Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Leveraging Digital Transformation To Build The Technology Of Tomorrow Using Yesterday’S Equipment, Evan Barnett

Theses and Dissertations

Today’s industry sectors are filled with machines developed years ago. Healthcare, manufacturing, sustainment operations, and many others have equipment that may be reliable, but lacks certain capabilities that the newest technology delivers. The digital environment is becoming a necessity for users who want greater insights into how to improve their processes. A solution to this problem would be to purchase the newest equipment that contains robust measures to generate, collect, and analyze data. However, this solution may not be financially feasible for some and for others may sacrifice machine downtime and reliability. To combat these issues, this research focuses on …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Micro/Nanostructured Ceramic Device For Energy Conversion, Yun Gan

Theses and Dissertations

The deteriorating climate is threatening our living habitat and arousing public awareness. To achieve the carbon neutral goal by the middle of 21st century, developing novel technologies to reduce CO₂ emission or promote its capture become urgent. Among them, oxygen permeation membrane (OPM) and solid oxide cell (SOC) are two promising devices for clean energy conversion.

In chapter 1, the background of OPM and SOC are briefly introduced. Fundamental mechanism and application of phase inversion, the key process involved in fabrication of hollow fiber OPM and microtubular SOC are emphatically described. Mixed ionic and electronic conducting (MIEC) perovskites demonstrate …

Multi-Fidelity Surrogate And Reduced-Order Model-Based Microfluidic Concentration Gradient Generator Design, Haizhou Yang

Theses and Dissertations

The microfluidic concentration gradient generator (μCGG) is an important device to generate and maintain concentration gradients (CGs) of biomolecules for understanding and controlling biological processes. However, determining the optimal operating parameters of μCGG is still a significant challenge, especially for complex CGs in cascaded networks. To tackle such a challenge, this study presents multi-fidelity surrogate and reduced-order model-based optimization methodologies for accurate and computationally efficient design of μCGGs.

The surrogate-based optimization (SBO) method is first proposed for the design optimization of μCGGs based on an efficient physics-based component model (PBCM). Various combinations of regression and correlation functions in Kriging and …

Development Of An Origami Inspired Composite Deployable Structure Utilizing Compliant Joints As Surrogate Folds, Samuel Porter Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This work presents the design and construction of a self-deployable, self-stiffening,and retractable (SDSR) space array from carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP’s) and a working prototype is demonstrated. The effort required developing principles for the design of high-strain composite flexural joints and their integration into angled composite panels. Designing LET arrays in angled panels is explored. Analysis of simple composite LET joints is presented for two degrees of freedom. Validation of the composite LET modeling is sought through numerical methods and empirical testing. Testing of several composite LET joint specimens is conducted and the results are reported. Results indicate that (while …

Characterizing Behaviors And Functions Of Joints For Design Of Origami-Based Mechanical Systems, Nathan Chandler Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses a number of challenges designers face when designing deployable origami-based arrays, specifically joint selection, design, and placement within an array. In deployable systems, the selection and arrangement of joint types is key to how the system functions. The kinematics and performance of an array is directly affected by joint performance. This work develops joint metrics which are then used to compare joint performances, constructing a tool designers can use when selecting joints for an origami array. While often a single type of joint is used throughout an array, this work shows how using multiple types of joints …

Rainbow Trapping Effect In 2d Axisymmetric Broadband Acoustic Energy Harvesters, Louis Alexander Gormley

Theses and Dissertations

Acoustic energy harvesters (AEHs) collect otherwise unused ambient acoustic waves for conversion into useful electrical energy. This promising technology has potential applications ranging from grid-independent electronics to structural health monitoring systems. AEHs capture specific acoustic frequencies of interest using structures with frequency-matched component geometries. Despite the multitude of potential geometries suitable for AEH structures, existing AEH research has predominantly focused on the acoustic wave trapping performance of unidimensional or linear bidimensional AEH structures.

