Engineering Commons^™

Portable Thermoelectric Refrigerator, Cassandra Danielle Beck, Ryan Theodore Gelinas, Joshua Michael Dimaggio, Zachary David Wilson

Mechanical Engineering

This project created a versatile thermoelectric refrigerator that can be used via a wall outlet. The product is durable and effective. The refrigerator is functional in any ambient temperature, and uses thermoelectric cooling, and work from a standard 120V power outlet. By understanding existing products’ limitations and strengths, this project produced a product that outperforms what’s currently on the market. Many of the existing products’ operating temperature is dependent on the ambient temperature of the surroundings, which is a large drawback. Additionally, most of them take a long time to reach their lowest temperature, around 3 hours. One team member, …

Furnace System Improvements, Kenji K. Anzai, Ethan Fedor, Patrick Zailaa

Mechanical Engineering

This Final Design Review (FDR) documents the work done by the group to manufacture the system to deliver improvements to the furnace in the Cal Poly microfabrication laboratory (better known as the cleanroom). The document describes the material covered in the Scope of Work (SOW), including background research, customer needfinding, and the problem statement, material associated with concept development and selection for Preliminary Design Review (PDR), material detailing the design and manufacturing plan of the system for Critical Design Review (CDR), and new material detailing the manufacture of the system for FDR.

Research done for the SOW resulted in a …

Water Fun At Exploration Station Final Design Report, Brandon Dean Puccini, Sarah Rose Means, Natasha Tamlin O'Connell-Mackay

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Reinventing The Wheel, Esther K. Unti, Ahmed Z. Shorab, Patrick B. Kragen, Adam M. Menashe

Mechanical Engineering

Reinventing the Wheel selected tires and designed wheels for the 2018 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Formula SAE combustion vehicle. Available tire options were evaluated for steady-state and transient performance as well as vehicle integration. A single-piece composite wheel with hollow spokes was designed to meet stiffness, strength, and tolerance requirements. A detailed study of wheel loading and geometric structural efficiency was performed. Finite element analysis was used to iterate the geometry and laminate. A two-piece male mold was designed and machined to manufacture the wheel. Removable silicone inserts were used to create the hollow spokes.

Wheelie King Trainer And Controller, Michael C. Uytingco, Paul E. Hubner, Dmitriy Petrovykh

Mechanical Engineering

The ``wheelie'' is a popular, classic bicycle trick which novice bicyclists often attempt as an introduction to advanced bike tricks. However, many are hesitant to try due to the risks and safety hazards associated with performing one. The purpose of this project is to create an on-board system which will assist a user in maintaining a wheelie after achieving the required position while incorporating safety mechanisms to prevent the user from injuring themselves or others. Additional requirements of the system are non-obstructive features and seamless transitioning between wheelie conditions.

Upon researching the state of wheelie technology, existing products, such as …

Gaf: Mechanical Paint Line Test Stand, Sidney Wong, Taylor Best, Aaron Fisher

Mechanical Engineering

The roofing manufacturer GAF located in Shafter, CA is in pursuit of a mechanism with the ability to improve the quality of paint lining applied on a dynamic roll of roofing shingles. The mechanism must consist of an alignment system along which a paint line applicator can be adjusted in the vertical direction and operate at a certain range of speeds. Other requirements for the mechanism demand that it is feasibly portable, reasonably durable, capable of accurate alignment, mountable to the ground, and within a budget of $15,000. With the customer's design requirements established and understood, a one-year project has …

Mobility Cart For Monoskiers, Bryce Petersen, Craig Miller, Aaron Kan, Tyler Meskin

Mechanical Engineering

This document represents the culmination of the senior design project of Team Monoski M.E. This project was in partnership with Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra (DSES), a volunteer-based, non-profit organization focused on providing people with disabilities opportunities to participate in outdoor activities. Our team was tasked with designing a device to help monoskiers at Mammoth Mountain load on and off the gondola with little to no assistance. Over the course of three quarters at Cal Poly, we designed, manufactured, and tested our mobility cart, consisting of a custom-made wheelchair with an integrated hydraulic lift.

