Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Simulation Environment For Astrobee-Rings System, Tamerlan Yeleussizov

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis analyzes a flight software of a new free flying robot Astrobee, that will change the current Synchronized Position Hold Engage Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) on International Space Station (ISS). First, the main components of the flight software were examined: Robotic Operating System (ROS), Gazebo and MATLAB. During that phase, functionalities of ROS, Gazebo and MATLAB were analyzed, and it was found how these components integrate between each other to build Astrobee flying software. Next, simulation of two Astrobees performing “in-home” and “torque” maneuvers was executed. After a successful completion of simulation, results of Astrobee’s trajectory was recorded. Then, …

Acceleration, Braking, And Steering Controller For Polaris Gem E2, Matthew Benton Salfer-Hobbs

Theses and Dissertations

This paper discusses the design and simulation of lane keeping and velocity controllers for a Polaris GEM e2. The controllers were designed to be implemented in Florida Institute of Technology’s entry for the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition self-drive challenge. The software and physical implementation of actuators were included to control the acceleration, braking, and steering. The accelerator pedal was replaced with a set of digitally controlled potentiometers, the brake pedal was replaced with a linear actuator, and the steering column was replaced with a stepper motor. Each actuator was controlled by a Raspberry Pi 3. A sliding mode controller was …

Membrane Hull Technology Implemented Into A D-Collar Work Boat, Joshua Hagan

Theses and Dissertations

Membrane Hull Technology (MHT) was initially developed for the United States Navy Rigid-Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB) as an alternative structure design to provide weight savings and shock mitigation. MHT accomplishes this by veering away from traditional hull design and utilizing a grid like system with an increased number of longitudinal stringers and transverse frames with a significantly lower moment of inertia when compared to traditional stringers and bulkheads. The decrease in stiffness allows for increased deflection in the hull during high load events with the added benefit of shock absorption. This technology, developed by Structural Composites Inc., has been successfully …

Feasibility Study And Hydrodynamics Of Transformable Submersible Hydrofoil Trimaran, Yipeng Pan

Theses and Dissertations

It has been the endeavor of naval architects to design innovative hull forms to address the political, socio-economic climate and sustainability around the world. It is imperative that countries be able to protect their sea lanes and coastal zones from surveillance and infiltration from hostile foreign entities. Hence there is a need to develop radically different hull form, which possess the elusive ability and are capable of high-speed. In order to fulfill the idea, the hypothesis envisioned in this thesis is: the Transformable Submersible Hydrofoil Trimaran (TSHT) as an innovative and ground breaking hull form would address the feasibility of …

Tuning Of The Zero Dispersion Point For Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems, Rebekah Mercedes Blackwell

Theses and Dissertations

Resonant micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) are increasingly common in applications, including inertial sensors and frequency sources. These devices operate at resonance and take advantage of their size, ability to integrate with electronics, and light damping. The performance of these devices can be improved by operation at higher vibration amplitudes, but they often begin to exhibit frequency shifts near resonance as the amplitude is increased, due to nonlinear stiffness effects. Previous works have sought to balance nonlinearities in order extend the linear dynamic range (LDR) of these resonators. The focus of this thesis is to characterize, for design purposes, another possible operating …

Final Design Report For Human Powered Vehicle Drivetrain Project, Derek Fromm, Luke Opitz, Michael Juri, Olivier Côté

Mechanical Engineering

The Cal Poly Human Powered Vehicle Club is building a bike to surpass 61.3 mph in 2019. The club and their mentor, George Leone, have proposed a senior project to design, build, and test the drivetrain for this year’s human powered vehicle. Research into human powered vehicles and their drivetrains has shown that the power that a rider can output and the efficiency at which the rider can pedal depend extensively on the design of the drivetrain. Despite the existence of standard bicycle drivetrain designs, the senior project team has found that the best design to meet the club’s requirements …

Thermal Gradient Characterization And Control In Micro-Fabricated Gas Chromatography Systems, Austin Richard Foster

