Engineering Commons^™

Cal Poly Chocolates, Jason Ferrel, Taylor Fitzpatrick

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Our design for this project began with building a strong understanding of the current production process. A meeting with the manager, Anna Nakayama, provided a detailed overview of the entire process and outlined some areas of concern. In addition, she provided us with access to critical data such as standard operating procedures and inventory spreadsheets. From there, time studies were conducted for each of the 8 types of chocolate. These time studies helped identify three main issues facing Cal Poly Chocolates. The first issue is in the packaging area of production. The process is entirely manual and has become a …

Qualification Of A New Glass Bottle With E&J Gallo Winery, Danielle Leanne Medeiros

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

This paper will further examine the procedures involved in transitioning to a new bottle type made by Glass Company B, on a specific bottling line within E&J Gallo’s bottling facility. For this project Bottling Line X will require thorough testing as well as the creation of a changeover choreography plan. The testing procedure will follow a 3 phase process utilizing project management and statistical skills to ensure quality standards are upheld with the transition. Since Bottling Line X is not familiar with transitioning between bottle types, lean manufacturing techniques will be required to create a changeover document ensuring operators are …

Application Of Data Envelopment Analysis To Identify Undervalued Equities On The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Ryan L. Kotzebue

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Two factors that drive investors to and away from the stock market are reward and risk, respectively. By using a stock selection strategy that is quantitative, investors may feel more comfortable and secure with their decisions. However, there lacks a quantitative strategy that can produce increased returns with lower risk by purchasing a small number of stocks. The objective of this project was to formulate a quantitative stock trading strategy that produced exceptional returns with low risk while also fulfilling additional requirements to benefit the common investor.

By using a linear programming based operations research technique known as data envelopment …

Facility Redesign At The Systech Corporation, Jacob J. Rucker

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

This senior project is a redesign of Systech’s manufacturing floor as they move to their new facility to be able to support the expected increase in customer demand. As of January 2013, Systech was working near full capacity, and because of their new product release, they expect the demand to outstrip the production capabilities of the current facility. Because of this, Systech is moving their final testing operations in San Diego to a larger building. During this transition, they have expressed interest in redesigning the current floor layout in order to maximize the productivity of their employees. To accomplish this, …

Wart Eliminator Project Report, Colton Story, Kyle Shipman

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The Wart Eliminator is a product based on the theory of resonant frequency and its ability to devitalize pathogens with the use of electronic pulses. Using the resonant frequency of the wart’s pathogen, the device is operated by the user with two switches for power and a probe connected by a wire to the device for applying to the affected area of the user while running three minute cycles. The product is in the beginning stages with only a prototype made. The product needed a proper ergonomic design to be easily used by the user and a cost analysis to …

Simulating The Flow Of Students Through Cal Poly's Undergraduate Industrial Engineering Program For Policy Analysis, Alexander Clayton Weber

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The purpose of this project is to analyze the flow of Industrial Engineering students at California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo in order to measure various graduation metrics by use of a simulation. Currently, graduation rates are relatively low in comparison with the rest of the state of California and future growth and decreased budgets may threaten graduation rates for incoming students. This simulation will identify bottleneck classes [those that hold up students from graduating] and provide a basis for a sensitivity analysis in which different scenarios are constructed to determine their effects on graduation metrics. The simulation will offer …

Lunalight - Bringing Light To The Expanding World, Gabriela M. Igel, Daniel J. Patrick, Kimberley M. Smith

Materials Engineering

The LunaLight, a solar rechargeable light and cell phone charger, addresses the lack of access to electricity faced by 1.4 billion of the world’s population (International Finance Corporation). The LunaTech team has developed a product that is bright, simple, compact, versatile and competitive with existing products. Through a partnership with the non-profit organization One Million Lights, LunaTech has improved a previous team’s design to address user feedback, concerns of durability, and manufacturability.