Ultraviolet Imager Application For A Cube Satellite, Jason Grillo, Troy Hajjar, Brady Hill

Mechanical Engineering

This document serves as the final design review (FDR) report for the 2018 Cal Poly CubeSat Ultraviolet Imager senior project, sponsored by UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratories (SSL). SSL wants to monitor the ionosphere above Earth to gain a better understanding of its properties and particle interactions. Far Ultraviolet (FUV) imaging is a good way to obtain high quality images of the ionosphere and the Earth's auroras, and advancement in optic technologies have made cube satellites (CubeSats) an ideal vessel for a FUV imager, as they are relatively low-cost, lightweight, and can be repeatedly deployed. These CubeSat FUV imagers could …

End Effector For Robotic Strawberry Picker Final Design Review, Marshall Cuffe, Cory Frederickson, Jimmy Jeffery

Mechanical Engineering

In this report, we have outlined the background of the problem and need for a solution to an automated form of strawberry harvesting. The report includes our research findings, defines the scope and objectives for this project, and documents our complete design process. Also included is our final, completed prototype, and a description of the manufacturing, design verification and testing process. Also included is our conclusions and recommendations for further improvement on future iterations.

Daimscale — 1:14th Tractor-Trailer For Testing Driver Assistance Technology, Christopher Marrale, Jase Sasaki, Devin Bodmer

Mechanical Engineering

Active driver assistance systems are becoming increasingly wide-spread throughout the automotive industry due to their potential for safer roads and decreased costs of transportation, but testing these systems on real trucks can be time consuming, dangerous, and costly. Testing these systems on a small-scale tractor-trailer combination will lead to faster and more efficient development of driver assistance systems and can be used by both engineers and students, leading to a larger field of experienced developers to improve these systems.

Our goal will be to design, manufacture, and build a scale 6x2 model of the tractor portion of a Daimler semi-truck …

Wireless Ekg, James Kerman, Chin Chao, Galen Wu, Eric Burstedt

Mechanical Engineering

In 2016, Dr. Ahmad Nooristani identified a need for a personal EKG that is cheaper and simpler than hospital grade systems, but more accurate than personal devices currently on the market. Two previous teams did significant background research, prototyping, focusing on ease of use, portability, and physical specifications. However, neither team was able to produce a device with electrodes that could successfully collect an EKG signal and transmit it to a phone or tablet, one of the main requirements from the Dr. Nooristani. This team focused on designing a six lead, five electrode EKG device to transmit EKG data from …

All-Terrain Storage Surfboard Carts, Ben M. Kennedy, Danny Riedeman, Roberto Gonzalez

Mechanical Engineering

All Terrain Storage consists of three mechanical engineering students: Roberto Gonzalez, Ben Kennedy, and Danny Riedeman. The goal of All Terrain Storage is to design and create two portable storage devices for the non-profit organization AmpSurf. AmpSurf helps veterans, people with disabilities, and anyone else who could be helped through adaptive surfing and other outdoor activities. Their current method of storing and transporting equipment for events is carrying it from the trailer in the parking lot through the sand onto the beach. This document will provide: a more thorough introduction to AmpSurf and the project, the objectives, background information, the …

Single Arm Recumbent Bicycle, Alexander Borsotti, Ryan Westermann, Sean Liston

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of this report is to outline and cover the scope of work for the Single Arm Recumbent Bicycle Senior Project. The report will give an introduction of the problem, a background of the existing research or products relating to our project, the objectives of our project, our project management plan, our final design, manufacturing, testing, our project management, and final recommendations for improving the final design. The team is being supported by the Quality of Life Program, a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of those injured in duty while serving our nation.

