Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Design And Analysis Of The Impact Diffusion Helmet Through A Finite Element Analysis Approach, Steven Paul Warnert

Master's Theses

By applying the finite element approach to the design and analysis of the impact diffusion helmet, many helmet configurations were able to be analyzed. Initially it was important to determine what design variables had an influence on the impact reducing abilities of the helmet design. The helmet was run through a series of Abaqus simulations that determined that a design with two oval shaped channels running along the length of the helmet was best. Next, these options were optimized to generate the helmet that produced the greatest impact reduction. The optimization simulations determined that a helmet that pushed the channels …

An Engineering Approach To Industrial Research And Development Of Pillows, Wesley Patterson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Comfort during sleep, though taken for granted, involves a great amount of research and engineering. Few give it a second thought, but nearly one-third of a person’s life is spent with their head on a pillow, thus making them a point for increased quality. Having been approached by a tier-1 bedding manufacturer, a team of both mechanical and electrical engineers was been tasked with the goal of creating a valid research tool that the customer, Tempur-Sealy, will utilize in the company’s research and development of high-end pillows. The team sought to tackle this project utilizing tools and knowledge gained throughout …

Optimizing An Organizational Program For Halton Company, Chandler Clark

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

A team of WKU Mechanical Engineering students is collaborating with Halton Company to create an organizational system for their plant. Each job performed at Halton is custom, leading to several different processes needing to be accounted for at once. The team is designing a program in Visual Studio that will be used to control the progression of the plant as well as store data to optimize future processes involved. Visual Studio will be implemented by summer of 2016 in order to give the team and company time to troubleshoot the program and insert optimizing options into the c ode of …

Determining The Print Accuracy Of Four Three-Dimensional Printers, Kshiteej Dalal

Master of Technology Management Plan II Graduate Projects

Rapid prototyping [RP] or 3D printing [3DP] have existed for some time now. One of the major deficiencies of 3DP is the accuracy of the printed three dimensional parts. Even beyond that is the lack of studies that have been designed to measure the 3DP components. Measuring, verifying and determining the accuracy of 3DP parts is the focus of this study. As the accuracy is measured and approaches those of CNC machined parts, it will drive the development of additional additive manufacturing [AM] machinery. In this project a component is created in a solid modeling package. A solid model of …

4d Printing Dielectric Elastomer Actuator Based Soft Robots, Jiyu Cai

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

4D printing is an emerging technology that prints 3D structural smart materials that can respond to external stimuli and change shape over time. 4D printing represents a major manufacturing paradigm shift from single-function static structures to dynamic structures with highly integrated functionalities. Direct printing of dynamic structures can provide great benefits (e.g., design freedom, low material cost) to a wide variety of applications, such as sensors and actuators, and robotics. Soft robotics is a new direction of robotics in which hard and rigid components are replaced by soft and flexible materials to mimic mechanisms that works in living creatures, which …

So, You Want An X-Y Table?, Michael J. Bennett

UConn Library Presentations

Presentation on the University of Connecticut Libraries' automated X-Y table for digital capture of oversized archival maps, plans, art, illustrations, etc. Custom table designed by Michael Ulsaker (Ulsaker Studio, Glastonbury, CT), and Michael J. Bennett (University of Connecticut Library Digital Production Studio). System integration and assembly by Michael Ulsaker. Automation engineering by WEI Inc., Old Saybrook, CT using Yamaha Robotics and Allen Bradley PLC.

Dynamic Simulation And Analysis Of Fsae Racer For Development Of Stability Control System, Stone D. Williford

Honors College Theses

Using Adams/Car software, a computer model of Georgia Southern University’s 2016 Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) racecar was developed with the purpose of researching vehicle stability under dynamic conditions. Previous research in this field of study has been conducted to verify that Adams/Car simulations provide accurate results using data acquisition systems, so the major work for the current research has been to create an updated version of the vehicle designed and fabricated by Eagle Motor Sports. With this new model, vehicle roll, and pitch data as well as vehicle traction were collected during dynamic simulations. The overall goal for …

