Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Derivation And Experimental Validation Of A Parameterized Nonlinear Froude–Krylov Force Model For Heaving-Point-Absorber Wave Energy Converters, Houssein Yassin, Tania Demonte Gonzalez, Gordon Parker, Giorgio Bacelli, Carlos Michelen

Michigan Tech Publications

Wave energy converters (WECs) have gained significant attention as a promising renewable energy source. Optimal control strategies, crucial for maximizing energy extraction, have traditionally relied on linear models based on small motion assumptions. However, recent studies indicate that these models do not adequately capture the complex dynamics of WECs, especially when large motions are introduced to enhance power absorption. The nonlinear Froude–Krylov (FK) forces, particularly in heaving-point-absorbers with varying cross-sectional areas, are acknowledged as key contributors to this discrepancy. While high-fidelity computational models are accurate, they are impractical for real-time control applications due to their complexity. This paper presents a …

Computational And Experimental Study Of Slow Crack Growth In High Density Polyethylene, Abdulla Almomani

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This dissertation investigates the slow crack growth (SCG) behavior of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) under various mechanical and environmental conditions. The study combines experimental analysis and computational modeling to enhance the understanding of SCG mechanisms in HDPE, particularly in pressurized pipes and under the exposure to hydrocarbons. A novel Crack Layer (CL) theory-based SCG model is developed and validated through experimental data, offering a predictive framework for HDPE failure assessment. The main objective of this dissertation is to quantify and model the viscoelastic-viscoplastic behavior of HDPE under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions while addressing SCG kinetics in structural applications. The study …

Minimum Ghg Emissions And Energy Consumption Of U.S. Pet And Polyolefin Packaging Supply Chains In A Circular Economy, Utkarsh S. Chaudhari, Abhishek Patil, Tasmin Hossain, David Watkins, Damon S. Hartley, Barbara K. Reck, Robert Handler, Anne T. Johnson, Vicki S. Thompson, David Shonnard

Michigan Tech Publications

There is a wide agreement on the urgency of transforming linear management of plastics towards a circular economy model. However, no clear pathways exist as to required recycling technologies involved and system-wide environmental impacts. This study explores such pathways in the U.S. for the most commonly used packaging plastics through a combination of mechanical and emerging advanced recycling technologies. A system optimization model aimed at minimizing environmental impacts was developed to determine optimal end-of-life (EOL) management and locations of existing and emerging U.S. recycling infrastructures. Our study includes material flows from virgin resin production through semi-manufacturing processes to existing EOL …

Efficient Thermal Design Of Data Centers, Keats M. Baggett, Andrew Ergood, Colin Brace, Jack Zilligen

Mechanical Engineering

Our sponsor needs a way to categorize and quantify the top 3 colocation center sites based on a series of criteria for given power specs. The sponsor also needs a single innovative cooling method to meet thermal and power requirements while also being manufacturable at scale. This device must also be able to interact with the given Colocation Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. This design will be tested to provide insight and data that will be applicable to further the development of colocation center cooling. This project will be executed by the Cal Poly senior project team and …

Aerospace Fastener Installation Tool, Anthony I. Berghout, Matthew K. Eggers, Liam Dunsmore, Jose Pardo

Mechanical Engineering

Contamination, particularly in aerospace manufacturing environments, is a significant concern, especially with fastener designs that incorporate torque-rated breakaway pieces for easier installation. These breakaway pieces are also known as pintails. Howmet has tooling that can collect loose pintails during installation, but they have small capacities and are not ergonomic for aerospace technicians. Their current need is for a light and ergonomic tool capable of installing a wide variety of Ergo-Tech® fasteners while having a large capacity to collect pintails and improve aerospace manufacturing methods. For this Critical Design Stage, we have finalized a design that allows Pintails to pass through …

2-Axis Solar Panel Tracker, Danica Wong, Oliver Barnaal, Anton Orme

Mechanical Engineering

Solar panels generate energy from sunlight. To do this it’s important that they remain pointed at the sun throughout the day. The Cal Poly Micro Grid Lab runs a class that uses a student made solar panel and tracking mount as an instructional tool. This project is beginning to show signs of wear from outdoor use and is unable to run without constant input due to some significant design flaws. The lab needs a new version of the mount to be made that is significantly more reliable and easier to use.

