Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Adaptive Design Strategies For A Dual-Shaft Pvc Shredder, Gavin Balderas

University Honors Theses

This capstone project involved the design and development of a mid-size plastic shredder, created to process strong, ductile PVC sheets up to ½" thick. This application falls between the capabilities of consumer grade plastic shredders and heavy-duty industrial machines. Over 400 million tons of plastic produced annually and less than 10% of it is recycled; there is an ever-growing need for plastic recycling accessibility and infrastructure. This project aimed to create a compact dual-shaft shredder that can shred thick PVC sheets while being powered by a 120V outlet. Research into blade geometry and orientations aided an iterative design process driven …

Mars Mini Rover Sample Retrieval Robotic Claw, Cami Chambers, Ani Lachikian, Alexa Ramirez, Alex Power

Mechanical Engineering

This project involves several key stakeholders, including the Poly1 Rover Club, Professor Rich Murray, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The primary objective is to develop an improved robotic claw capable of retrieving sample tubes left by the Perseverance Rover on the Martian surface. In tackling this challenge, the design must account for the harsh Mars climate while integrating cameras and electrical components, durable structure, and a rotational component to the Mini-Rover claw without incorporating an additional motor, sample storage unit, structural aspects or unnecessary weight. The current Mini-Rover consists of a four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm with joints often referred to …

Criticality Safety Evaluation To Address Potential Over Conservative Restrictions In 49 Cfr Fissile Materials – Exceptions, Avian Blumhorst

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The U. S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) 49 CFR 173.453 Fissile Exceptions provide a regulatory classification that helps eliminate burdensome regulatory requirements. The current fissile exceptions are based on past technical basis reviews. These reviews may be overly conservative, and the final ruling potentially applied significant administrative over-conservatism. This thesis reviewed and presents several recommendations to the fissile exception criteria, as well as 49 CFR 173.453 section’s additions.

Using Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code version 6.3.0, several infinite sea mixtures and array systems were modeled for fissile isotopes 233U and 235U. The research demonstrated that for fissile exception (a) there …

Lunar Regolith Sintered Brick Apparatus, Andrew Fasano, Noah Parayil, Darius Felix Karra

Senior Design Project For Engineers

This project describes the preliminary design and analysis of the Semi-Autonomous Lunar Regolith Sintered Brick Apparatus that will assist in developing permanent infrastructure on the Moon. An issue with permanent lunar operations is the transportation of materials to the Moon. To address this, the designed device uses lunar regolith as the source material for producing bricks. This design considers the constraints set for operation with the Griffin lunar lander: maximum payload mass of 200 kg, power consumption below 5 kW, and limited payload dimensions. The design uses a combination of a laser sintering motion system, a regolith layering subsystem, a …

Bio-Payload Senior Design Report, Connor Bishop, Oliver Goodall, Marcus Kirk, Gabby Robles, Anish Shanmuganathan

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

This project focuses on the design and development of an autonomous experimental platform capable of conducting cellular biology experiments in a well plate within a CubeSat environment. The system integrates microfluidics, robotics, and onboard sensors to remotely initiate experiments, monitor them, and collect data without human intervention. The objective is to create a platform for automated biological experimentation in microgravity, while reducing reliance on ground-based control and increasing mission efficiency and reproducibility. The team used Saccharomyces cerevisiae to assess the biocompatibility of the well plate and monitor changes in cell culture, including optical density and cell viability.

Pollinators Exhibit For Paso Robles Children’S Museum, Isabelle Moll, Matthew Moore, Joseph Hovanesian, Evan Stock, Matthew Wiecking

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents the design and development of an interactive pollination exhibit created for the Paso Robles Children’s Museum as part of the Mechanical Engineering Senior Project program. The goal of the project was to design a durable, safe, and engaging educational exhibit that introduces children to the role of pollinators in local ecosystems and agriculture through hands-on play. The final design features a triple-track system with rolling bee elements and a central pollen ball pathway that demonstrates how pollinators move between flowers and return resources to the hive. The exhibit incorporates visual feedback and locally inspired design elements to …

Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Of Magnetic Heat Exchange Structures For Caloric Applications, Turab S. Rizvi

Undergraduate Research Posters

Developing sustainable, high-efficiency cooling technologies is vital to addressing 21st century energy challenges. This research focuses on magnetic refrigeration, an environmentally friendly cooling method utilizing the magnetocaloric effect to regulate temperature using magnetic fields. This approach offers greater energy efficiency than conventional vapor-compression systems by eliminating harmful refrigerants. The critical component is the regenerator, made of magnetocaloric material and transfers heat between the magnetic material and a fluid through parallel channels. Traditional designs such as packed beds of particles are prone to particle segregation, creating an undesirable pressure drop. The main goal of our research was to fix those flaws …

Characterization And Control Of Rod-Like Soft Robots, Tianrui Li

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

Micro-scale robotic systems have garnered significant interest for applications in micromanufacturing and biosensing, yet quantitative design rules linking geometry, stiffness distribution, and magnetic actuation to locomotion performance at low Reynolds number remain limited. This thesis investigates magnetically actuated rod-like soft robots composed of hydrogel filaments with embedded micro-magnets and tunable hard:soft length ratios. Four- and eight-magnet swimmers with hard:soft ratios ranging from 1:1 to 2.5:1 and 4:3:1 are fabricated using a simple molding-and-insertion process and tested in water and silicone oil. A triaxial Helmholtz coil system generates rotating magnetic fields from 1 to 10 Hz, and a custom image-processing pipeline …

Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Capstone Modine Engineering: Collapsible Hvac Coil Expansion Table, Austin M. Hipskind

Honors Theses

For the Mechanical Engineering Senior Design class, teams of seniors were asked to find a sponsor company willing to provide a problem they were experiencing at a local plant. Using the skills gained throughout college, they were asked to go through a standardized problem-solving method to develop a solution for the sponsor company. I was teamed with Fernando Arellano and Henry Lindsey to work with Modine Engineering on creating a modular and collapsible table for use with large, custom-designed coils. This table would have to hold large, heavy coils during the expansion process. Modine requested a 3D design, the cost …

The Trials And Tribulations Of Building An Ebike From Recycled Parts, Olivia Conrady

Senior Honors Projects

The United States is far from being “walkable” in most suburban areas. Though public transportation has grown in its infrastructure in some large cities, it is far from sufficient. As a result of this, millions of people drive their cars every single day -- a practice that is unsustainable and becoming an increasingly evident issue. One possible solution that has become popular is the use of electric bicycles, since they are less physically taxing than a normal bike and allow for quicker transport. Though electric bicycles have been on the rise, they are still well outside of many people’s budget, …

Carbon Fiber Cv Tripod Axle Design: Husker Motorsports Formula Sae, Taylor D. Boudreaux

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The 2024–2025 HMS Formula SAE senior design team successfully reduced axle system weight, cost, and improved manufacturability using a bonded tripod joint and ±45° intermediate modulus carbon fiber tube. The final design was validated on HMS 25, with no failures under rigorous testing.

Budget:
/="/"> Total project cost was $1,165.64, exceeding the initial $1,000 target due to unanticipated test rig expenses. However, per-axle production cost was reduced from $525.31 to $383.37 through in-house manufacturing, use of on-hand epoxy (DP460), and switching to cost-effective 7068 aluminum. The axle-specific cost was $766.74.

Timeline:
/="/"> Despite early delays from building a torsional testing …

Detection Of Error-Related Potentials Evoked By Haptic Feedback Of Eblow Flexion And Extension, Dylan Michael Page

Graduate Theses - Mechanical Engineering

Robotic rehabilitation systems are increasingly used to restore sensorimotor functions for individuals with disabilities. However, many assistive devices lack sensory feedback, which is essential information for user control and embodiment. Haptic feedback is a simple and non-invasive solution to provide sensory feedback through tactile stimulation. Errors in haptic feedback can reduce the device’s effectiveness. This study aims to investigate whether error-related potentials can be detected when evoked through errors in haptic feedback during elbow flexion and extension. Electroencephalography recordings showed statistically significant decreases in power spectral density under the conditions of 12.5 Hz, 2.8 and 4.0 seconds after the onset …