This study intended to broaden AEH bandwidth and capture efficiency by investigating the acoustic rainbow trapping performance of a novel 2D axisymmetric AEH design. A Finite Element …

Design Of An Inexpensive Pvc Shock Tube For Educational Use, Brandon Edward Bergmann

Theses and Dissertations

Herein is described the design and function of a low-cost, easy-to-assemble, -operate, and -disassemble shock tube platform experiment that can generate shock waves approaching Mach 2 at maximum pressures of ~100 psig with a helium driver gas. The experiment uses several inexpensive (<$5), unamplified piezoelectric sensors attached to a multichannel oscilloscope to monitor the passage of key features of the flow (i.e., incident shock and reflected shock) through the tube, constructed from inexpensive and easy to work with schedule 40 PVC pipe and fittings. From the fixed sensor displacements along the tube and relative differences in respective transit times, the velocities of these flow features can be determined. This permits (1) comparison of experimental results to the theoretical predictions of 1-D transient gas dynamics and (2) a leaping off point for discussion and quantification of non-idealities in the flow, including the shock wave development length, shock attenuation and boundary layer growth, and interactions of the reflected shock and contact surface. Experimental accessories (future work) for study of shock focusing and steady 2-D high speed flows are also briefly discussed. Assuming both pressurized, conditioned air at ~80-100 psig and a modern multi-channel oscilloscope are available at most institutions, the total cost to construct this experiment is around $500.

An Examination Of The Influence Of Distillation On The Combustion Behavior Of Apparently Equivalent Surrogate Fuels, Jay A. Lefkowitz

Theses and Dissertations

Use of surrogates to emulate the combustion behaviors of prevaporized real fuels has been widely demonstrated in the literature. However, many combustion applications utilize atomized fuel sprays, and for these configurations, the assumption of fuel property homogeneity in prevaporized fuel combustion is tenuous. This work uses a simplified distilling droplet model to demonstrate a real potential for vaporization-coupled deviations from the single-valued combustion property targets used to characterize prevaporized combustion behaviors. To verify the model-based observations, flame blowout measurements from a custom-built annular spray burner rig are measured. Sets of essentially equivalent prevaporized jet fuel and gasoline surrogates suggested in …

Investigation Of Different Hatch Strategies On High Entropy Alloy Fabrication By Selective Laser Melting, Joni Chandra Dhar

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the synthesis of CuCrFeNiTiAl high entropy alloy (HEA) from pure elements using selective laser melting (SLM). The objectives are to validate the feasibility of the HEA fabrication from elemental powder materials, and to examine the effect of various hatch strategies and energy densities on the microstructures and other materials properties. 3D samples of CuCrFeNiTiAl alloy were fabricated under different energy densities and with different scan vector lengths. The as-built samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the microstructures were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD results showed that face centered cubic, and body centered …

Force Spun Pvdf And Tpu Nanofiber Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator For Energy Harvesting And Sensor Application, Sk Shamim Hasan Abir

Theses and Dissertations

Flexible and stretchable triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is the next generation potential candidate for wearable and portable electronics. In this study, we have demonstrated all nanofiber based TENG for energy harvesting and biomechanical sensing applications. The TENG was prepared by force spun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and gold (Au) sputtered thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofiber (NF) layer. The experimental characterization of the PVDF-TPU/Au NF-TENG revealed that surface modification by dispersed gold in TPU fiber membrane resulted the maximum open circuit voltage (254 V) and short circuit current (86 μA) output at 240 bpm (beats per minute) load frequency which was respectively 112% and …

Laser-Induced Forward Transfer (Lift) Based Bioprinting Of The Collagen I With Retina Photoreceptor Cells, Md Shakil Arman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the 3D bioprinting of retina cone cells using the laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) technique. Bioprinting has a great potential to mimic and regenerate the human organoid system, and the LIFT technique has emerged as an efficient method for high resolution micropatterning and microfabrication of biomaterials and cells due to its capability of creating precise, controlled microdroplets. In this research, the parameters for an effective femtosecond laser-based LIFT process for 3D bioprinting of collagen biomaterial were studied. Different concentrations of collagen I solutions were tested to find out the right concentration that can be transferred through the …

The Processing And Characterization Of Nano Composite Nano Fibers For Various Applications, Md Toukir Hasan

