Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Marauder Marine: Spearfishing Float Design, Kevin Glen, Kyle Lancaster, Andrew Wickham

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Flow Loop Simulator, John Abruzzini, Manuel Carrasco, Neil Sutherland, Elise Woolworth

Mechanical Engineering

PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) has requested an operational flow loop simulator to aid in operator/technician training. The flow loop simulator will provide hands-on training that the current plant training process cannot model. This project is a continuation from the 2009-2010 school year. Project scope and design requirements were gathered from the previous group’s design reports as well as meetings with PG&E. The goal of this year’s project team is to verify, enhance and implement the schematic diagram proposed by last year’s team.

The main focus of the flow loop simulator is to provide operators and technicians with …

Automated Adaptive Feeding Device, John Dolcini, Stephanie Smith, Pavel Yakovlev

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Pop-A-Wheelie Design Team, Mackenzie Hill, Thuyen Nguyen, Shaun Van't Hul

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this report is to illustrate the Pop-a-Wheelie design team’s progression and implementation of a concept in regards to the project sponsored by Break the Barriers (BTB). The Pop-a-Wheelie design team was tasked to design two devices that will be attached onto wheelchairs. The devices should facilitate the independence of user’s ability to pop-a-wheelie and return to an upright position without any assistance. After a list of specifications was agreed upon, the design process initiated. All customer specifications are listed in Objectives section located in Chapter 1: Introduction. A complete engineering specification table can be found in the …

Cal Poly Human Powered Helicopter, Josiah Auer, Eric Behne, Dave Berry, Rebecca Hennings, James Koch, Ian Marquardt, Josiah Mayfield, Sean Miller

Mechanical Engineering

The following report encompasses the Cal Poly Human Powered Helicopter team’s efforts during the 2010-2011 academic year. The intention of this project is to further the knowledge of human powered helicopter design and to validate an ideal configuration through experimental tests and analysis. 

A. Background

The Sikorsky Prize offered by the American Helicopter Society has been the catalyst for many attempts at Human Powered Helicopter (HPH) flight. The requirement to win the prize is a continuous, human powered flight of more than 60 seconds that stays within a 10 meter square box and reaches an altitude greater than 3 meters …

Solar Powered Oil Well Site, Jonathan Hyland, Matthew Mastro, Kyle Moore

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Competition Sit Ski Final Design Report, Kyle Martinez, Vinay Clauson, Ben Woodward

Mechanical Engineering

This project consisted of designing and fabricating a competition sit ski for an above-knee double-amputee, Andy Soule.  Andy is a talented athlete who won a bronze medal in the 2010 Winter Paralympics.  The project was completed by VinayClauson, Kyle Martinez, and Ben Woodward, mechanical engineering seniors at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA. The project advisor, Professor Sarah Harding, and sponsor Dr.  Brian Self, of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cal Poly, oversaw the project with the help of Jon Kreamelmeyer, a former coach of Andy's and a valuable source of knowledge.  The sit ski project was …

Power Steering Concept, Anthony N. Escobedo, William Ryan Flores, Russell Haverstock

Mechanical Engineering

This senior project was created in conjunction with Edwards Lifesciences. This project was created under an non-disclosure agreement and will not be submitted to any outside sources. The submitted title page will act as proof of completion.

Mustang Adaptive Nordic Sports Conceptual Design Report, Krystina Murrietta, Tom Silva, Allen Thrift, Dan Murray

Mechanical Engineering

Mustang Adaptive Nordic Sports has undertaken a recreational sit ski as a mechanical engineering senior project. The team consists of four seniors: Daniel Murray, Krystina Murrietta, Tom Silva, and Allen Thrift. The goal of this project was to design, build, and test an adjustable sit ski that is lightweight and accommodates different users. The first half of this project focused on researching past senior projects and existing designs, defining the need and specifications, brainstorming, designing, and analyzing the validity of the final design. The second half of this project required the acquiring materials, building the prototype and testing it. The …

Rock-N-Bowler Ii, Josh Grip, Travis Rodrigues, Richard Rozporka

Mechanical Engineering

The report of the creation of an adaptive bowling device designed for people in powered wheelchairs. The basic design is a ramp that attaches to the wheelchair and has the ability to add spin to the ball to allow the user to hook the ball.