Introducing Apprentices To Brightspace, Peter O'Farrell

Case studies: Brightspace

Apprentice Tradespeople come to Bolton Street to study the theoretical aspect of their trades in blocks of 10 or 11 weeks. The 11-week block of learning includes 10 weeks of learning and 1 week of exams. The students have consistently given feedback that they find the 10 weeks quite busy with substantial amounts of new material to take in during the classes. These are NFC Level 6 students. The MAMF (Mechanical Automation Maintenance Fitter) apprentices taught in the School of Mechanical Engineering undertake a broad range of subject matter over a 35-hour college week, including technical drawing. There are sixteen …

Bilateral Gait Trainer For Transtibial Amputees, Desmond Greer, Odinachi Anene, Andrew Wallace, Noah Hill

Bioengineering Senior Theses

Lower limb amputation affects over 2.3 million individuals in the U.S., with peripheral vascular disease and diabetes as leading causes. Prosthetic rehabilitation is critical for restoring mobility, yet barriers like therapist shortages, cost, and inconsistent at-home training limit patient outcomes. This thesis presents the design, development, and testing of a bilateral gait training device that addresses these challenges by providing real-time haptic feedback and quantitative gait metrics for at-home rehabilitation. The device integrates force-sensitive resistors embedded in insoles to monitor plantar pressure distribution, haptic actuators (eccentric rotating mass motors) mounted on thigh straps to deliver corrective feedback, and an Arduino-based …

Mid-Wave Infrared Imaging Of Supersonic Combustor Exhaust Flow, Nathan Childs

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

A study was completed on the application of mid-wave infrared (MW-IR) imaging for diagnostics in supersonic combustion exhaust flows, with the objective of enhancing optical access and measurement accuracy. Other optical based techniques of thermography require complicated setups and analysis to determine the temperature of a flow with high accuracy, where MW-IR is a more simplistic "point and shoot" technique. The simplicity of MW-IR comes with the trade off of gaining simplicity but adding uncertainty into the measurements. The MW-IR camera was positioned to view the exhaust of the combustor to provide an unobstructed view of the flow, addressing limitations …

Laminar Separation Control Of An Eppler 387 Airfoil, Vincent R. Sheeler

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

A variety of aerodynamic devices operate at low Reynolds number conditions, such as unmanned aerial vehicles and low-pressure turbines in gas turbine engines. At low Reynolds numbers, many airfoils experience laminar boundary layer separation as the fow lacks the energy to overcome the adverse pressure gradient. Researchers have documented a variety of methods which can suppress laminar separation, and now focus on ways to reduce energy requirements to provide efective fow control. Aspects of fow control strategy such as actuator location and pulsing at frequencies which exploit natural instabilities in the fow can reduce energy requirements. In a study by …

Optical Study Of Small Jet Engine Combustion Ignition, Bryce Anthony Ullman

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Improving the ignition reliability in small-scale gas turbine engines is critical for safety aspects of auxiliary power units (APUs). To better understand the ignition characteristics of these small-scale combustors, an optically accessible combustor is designed and tested. The combustor accommodates twelve prevaporizer tubes (PVTs) in accordance with the commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) rendition and allows for interchangeable materials (quartz and Inconel) and igniter positions. Another notable design feature introduces a quartz outer combustor liner to allow visualization into key regions of the combustor. The study aims to replicate a COTS ignition sequence using glow plug igniters and examine the effects of different …

Computational Analysis Of A Hafnium-Titanium Alloy Mechanical Properties From First Principles, Abdul Mughni

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Hafnium and titanium, along with zirconium, are refractory metals with unique properties suitable for extreme-environment applications. Utilizing alloys based on these elements can provide suitable materials with engineered properties. Understanding their mechanical properties is necessary to determine appropriate applications. This thesis research aims at employing quantum-based atomistic simulations to estimate mechanical properties of pristine hafnium, titanium and an alloy based on these elements. The results are compared to available experimental data and the corresponding implications are explored.

