaging skin friction PC application used in oil interferometry analysis. This application, CXWIN5G, allows users to analyze propagation of oil smears across an aerodynamic surface using photogrammetry. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the feasibility of increasing the level of automation currently found in CXWIN5G by developing a MATLAB solver capable of determining oil smear geometry with minimal user input.

There are two main automation goals of this thesis that are reflected in the core of the …

Electronic Drum Machine (E.D.M), Nyssa Marie Backes

Electrical Engineering

Many people argue that a drummer plays the most important role in a band of any genre. During live performances, the other band members rely on the drummer to keep the song moving forward at a proper steady pace. Even in recorded music, drums help listeners sing and dance along with their favorite songs. Thus, achieving success as a band, both in terms of recordings and live shows, absolutely requires a drummer. So, if a band does not have a drummer, and cannot afford the hefty cost of hiring a session drummer, a touring drummer, or both, how can they …

Noise Induced Hearing Loss Accountability On Jobsites Within The Construction Industry, Joseph O. Lamphere

Construction Management

Noise induced hearing loss is a major issue on jobsites within the construction industry. Every day workers are exposed to hazardous levels of noise, but they are not being properly managed to mitigate this issue. Workers have misconceptions about the topic, but more surprisingly are sometimes indifferent to the effects; believing hearing loss is inevitable, or it can be cured with a hearing aide. Construction has inherent dangers that workers have to deal with every day. Hearing loss might not be on the top of their lists, but the effects are permanent, and they cannot be cured with a hearing …

Amplifying The Social Intelligence Of Teams Through Human Swarming, Louis Rosenberg, Gregg Willcox, David Askay, Lynn Metcalf

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Artificial Swarm Intelligence (ASI) is a method for amplifying the collective intelligence of human groups by connecting networked participants into real-time systems modeled after natural swarms and moderated by AI algorithms. ASI has been shown to amplify performance in a wide range of tasks, from forecasting financial markets to prioritizing conflicting objectives. This study explores the ability of ASI systems to amplify the social intelligence of small teams. A set of 61 teams, each of 3 to 6 members, was administered a standard social sensitivity test —"Reading the Mind in the Eyes” or RME. Subjects took the test both as …

Investigation Of Compression Strength Of Bliss Style Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes, Javier De La Fuente, Jay Singh, Rebecca Kisch, Soma Roy, Daan Peleman

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The global demand for corrugated fiberboard is projected to experience a significant upsurge in the near future. Based on the end-use, packaging for processed and fresh food categories accounted for approximately 39% of the overall consumption of corrugated fiberboard in 2015. With key advantages such as providing an uninterrupted bottom, laminated corners for higher stacking strength, increased material use efficiency, side cutout options for display at retail and a wide range of styles over other styles of containers, Bliss style boxes find prominence in the agriculture sector. While numerous predictive strength models associating corrugated fiberboard material specifications to the box …

Fire And Life Safety Analysis Of The Production Facility (Pf)- 870, Nolan Baker

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

The purpose of the fire and life-safety analysis was to perform a prescriptive-based and performance based analysis on the fire and life safety systems in the Production Facility (PF) at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The prescriptive-based analysis determined if the building met applicable code requirements for existing life safety systems. The performance-based analysis consisted of a series of fire scenarios to ensure the fire and life safety systems allowed adequate egress time for occupants in the event of a fire. The prescriptive-based analysis was based on the Life Safety Code (LSC) and the International Building Code (IBC). The occupancy of …

Sandia National Laboratories' Building 858/North Fabrication Facility, Daniel Garcia

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

In this report, a fire protection and fire hazard analysis has been performed on a semi- conductor facility, abbreviated as the Fab, located on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Fab is part of the MESA complex which is operated by the NTESS Corporation for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Sandia National Laboratories. The prescriptive analysis of this report addresses the various fire protection systems in the facility such as fire suppression, and fire alarm. The prescriptive analysis is based on national codes and standards from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and from the International …