Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Solar Turbines Compressor Blade Installation Tools, Ryan Bruce, Carolyn Honeycutt, Stephen Oltrogge, Emmett Ross

Mechanical Engineering

The following report documents a California Polytechnic State University, Mechanical Engineering Senior Project sponsored by the gas turbine manufacturer, Solar Turbines. The senior project team consisted of four senior mechanical engineering students at Cal Poly, all with general concentrations; Ryan Bruce, Carolyn Honeycutt, Steve Oltrogge, and Emmett Ross. Kenneth Thomas sponsored the group and serves as the point of contact between the senior project team and Solar Turbines. He is a member of the Solar Turbines Mechanical Design Engineering Team and a Cal Poly graduate. Christoph Maurer served as the project team’s on-campus advisor.

A gas turbine uses internal combustion …

Walker Tray, Marlene Troncoso, Judy Lantaca, Miriam Krage, Claire Francis

Mechanical Engineering

Sean is an individual with Cerebral Palsy, a disability that affects one's balance, muscle tone, muscular coordination, posture and control. Sean utilizes a walker to aid in maintaining his balance and muscular coordination when ambulating. This enables him to walk independently and leads to improved muscle strength and coordination. When walking, Sean places both hands on the walker to maintain balance and thus the ability to walk and carry items at the same time is compromised. Sean would like to be able to transport items while in use of his walker. The goals of this senior project design are to …

Non-Puncturing, No Slip Thv Leaflet Gripper, Brooks Kelly, Eric Nagaoka, Johnny Phane

Mechanical Engineering

Confidential

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 …

Low-Cost Prosthetic Transfemoral Socket, Emelie Deans, Joshua Ledgerwood, Leah Moore, Shaina Jung, Kristen Temnyk

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of this senior project was to design and fabricate a low-cost adjustable prosthetic socket for above the knee amputees. This low-cost consideration was incorporated with the original intent to be used in Fiji, however, this changed to the Dominican Republic. It became clear that the need for an adjustable socket was more as a transitional socket. This transitional socket would be used for the first 6 -12 months upon amputation because this when the most amount of volume fluctuation occurs. The project sponsor, LIM Innovations, has already designed the Infinite Socket which contains four main functioning parts: baseplate, …

Automated Pintail Machine, Stephen Etheredge, Andrew Evans, Michael Fernicola

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Wind Tunnel Wheel Balance, Brady Hiob, Ryan Hamamura, Samuel Fleet

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Me 350 Air Conditioning Experiment, Joshua Baida, Ellie Hallner, Tyler Eschenbach

Mechanical Engineering

In keeping with Cal Poly's focus on physically applying the concepts learned in the classroom, our team of engineering students has compiled a laboratory experiment displaying the basic thermodynamic cycle found in air conditioning systems. This vapor compression cycle is displayed on a visualization board that features all four major components of the system: the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser, and the throttling valve. Students will take measurements of temperature and pressure at each stage in the cycle and also gauge the power draw from the compressor to gain an understanding of how performance and electricity cost come into play …

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 …

Prosthetic Socket Cooling System, Benjamin K. Kraw, Kathy Ha, Derek Piastrelli, Cuong Lai

Mechanical Engineering

A team of four senior-level undergraduate students in the Interdisciplinary Senior Project Design course in the Engineering Department of California Polytechnic State University: San Luis Obispo have worked to develop a prosthetic socket cooling system, namely for veteran Taylor Morris and exclusively for a transfemoral prosthetic socket, under the Quality of Life+ Laboratory. This cooling system will utilize the thermoelectric effect known as the Peltier effect to transmit heat generated from the residual limb to the surrounding environment by means of forced convection over small aluminum heat sinks. Two measurement devices have also been developed to, one, measure the heat …

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 …

Putter Measurement System, Bryan A.L. Hofferd, Yuzo Makitani, Jacob Phillips, Eric Stubben

Mechanical Engineering

This project is provided and funded by Callaway Golf Company for the Mechanical Engineering Department as a capstone project, also known as the Senior Project series: ME 428, 429, and 430. The title of the project proposal is "Putter Measurement System" in which our team must design, build, and test a system that meets the proposed objectives as stated by Callaway Golf. The need arises from the current systems’ inability to provide detailed and consistent measurements without tedious setup and calibration.