El Capitán: Cal Poly Rose Float Digital Drive System, Gregory Raffi Baghdikian

Computer Engineering

In today’s world of smartphones, self-driving cars, and internet-connected coffee makers, it seems as if computers are contained in everything around us. These “embedded systems” have become critical components of our lives, improving everything about the things they control, from cost, to speed, to simplicity. One area that embedded systems has hardly gained a foothold is in the world of floatbuilding. Most of the floats in the Tournament of Roses Parade, including the one built jointly by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona, are technologically very simple, using mostly analog components and rudimentary discrete digital logic to …

Universal Weight Machine, Oscar Andrade, Bibiana Koch, Robert Molloy, Haley Rentfro, Emily Woods

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this project is to design and build an inexpensive, universally accessible multi-station exercise machine for the physical and mental well-being of athletes of the Special Olympics and Pathpoint Life Education & Advancement Program. The machine has three sides tiered to higher resistance: the first station offers a minimal resistance aerobic exercise focused on moving the arms with an ergometer, the second station provides numerous locations to latch on resistance bands that will build strength in the athlete’s arms and chest, and the final station has a donated weight machine that offers lat pulldowns and flys with maximum …

Micro Debris Generator, Gordan Bradaric, Ross Byers, Stephen Quanci

Mechanical Engineering

This senior project team at Cal Poly consisting of Stephen Quanci, Gordan Bradaric, and Ross Byers has been commissioned by Erik Brown of Lawrence Livermore National Labs to create a way to reliably and consistently entrain microscopic particles into the hot HTTU flow. These particles will be used to compare the loading rates of new HEPA filters by measuring the pressure drop across the filter. The generated particles would simulate typical conditions in which these HEPA filters are expected to operate, namely fine ash. The particles used for loading the filter are intended to simulate the particulate reaching the LLNL …

Automated Bearing Press, David Baker, David Brock, Engelbert Diec

Mechanical Engineering

Our group was presented with a challenge to design an automated machine to replace Micro-Vu’s current manual pressing operation. We moved, planned, and scheduled our tasks for the three quarters we will be working on this project by using a Gantt chart. In designing the machine, we generated concepts and used analysis and prototyping to select the most promising ones. Our final design uses a pneumatic press to press the parts, and it includes magazines to hold the parts before pressing, pneumatic actuators to move the parts to and from the pressing location, and a lever to separate the defective …

Finite Element Modeling Of Delamination Damage In Carbon Fiber Laminates Subject To Low-Velocity Impact And Comparison With Experimental Impact Tests Using Nondestructive Vibrothermography Evaluation, George Rodriguez Iv

Master's Theses

Carbon fiber reinforced composites are utilized in many design applications where high strength, low weight, and/or high stiffness are required. While composite materials can provide high strength and stiffness-to-weight ratios, they are also more complicated to analyze due to their inhomogeneous nature. One important failure mode of composite structures is delamination. This failure mode is common when composite laminates are subject to impact loading.

Various finite element methods for analyzing delamination exist. In this research, a modeling strategy based on contact tiebreak definitions in LS-DYNA^®was used. A finite element model of a low-velocity impact event was created to …

4th And 5th Axis Rotary Table, Dakota Bass, Ricky Riedl, Nicole Slagle, Irene Yee

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Experimental Building Demonstration Model With Viscous Fluid Dampers, Blake Thomas Reeve, Brianna Jean Kufa, Aden Malek Stepanians, Sophie Carmion Ratkovich

Architectural Engineering

The Architectural Engineering major places a heavy emphasis on structural dynamics and the role of wind and seismic loading in building analysis and design. Buildings of high importance that are critical to community function, such as hospitals, often utilize supplemental damping devices like supplemental viscous fluid dampers or base isolators to reduce the overall demands on the structural system. The design and analysis of these dampers are typically not taught at the undergraduate level, and is frequently performed by mechanical engineers, in lieu of structural engineers.

To better understand and research building behavior with supplemental damping devices, our multi-disciplinary team …

Design And Testing Of A Top Mask Projection Ceramic Stereolithography System For Ceramic Part Manufacturing, Dylan Robert De Caussin

Master's Theses

Ceramic manufacturing is an expensive process with long lead times between

the initial design and final manufactured part. This limits the use of ceramic as a viable material unless there is a large project budget or high production volume associated with the part. Ceramic stereolithography is an alternative to producing low cost parts through the mixing of a photo curable resin and ceramic particles. This is an additive manufacturing process in which each layer is built upon the previous to produce a green body that can be sintered for a fully dense ceramic part.

