Engineering Commons^™

Selective Depolymerization Of Industrial Hemp And Its Effects On Thermal Resistivity, Tanner J. Jolly

Materials Engineering

There is a growing shift within the construction materials industry towards green and sustainable building products. Spending in this area has increased 5 fold since 2011 to a total revenue of $70 billion. An area of particular interest has been aimed at replacing fiberglass batt insulation with cellulose. Cellulose is the most abundant polymer on earth, and has potential to replace petroleum derived insulations. This project explores the potential of selectively isolating cellulose by depolymerizing the support structures found in lignocellulosic materials – specifically lignin and hemicellulose. The current focus is on isolating cellulose from Cannibas sativa, but more …

Yeager Multi-Function Tool Ql+, Osiel Flores-Hernandez, Carter Wilson, David Wright, Mitchell Jackson

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

No abstract provided.

Dci Data Center Building- Fire Protection Analysis, Bryan Hathaway

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

A fire protection analysis utilizing prescriptive and performance based design was performed for the existing building (DCIB) located in Minnesota. A new tenant is investigating converting the DCIB from a building used for data center, to an office building which will utilize an open office concept.

A prescriptive analysis of the building was performed to determine the life safety, fire suppression, fire alarm and structural requirements to ensure compliance with current applicable codes and standards. The prescriptive requirements are outlined and reviewed in Section 1 through Section 5 of this analysis. Modifications to the DCIB are required to achieve the …

Woodward Willis Building- Fire And Life Safety Evaluation, Jordan Nerat

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This project report is an academic exercise, completed as part of the MS Fire Protection Engineering program at California Polytechnic State University. This project is a culminating report with regards to life safety analysis of the Woodward Willis Building located in Detroit Michigan, which utilizes the fundamental and applied courses of the fire protection engineering program.

The analysis is based on a prescriptive analysis of the building and its features, and also a performance analysis which entails the life safety aspect of the building. The analysis of the building is performed in accordance with NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 2015 …

Taft Community College- New Student Center- Fire And Life Safety Analysis, Matthew Winston

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

The following report is a fire and life safety investigation into a new facility. The planned facility is a new Student Center at Taft Community College. The prescriptive requirements as set forth by the most up to date codes and standards chosen for the project are met. The building has been properly classified with respect to occupancy and construction type. Appropriate design for interior partitions and exterior walls have been identified. Interior finish requirements are elaborated so that adherence to these guidelines is made clear. The fire sprinkler system has an adequate supply of water from the municipal water supply …

Polar Coordinate Farm Bot Final Project Report, John Brown, Kasenia Colombo, Lucas Salem, Ning Jeng, Rory Stothers, Sam Lees

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

FarmBot Inc. is a local startup that is advancing precision agriculture through automation and open source technology. The original FarmBot model, FarmBot Genesis, operates over a rectangular area of 3 x 1.5 meters. It plants, waters, weeds and grows produce autonomously using CNC technology. Our project sponsor and inventor of FarmBot, Rory Aronson, tasked our team with developing and testing a polar coordinate farmbot capable of performing on par with the Cartesian farmbot in growing a circular vegetable garden in a user’s backyard. A successful project was defined by meeting specific customer requirements and engineering specifications predetermined and discussed with …

Design Of An Automated Welding Process For Synergy Mfg., Parsa Bakhtiari

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

This senior project involves a partnership with a local off-road parts manufacturer called Synergy Mfg. Synergy is experiencing a rapid increase in demand that is difficult to meet with their current processes. Because of this issue, Synergy is exploring automation in order to decrease their cycle times and increase their production output. More specifically, this report concentrates on automating a manual welding process that has a lengthy cycle time which causes Synergy’s difficulties with meeting demand. Due to time constraints, this project focused on the automation of a welding process for only one part that Synergy produces. This part contains …