Data-Driven Prediction Of Temperature Distribution In Multi-Laser Powder Bed Fusion Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Majid Dousti

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing (AM), particularly Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), has gained significant traction in fabricating complex, high-performance metallic components. However, the inherent complexity and computational cost of high-fidelity simulations pose challenges for real-time monitoring and optimization of multi-laser powder bed fusion processes. This study proposes a data-driven surrogate modeling approach using a deep learning architecture to efficiently and accurately predict three-dimensional temperature distributions during ML-PBF. A 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) model, named Decoder-CNN, is developed and trained on a dataset of simulated thermal fields corresponding to various process configurations, including different laser power, scanning speed, and beam arrangements. The …

Evaluating Geometric Accuracy In 3d Printing (3dp) Comparative Study Of Different 3dp Processes Using Cmm And Vision Measurement Tools, Alexander Adams

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates how various additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and parameters influence part quality by fabricating three uniquely designed artefacts. Artefact 1 is a rectangular block with stepped arches, thin and solid extruded features, and holes of varying shapes and sizes. Artefact 2 consists of a base plate with angled overhangs from 15 to 90 degrees. Artefact 3 includes a tall cylinder, a five-step cylinder, and two half arches of different scales. Each artefact was printed ten times using: metal PBF (Inconel 718), nylon PBF (Nylon 12), Vat Polymerization (GRY photopolymer), and material extrusion (nylon carbon fiber). Dimensional analysis was …

Using Unsupervised Machine Learning To Experimentally Categorize Separation On Low-Pressure Turbine Blades, Aaron B. Suter

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Laminar boundary layer separation can significantly degrade the efficiency of Low-Pressure Turbine (LPT) blades. While active flow control (AFC) methods can mitigate these losses, energy-efficient implementation requires activating the system only when performance decreases. This study validates an unsupervised machine learning framework that utilizes sparse, discrete surface-pressure measurements to distinguish between high and low aerodynamic loss states. A fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering model was trained on limited pressure data obtained in a low-speed linear cascade across Reynolds numbers from 30,000 to 160,000 and used to categorize the flow regime in real time. At Re = 40,000, vortex generator jet (VGJ) …

Utilizing Optimization Tools For Passive Flow Control Passage Loss Reduction In Low-Pressure Turbines, Bryant Robert Duane Burton

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Low-pressure turbines (LPTs) play a crucial role in fuel efficiency and thrust generation of aero-engines. Traditional LPT designs, however, involve multiple stages and numerous blades, resulting in increased weight and manufacturing costs. The challenge of modern- day researchers is to reduce the weight and cost but maintain the high efficiency of LPTs. To address this, one approach is to increase the aerodynamic loading of individual blades, reducing the blade count. However, this can lead to increased secondary losses caused by flow separation, particularly in the endwall regions. This research focuses on optimizing the blade profile at the junction with the …

Quantification Of Porosity In Hfb2–20%Sic Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Cameron J. Floyd

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Ultra-high-temperature ceramics, commonly used in aerospace applications, operate in high-temperature oxidizing environments where a surface scale forms and regulates oxy gen access. For hafnium diboride–silicon carbide (HfB2–SiC), that scale consists of a borosilicate glass layer over a porous HfO2 skeleton. Oxygen transport through this poros ity governs the kinetics of mechanistic models, requiring reproducible inputs for accurate pore fraction (PF), pore-size distributions, and ultimately tortuosity. This thesis replaces rule-based SEM thresholding with a convolutional neural network that segments pores and predicts the pore-radius distribution for transport models. The resulting calibrated porosity maps and size distributions transfer within the acquisition domain …