Up until now, …

Curb Navigation, Cole A. Tudor, Kaitlyn R. Adams, Robbie Huerta

Mechanical Engineering

The Curb Navigation senior project, proposed by the QL+ organization, was presented to find a solution to an issue a former veteran, Velette, is having. Velette has a difficult time maneuvering curbs when out doing day-to-day errands and activities. The goal of this project is to develop a solution that will give Velette the ability to traverse curbs without the assistance of others or the need to do a wheelie that can lead to an injury. The team has found that adapting and optimizing an anti-tipper design may be the best way to solve the proposed challenge. The team decided …

Multi-Purpose Heart Valve Therapy Assembly Fixture, Alec John Foster, John Patrick Hofstetter, Emily Lim

Mechanical Engineering

STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY: The complete senior project report was submitted to the project advisor and sponsors. The results of this project are of a confidential nature and will not be published at this time.

Cal Poly Rotor Recovered Rocket, Melissa Woodard

Mechanical Engineering

Statement of Confidentiality: The complete senior project report was submitted to the project advisor and sponsor. The results of this project are of a confidential nature and will not be published at this time.

Driver Cooling System, Joseph Fatin Bolous, Jake Donald Deboer, Alvin Theodore Lau

Mechanical Engineering

This document provides our Final Design Review (FDR) for the Driver Cooling System Project. It contains our background research, which includes current product research, technical research, and information on our sponsor’s needs as a customer as well our manufacturing process, test results, and final design. We created a problem statement to define the scope of the project, discuss sponsor and consumer needs and wants, and technical specifications. After brainstorming, we ultimately selected a thermoelectric cooling system (TEC) after presenting our Preliminary Design Report and Critical Design Report. We built the final prototype, as can be seen in the manufacturing plan, …

Additive Manufacturing Powder Removal, Madison A. Lignell, Tyler W. Laird, Kurt K. Reed

Mechanical Engineering

Metal powder-bed fusion is an additive manufacturing process which enables the creation of unique shapes in metal parts that would otherwise be difficult, expensive, or impossible to machine. Metallic powder is melted and fused together by either a laser or electron beam to produce parts quickly. The excess powder covers newly printed parts and can be difficult to remove from small internal features. The scope of this project is to design a device that effectively removes the powder from newly printed parts safely, while reclaiming as much powder as possible for reuse. The solution for this project must be able …

Identification System For Heart Valve Manufacturing, Nicholas Robert Jensen, Edgar Davis Nix, Judith Evelyn Gonzalez, Albert Austin Liddicoat

Mechanical Engineering

Abstract withheld due to NDA constraints

Foot Stress And Blood Flow Sensing Under High-Loading During Hip Surgery, Chris Cardenas, Esther Chen, Claire Kingston, Katie Paswaters, Brianna Rodebaugh

Mechanical Engineering

The PolyHIPS team was tasked with integrating sensors into Stryker’s hip arthroscopy boot that monitor blood flow and heel slip during hip surgery. During hip arthroscopy, the femur head is distracted from the acetabulum to create space in the joint for the surgeon to operate. This requires the use of up to 200 lbf. In order to maintain this space, the foot is held tightly in the boot. Complications can result from the foot being held too tightly in the boot during the procedure. The most common complication is neuropraxia, or temporary nerve damage. PolyHIPS proposes a solution that utilizes …

Nathan's Mobility Device, Steven A. Decsesznak, Matthew Brenholdt, Lansen Eto, Moulay Salahdin

Mechanical Engineering

Nathan’s Mobility Device is a California Polytechnic State University senior project composed of a team of four mechanical engineering students that designed, built and implemented a specialized seat on an existing mobility device. Nathan, the sole beneficiary of this project, is an 11-year-old boy afflicted with a condition known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) which causes him extreme muscular weakness. In this report, the team discussed the problem at hand, provides preliminary research and product benchmarking (evaluation and comparison to specific criteria), and described the ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration plan. In addition, the team explored the final design in …

Transcatheter Heart Valve Leaflet Assembly Tooling Improvement Final Design Report, James Craig Sherman, Zachary Robert Dicks, Luke Edward Williams

Mechanical Engineering

Statement of Confidentiality: The complete senior project report was submitted to the project advisor and sponsor. The results of this project are of a confidential nature and will not be published at this time.