Predictive Analytics In Forecasting, Matthew Suarez

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Predicting future demand can be of tremendous help to businesses in scheduling and allocating appropriate amounts of material and labor. The more accurate these predictions are, the more the business will save money by matching supply with demand as closely as possible. The approach for an accurate forecast, and the goal of this project, involves using data analytics techniques on past historical sales data. Working with Campus Dining, a year's worth of their daily sales data will be analyzed and ultimately used for the end result of both an accurate forecasting technique and a way to display the results in …

Design Of A Finger Lime Loading System, Joel Jameson Hitchen

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Automation for post harvest processing of finger limes is required to meet demand for the new citrus fruit being introduced to United States of America food and agriculture market. As labor wages rise, and demand climbs for finger lime product a creative solution is needed to eliminate human labor and reduce the manual input needed to process finger limes. Building on an already successful processing tool, a semi-­automated loading system was designed and implemented to overcome the problem.

Motherbrain Swarm Robots, Tam Van, Mytch Johnson, Matthew Ng, Darius Holmgren

Computer Engineering

A trial in small-scale, cheap fleet autonomy with computer vision as the feedback controls system.

Skin Tone Tracking Device (Chromaband), Ziyang Bian

Computer Engineering

It’s long been said that your skin is a window into your health and with many illnesses the first signs of trouble actually show up in your skin. So if we have this natural warning system, then why isn’t anyone able to effectively use it to predict changes in our health? The problem is that currently there is no reliable way to accurately measure the change in skin tone and how these changes may or may not change with variations in health. This project’s aim is to design and develop a device that will record the changes in a user’s …

Child Development Center- Fire Protection Analysis, Tyler Ball

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report contains two separate forms of analysis, Prescriptive-Based Analysis and Performance-Base Analysis. The Prescriptive Analysis discusses an overview of the building and its features whereas the Performance-Based Analysis discusses the building meeting applicable codes and standards as discussed in NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 2012 Edition, Unified Facilities Code (UFC), International Building Code (IBC) 2012 Edition, and the SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering. The Child Development Center (CDC) was analyzed as a new construction building. There are also noted assumptions within the report where necessary information about the building could not be obtained due to information restrictions from …

Poly Drop, Zachary T. Scott, Lilly J. Paul

Computer Engineering

Poly Drop is a software interface to control an Open Drop digital micro-fluidics system. We obtained a hardware system from Gaudi labs. Our task was to create a Graphical User Interface that made the control of the device easier and more automated for better testing. We created software that had 3 parts: a control GUI, arduino code to control the hardware, and Image Analysis that gives the user information such as location and color of liquid drops as they move across the electrode grid of the Open Drop system. The GUI was developed using Java Swing. The communication between the …

Warren J. Baker Center For Science Building Review, John Pagliero

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report is a focused review and discussion of the life safety and fire protection design of Cal Poly Building 180: The Warren J. Baker Center for Science in partial fulfillment for the requirements of a Master’s of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The report focuses on discussion areas specific to the curriculum of the Cal Poly Fire Protection Master’s program, including analysis of egress, structural fire protection, detection, alarm and automatic protection designs in comparison to current and effective codes and standards. This report also includes a, performance based, tenability analysis for …

Los Angeles Air Force Base Fitness Center, Colin White

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the life safety features of the Los Angeles Air Force Base Fitness Center, located on Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California. This report is produced in partial fulfillment of the requirements of a Master’s of Science in Fire Protection Engineering from the Fire Protection Engineering Program at California Polytechnic State University’s San Luis Obispo Campus. This analysis approaches life safety in the fitness center from two angles. First, a prescriptive approach is used to evaluate the building’s compliance with current codes and standards that govern construction and maintenance of …

Maumus Center- Fire Protection Engineering Analysis, Tyler Mobley

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report is a fire protection engineering analysis of the Maumus Center, a science center and planetarium, in Arabi, Louisiana. The objective of this analysis is to outline the code defined requirements and to confirm the minimum level of safety from fire is attained. Analyzed in the report are the design requirements prescribed in the adopted building and life safety codes, and the performance of the prescribed design. The prescriptive review addresses the building construction in regards to fire protection, the means of egress, the water‐based fire suppression system, and the fire alarm system. The performance review incorporates the goals …

Recreation Center- Cal Poly- Fire And Life Safety Analysis, Hao Yan

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report discusses the fire and life safety analysis of the existing fire protection features installed in the Recreation Center building on the California Polytechnic State University. The analysis is conducted using two different approaches, the prescriptive analysis of the building and the performance-based design analysis.