Rayleigh Test Apparatus Design Report, Josef Duller, Owen Raybould, James Nicovich

Mechanical Engineering

The Rayleigh Test Apparatus is a device that will be used to test the thermodynamic properties of Nitrous Oxide to assess the feasibility of using this fluid as a coolant for a hybrid rocket aero spike. The aero spike is intended to redirect the propulsion flow as it leaves the engine to create a more efficient flow pattern at low and high altitudes. However, there are issues of overheating which leads to melting of the aero spike. For this reason, the use of nitrous oxide (N2O) as a coolant is being explored. N20 is being considered because it is already …

Building Balls: Final Design Report, Jumpsport Inc., Gary Johnson, Rosalie Mangione, Steven (Steve) Rose

Mechanical Engineering

JumpSport, a major trampoline company, has requested Cal Poly to design a custom play-structure consisting of large diameter balls with two types of connectors-long rod connections and very close connectors (for a ball-to-ball type connection).  By the end of the project, appropriate testing will be carried out on the connections and a full-scale model will be constructed.

After an extensive design process, our team of three decided on a rod connection style for both the long and short connectors.  These consist of a hook that latches into a loop protruding from the ball where the hook is attached by a …

Port Flow Test System, Daniel Chairez, Chelsea E. Crawford, Daniel S. Welch

Mechanical Engineering

Solar Turbines Gas Compressor Engineering Division of San Diego, California called upon the Mechanical Engineering students of California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo to provide recommendations for optimization of compressor end cap port design. Various sizes of compressors have end caps with numerous ports that exchange fluids between the inside and outside of the working fluid pressure vessel. Because so many ports must exist on the end caps, unusual flow paths are created to supply the appropriate location within the compressor. These flow paths commonly consist of a drilled inlet hole which intersects with a sudden expansion. The sudden expansion …

Rapid Animatronic Target System, Brandon Keith Bray, Matt Gerhardt Guise, Martin Thomas Quinn

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Transient Refrigerant Migration Modeling Approach On Automotive Air Conditioning Systems, Bin Li, Steffen Peuker, Pega Hrnjak, Andrew Alleyne

Mechanical Engineering

Automotive air conditioning systems are subject to constantly changing operation conditions and steady state simulations are not sufficient to describe the actual performance. The refrigerant mass migration during transient events such as clutch-cycling or start-up bas a direct impact on the transient performance. It is therefore necessary to develop simulation tools which can accurately predict the migration of the rerrigerant mass. To this end a dynamic model of an automotive air conditioning system is presented in this paper using a switched modeling framework. Model validation against experimental results demonstrates that the developed modeling approach is able to describe the transient …

3-D Terrain Mapping And Navigation Using A Laser Range Finder, Matthew L. Azevedo, Matthew Parilla, Kevin K. Parsons

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this Senior Project is to develop and implement a three-dimensional mapping and navigation system utilizing laser technology on a robotic platform.  The sponsor of this project, Synbotics® Incorporated, currently has an obstacle avoidance system only operating in a single horizontal plane.  This limits the mapping and navigation ability of the robot because objects below and above this plane are not accounted for.  A three-dimensional system is needed to allow the robot to better navigate and map an area by accounting for these objects in the third dimension and avoiding collisions.  Keith Guy, Synbotics® Chief Executive Officer, requested …

A Differential Planetary Gear Model With Backlash And Teeth Damage, Xi Wu, Jim Meagher, Andrew Sommer

