Engineering Commons^™

Design, Fabrication, And Performance Evaluation Of A Recycling Machine For Converting Biodegradable Waste Into Compost, Mohamed T. Eraky, M.M Radwan, Abdelkhalik Eladl

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study evaluates the technical feasibility of composting shredded printed paper blended with organic waste using a manually operated aerobic composting system. The investigation focused on process performance under controlled initial conditions, particularly an optimized carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio of 30:1. Three composting piles were constructed with systematic variations in moisture content, aeration frequency, and additive composition (poultry manure, yeast, crushed eggshells, and cardboard) to assess their influence on thermal behavior and decomposition efficiency. Process performance was monitored through continuous temperature profiling and periodic observation of physical parameters, including color development and material degradation rate. Among the experimental setups, Pile 3 …

Me Department Bespoke Coffee Cabinet, Mickie Clyne, Stephen Tamacheepjaroen, Samuel Johnson, Willem Gray

Mechanical Engineering

This senior project involved the design, fabrication, and testing of a custom coffee cabinet for the California Polytechnic State University Mechanical Engineering Department. The project addressed challenges associated with appliance organization, storage efficiency, accessibility, and maintenance within the department’s shared breakroom space. A human-centered design process was used to identify stakeholder needs and develop engineering specifications for the final product.

The completed cabinet integrates custom woodworking, steel pipe frame construction, dedicated K-Cup storage, organized appliance placement, and a rack-and-pinion sliding platform that improves access to the Keurig coffee maker for refilling and maintenance. Design decisions were informed through stakeholder feedback, …

Designing And Building Benches For Slo City Farm, Julian Cervantes

Construction Management

The purpose of this project was to design and create multiple small benches for the City Farm SLO during the term of Spring 2026 quarter. This project was specifically intended to be an affordable, pragmatic, and durable project that would last a long time in order to serve the people that visit a comfortable place to sit and come together. In order to achieve the project delivery for these benches the pre-construction of the project started by visiting the city farm to inspect the existing benches and taking the measurements of them in order to shorten them for the use …

Mars Mini Rover Sample Retrieval Robotic Claw, Cami Chambers, Ani Lachikian, Alexa Ramirez, Alex Power

Mechanical Engineering

This project involves several key stakeholders, including the Poly1 Rover Club, Professor Rich Murray, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The primary objective is to develop an improved robotic claw capable of retrieving sample tubes left by the Perseverance Rover on the Martian surface. In tackling this challenge, the design must account for the harsh Mars climate while integrating cameras and electrical components, durable structure, and a rotational component to the Mini-Rover claw without incorporating an additional motor, sample storage unit, structural aspects or unnecessary weight. The current Mini-Rover consists of a four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm with joints often referred to …

A Study & Comparison Of Lift Boosters For An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Trevor Sean Dady

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles are becoming increasingly prevalent in modern society for tasks, such as package delivery, defense, and cinematography. Due to this surge in applications, many researchers have begun to search for improvements to unmanned aerial vehicles for their lift and thrust properties. Potential solutions to magnify an unmanned aerial vehicle’s thrust capability are the implementation of Coanda surfaces, nozzles, or bowl-shaped structures on each propeller. Coanda surfaces provide additional lift force by creating a vacuum in response to the adhesion of fluid to the smooth surface. Nozzles can constrict the flow of air, while also increasing its velocity. The …

The Design And Manufacturing Process Of The Concealed Shelf, Clarence A. Matthews Iv

Honors Theses

The Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME) at the University of Mississippi challenges students to manufacture a product and put forth a balanced manufacturing line in a senior capstone project. The chosen product was a concealed shelf, or a shelf with a hidden compartment. The team aimed to design a product, formulate a project plan, analyze the market, conduct financial analysis, develop a prototype, establish a manufacturing process, and demonstrate that process in two production runs. The team used tools such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), market surveys, jig creation, and line balancing to accomplish these tasks. After two …

Manufacturing Process Of A Wooden Tortilla Press: Idea To Production, Colleen Nolan, Ben Bird, Olivia Marque, Emma Palmer, Hayden Walker