Edwards Lifesciences: Esheath+ Scoring Automation, Tony Lee Avina, Kirth Hirth, Charith Sunku, Humberto Salazar-Banuelos

Mechanical Engineering

Due to a non-disclosure agreement with our sponsor, Edwards Lifesciences, the contents of the report have been omitted.

Kinetic, Wind-Driven Metal Sculpture, Irene Songhee Han, Aiden Brown Largay, Madeline Vang Xiong

Mechanical Engineering

The Interdisciplinary Senior Design Team “Flying Flora” from Cal Poly’s College of Engineering has been tasked with designing and building a wind-driven dynamic metal sculpture for the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden. The botanical garden wants to fill a large, centrally located vacant space with a kinetic sculpture to attract and welcome visitors. The final design, as approved by the garden’s directors, features a large metal California poppy below a stained-glass and metal butterfly. The flower rotates smoothly in typical wind conditions, drawing the attention of visitors to the sculpture. The butterfly is stationary, positioned at an angle from the …

Aluminum Boat Rotation Fixture, Kevin W. Heiskell, Nathaniel M. Conway, James S. Knowles, Austin J. Kehl

Mechanical Engineering

Aluminum fishing boats are widely used for various water-based activities, including fishing, transportation, and recreation. Their lightweight construction makes them ideal for maneuverability, particularly in regions like Australia. However, the manufacturing process presents challenges, specifically the need to weld both the interior and exterior seams of the hull. As the boat’s weight increases during assembly, flipping it becomes difficult and potentially hazardous. Traditional methods such as cranes or forklifts are inefficient and pose safety risks. To address this, our team developed a rotating fixture that secures the boat at two connection points, one at the bow and one at the …

Design And Development Of Hip Implants For Longevity Through Integrating Advanced Groove Structures And Additive Manufacturing, Asarudheen Abdudeen

Dissertations

This doctoral research concerns the design and optimization of hip implants (HIs) to enhance performance, durability, and improve patient outcomes by addressing the key issues of wear, deformation, and stress distribution. Innovative surface groove designs have been introduced to both a solid and a hollow femoral head with the aim of reducing friction and wear. The addition of grooves, with both a hemispherical and rectangular cross-section, onto the femoral head reduced friction, as debris produced by the inner liner was trapped within the grooves, significantly reducing adhesive wear. A numerical simulation study compared the effects of surface modifications both grooves …

In-Situ Defect Detection In Selective Laser Melting Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Ethan Gaigalas

Master's Theses

This thesis develops and trains a convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify defects in metal parts produced by selective laser melting (SLM) using acoustic emission (AE) data. The model successfully identified porosity and standard build layers with high accuracy but consistently struggled to classify lack of fusion (LOF) defects, regardless of input type, normalization, or class count. These results suggest that while AE signals contain distinguishable features for certain defect types, LOF signals may be too subtle or inconsistent for reliable detection. The study addresses the ongoing challenge of in-situ quality monitoring in metal additive manufacturing, where defects like cracks, …

Fused-Silica Microelectromechanical Systems For Relative Gravimetry, Ethan Doerstling

Theses and Dissertations

Gravimeters are devices that measure gravitational acceleration which can be used by the United States Air Force (USAF) in the areas of navigation and remote sensing. Fused-silica microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices offer capabilities to make inexpensive relative gravimeters with higher thermal stability than common silicon devices while maintaining good gravitational sensitivity. The fused-silica devices in this research were designed, simulated, fabricated, and tested to observe their performance as gravimeters. The devices exhibit properties of highly sensitive accelerometers but the current designs do not qualify as gravimeters. This study provides information to improve the sensitivity and stability of these fused-silica MEMS …