Mechanical Engineering

Planetary gear trains can be more compact and efficient as power transmissions than fixed axis gear trains but are also more complicated and less understood in terms of vibration health monitoring. A practical differential planetary gear train, which combines two inputs and one output, is studied using multi-body dynamics software. Backlash between the sun gear and planet gears are precisely specified to avoid teeth interference and undercut. In order to calculate accurate impact forces, an impact model is chosen. Tooth geometry errors are created on the sun gear. Constraints and contact forces to the model are applied as close as …

An Advanced Numerical Model Of Gear Tooth Loading From Backlash And Profile Errors, Andrew Sommer, Jim Meagher, Xi Wu

Mechanical Engineering

This study demonstrates the early transient dynamic loading on teeth within a fixed-axis gear transmission arising from backlash and geometric manufacturing errors by utilizing a non-linear multi-body dynamics software model. Selection of the non-linear contact parameters such as the stiffness, force exponent, damping, and friction coefficients are presented for a practical transmission. Backlash between gear teeth which is essential to provide better lubrication on tooth surfaces and to eliminate interference is included as a defect and a necessary part of transmission design. Torsional vibration is shown to cause teeth separation and double-sided impacts in unloaded and lightly loaded gearing drives. …

Low-Cost Prosthetic Leg For The Vida Nueva Prosthesis Clinic, Sarah M. Baker, Justin G. Lekos, Jen Van Donk, Kevin Yamauchi

Mechanical Engineering

The Piernas de Vida team partnered with the Vida Nueva Clinic of Prostheses and Orthoses in Choluteca, Honduras to design, plan, and implement a prosthetic foot that could be manufactured entirely by the technicians at the clinic in order to reduce their costs and ultimately allow them to serve more patients each year. Currently, the clinic uses a prefabricated prosthetic lower limb provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which can be adapted to both transDfemoral and transDtibial patients. The team has successfully developed a foot, currently called the Layer Foot, which can be used by the …

Cal Poly Rose Float Electric Vehicle, Jennifer Slone, Jason Sherrett, Dionysios Pettas, Timothy Baldwin

Mechanical Engineering

(1) Background:

The Cal Poly Rose Float is currently powered by a pair of V-8 internal combustion engines. This is the second project in a three phase effort to replace the existing drive engine with an electric motor powered by a DC bus. The main goal of this phase of the project is to get the motor selected in phase one spinning.

(2) Results:

Originally, the project involved programming a microcontroller to achieve motor control. The decision was made, early on, to approach this task in a different manner due to the team’s minimal background in programming and mechatronics. The …

Asme Human Powered Vehicle, Benjamin Knaus, Philip Basmadjian, Nick Supat

Mechanical Engineering

Speed Solutions has been contracted to design and build a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) frame and drivetrain for the Cal Poly HPV club to use in their 2011 race season. This project is being funded by the Cal Poly HPV club and their sponsors. The goal is to design, test and build a bicycle frame that the HPV club can attach to a fairing of their design. Primary design considerations will include speed, weight, cost, rider ergonomics, reliability and ease of repair. This vehicle will be used to compete in ASME’s Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) series of races.

Adapted Recumbent Bike, Kurtis Mundell, Dane Tiemeier, Laura Yakuma, Darius Yu

Mechanical Engineering

The adapted recumbent project was to redesign a disabled veteran’s recumbent bicycle.  The main areas of concern were the crank pedal, chain tension, braking and steering system, and ergonomics. Since the customer is an avid biker, this bike will be used often, so the design is based on the ease of repair and replacement.  The crank system was redesigned to a lightweight, adjustable part with chain clearance and high strength. The chain tension was improved by replacing the existing single idler wheel/chain tube system with a dual idler wheel system. The dual idler has a titanium sprocket in one of …

Robot Crawling Device And Tee Table, Todd P. Trauman, Kyle M. Colvin, David Charles Fantz