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to document the design, development, and manufacturing of a wooden tortilla press completed as a capstone project through the Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME). The project follows a structured product development process that began with problem definition and concept development, progressed through design, prototyping, and jig fabrication, and culminated in a full production run on the CME shop floor. A multidisciplinary team, including engineers, a marketer, and an accountant, collaborated throughout the project to support both technical development and manufacturing execution. Project planning and scheduling were established early and maintained throughout the project to …

The Design And Optimization Of A Styrene Production Plant, Kaylee Hardenstein, Amanda Anderson

Honors Theses

This thesis presents the design and economic optimization of a Styrene Production Plant targeting a capacity of 100,000 tonnes/yr at a product purity of 99.8 wt%. The process relies on the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene in a packed-bed reactor system. Downstream separation is achieved through a series of cooling, phase separation, and distillation operations to recover styrene while recycling unreacted ethylbenzene and recovering valuable byproducts.

A base case design was developed and evaluated using a process simulation software, Aspen Plus V14, and an economic analysis. Sensitivity analysis identified the styrene market price and ethylbenzene raw material cost as the dominant factors …

Emc Testing Apparatus, Madison Randle

Honors Capstones

Common-mode current is a critical diagnostic parameter for predicting radiated electromagnetic emissions in variable-frequency drives (VFDs). At Danfoss, these measurements have traditionally been performed manually by sliding a current transformer along a mains cable—an approach that is slow, operator-dependent, and prone to inconsistent sensor positioning. As regulatory standards tighten and development cycles accelerate, the limitations of 6 this manual process create risks: longer test times, higher labor costs, and an increased likelihood of failing expensive anechoic chamber compliance tests. This project set out to design an automated measurement apparatus capable of improving repeatability, reducing operator workload, and supporting both continuous …

Thousand Hills Pet Resort Ada Compliant Access Ramp And Connecting Deck: Preconstruction Activities, Sonya Nahama Wijoyo

Construction Management

This paper presents the design and preconstruction of an ADA-compliant access ramp and connecting deck system for two mobile homes located at Thousand Hills Pet Resort. The primary objective was to enhance accessibility and safety for residents by providing code-compliant, durable, and functional access to the mobile homes on site. This project is interdisciplinary between construction management and architectural engineering. The project began with a site evaluation to assess existing conditions. Field measurements and site observation guided planning decisions and helped identify potential challenges. Following the site evaluation, the project proceeded into the design phase, where the ramp and deck …

Design New Stage For Vacuum Pin On Disk, Miranda Boyd

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For my senior design project, I am redesigning the moving stage for the vacuum pin-on-disk test used in the Akron Engineering Tribology Lab. This system is used to evaluate bearings and lubricants for aerospace applications under controlled vacuum conditions. The current stage design limits flexibility when adjusting for different testing parameters, so my goal is to develop a new movable stage that allows for varying weights and loads to be applied accurately and safely. The redesigned stage will improve test efficiency, adaptability, and precision, ensuring the system can accommodate a wider range of experimental conditions and materials while maintaining compatibility …

Contours Of Duration: Movement Authored Through Form—A Behavior Archive, Jood Senussi Elbeshti

Theses and Dissertations

Insect anatomy offers an elegant example of motion derived from structure. Inspired by insect movement, Contours of Duration employs a cam-and-follower system consisting of moving, leg-like parts, designed to engage a series of rotating cams, such that the shape of each cam’s surface activates the legs in unique ways, generating repetitive movement, and demonstrating how geometry produces distinct motion behaviors over time. Through iterative experimentation and controlled variation, trace emerges as a central methodology, whereby movement, over time, creates a distinct pattern of marks, making motion legible and reflecting how subtle changes to surface and form generate different behavioral outcomes. …

Parentcoach: Designing An Mhealth Parenting App To Enhance Parental Involvement In Adhd Support, Franceli L. Cibrian, Nancy Herrera, Jesus A. Beltran, Lucas M. Silva, Mikaela Pulse, Kayla Anderson, Cassie Zeiler, Luc Rieffel, Daniel I. Lee, Sabrina E. B. Schuck, Kimberley D. Lakes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: Parents play a vital role in supporting self-regulation and managing behaviors in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, many face barriers to accessing consistent, evidence-based support. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer a promising way to deliver flexible, low-burden guidance for parents on best practices and strategies to support their children's self-regulation. However, designing them is non-trivial.