Foot Pedal Assistive Device, Julian Rubinstein, Connor Jessen, Isabelle Utsler, Sydney Alexander

Mechanical Engineering

Individuals with lower-limb mobility problems may have trouble accurately locating the pedals of a three-pedal manual transmission car, and some medical conditions cause individuals to fatigue more quickly when driving. This project aimed to create a device that assists in locating the user’s feet, indicates to the user which pedals are currently in use, and provides a visual and physical warning if they are not in the correct place. The project sponsor, Alan Keizer, is the primary stakeholder in this project. This device will be designed specifically for Alan’s Subaru BRZ and will address Alan’s specific lower-limb mobility issues that …

Van Accessibility, Ann Larson, Camelia Anne Noureddine, Stephanie Rose Ruzicka, Kayla Joanne Gowey

Mechanical Engineering

The SLO Achievement House provides resources and activities for their clients, including daily trips to different parts of the community, to keep their clients connected to society. These trips require the clients, many of whom struggle with general mobility and strength, to step up to the high entrance of a van or company car. This daily activity poses a challenge both physically and emotionally for the clients. The current solution utilizes commercially available step stools, which lack handrails, overall stability, and adequate step depth. The Achievement House needs a stool or ramp tailored to their client’s needs and their specific …

7lr-C Upper Limb Dancing Prosthetic, Victor Ochoa, Zoe Kelemen, Ged Mulingtapang, Marley Paltiel

Mechanical Engineering

Ella Wallis, a student at Cal Poly and performer in the Cal Poly Drag Club with a trans humeral upper limb difference, wants a prosthetic device that allows for a large range of motion and high degree of articulation to help them better dance in the style of voguing, allowing them to express themselves further while performing. The prosthetic arm is body-driven and relies on momentum to reposition. It attaches to the user through a harness, which is clipped to a socket with elastic straps to not impede the shoulder’s range of motion. The design contains urethane resin, aluminum, stainless …

Drone Package Delivery System, Aiden Tyler Sim, Ryan Anders O'Toole, Matthew Karl Wyant, James Shaw Glanville

Mechanical Engineering

In response to the demands of the 2025 C-UASC (California Unmanned Aerial Systems Competition), our team developed an autonomous drone payload delivery system capable of two distinct delivery modes: a precision-controlled descent and a high-speed aerial drop. Designed for modular integration with UAV platforms, the system prioritizes reliability, accuracy, and simplicity under desert environmental conditions. Our solution features a custom winch mechanism with a programmable stepper motor, a passive mechanical hook for tension-based release, and a servo-actuated trapdoor for high-altitude drops. The design was extensively tested for structural integrity, motor torque requirements, drop precision, and electronics reliability—culminating in a robust …

Llnl Raft Flash Pole Redesign, Jack Stangel, Evan Wolfson, Jake Borden, Alexander Meeter

Mechanical Engineering

During research exercises in the ocean, Lawrence Livermore deploys a fleet of rafts outfitted with flash modules affixed to tall poles (in tandem called flash poles) that flash while a photo is taken to act as datums for data collection. The current flash pole design that the LIDSS (Lawrence Livermore Independent Diagnostic Scoring System) team uses is too short to be visible in high seas, not mechanically suited to be made taller, too susceptible to the elements and blunt impact and too difficult to service. We aim to solve these issues.