The LunaLight design includes a 5 component plastic housing held together by 4 screws, a surface mounted PCB, a lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery, one high-brightness LED, a solar panel, …

The Fabrication & Characterization Of An Electrokinetic Microfluidic Pump From Su-8, A Negative Epoxy-Based Photoresist, Nash Anderson

Master's Theses

Microfluidics refers to manipulation, precise control, and behavior of fluids at the micro and nanoliter scales. It has entered the realm of science as a way to precisely measure or mix small amounts of fluid to perform highly controlled reactions. Glass and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are common materials used to create microfluidic devices; however, glass is difficult to process and PDMS is relatively hydrophobic. In this study, SU-8, an epoxy based (negative) photoresist was used to create various electrokinetic microfluidic chips. SU-8 is commonly used in microelectromechanical design. Spin coating of various SU-8 formulations allows for 1 μm to 100 μm …

The Relationship Of Barcol Hardness And Interlaminar Shear Strength In Glass Reinforced Polyester Composite Laminates, Ann E. Livingston-Peters

Materials Engineering

Chopped strand mat E-glass layers were impregnated with isophthalic marine laminating resin by hand lay-up techniques. Once the primary laminate reached the desired Barcol hardness value, the secondary laminate was applied and allowed to cure. These samples were bonded together at hardness values of 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 Barcol. Lamination was conducted at 70°F with 35% glass fibers and 65% polyester resin catalyzed with 1.5% methyl ethyl ketone peroxide. The target thickness of each laminate was 6mm for short-beam shear testing requiring eight layers of glass and resin. Using the procedures outlined in ASTM D-2344, each sample set …

Evaluation Of Corrosion Properties Of Proprietary Metal Alloy Stents For In-Vivo Use, Michael David Bremner

Materials Engineering

To assess corrosion rates of metal alloy bio-absorbable stents an experimental set-up was designed to mimic the coronary artery environment. The artery was modeled using 4mm diameter Tecoflex tubing and the metal alloy stents were inserted into the tubing using a catheter. As is the case in cardiac surgery, the catheter with the stent and a microballoon were maneuvered to the desired position. The microballoon was then slowly inflated to expand the stent and compress it against the tubing walls. The catheter and microballoon were then withdrawn. A circulating pump system was set up to cycle fetal bovine serum (FBS) …

Fluorescence Characterization Of Quantum Dots For Use As Biomarkers, Logan M. Grimes

Materials Engineering

Fluorescence profiles of quantum dots (QDs) were characterized to select the ideal QDs for encapsulation in phospholipids for use as biomarkers to selectively adhere to cancer cells. QDs were synthesized and extracted 0, 30, 60, and 90 seconds after precursor compounds were mixed. These extractions were isolated by extraction time. Portions from each vial were coated in a zinc sulfide shelling procedure, leaving at least half of the QD solution unshelled. These samples were characterized over four days to monitor fluctuations in fluorescence. This was done utilizing an Ocean Optics spectrometer in conjunction with Spectra Suite software. The central wavelength, …

Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy Under Atmospheric Conditions To Characterize A Tungsten Tip Stm System For Use With Hydrogen Desorption, Ross Gregoriev

Materials Engineering

The electrical surface structure of (111) n-type silicon was investigated through the use of scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) to develop a model to determine oxide presence on a passivated silicon surface. I-V curves were obtained with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) using a tungsten tip on various locations of passivated silicon while the passivation layer desorbed from the surface under standard atmospheric conditions. The derivative (dI/dV) of these curves then revealed the electronic structure of the surface of the sample. Through these scans, it was determined the system was operating in the same mode as a Shockley diode. The separation …

Isomorphic Midi Controller, Jay Wyatt

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

No abstract provided.

Preparation Of A Polylactic Acid With Hydroxyapatite Reinforcement Composite, Odessa N. Quezon

Materials Engineering

Biodegradable polymers are a prime material choice for temporary biomedical devices due to its ability to degrade into non-toxic products for their use in vivo. However, polylactic acid (PLA) by itself lacks the sufficient strength and stiffness to permit their use as its properties begin to decrease as the polymer degrades. To improve the polymer’s mechanical properties, hydroxyapatite (HA) will be added to the PLA solution to act as reinforcement. The chemical property, glass transition temperature of a polymer, also plays a key role in the mechanical properties of the polymer. PLA’s glass temperature is 130⁰F. A polymer that …

Incorporating Aluminum Honeycomb To Increase Efficiency Of U-Tube Removable Heat Exchanger, Daniel Soto, Daniel Corona