Theses and Dissertations

The study of this thesis focuses on the force spinning of polymer composite nanofibers for antibacterial and energy storage applications. For energy application, Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) polymers with active materials (Sn & Ti) and for antibacterial purposes, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Polyethylene-oxide (PEO) polymers along with NPs (Ag and Cu), both were centrifugally spun to get finer nanofibers. The spun produced nanofibers of each types ascertained the percentage of active materials accurately. Antibacterial test on PEO/Ag composite nanofibers exhibited 100% inhibition efficiency against E. coli and B. cereus bacteria while PVP/Cu, PEO/Cu fibrous membranes showed 97.98%, 98.99% respectively. CuNPs …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Nanofibers For Energy Harvesting Applications, Jui Vitthal Kharade

Theses and Dissertations

Miniaturization of portable devices demand a power source that does not require recharging or replacement. Piezoelectric energy harvesters are devices that harvest mechanical energy from environment and convert it into electrical energy thus being an ideal candidate for replacing batteries in small devices. Objective of this thesis is to fabricate an energy harvester with efficient energy conversion. In this thesis, the effect of fabricating mechanisms, solvents, and composites on polyvinylidene nanofibers are analysed in order to improve the piezoelectric response of the nanofibers. These nanofibers are then used for fabricating an energy harvester. The energy harvester is implemented in a …

Development Of Injection Molding Pressure Monitoring System Using Piezoelectric Sensor, Mostafa Meraj Pasha

Theses and Dissertations

Injection molding is one of the most popular techniques for global plastic production. With this automation technique, the plastic product can be manufactured at a low cost with a complex geometrical shape. A manufacturing process with the high productivity of an injection molding machine depends on molding pressure and temperature inside the mold cavity. In this research, an experimental work is performed to determine a process monitoring system using asynchronous data acquisition, through the incorporation of wired piezo-ceramic sensor to acquire pressure of injection molding system. This piezoelectric sensor is designed in such a way that, a Bluetooth device can …

In-Situ Alloying Of Cucrfenitial High Entropy Alloy Using Spark Plasma Sintering, Yash P. Patil

Theses and Dissertations

Primary objective of this research was to study the correlation between energy parameters (temperature, time and pressure) of spark plasma sintering (SPS) and design/structural properties (uniform distribution of elements, sever lattice distortion, density), indirectly proving consolidation of a stable High-entropy alloy (HEA) that consists of minimum of five elements. Therefore, powders of five principal elements (CuCrFeNiTi) and one minor element (Al) in near equimolar ratios were used for HEA consolidation using SPS but without mechanical alloying. Overall results demonstrated that the HEA was not generated using heterogenous solution of CuCrFeNiTiAl using SPS. This suggests that the mechanical alloying of CuCrFeNiTiAl …

Bioprinting A 3d Tubular Structure With Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells To Observe The Process Compatibility, Taieba Tuba Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Printability is the ability to print a reproducible structure using the bioprinting technique. Constructing the relationships between printability and printing parameters of the extrusion printing process is difficult because of the presence of too many independent and inter-correlated factors. For this reason, it is necessary to identify and limit the number of significantly influential factors. In addition, Scaffold based blood vessel fabrication is a key challenge in 3D Bioprinting. As vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMCs) is a major component of blood vessels, the investigation of the behavior and orientation of VSMCs after printing is required to better understand the 3D …

Investigation Of Cell Behavior In 3d Printed Lumen Structures For Capillary Regeneration, Victoria Jade Perez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis work successfully generated a coaxial printing setup and process to generate 3D printed tubules. A dual syringe pump mechanism was developed to print tubular structures to investigate cell behavior with a goal to generate future capillary beds. The mechanism involves the use of collagen–alginate tubules and the use of EDTA to increase the porosity of the tubule structures to study their interaction with media and incubation techniques as well as behavior and morphology. Tubules of 1.7% sodium alginate and 0.4% collagen I reacting with 3.2% CaCl2 solution proved to be more stable in both the printing process and …

Production And Characterization Of Polyurethane Fibers By Forcespinning Method And Incorporation Of Luminiscense Nanoparticles, Sunanda Kumar Saha