Compliant Air Skates, An Experiment, Samuel Feldtkeller, Cody Anderson, Kevin Daily, Eliana Stefani

Mechanical Engineering

There is currently a gap in the market of train levitation systems: wheeled trains and MagLev trains exist, but none utilize the low friction and high efficiency aspect of trains levitated by air skates. An air skate, is an air bearing that uses a pressure difference along its annular body to create a thin flow of air which is strong enough to "levitate" the weight of the skate. We have designed a compliant air skate that can glide over 0.04[in] defects in surfaces without touching down. After having made compliant skirts out of fiberglass and silicone, our setup of three …

Mechanical And Electrical Characterization Of Carbon Nanofibers Produced From Water Soluble Precursors, Lee D. Cremar, Javier Acosta-Martinez, Alexsandra Villarreal, Alfonso Salinas, Karen Lozano

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

This study presents the thermo-physical, electrical, and mechanical characterization of fine carbon fibers produced from water-soluble polymer precursors and low temperature processes. These fibers were developed utilizing the Forcespinning® technology which utilizes centrifugal force to spin fibers. Polyvinyl alcohol was used as the precursor material, and fibers were developed and deposited in a non-woven configuration. The resultant non-woven fiber mats were subjected to a dehydration process through exposure to sulfuric acid vapors. The partially carbonized mats were heat treated at 850 °C. The produced porous nonwoven carbon fiber based mats have micro-and mesoporosity with a final fiber average diameter of …

Low Cost Metal Chip Separator, Alek Linquist, Kale Mckinney, Ryan Jones

Mechanical Engineering

We were tasked by Micro-Vu to design, build, and test a small-scale low-cost metal chip separator to operate on one of their 24/7 mills. The goal of the project was to separate the steel and aluminum chips coming off of the mill’s chip conveyor to end up with a bin of 99% pure aluminum by mass. To accomplish this goal we first brainstormed various possible ideas and performed small scale tests the best ones. After further review we determined the best solution to this problem was a design that involved a cycling magnetic backing that would pull steel out of …

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 …

Portable Sensory Room For The West Orange County Consortium For Special Education, Lindsey Chase, Emma Eskildsen, Alex Fox, Claire Francis, Nate Hoffman, Kaylee Keck, Sarah Sullivan

Biomedical Engineering

This report discusses the development of a Portable Sensory Room to be used at Newland Elementary School in Huntington Beach. Newland Elementary has an exceptional Special Needs program that teaches the children with the most severe cases of autism in its school district. People with autism typically also have sensory processing disorders, which can be extremely disruptive for a child’s development and can make it difficult for a child to be able to concentrate long enough to gain necessary life skills. The idea behind a Sensory Rooms is to create a place to calm the students and to expose them …

Fiber Length Attrition In Additive Manufacturing, Michael Chapiro

Materials Engineering

Chopped carbon fibers are used as reinforcements in thermoplastics, but the viscous shear forces that arise in melt-processing reduces the fiber length well below its critical length resulting in only moderate strength and stiffness gains compared to the neat resin. This research project aimed to experimentally determine the effect of the melt–flow portion of a single-screw- extrusion process on carbon fiber length attrition in isolation from the immediately preceding screw–plastication step that is responsible for most of the heat needed for melting. Carbon fibers with an initial length of 2 mm were stirred into 5,000 centipoise and 10,000 centipoise silicone …

Non-Schmid Effects And Criteria For Dislocation Nucleation On Different Slip Systems At Grain Boundaries, Richard Durtschi Wyman

Theses and Dissertations

Criteria for grain boundary dislocation nucleation are developed. A bicrystal containing two grain boundaries is placed under varying triaxial stress states using molecular dynamics. The local resolved shear, normal, and co-slip stresses needed for grain boundary dislocation nucleation are found. A framework is developed to detect the slip system grain boundary dislocation nucleation occurs on. A survey of the different ways grain boundary dislocation nucleation occurs in the sample shows a single grain boundary can nucleate dislocations in a rich variety of ways. Using the nucleation system and resolved stress values, criteria for grain boundary dislocation nucleation on different slip …

Thermodynamic Properties Of Se-Te(L) Described By An Extension Of The Two Domain Model, Robert F. Brebrick

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The two domain model of Se-Te liquid is developed further than heretofore. Explicit equations are obtained for the excess Gibbs energy of mixing, the chemical potentials, the enthalpy of mixing, the relative constant pressure heat capacity, and the partial and total pressures. A generally satisfactory fit is obtained for the experimental activity of Te and enthalpy of mixing at 733 K, the relative heat capacity as a function of temperature, and for the total pressure for 99, 60, and 27 at.% Se between about 780 and 1130 K. This is done while leaving unchanged the site fraction of H or …