This thesis introduces a new approach …

Metals Am Design For Manufacturing, Maren Cosens, Ben Wong, Kevin Hale

Mechanical Engineering

We are looking to improve upon the current post processing techniques for metal additive manufacturing (AM). This project, sponsored by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), will investigate ways to improve the design of stainless steel 316 parts made by AM, and how these designs will help with post processing techniques. We hope that the findings regarding stainless steel will apply to to improve the AM and post processing handshake in general. In particular, the project will focus on including different features in different basic part design shapes to aid in fixturing and post-processing of the part made by AM. This …

Physical Testing Of Potential Football Helmet Design Enhancements, Michael Jeremy Schuster

Master's Theses

Football is a much loved sport in the United States. Unfortunately, it is also hard on the players and puts them at very high risk of concussion. To combat this an inventor in Santa Barbara brought a new design to Cal Poly to be tested.

The design was tested in small scale first in order to make some preliminary conclusions about the design. In order to fully test the helmet design; however, full scale testing was required. In order to carry out this testing a drop tower was built based on National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, NOCSAE, …

Scalable Three-Dimensional Grasping Mechanism, Ikya Mamidala

Master of Technology Management Plan II Graduate Projects

In this work, we develop a scalable end-effector mechanism for grasping three- dimensional objects with sizes ranging from micrometer to millimeter scale. The design architecture of the gripper comprises an array of identical fingers patented in a circular fashion. Each finger is designed from a novel linkage mechanism whose end effector is manipulated by two independent actuators. In this research, we study three finger gripper device, where each is obtained from a 3 - linkage mechanism. The device is controlled by three independent piezo actuators, and one electro-magnetic solenoid common to each mechanism. The gripping capability depends on how fingers …

Optical Analysis And Fabrication Of Micro And Nanoscale Plasmonically Enhanced Devices, Avery M. Hill

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Plasmonic nanostructures have been shown to act as optical antennas that enhance optical devices due to their ability to focus light below the diffraction limit of light and enhance the intensity of the incident light. This study focuses on computational electromagnetic (CEM) analysis of two devices: 1) GaAs photodetectors with Au interdigital electrodes and 2) Au thin-film microstructures. Experiments showed that the photoresponse of the interdigital photodetectors depend greatly on the electrode gap and the polarization of the incident light. Smaller electrode gap and transverse polarization give rise to a larger photoresponse. It was also shown that the response from …

Optical Analysis And Fabrication Of Micro And Nanoscale Plasmonically Enhanced Devices, Avery M. Hill

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Plasmonic nanostructures have been shown to act as optical antennas that enhance optical devices due to their ability to focus light below the diffraction limit of light and enhance the intensity of the incident light. This study focuses on computational electromagnetic (CEM) analysis of two devices: 1) GaAs photodetectors with Au interdigital electrodes and 2) Au thin-film microstructures. Experiments showed that the photoresponse of the interdigital photodetectors depend greatly on the electrode gap and the polarization of the incident light. Smaller electrode gap and transverse polarization give rise to a larger photoresponse. It was also shown that the response from …

Cfd Model For Ventilation In Broiler Holding Sheds, Christian Heymsfield

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Broiler production in Arkansas was valued at over $3.6 billion in 2013 (University of Arkansas Extension of Agriculture). Consequently, improvement in any phase of the production process can have significant economic impact and animal welfare implications. From the time poultry leave the farm and until they are slaughtered, they can be exposed to harsh environmental conditions, both in winter and in summer. After road transportation, birds are left to wait in holding sheds once they arrive at the processing plant, for periods of approximately 30 minutes to two hours. This project was interested in this holding shed waiting time during …

Design Of A Folding V-Scraper With Roller For Orchard Applications, Chase Ulrich

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project discusses the design of a folding 15 ft. wide leveler for orchard use. This design utilized a category 2 three-point hitch to connect the implement to a tractor. The folding mechanism uses the tractors hydraulic system to actuate the folding movement using hydraulic cylinders. The blades, when wings in operational position, are rigid with one another after some assembly. When the implement is folded the width is reduced to nine feet.