Mechanical Engineering

As golf becomes a more frequently enjoyed activity, equipment manufacturers such as Hot Stix Golf require updated testing mechanisms to actively compete in their respective markets. One such testing device is a golfing robot nicknamed the “Iron Byron”. Two issues were asked to be addressed for the senior project. First, the robot was practically immobile unless taken apart and moved with a forklift. The request from Hot Stix was to mobilize the robot so that it could easily be transported with minimal use of external help. Secondly, the initial tee-table was both poorly-designed and missing altogether. The new tee-table needed …

Water Well Drilling Rig Final Project Report, Alexander (Alex) Wargnier, Thad Jablonski, Coel Schumacher

Mechanical Engineering

In this report, the improvements of a previously produced cable tool drilling rig are described. The purpose of the rig is to drill water wells for use in Africa in order to provide safe drinking water to many in need. An affordable, effective, and controllable rig is the design goal for this project. With the San Luis Obispo Rotary Club sponsoring the project the design team of WHole Engineering have made necessary design choices to manufacture the product. Actions performed include background research of existing drilling technologies, analysis of top concepts for the controlling mechanism, and selection for the final …

The Quadricycle Hand And Foot Cycle, Marissa Chin, Parker Drennan, Spencer Nelson, Kevin Reidy

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents the design process from concept generation to manufacturing for a hand and foot powered cycle named the Quadricycle.  The Quadricycle project is a joint effort at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo between the Mechanical Engineering and Kinesiology Departments.  The project objectives are to design a portable cycle that can be powered by hands and feet simultaneously in order to provide recreation and rehabilitation for a person with a disability.  This project is funded under a grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Mobility Aid: A Dual Purpose Walker And Scooter, Zack Blois, Robia Choi, Kristin Dills

Mechanical Engineering

The Mobility Aid project was proposed by Theresa Mortilla and Idee Shapiro. The goal of the project was to design and build a device that can quickly and easily transform between a mobility walker and an electric scooter to allow for more freedom of mobility. The inspiration for this project arose from the fact that Theresa suffers from multiple sclerosis in her legs and can only walk for about thirty minutes at a time until she gets too fatigued and must sit down and rest. This device would provide her with the ability to continue moving while giving her legs …

Foam Wars Ii, Sumant Advani, Sivadas Menon, Casey Pieplow

Mechanical Engineering

The team producing Foam Wars II consists of three Mechanical Engineering students and five Kinesiology students (three the first two quarters and two the last quarter) at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The project is the second iteration of Foam Wars as a senior project at Cal Poly, sponsored by Dr. Kevin Taylor under the National Science Foundation grant. Persons with disabilities often feel limited when it comes to recreational activities and Foam Wars would provide them with an outlet to interact and engage themselves in a group setting. The game consists of various wheelchair attachments that would …

Universal Play Frame Vi, Justin Bazant, Cullen Crackel, Anthony Franceschi

Mechanical Engineering

This design report details the design process utilized by Adaptive Exercise Designs (AED) in creating the sixth design of the Universal Play Frame (UPF). The UPF is an adaptive frame which supports a variety of devices that allows athletes in wheelchairs with limited range of motion to participate in physical activity. The past five frame designs do not meet the needs of the Friday Club due to complications with function and time constraints. To ensure all of Fridays Club's needs were met, the problem was better defined by converting the customer requirements into engineering specifications. The design process our team …

Piedras Blancas Clock Works, Andrew James, Andrew Jupin, Matt Weber

Mechanical Engineering

In 1875, the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse was built to warn ships sailing the California coast of the hazards of the rocky shore. In 1949 a fierce storm damaged the top portion of the lighthouse and the eight ton cast iron and brass assembly had to be replaced by a much lighter piece that still served the purpose of warning oncoming vessels. The former top portion came to rest in downtown Cambria and is still there today, enclosed in a glass room to be observed by visitors and townspeople. Today, the Piedras Blancas Light station is cared for by the Bureau …

A Study Of Golf Club Head Kinematics Near Impact, Stephen James Murphy, David Wadsworth Lavelle, Kevin Philip Melancon

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.