Aerospace Engineering

This report contains the results of attempting to improve on the results of Scott R. Sawyer and Alan M. L’Esperance research paper “Investigation of Paraffin Wax as an Energy Storage Medium Within a Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger.” The overall goal of the paper mentioned was to investigate the usefulness of wax as an energy storage medium. Scott R. Sawyer and Alan M. L’Esperance determined that “the amount of energy that can be released by the paraffin wax back to the airflow reaches a plateau, despite an increase in heating times.” They suggested that by surrounding the airflow tubes of a heat …

Paschen Breakdown In A Co2 Atmosphere, Matthew T. Stumbo

Aerospace Engineering

This report observes and analyzes the effect the pressure and gap distance have on the minimum positive breakdown potential between two parallel plate copper electrodes in both air and CO₂. Two gap distances, 0.57 cm and 2.44 cm, were used. Paschen Curves generated in air from these distances had a strong positive correlation with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.97. Curves generated in CO₂ had a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.87. The strong correlation for both gases verifies Paschen's Law. The minimum breakdown potential in air was 361 ± 2 V at a pressure x gap distance …

Synergistic Effects Of Atomic Oxygen And Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure On Various Spacecraft Materials, Adrian L. Doan

Aerospace Engineering

The Aerospace Engineering Space Environments Laboratory at California Polytechnic State University features a ground-based system capable of generating atomic oxygen (AO) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation environments, constructed by Max Glicklin in 2012. Experiments using three different spacecraft materials were conducted to test the individual and synergistic effects of these naturally occurring phenomena. Kapton HN functioned as a means to provide initial validation of the presence of AO and VUV radiation. Kapton HN also functioned as a test-fluence standard during testing of two other materials. These materials included aluminized beta cloth, with the non-aluminized side being tested, and Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO) …

Strength Testing And Material Characterization Of Cactus Spines, Mary Cooper, Jeff Goldstein, Thomas Tarlton

Materials Engineering

Twelve different species of cactus spines from 6 different genera were collected from living specimens and maintained in a dry storage environment. Spines from each species underwent 3-point bend testing, XRD testing, and SEM imaging. XRD analysis was used to verify the presence of cellulose whisker like nanocrystals and to calculate the percent crystallinity of each spine. SEM images were captured of fracture surfaces at viewing angles of 90° and 45° relative to the fracture surface, with magnifications ranging between 150x and 4,000x. A total of six spines from each species were tested in three point bending using a high-resolution …

Thermal Vacuum Chamber Operation And Testing, Leila Tebyani

Aerospace Engineering

The purpose of this senior project is to understand the capabilities of the thermal vacuum chamber in the Space Environments Laboratory at California Polytechnic State University and compare the performance to thermal vacuum chambers used in the aerospace industry. The lowest temperature attained inside the chamber during an experiment at ambient pressure was -33°C. The lowest pressure reached by the vacuum chamber at the time of this project was 5e-5 Torr. This report also yields recommendations for integrating a demonstation of the effects of thermal variation in space on spacecraft components for the class AERO 471. A lit LED can …

Development Of Random Vibration Profiles For Test Deployers To Simulate The Dynamic Environment In The Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployer, Steve Furger

Aerospace Engineering

TestPODs and P-PODs have different structures with different resonant frequencies. This causes a change in the frequency response for CubeSats integrated into TestPODs compared to P-PODs. Adjusted random vibration profiles were developed for TestPODs to simulate the dynamic environment of the P-POD so CubeSats would have a consistent response in both deployers. Testing has shown that, with proper characterization of TestPODs and P-PODs, adjusted profiles can be used for TestPODs to simulate the P-POD dynamic environment.