The Design Of A Racing Simulator: A Three-Phase User Testing Approach, Jakob E. Rouleau, Eric J. Wach

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

No abstract provided.

Design And Analysis Of A Lift Assist Walker, Deep P. Shah

Master's Theses

Walkers provided stability to the elderly but cannot assist a person from sitting to standing. The objective of this project is to present the design and analysis of a lift assist walker. This report discusses the design and analysis of a collapsible lift assist walker capable of lifting a patient up to 250 lbs. from seated to standing in under 10 seconds. The designed walker utilized a two stage scissor mechanism with a gas spring assisted embedded linear actuator.

System And Method For Identifying Electrical Properties Of Integrate Circuits, Mary Y. Lanzerotti

AFIT Patents

A new method for displaying electrical properties for integrated circuit (IC) layout designs provides for improved human visualization of those properties and comparison of as designed layout design parameters to as specified layout design parameters and to as manufactured layout parameters. The method starts with a circuitry as designed layout in a first digital format, extracts values for electrical properties from that circuitry as designed layout then annotates those values back into the first digital format. The annotated circuitry as designed layout is then converted from the first digital format to a second digital format that can be converted to …

Orchard Bin Atv Trailer, Neil F. Leitz

All Undergraduate Projects

A local orchardist was experiencing a problem that was being caused by their lack of apple picking bin moving equipment. The orchardist needed a well-engineered solution to this lack of equipment. The solution arrived at was a five bin trailer. There were multiple design requirements for this trailer, including the device needing to be able to interface with an ATV, be able to be loaded by hand, be able to carry five bins, and not exceed a budget of $750. While perfecting the design of the trailer, a number of different disciplines were utilized, which included dynamics, kinematics, static loading …

Grant County Public Utilities District - Rotor Pole Lifting Device, Baylie Johnson

All Undergraduate Projects

Grant County Public Utilities District is planning a rehabilitation of all turbine and generator units at Priest Rapids Dam beginning in August 2016. After the generator rotor is removed from the unit, the rotor poles must be removed from the rotor. They are oriented vertically in the rotor and horizontally on the floor and in shipping containers. The objective of this project is to design, manufacture and test a lifting and a turning device for Priest Rapids Dam’s generator rotor poles. The lifting device was designed to attach a 3500 pound rotor pole to a crane and lift it. The …

Multiple Apple Box Lift 1/10th Scale Model, Kyle J. Burlingame

All Undergraduate Projects

Title and Author: 1/10th Scale Multiple Apple Box Lift by Kyle Burlingame (Engineering Technologies, Safety, and Construction) Abstract/Artist statement: A 1/10th scale Multiple Apple Box Lift was designed and built as a proof of concept for a full scale device. The Multiple Apple Box Lift was designed to meet a customer’s requirements and to be presented at SOURCE. This device lifts the top half of the stacked apple boxes on a pallet in order to allow access to the boxes in the middle of the stack. The device can be manually operated by two people while in-between narrow rows of …

The Pneumatic Leg Extension, David G. Sedano

All Undergraduate Projects

In recent years, reaching altitudes that are higher than your normal-height has evolved from pure amusement to an “in-demand” necessity out in the field. Means of achieving greater than normal height range from wooden poles to aluminum stilts. The era of ladders and other extension methods are slowly fading away. There are many designs in the market that focus on different factors to make a stilt. As other designs focus on one or two enhancements, the pneumatic leg extension’s objective is to improve all aspects of the stilt. This radical new design differs greatly from traditional stilt designs. The pneumatic …

Conversion Casting: Adapter Hub, Joseph M. Coup

All Undergraduate Projects

The concept of conversion casting makes manufacturing major components much more efficient with regards to time and cost. The conversion cast of the adapter hub used in the Victair Mistifier is a major component that requires 8 hours to machine. The existing hub starts from steel stock and then that block of steel is placed into a CNC machine and coded in to create the adapter hub. The manufacturing method changes to a casting for the adapter hub will create a replicated part that requires 1.5 hours of post machining. The intricate design makes a conversion to casting more effective …