Objective: This paper introduces ParentCoach, a mobile application designed to support parents of children with ADHD through brief daily lessons, reflection prompts, and skill-building activities.

Methods: ParentCoach was developed in two phases: (1) secondary analysis of qualitative data from over 30 families …

Manufacturing Of Origami-Inspired Mechanisms Via Sheet Lamination, Tyler R. Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

Origami-inspired mechanisms combine compact, lightweight, reconfig- urable devices, yet despite decades of growth in origami theory, industrial uptake remains limited. As a result, origami predominately appears as prototypes or in low-volume, bespoke applications. Manufacturing (which has received little development) remains the chief bottleneck: most origami fabrication routes are still under-explored, labor-intensive, and fundamentally unsuited to scale. This dissertation addresses that barrier by establishing a process-centric framework for origami manufacturing and demonstrates fabrication workflows capable of transitioning designs from prototypes to production. A survey of more than 180 publications on origami manufacturing approaches yields a manufacturing-oriented taxonomy that links each surrogate …

Designing The Protocol For An Experimental Flight Simulation Study Encouraging Fuel Efficient Behavior, Thomas S. Reardon

Theses and Dissertations

This study designed and tested an experimental instrument to examine how pilots respond to fuel efficiency feedback in a flight simulator. A standardized flight plan, script, and hardware setup were created using X-Plane 12 software and physical flight simulator hardware. The chosen sortie guided participants from Monterey Regional Airport to Moffett Federal Airfield using instrument flight rules (IFR). The flight script provided step-by-step guidance to ensure consistent behavior across participants. The simulator was mapped to match real cockpit controls and allowed for precise data collection including flight time, altitude, heading, and fuel use. The goal was to support a larger …

Modeling, Control, And Learning For Whole-Body Manipulation With Large-Scale Soft Robots, Curtis C. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the challenge of enabling soft robots to perform contact-rich manipulation tasks by overcoming limitations in hardware, modeling, control, and learning. First, we present hardware advancements with PneuDrive, a pneumatic control system for actuating soft robots. We also introduce Baloo, a hybrid soft-rigid robotic torso which achieves a single-arm payload capacity of 19.3 kg and robust whole-body grasping capabilities. We also develop a full-body tactile sensing system enabling piezoresistive sensor arrays to cover large areas (1 square meter) with over 8000 distributed sensing points. Second, we focus on developing tractable dynamic models based on the Recursive Newton-Euler algorithm …

Is There A More Effective Design For Quadrat To Increase Ease Of Use And Vegetation Density?, Scott M. Burke Jr., Kristen M Bellisario

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Quadrats are a special tool in the ecology field that allows the measurement of vegetation density for further data analysis of a habitat. The larger the quadrat cross-sectional area, the better the results of the data, which in turn can make the quadrat hard to carry through field sites. In wildlife corridor research, quadrat surveys provide a quantitative metric for habitat suitability. In this work, we consider the efficiency and ease-of-use benefits for field work in the design of a collapsible version of a quadrat using a House of Quality (standard metric for new design requirements) to assess the customer …

A Wearable-Based Approach To Spinal Posture Tracking And Assessment, Sydney Marie Sherman, Noah Jeffery

Biomedical Engineering: Graduate Reports and Projects

This paper describes the design, manufacturing, and testing of a novel spinal posture tracking wearable device with embedded sensors. Currently on the market, most of the spinal posture tracking devices only focus on one segment of the spine and therefore do not track the entirety of human posture. The objective for this project was to create a wearable device in the form of a “smart shirt” that offers insights into posture trends throughout the day by tracking the entire spine. To begin the project, multiple designs were developed for the sensor array and wearable materials. These concepts were compared against …