Theses and Dissertations

In this work, Polyurethane (PU) fine fiber nonwoven mats are generated using the Forcespinning® method. A detailed study focusing on the effect of PU concentration within solutions of N, N Dimethylformamide and the effect of relative humidity (RH) on fiber average diameter and fiber yield is presented. Solutions were prepared with 4 different concentrations, 14, 15, 16 and 17 wt% of PU. It was observed that as concentration of PU increases, average diameter shows a tendency to increase. Production of fibers with RH varying from X to X was analyzed. It was shown that higher RH is convenient for PU …

Effect Of Obesity On Knee Joint During Walking And Squatting, Simon Vasquez Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This paper analyzes the effect of obesity on the knee joints during squats. This was performed on 2 different subjects by having each squat 30 times at their decided comfortable depth to display some fatigue and effects on the knee joints. Using the VICON NEXUS and AMTI force plates equipment at The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley Biomechanics Lab, the center of pressure, knee flexion angles, velocity, and ground reaction forces were calculated. The subjects performed the exercises with and without additional weight using a body vest and kettlebell. The ground reaction forces showed a significant increase in …

Effect Of Deposition Conditions On Properties Of Molybdenum Back Electrode For Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cell And Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Performance Analysis Through Numerical Simulation, Meah Imtiaz Zulkarnain

Theses and Dissertations

In the first part of this research, the effect of the deposition conditions on properties of molybdenum thin-film were investigated to achieve desired characteristics for its application as the back electrode of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell. DC and RF magnetron sputtering modes were employed and two sputtering parameters namely, working pressure and sputtering power, were varied to determine the sputtering mode and the sputtering conditions best suited for Mo thin-films having required properties. Sputtered Mo samples were characterized to determine their structural and mechanical properties such as preferred growth orientation, crystallinity, grain size, dislocation density, adhesion, and micro strain, and electrical …

Using Single-Molecule Dna Flow-Stretching Experiments To See The Effects Of Temperature And Viscosity, Fatema Tuz Zohra

Theses and Dissertations

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a highly charged long and semi-flexible polymer of which length is much longer than cell dimensions at least by 1,000-folds. A long linear DNA turns into a crumpled structure to fit into a tiny cell volume by the process known as DNA compaction. In nature, DNA fits into the volume of the cell using DNA compaction by packaging genome material. Various types of protein are involved in DNA compaction. To experiment with various proteins as DNA compaction agents, DNA needs to be stretched out. In our thesis, the effect of temperature and buffer viscosity on DNA …

Effect Of Obesity On Walking To Running And Running To Walking Transitions, Salvador Baruch Alcorta Bautista

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates human Walking to Running transition (WRT) and Running to Walking transition (RWT). The focus is to be able to identify the correct WRT and RWT phase jumps. This investigation uses experimental data from the VICON Motion Analysis System (MAS) and of the treadmill WRT and RWT trials. The musculoskeletal model consists of pelvis, femur, tibia, and foot. This investigation uses as reference the work reported in the literature by Diedricj and Warren.. For the calculations in this investigation Excel and Matlab are used to filter the data and calculate the relative phase jumps. This work reports the …

Machinability Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (Cfrp) Composites: Modeling And Optimization Using Taguchi Analysis And Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm, S M Abdur Rob

Theses and Dissertations

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites have been widely used in aerospace, automotive, nuclear, and biomedical industries due to their high strength to weight ratio, corrosion resistant durability and excellent thermo-mechanical properties in non-oxidative atmospheres. Machining of CFRP composites has always been a challenge for the manufacturers. In this study, turning operation has been performed on CFRP composites to investigate the effects of cutting parameters namely cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut on the output characteristics including cutting force, surface roughness and tool wear using Taguchi Analysis. Regression Analysis has been used to develop mathematical model for cutting …

Effect Of Additional Weight On Stability Of Human Squat Exercise, Jose De Jesus Galarza Lozano