The prescriptive analysis approach will examine installed fire protection features and systems in accordance with the International Building Code, such as structural fire protection, water-based suppression system, alarm and detection system, egress system, smoke control, and fire safety management plan. The egress system failed when the old gym area was used as a fixed …

Acme Semiconductor Foundry- Fab Expansion- Fire Protection Engineering Analysis Report, Jacob Epstein

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

The ACME Semiconductor Foundry – Fab Expansion is a new four story addition to an existing four story foundry facility. The Fab Expansion is approximately 154,500 square feet in footprint area that is connected to an existing four-story Fab Building. This report has been prepared to identify the building’s fire protection and life safety features that must be provided in accordance with the applicable codes and standards. The ACME Semiconductor Fab Expansion will contain multiple separated uses and will be required to be constructed with Type I-B construction. Building Construction Documents are provided in Appendix A showing compliance with the …

Tensile Properties Of High-Strength Connecting Rod Bolts, Leland K. Lam

Materials Engineering

Oliver Racing Parts (ORP) is looking to optimize the manufacturing process for high-strength connecting rod bolts. A high yield strength is desired for the bolts because deformation would result in a loss of engine performance. A high tensile strength is also necessary to prevent catastrophic failure if deformation occurs. A high ductility as a proxy for toughness is attractive for resisting crack nucleation and growth during cyclic loading. Bolts were made of MP35N, a nickel-cobalt multiphase alloy; MLX-17, a precipitation hardenable stainless steel; 8740, a low alloy steel; and H11, a chromium hot-work tool steel. The temperature of the most …

Straightening Of Investment Casting Ni-Based Superalloys, Silvia Squillaci, Janessa Cabrera

Materials Engineering

Samples belonging to four different designs of afterburner flaps, available in the as-cast, solutionized and aged conditions, underwent 4-point bend testing to fracture to investigate straightening. The average maximum load values of the second design samples in the as-cast, solutionized and aged conditions were respectively 33 kN, 29 kN and 27 kN. Regarding the fourth design samples, the average maximum load for the as-cast, solutionized and aged conditions were respectively 23 kN, 28 kN, and 25 kN. The other parameter measured during testing was the maximum extension at fracture. All as-cast samples belonging to the second design fractured at values …

Mechanical Testing Protocol For Characterizing Composite Lamina Pre-Pregs, Kenneth Blain Ainslie, Joshua Gustav Brinkmann

Materials Engineering

Zodiac Aerospace currently employs finite element analysis (FEA) computer models to predict the material behavior of its composite products. The objective of this project was to develop a testing protocol for obtaining detailed material property data to use in these FEA models. With accurate material data, FEA models can reduce the need for expensive physical testing and achieve timely troubleshooting when testing complex components. The specific material characterized in this project was an 8-satin weave fiberglass phenolic pre-preg used as the facesheet material in many of Zodiac’s sandwich panel composites. The developed testing protocol involved mechanical testing of lamina and …

Effect Of Composition And Build Direction On Additively Manufactured Hastelloy X Alloys, Justin A. Spitzer, Jeffrey T. Schloetter, Sarah Zerga

Materials Engineering

Microcracking has caused premature failure and reduction in properties in additively manufactured (AM) Hastelloy X. The purpose of this research is to meet or exceed the mechanical properties of wrought Hastelloy X by modifying the composition and build direction of Hastelloy X manufactured using Direct Metal Deposition (DMD). Tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and metallography were performed on the samples. ANOVA was used to analyze the dependence that the properties had on build direction and composition. The nominal composition wrought samples had a yield strength of 310.1 MPa and a 60.79% Elongation. Alloy P60-X18 in a horizontal build had …