Effect Of Build Orientation And Environmental Conditions On Mechanical And Geometric Properties Of Polymeric Parts Fabricated By The Powder Bed Fusion Process, Adedamola O. Adeyemi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Polyamide-12 (aka PA12) is a synthetic thermoplastic polymer that has been used in various applications, including the electronic and electrical, oil and gas industrial manufacturing and automotive industry. There are several ways to manufacture parts with PA12 and PA12 based composites. Injection molding, a traditional manufacturing process, has been the standard manufacturing route for polymers for a long time. Recently, however, additive manufacturing (AM) processes, such as powder bed fusion (PBF) and material extrusion (ME) have been introduced. PBF is a manufacturing process characterized by the selective sintering of successive layers of powdered material. It is the most effective AM …

Affordable And Sustainable: Innovating Filament Extrusion For Recycled Materials, Turab S. Rizvi

Undergraduate Research Posters

The chemical stability, toxicity and non-biodegradability of the polymers pose a significant environmental threat. Addressing end-of-life treatment sustainability is crucial for mitigating these issues. The customized Lyman filament extruder in the Advanced Magnetic Materials Processing Laboratory represents an innovative approach to advancing sustainability in renewable energy production and CO₂ mitigation. Redesigning the thermal system and screw operation will tackle key challenges, including precise temperature control, consistent material flow to handle diverse recycled materials. Integrating an advanced thermal regulation system will reduce the energy consumption by maintaining optimal thermal conditions, thereby lowering the CO₂ footprint of the recycling process. The optimized …

Computer Vision In A Robotic Arm, Jack Maxwell

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

We used a machine learning-based object detection algorithm to give a robotic arm the ability to "see" with its camera.

Autonomous Bottling And Packaging System - Mechanical Bottling Portion, Kathryn Gray

Honors College Theses

This report details the complete mechanical design of an autonomous bottling automation system. This system is fully integrated with a bottling and packaging system. The scope of the full project is to successfully bottle and cap twelve small bottles (approximately 68 cm3) in under three minutes and thirty seconds. The bottles shall be filled with an “electrolyte” and water mixture, and the mixture should be fully mixed. To complete this task, two tanks will dispense liquid (one electrolyte, and one water) into the bottles. Each tank shall have a measuring chamber, that will fill with the correct amount of volume …

Mechanical Engineering Capstone: A Reflection On The Design And Prototyping Of A Portable Water Heating System, Timothy Goldsmith

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis includes several documents from a Mechanical Engineering Capstone course. These include project postmortem reports written at the conclusion of each term. These reports summarize the designing and prototyping of a portable water heating system. Additionally, this thesis includes written feedback on the final presentations for six other senior design teams. In these documents, presentations and projects are evaluated and encouragement and feedback are provided for the teams. The final component of this thesis is an essay reflecting on the different leadership roles assumed during the capstone course.

The Dynamic Response And Damage Evolution Of High-Strength Concrete, Mohamed Abbas

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

Concrete stands as the most extensively used construction material in both military and civil structural applications, attributed to its excellent durability and high impact resistance. Over the years, high-strength concrete (HSC) has evolved to withstand higher compressive strengths, making it a viable substitute for conventional concrete (CC) in many applications. Hence, HSC is commonly used for structures and structural elements that are exposed to extreme loading conditions such as hurricanes, wave impacts, ship-bridge collisions, explosions, earthquake loads, etc. The mechanical response of concrete subjected to dynamic loading conditions differs dramatically from its response under quasi-static conditions due to its inherent …

Investigating The Impact Of Stress And Irradiation Flux On Latent Track Formation In Tio2 Under Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation: A Phase Field Study, Ebrahim Ebrahimi

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Swift Heavy Ions (SHI) irradiation, characterized by high kinetic energy ions, induces significant material/structural modification, e.g., latent track. However, the intricate interaction among various physics, i.e., mechanical stress, phase transition, and heat transfer, has been ignored in the continuum-based approaches in favor of simplicity. Here, we developed a two-dimensional coupled phase-field inelastic-thermal spike (PF-iTS) model to investigate the effect of thermal crosstalk, elastic energy, and irradiation flux on latent track formation. A particular focus is placed on investigating the influence of internal mechanical stress on latent track formation. Simulation results reveal a shift in critical stopping energy and a reduction …