Torsional Vibration Kit Simulator (Tks), Joseph Thachet, Luca Lawson, Ryan Ota, Otis Mcloughlin

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of this project was to create torsional vibration on a shaft while limiting axial and radial vibration. To do this an eddy current brake was used to slow down a rotating shaft. The electromagnets used to create the eddy currents are able to be turned on and off at a frequency produced by a function generator. This power cycling of the electromagnets creates an alternating braking force thereby inducing torsional vibration while limiting the other two vibration types

Uv Vessel Hoist Scope Of Work, Quinn J. Horak, Harvey Perkins, Andrew A. Osborn, Mikayla H. Nieman

Mechanical Engineering

The San Luis Obispo Wastewater Treatment Plant uses ultraviolet (UV) tubes to purify water. These tubes are cleaned by an internal wiping mechanism that must be removed for servicing and replacing damaged tubes. Currently, this is accomplished by using an engine hoist, but this method requires a large amount of effort and is not safe. Technicians have requested a new method of lifting wiper mechanisms that is safer, faster, and easier to use than their current method.

To solve this problem, we have developed a design that consists of a custom gantry crane with a hoist on a trolley. The …

Trailer Transport System For Multi-Ton Bins, Joanna Lizbeth Bendy, Kevin Matthew Creel, Annelise Vaara Cuneo, Hugo Alonso Valdez

Mechanical Engineering

This project aimed to improve the process of transporting 10,000-pound industrial waste bins. The current method for relocating these bins poses safety risks and requires significant manual effort. This project presents a conceptual solution that enables a single operator to efficiently and safely move roll-off bins using a custom-designed trailer system. The design incorporates three main subsystems: a trailer frame, an integrated winch system, and an off-the-market puller device to guide and secure the bin during transport. Two scaled proof-of-concept prototypes were fabricated to evaluate key aspects of the system's functionality. Testing and analysis suggested that the system is viable …

Brush Seal Cycling Test Rig, Angelo J. Reis, Neil M. Bedagkar, Max A. Soury, Eoin K. Lenham

Mechanical Engineering

To prevent backflow from the high pressure compressor stages of their gas turbines to lower pressure regions, Solar Turbines utilizes brush seals along their driveshafts. Due to manufacturing limitations, no shaft is perfectly symmetric about its rotating axis, leading to orbiting that creates asymmetric friction on the shaft through rubbing. With this biased application of friction comes a hotspot on one side of the shaft, causing bowing of the shaft and cascading into an amplified vibrational response. Our goal is to gather data on this phenomenon and offer a potential solution.

Heart Valve Leaflet Cutting Automation, Gabriella Aclan, Josh Deweese, Lizzie Dilao, Jason Wong

Mechanical Engineering

The content contained in this report is confidential and proprietary information of Edwards Lifesciences.

Poly Mars Mini-Rover, Dane Carroll, Aaron Lubinsky, Henry Bouma, Gerardo Tapia-Onate, Scott Frizzel

Mechanical Engineering

The Cal Poly Mars Rover project is creating a fleet of near-identical rovers operating collaboratively to research the surface of Mars. Over the last six years, teams at Cal Poly have been developing vehicles to be launched upon the commercialization of interplanetary travel. Two of these vehicles are to take the roles of ‘Scout’ and ‘Relay’ with the most significant difference being their respective ‘arms.’ The ‘Scout’ will have a robotic arm that interacts with objects on the surface while the ‘Relay’ will have a fixed arm, equipped with a StarLink antenna to communicate with orbiting satellites as seen in …

Air To Water Capture In Support Of Un Sustainable Development Goals, Jordan Macconnell, Michael Tiscareño, Ari Dennis, Baxter Mercy

Mechanical Engineering

This senior project explored the use of thermoelectric cooling for atmospheric water capture. The system was designed to cool aluminum condensing surfaces below the dew point using Peltier modules, with forced convection heat sinks on the hot side. The purpose of this system was to gather reliable amounts of water for various water-scarce areas around the world to help meet the UN's sixth Sustainable Development Goal.