El Chorro Park Lumber Rack & Trailhead Kiosk Project, Nolan Christopher Gumm, Marvin Michael Garliepp

Construction Management

The EL Chorro Park Lumber Rack and Kiosk project was a collaboration with San Luis Obispo County Parks and Recreation. Located at El Chorro Regional Park in San Luis Obispo, California, the project involved building a 12-foot-long, 6-foot-wide, and 8-foot-tall lumber rack and reconstructing an outdated trailhead kiosk. The lumber rack addressed the need for organized storage of wood and metal pipes, while the kiosk was rebuilt to better serve park visitors. Recycled sheet metal from the client was used for the roof, and local suppliers were selected to support sustainability efforts. Funded entirely by a government entity, there were …

Design Considerations Of A Gpu, Nicholas M. Devilliers

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the current era of AI technology, the era of single instruction multiple data has become an increasingly viable solution to accelerate training. The problem is that while software to use GPUs and other hardware accelerators, designing GPUs and ASIC devices has become increasingly more expensive and there aren’t great examples of generic GPUs that anyone can use and modify. In this thesis, there are four design considerations that will be discussed and how they affect the result of a generic GPU. The four considerations that were talked about in the thesis are, word width, arithmetic type, number of stages, …

Engineering Of Metallic Interpenetrating Phase Composites For The Control Of Deformation And Failure Modes During Dynamic Events, David Kiyoshi Santacruz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Aerospace components, automotive structures, and ballistics armor are all engineered to withstand high strain rate service events through a combination of material selection and design choices. However, structural components may be less effective when their implementation is constrained by other factors such as weight or design limitations. To meet these challenges, the development of next-generation materials will need to increasingly rely on composite material systems rather than monolithic materials. This thesis presents the fabrication, dynamic characterization testing, and post-mortem analysis of 316L/A356 interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) made from the PrintCasting methodology. These composites consist of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel …

Design Et Intelligence Artificielle : Esquisse D’Une Logique De Créativité Générative Artificielle, Nada Ouerghi

Dirassat

This article questions the creative process in design compared with that of generative artificial intelligence (GAI), and attempts to define a relationship between creative and generative logic.

As a result, a resonance between the design mindset and AGI is identified, thanks to the poetics and use of the design toolbox borrowed to GAI .

Creative cogeneration reconciles human and machine. But the logic of artificial imagination led to question the future of the designer's profession and calls for a mandatory updating of the designer's profile!

Case Study: Cal Poly Housing Program (Cphp) - Student Housing Project At California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, Aidan Michael Toole

Construction Management

Full volumetric modular construction is a building technique that involves the off-site prefabrication of three-dimensional modular units, which are later transported and assembled on-site. California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and general contractor, Whiting-Turner, are building new on-campus student housing by utilizing full volumetric modular construction techniques. The buildings will be produced in modules that, when put together, reflect the identical design and intent of a site-built building. This paper will analyze the effectiveness of modular construction on a large-scale project and look at the project cost, schedule, and waste impacts from choosing this approach. The main driver …

A Structural Evaluation And Design Optimization Of A Tow Bar For Disabled Snowmobiles, David M. Pevic

Masters Theses

Snowmobile tow bars are devices used to rigidly connect two snowmobiles, such that a disabled snowmobile can be recovered from a remote location with a working snowmobile. These devices, however, are not widely used or readily available. An existing tow bar design was evaluated and redesigned to improve its structural capacity and performance. This evaluation provided a baseline to quantify improvement and included Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Design Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (DFMEA), and Design for Assembly analysis (DFA). A review of existing snowmobile tow bar patents was also performed. An updated design was then fabricated and similarly evaluated. …