Comparison Of Intrusive And Non-Intrusive Methods For Corrosion Monitoring Of Fuel Processing Systems, Armando Jacob Espinoza, Thomas Conner Field

Materials Engineering

This presentation contains an assessment of the best overall corrosion monitoring device, intrusive or non-intrusive, for use in the petrochemical industry. Corrosion in the petrochemical industry is a large issue because it causes a deterioration of pipe integrity in fuel processing systems. A reduction of pipe wall integrity due to corrosion could result in a leak or an explosion of fuel processing lines since those systems function at high pressures. The use of corrosion monitoring systems in the petrochemical industry helps to detect early signs of corrosion prior to failure so that proper maintenance can be performed to prevent catastrophe. …

Investigation Of A Method To Determine Mechanical Properties Of Integral Composite Hinges For Application In Foldable Skis, Jada Evers, Kathryn Johnson

Materials Engineering

No abstract provided.

Predicting Service Life Of 347 Stainless Steel Pipes By Carburization Rate Measurement, Tyler L. Sura

Materials Engineering

Chevron Corporation and other refiners face challenges predicting the service life of piping in coker furnaces. This is largely due to a build up coke on a single surface of the piping. This coke build up results in carbon penetration into the surface of the 347 stainless steel used for the pipes. Carbon penetration can lead to degradation of the surface and ultimately, the failure of the pipe. Current modeling software has difficulty predicting the influence of sulfur on the carbon penetration rate. This study aims to provide a baseline for further study into the subject. The carbon penetration rate …

Development Of Low Cost Braze Alloys For Aerospace Applications, Alyssa M. Elliott, Sandy Babich, Blake Whitmee

Materials Engineering

Non-precious metal braze alloys can help lower the cost of brazing, which is a commonly-used joining process in the aerospace industry. A-286, a stainless steel superalloy, and Inconel© 718, a nickel-based superalloy, are both commonly used alloys at Aerojet Rocketdyne. Both alloys were brazed into butt joints using nickel-based braze alloys: AMS 4776, 4777, and 4778. The brazed samples were machined into a modified version of the ASTM E8 subsize specimen samples and tensile tested to compare the strength and calculated elongation of the brazed samples to the base metals’ properties. All of the brazed samples fractured at the joint, …

A Survey Of Addictive Software Design, Chauncey J. Neyman

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The average smartphone owner checks their phone more than 150 times per day. As of 2015, 62% of smartphone users had used their phone to look up information about a health condition, while 57% had used their phone to do online banking. Mobile platforms have become the dominant medium of human-computer interaction. So how have these devices established themselves as our go to connection to the Internet? The answer lies in addictive design. Software designers have become well versed in creating software that captivates us at a primal level. In this article, we survey addictive software design strategies, their bases …

An Analysis Of Heroku And Aws For Growing Startups, Colton B. Stapper

Computer Science and Software Engineering

This project presents information on the architecture of most modern cloud-hosting platforms, and gives a cost-benefit analysis of two common Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) companies: Heroku and AWS.

Djukebox: A Mobile Application Senior Project, Alexander M. Mitchell

Computer Science and Software Engineering

I’m going to discuss the process used to research, design, and develop a mobile application to handle song requests from patrons to disc jockeys. The research phase was completed in the first half of the project, during CSC-491, along with much of the design. The rest of the design and all of the development was completed during CSC-492. Once development began there were times when reverting back to the design phase was needed, which became apparent as more was learned about the mobile platform chosen for development, Android, and the backend server utilized, Google Firebase. Ultimately the project was purely …

Slither.Io Deep Learning Bot, James Caudill

Computer Engineering

Recent advances in deep learning and computer vision techniques and algorithms have inspired me to create a model application. The game environment used is Slither.io. The system has no previous understanding of the game and is able to learn its surroundings through feature detection and deep learning. Contrary to other agents, my bot is able to dynamically learn and react to its environment. It operates extremely well in early game, with little enemy encounters. It has difficulty transitioning to middle and late game due to limited training time. I will continue to develop this algorithm.