Theses and Dissertations

The main focus of the study is to analyze the stability of the squat exercise. The squat is a common exercise that persons do for exercise. The study analyze the time series of the normal component of the ground reaction forces and each coordinate of the center of pressure. Theses time series are used to estimate the Lyapunov Exponents using Rosenstein method. MATLAB from Mathworks is used to calculate the graphs and program the methods. We compare this result with the literature and previous experiments. This work gives more information relating the safety of the squat exercise when …

Optimization Of Load-Bearing And Impact Energy Absorption Capacities Of Honeycomb Structures By Density Gradation, Oyindamola Khadijat Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Density gradation has been analytically and experimentally proven to enhance the load-bearing and energy absorption efficiency of cellular solids. This research focuses on the analytical optimization (by virtual experiments) of polymeric honeycomb structures made from flexible thermoplastics to achieve density-graded structures with desired mechanical properties. The global stress-strain curves of single-density honeycomb structures are used as input to an analytical model that enables the characterization of the constitutive response of density-graded hexagonal honeycombs with discrete and continuous gradations and for various gradients. The stress-strain outputs are used to calculate the specific energy absorption, efficiency, and ideality metrics for all density-graded …

Near-Shore Sediment Transport Under Cnoidal Waves Using Particle Image Velocimetry, Jenna Rose Katrina

Theses and Dissertations

With future trends showing a higher percentage of the human population living along the coast, coastal resilience is a significant topic of concern for many researchers. The purpose of this research was to analyze near-shore sediment transport under different wave parameters using the technique of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and laboratory studies for linear and nonlinear cnoidal waves. At the deeper extent of the nearshore profile, waves will tend to be linear, having an Ursell number less than 40, with little or no net sediment transport due to orbital velocities. The velocities are the same under the crest and trough …

Design And Analysis Of A Pipe And Pump System Constructed To Connect Port Canaveral To The Banana River, Nicole Ann Mcclain

Theses and Dissertations

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) has hosted an extensive array of plants and animals throughout its lifetime, having one of the greatest species’ diversity of all North American estuaries. In addition to the variety of marine wildlife that is supported by the IRL, the system is also a recreational and economic resource for the counties bordering it. The biological integrity of the IRL, however, has shown evidence of decline in the last few decades, due to impaired water quality caused by pollution and disruptions to natural circulation patterns. If far-reaching changes are made to repair the water quality of the …

Enhanced Solar Receiver Design: Using Modern Materials And Manufacturing Methods, Paul John Kepinski

Theses and Dissertations

Solar receivers are a core component in receiver technology used for solar thermal power plants that use mirror reflectors to concentrate solar radiation onto a single point. This point is where the solar receiver is located. The energy is transferred into a medium that can either be stored for overnight power needs or can be used immediately to generate steam to power an electrical grid. The purpose of this research is to see if efficiency of a solar receiver can be increased substantially using newer methods of 3D metal manufacturing and material sciences. The recommended solution is a cavity shaped …

Effects Of Overmolding Process Parameters On Bondzone Quality, Vivek Varma Penumetsa

Theses and Dissertations

Urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles refer to small sized systems that transport people or cargo by air. In recent years, the interest in UAM vehicles has risen to combat traffic congestion, provide faster delivery times, or provide easier access to remote places. To meet potential future demand, traditional aircraft manufacturers must introduce manufacturing technologies that can cope with high production rates. One manufacturing technology aircraft manufacturers are investigating is overmolding, a manufacturing technology common to the automotive industry. Overmolding combines the manufacturing and assembly cycles into one by injection molding a component on top of a substrate. The quality of …

Simulation-Based And Data-Driven Approaches To Industrial Digital Twinning Towards Autonomous Smart Manufacturing Systems, Kaishu Xia

Theses and Dissertations

A manufacturing paradigm shift from conventional control pyramids to decentralized, service-oriented, and cyber-physical systems (CPSs) is taking place in today’s Industry 4.0 revolution. Generally accepted roles and implementation recipes of cyber systems are expected to be standardized in the future of manufacturing industry. Developing affordable and customizable cyber-physical production system (CPPS) and digital twin implementations infuses new vitality for current Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing initiatives. Specially, Smart Manufacturing systems are currently looking for methods to connect factories to control processes in a more dynamic and open environment by filling the gaps between virtual and physical systems.

The work presented …