A Blueprint To Greener Shorelines: Advancing The Effectiveness, Sustainability, And Widespread Adoption Of Coastal Nature-Based Solutions Through Transdisciplinary Research, Taylor M. Sloey, Sierra Hildebrandt, Rebecca L. Morris, Matthew V. Bilskie, Aaron Bland, David Bushek, Gabriella Dipetto, Daniel Elefant, Vincent Encomio, Ramin Familkhalili, Christine Hladik, Danielle Kreeger, Avery B. Paxton, Cindy M. Palinkas, Latina Steele, Andrew Scheld, Daisuke Taira, Jason D. Toft, Armando J. Ubeda, Christine Whitcraft, Donna Marie Bilkovic

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Coastal nature-based solutions (NbS) have emerged as powerful tools to enhance sustainable development and ecological restoration goals. As a rapidly growing field spanning across social, political, ecological, economic, and engineering disciplines, it is critical that researchers working in coastal NbS regularly attempt to identify emerging focal areas for scientific inquiry. Following the 27th Biennial meeting of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, we provide a transdisciplinary perspective (including biologists, engineers, oceanographers, geoscientists, economists, and facilitators of workforce training programs) of pertinent research questions that, if answered, will advance the effectiveness, sustainability, and widespread adoption of coastal NbS. These suggestions for …

Akronauts Turbopump Research Project, Gerald Drabeck Iii, Michael Mccalla, Joshua Skelton

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The idea of this project is to design a turbo pump template capable of fitting into future Akronauts rocket designs. This allows the rockets to travel higher due to the reduced net weight. Many methods were used to verify the rigidity and feasibility of the design, such as Finite Element Analysis and fluid dynamics simulations.

Structural Analysis And Design Methodologies Of Roller Coasters, Benjamin Komar

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project explores the structural analysis behind the design of roller coaster tracks and supports as practiced by modern engineers. It also examines various roller coaster design methods currently in use. This research will be used to craft a detailed explanation of the roller coaster design process. Additionally, a 3D model of a roller coaster was developed based on the researched design procedures, featuring three track sections with different loading conditions to create a supporting structure for 2D truss analysis. The results of the truss analysis were then compared to those obtained using RISA-3D, a finite element structural design software.

Utilizing Optimization Tools For Passive Flow Control Passage Loss Reduction In Low-Pressure Turbines, Bryant Robert Duane Burton

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Low-pressure turbines (LPTs) play a crucial role in fuel efficiency and thrust generation of aero-engines. Traditional LPT designs, however, involve multiple stages and numerous blades, resulting in increased weight and manufacturing costs. The challenge of modern- day researchers is to reduce the weight and cost but maintain the high efficiency of LPTs. To address this, one approach is to increase the aerodynamic loading of individual blades, reducing the blade count. However, this can lead to increased secondary losses caused by flow separation, particularly in the endwall regions. This research focuses on optimizing the blade profile at the junction with the …

Ai-Based Steganography Method To Enhance The Information Security Of Hidden Messages In Digital Images, Nhi Do Ngoc Huynh, Jiajun Jiang, Chung-Hao Chen, Wen-Chao Yang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

With the increasing sophistication of Artificial Intelligence (AI), traditional digital steganography methods face a growing risk of being detected and compromised. Adversarial attacks, in particular, pose a significant threat to the security and robustness of hidden information. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel AI-based steganography framework designed to enhance the security of concealed messages within digital images. Our approach introduces a multi-stage embedding process that utilizes a sequence of encoder models, including a base encoder, a residual encoder, and a dense encoder, to create a more complex and secure hiding environment. To further improve robustness, we integrate …

Investigating Challenges Of Converting Cad Models To Game Ready Assets, Vathsa Pawar

All Theses

This thesis explores the challenges associated with converting detailed CAD models into game-ready assets optimized for use in virtual reality (VR) environments using game engines, focusing on enhancing using mechanical engineering models. The primary goal is to establish a toolchain that allows the integration of CAD models into game engines for immersive applications, enabling engineers and stakeholders to interact with 3D models in a synthetic environment. The study employs several test cases ranging from simple door models to complex automotive vehicle prototypes, elaborating the process of exporting CAD models through intermediate formats (such as STEP, STL, GLB) using tools like …