Upgrading The Sr-30 Miniature Turbojet For Adaptable Exhaust, Shannon Ferreira, Erin Mcmurchie, Peter Pratt

Mechanical Engineering

The California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly, SLO) Aerospace Department is requesting a variable nozzle adaptation for their SR-30 turbojet engine. The nozzle is intended for laboratory use in sophomore and junior level courses to supplement instruction on the effects that exhaust behavior has on the performance of propulsion technologies. Topics covered during a performance study of the SR-30 turbojet engine will include, but are not limited to: Brayton Cycle analysis, turbojet operation in ideal and non-ideal test conditions, instrumentation limitations, and basic nozzle operation. The SR-30 turbojet engine is similar in design and operation to engines …

3-Dimensional Automated Heat Flux Calibration Device, Victor Raul Chacon, David Madison Morrisset, Alex Michael Schnorr, Kevin Scott

Mechanical Engineering

This document aims to describe the problems in current radiant heat source heat flux calibration techniques and the approach our team took to solve them through automation. The following sections outline the basic premise of the problem we addressed and who our end product benefited. The proceeding sections addresses the research that we have performed regarding heat flux measurements and automation. This research includes current solutions – mostly partial solutions for problems that are similar but not exactly like ours. Following the background research, we define objectives, with specific details that outline how we evaluated different possible solutions, and how …

Small Scale Intelligent Vehicle Final Design Report, Paul Rothhammer-Ruiz, Dominic Riccoboni, Sarah De Rosier

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Treadmill User Centering, Cecilia Hill Yan Yuen, Donavan Chandler Feliz, Ariel Mae Arce Crisostomo, Adam Charles Patrella

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of team CENTREAD was to design a device to allow a person with a visual disability to run efficiently and effectively on a treadmill without fear of falling off or injuring themselves. The customer wished for the device to be small, lightweight, and have an easy, autonomous setup, while providing feedback to the user wirelessly for them to correct their own movement. The ultimate goal of the device is to allow the user to be comfortable, safe, and free while using it in order to ensure they have the best running experience. The device utilizes ultrasonic sensors in …

Mobile Opera Backdrop, Juan Villalobos, Robbie Behlman, Kevin Valencia

Mechanical Engineering

Opera San Luis Obispo requires an acoustically projecting stage backdrop for their future plan of deploying a mobile opera house. The custom stage backdrop must be low-cost, easy to assemble and must project the performance sound to outdoor audiences. Other design requirements include being transportable in a step van, the ability to be assembled quickly by a crew of two, resistance to various outdoor conditions, the ability to mount accessories from the walls, and should meet a budget of $5,000. With the scope of the project understood, the three-quarter project is outlined. During the first quarter, the main deliverables included …

Theatrical Turntable, Liam R. Martinez, Isaac Becker, Robert R. Reed, Caroline A. Whelan

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Purple Urchin Removal, Cullen Goss, Wil Gilbreath, Kevin Marshall

Mechanical Engineering

Soaring purple urchin populations have contributed to a greater than 90% reduction of northern California’s bull kelp forests. Human intervention to reduce the purple urchin population may allow localized kelp patches to grow. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife requested that our team develop a mechanical device to aid in the removal of the urchins. This document provides an update from the scope of work and details the process conducted to reach a scale final design. In this document, we provide background research to show our understanding of urchins and their effect on kelp forests. Then, we analyze the …

Team Joseph's Bike Trailer, Keely Thompson, Curtis Wathne, Ryan Meinhardt

Mechanical Engineering

This final design report shows the results of this senior project’s design process of creating a custom bike trailer for Team Joseph. As done in the Scope of Work, Preliminary Design report, and Critical Design report, current products, relevant technologies, and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards are fully researched and benchmarked to aid in the design selection process. Customer requirements are looked at and developed into engineering specifications. A detailed design was created for CDR to show to Team Joseph, and manufacturing and testing plans were laid out. This final design report adds the final design revisions …