The final design of this project consisted of a 1.5 x 1.5 x 2 foot frame made of acrylic panels and insulation. Within the frame, the thermoelectric system was constructed using Peltier modules with …

One-Handed Wheelchair, Brian Azevedo, Cade Veljovich, Carlos Perez, Jakob Zuckermandel, Alexander Harper

Mechanical Engineering

A person who uses a wheelchair for mobility needs a way to operate it with only one hand. This may be necessary if they lack functionality in one hand or prefer to use only one hand while operating the wheelchair. Even for users with two available hands, it is difficult to operate As of now, such wheelchairs are not widely available or easily accessible, yet these devices are crucial for improving the quality of life and mobility of many people. The goal of this project is to design a more viable and ergonomic solution for people who operate a wheelchair …

Micro Mobile Home R3, Roha Y. Ali, Yuka M. Iwashita, Luke C. Douglas, Joshua Q. Le

Mechanical Engineering

Homelessness is an ever-growing issue all around the world. In 2023, over 250,000 or ~40% of all people experiencing homelessness did not have access to shelter spaces in the U.S. [1]. All people have the right to a place where they are safe from violence, crime, and the constant fear that they will be forced out.

Both homeless people and outdoor enthusiasts need a new way to keep themselves and their belongings safe when living outdoors, since existing products do not offer adequate security, portability, or versatility.

2024-2025 Cal Poly Fluid Power Vehicle Competition Team, Jaskaran Singh Hothi, Justin Menzie Lesko, Tristan Kai Crawford, Lucas Rupert Erickson, Diego Velazquez

Mechanical Engineering

The Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge (FPVC) provides an avenue for the exploration of fluid-powered transportation, adhering to regulations set by the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA). This document serves as a roadmap for our team’s research, design, and manufacturing of a vehicle for participation in the FPVC. The team’s journey began with extensive background research, encompassing stakeholder engagement, analysis of existing solutions, and education on fluid power fundamentals. From this information, we decided to focus on enhancing mechatronics systems, improving the transmission, optimizing the mounting, adding a pneumatic element, and improving the efficiency of the hydraulic system of the vehicle …

Large Backflow Check Valve Life Cycle Test Stand, Colin Bentley, Christopher Carloni, Ethan Gray, Luke Romanini

Mechanical Engineering

Backflow preventers are plumbing devices containing internal check valves used to prevent cross-contamination between downstream contaminants and potable water supply. Zurn Wilkins needs a life cycle test stand to mechanically force open check valves submerged in contaminated water and verify check performance. The stand needs to be modular to work with a range of check types and sizes.

Zurn Wilkins is the primary stakeholder for this project. Secondary stakeholders include commercial and residential building owners, contractors, and water utility companies, who rely on their products for safe and efficient water management. The team for this project consists of four Cal …

Hi-Trac Camera Jig, Gabriel Frank Junge, Josh Sherreitt, Jake Weiser, Luke Silver

Mechanical Engineering

Uranium fuel assemblies are stored upright in an underwater container inside the spent nuclear energy fuel pool at Diablo Canyon. The engineers and in-service-inspection team all work together to safely locate this container inside the pool on pins so it is guaranteed safe before they begin loading it with spent uranium fuel rods. The Operators currently employ the use of a zip-tied camera jig that is lowered into the pool along with the tank (called a HI-TRAC) to ensure it is oriented correctly in the pool. This camera jig is in desperate need of re-vamping and re-designing to optimize efficiency …

Expeditionary Ocean Power Generator, Otto Jacob Van Willigen, David Scott Nyberg, Logan Christopher Schilling, Kyle James Hohman, Travis Michael Eccher

Mechanical Engineering

The Expeditionary Ocean Power Generator (ExOPG) project is a point absorber wave energy converter developed by a team of five mechanical engineering seniors at California Polytechnic State University in partnership with NAVFAC EXWC. Designed to support U.S. Marine Corps operations, the device aims to reduce the reliance on diesel generators by generating and storing up to 100 watts of power from ocean waves in a sturdy and self-sufficient device.

The ExOPG device uses a rack and pinion mechanism driven by vertical wave motion to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy via a generator, which is then processed and stored by …