Investigation Of Thermal Scaling Effects For A Turbine Blade Leading Edge And Pressure Side Model, Ryan A. Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

Recent experiments have attempted to quantify the overall cooling effectiveness at elevated temperature conditions. The Film Cooling Rig (FCR) at the Air Force Institute of Technology has been modified to better match the configuration of a similar large scale, low temperature rig at the Air Force Research Laboratory. This has enabled comparison and trend identification of how various properties scale from the low to high temperature condition. Various internal cooling and hole geometry configurations were investigated over a range of temperatures while utilizing the thermal scaling capability of Inconel 718. Film cooling trends and measures of overall effectiveness were matched, …

Design And Testing Of A Novel Adhesion And Locomotion Method For Wall Climbing Vehicles, Jim R. Stefani

Master's Theses

The objective of this project was to design, construct and test a wall climbing vehicle which uses a novel vacuum tread system for both adhesion and locomotion. The design and manufacturing of this proof of concept vehicle is detailed with particular emphasis on the design decisions that proved most impactful to the performance of both the vehicle and the tread system. Adhesion performance was characterized by a series of tests that validate the concept, but also identify improvements and design recommendations for future embodiments of the adhesion/locomotion system.

Cal Poly Supermileage Electronic Fuel Injection, Alexander Pink

Electrical Engineering

Cal Poly Supermileage is a student-run engineering club that builds prototype gasoline vehicles optimized maximum fuel-efficiency. To power their vehicles, the Supermileage team makes use of single-cylinder, 4-stroke, electronically fuel-injected (EFI) gasoline engines. This report details the development, iterative design & test cycles, and integration of an EFI system for the Supermileage club. This project develops an EFI system that interfaces to the most common types of sensors found in the low-power Supermileage-range of engines, including throttle-position sensors, manifold absolute pressure sensors, gear-tooth hall-effect sensors, variable-reluctance position sensors, engine coolant temperature sensors, intake air temperature sensors, and exhaust oxygen sensors. …

Adaptive Stand Up Paddleboard, Stephen Eldridge, Claire Francis, Curtis Hodgson, Haley Rentfro, Spencer Shotts

Mechanical Engineering

The task of this project was to create an adaptive paddleboard capable of being ridden by someone who does not have full mobility in one or more of their lower extremities. This project was worked on by a team of five students - three mechanical engineers and two kinesiology students - to create an effective and robust design for the client. To do this, the team regularly met with the client and used individual and group expertise in various fields to bring the best product to the end user.

The client, Damien, was a firefighter who was injured in July …

Ultra-Light Bear Canister, Naveen Beasley, Eli Rogers, Cory Wilson, Donald Wood

Mechanical Engineering

A bear canister is the primary tool used by outdoor enthusiasts to protect their food from bears while camping or backpacking. There are many effective products currently on the market, however many are not designed with reduced weight in mind. Hardcore backpackers want to have the lightest gear possible to ease the strain of carrying a large pack for sometimes weeks at a time.

Current bear canisters exist that utilize carbon fiber for weight reduction, however they rely on stock carbon tubes and lack engineering analysis, and no competitor has a fully composite bear canister available. Our sponsor, Nick Hellewell, …

Electric Vehicle Torque Vectoring And Rear Steering Control System, Garrett Heinen, Vincent Lee, Michael Parker, Michael Saggese

Mechanical Engineering

NDA

Improvement Of Mounting Techniques For Accelerated Wear Testing Of Artificial Heart Valves, Kyle Koon, Clay Bougher, Lawrence Yang

Mechanical Engineering

Confidential

High­Impact Textile Joining For Uav Landing Application: Tensile Testing Of Textiles, Patrick Michniuk, Matthew Ferretti, Jennifer Ford

Mechanical Engineering

The main objective of this project is to improve upon the current stitching pattern used in UAV catch net applications with the intention of lengthening their useable life cycle. To achieve this, a testing setup and procedure has been developed to produce material strength and stiffness data for nylon­ webbing strap, and for sewn intersections of the same strap material. The current stitching pattern was tested, and quantitatively characterized based on strength and stiffness. New stitching designs were generated and tested using the same procedure, and the results compared. This allowed for the selection of the most optimized stitching pattern …

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 …