Ql+ Body Temperature Regulating Vest Design Report, Ritesh Desai, Brad Gausewitz, Mira Atiya, Jaison Machanickal

Materials Engineering

Patients with spinal cord injuries are often unable to regulate their body temperature. This can be very dangerous when the body reaches temperatures above 104 degrees F. The result is damaging to the human body and can even result in death. Therefore it is necessary to implement external sources of cooling for these individuals who are incapable of reducing their body temperature through normal methods. This two year long thermal vest project is a senior project sponsored by QL+ and began in Fall 2011. QL+ is a not-for-profit organization who focuses on improving the quality of life of those injured …

Fin Flutter Analysis, Richard Bauer, Austin Hardman

Aerospace Engineering

This report summarizes the experimental process executed to study fin flutter characteristics. The experiment analyzed the influence of the relationship between structural dynamics and aerodynamics on flutter characteristics. Theoretical models were created in PATRAN/NASTRAN and FinSim for comparison to experimental results and to set the envelope of the physical experiments. The theoretical analysis predicted the occurrence of flutter near Mach 1 or Mach 5. The physical model was constructed of solid aluminum with machined holes for the inertial sensors. Two test runs were completed to collect data on the displacement of the fin in the supersonic wind tunnel. Additionally, the …

Creation And Analysis Of An Electric And Magnetic Model Of A Micro Ion Thruster, Maxwell Bodnar

Aerospace Engineering

This report explores the magnetic and electric fields within the Cal Poly Miniature Xenon Ion (MiXI) Thruster V3 in order to create a comprehensive electric and magnetic model of the plasma chamber to analyze and test the current thruster configurations and changes to the existing thruster. This model is used to analyze the operation and efficiency of the ion thruster and the plasma environment within the plasma chamber. This model explores the ionization and electron collision rates during operation of the thruster to measure the efficiency of the current thruster configuration, also determining the theoretical Isp and thrust of the …

Study Of Natural Composite Materials Square Beam Under Three Point Bending Test, Casey Wu

Aerospace Engineering

The purpose of this report is to summarize the findings on three point bending tests to try to find the optimum geometrical shape and layup configuration of a square beam composed of natural composites. The final project was entered into the SAMPE 2013 bridge building competition to compete internationally against other universities in the natural square beam category. The main focus of the bridge project is to compose it entirely of natural occurring fibers and other natural materials to create a “green” beam. The beams in the competition are tested under 3 point bending tests and will be scored based …

Smartpark, David Cosgrove

Computer Engineering

No abstract provided.

Construction And Testing Of A Quadcopter, David Roberts

Aerospace Engineering

No abstract provided.

Application Of Systems Engineering And Project Management For Algae Photo Bioreactors, Andrew S. Balberchak

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Today there is much talk about different sources for biofuel to replace the decreasing supply of fossil fuels. Algae seem very promising with its abundance across the globe and relatively simple growing conditions. Lipids can be extracted from this organism which is then converted to biofuel. Although biofuel production from algae is not economically viable at this stage, researchers are suggesting using the by-products of algae for supplemental and healthcare use. If true, this could justify the economics of obtaining fuel from algae by creating more markets from various algae products.

Cal Poly State University’s Food Science and …

Convertible High Heel Design, Mathew Caspari, Tyler Shelton

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Many women feel pain and discomfort when wearing high heels to certain events. This is a problem because it can lead to a variety of health issues. It would be beneficial and convenient if a woman could remove the heelpiece from her shoe while still wearing the same product. However, there is currently no popular high heels that can convert to a flat shoe on the market today. Our goal was to perform an in depth human factors analysis with regards to high heel use and formulate a solution to these problems. After reviewing literature, conducting a survey, and analyzing …

Thermal Characterization Of A System On Chip (Soc), James Gilstrap

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Electronics are getting more and more advanced. Companies are designing their product to be more powerful, but at the same time they are designing them to be smaller and more user friendly. Heat becomes a major factor with the limited amount of surface area. The objective of this project is to measure the junction temperature of three system on chips (SoC) under various loading conditions and their time constant. The junction temperature was measured based on the diode’s I-V linear relationship. Both calibration and measurement of the junction temperature were conducted for three different SoC packages. The measurement results can …

Reason-To-Reuse: A Sustainable To-Go Food Storage Container System For Restaurants, Ryan Christopher Labuda

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

A food storage container (FSC), also known as a to-go box, is a very popular way for Americans to pick up food when in a rush and take it with them or store leftovers after dining. Some of the more popular materials that make up FSCs include Styrofoam, paper and plastic. These FSCs are meant for one time use and subsequently the majority end up as waste in their local regions. Reason-To-Reuse is a sustainable business that provides an alternative to the current model of disposable FSCs at restaurants by cutting down on waste. The objective of the Reason-To-Reuse project …