Theses and Dissertations

In order to make gas chromatography (GC) more widely accessible, considerable effort has been made in developing miniaturized GC systems. Thermal gradient gas chromatograpy (TGGC), one of the heating methods used in GC, has recieved attention over the years due to it's ability to enhance analyte focusing. The present work seeks to develop high performance miniaturized GC systems by combining miniaturized GC technology with thermal gradient control methods, creating miniaturized thermal gradient gas chromatography (µTGGC) systems. To aid in this development a thermal control system was developed and shown to successfully control various µTGGC systems. DAQ functionality was also included …

Micro-Ct-Based Approaches For Quantifying The Morphology Of Pulverized Char Particles, Scott Jorgensen, Simcha L. Singer

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Morphological analysis of pulverized coal char particles using two-dimensional (2-D) cross-sectional imaging has been widely employed, but its accuracy has not been adequately assessed. In this study, pulverized coal char particles are imaged in three dimensions (3-D) using high-resolution X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). Particle volume, macropore volume, and macroporosity are measured in three dimensions and analyzed as a function of distance from the particle center using averaging at each radial location. A technique for extracting each particle’s average wall thickness, another morphological parameter used for classification, is also presented based on micro-CT imaging. When applied to pulverized bituminous coal char …

Effects Of Bio-Composites In Corrugated Sandwich Panels Under Edgewise Compression Loading, Jalen Christopher Mano

Master's Theses

Present day composite sandwich panels provide incredible strength. Their largest problem, however, is early bonding failure between the core and the skin. This is due to the low bonding surface area of present cores like honeycomb. Corrugated structures could provide a remedy for this with their much larger bonding surface area. Corrugated structures have extreme mechanical properties deeming them particularly useful in aerospace and automotive applications. However, previous research has shown that the stiffness of carbon fiber causes debonding and drastic failure when used as both a core and a skin. Bio-composites have properties that could strengthen the corrugated sandwich …

Comparison Of Lqr And Lqr-Mrac For Linear Tractor-Trailer Model, Kevin Richard Gasik

Master's Theses

The United States trucking industry is immense. Employing over three million drivers and traveling to every city in the country. Semi-Trucks travel millions of miles each week and encompass roads that civilians travel on. These vehicles should be safe and allow efficient travel for all. Autonomous vehicles have been discussed in controls for many decades. Now fleets of autonomous vehicles are beginning their integration into society. The ability to create an autonomous system requires domain and system specific knowledge. Approaches to implement a fully autonomous vehicle have been developed using different techniques in control systems such as Kalman Filters, Neural …

Development Of A One-Equation Turbulence Model Based On K-Ε Closure And Its Extension For Computing Transitional Flows By Including An Intermittency Transport Equation, Cheng Peng

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Novel Low Temperature Cofired Ceramic Manufacturing Techniques For A Magnetron Field Emission Cathode, Daylon Michael Black

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Low Temperature Cofired Ceramic (LTCC) is a material system that is ideal for integrated microelectronic packaging technology, because of its rapid prototyping and easy integration of passive components such as resistors, capacitors, and conductors. LTCC’s electrical properties makes it especially suitable for high frequency applications such as magnetrons. Recently, there has been an increased demand for greater power capacities which is resolved by phase locking multiple low power (inexpensive) magnetrons together to achieve the same power as one high power (expensive) magnetron. The Vacuum Electron Devices (VED) and Ceramic Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems (CMEMS) labs at Boise State University have …

Additive Manufacturing Of High Performance Flexible Thermoelectric Generators Using Nanoparticle Inks, Tony Valayil Varghese

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Flexible thermoelectric devices are attractive power sources for the growing demand of flexible electronics and sensors. Thermoelectric generators have an advantage due to no moving parts, silent operation and constant power production with a thermal gradient.

Conventional thermoelectric devices are rigid and fabricated using complex and relatively costly manufacturing processes, presenting a barrier to increase the market share of this technology. To overcome such barriers, this work focuses on developing near ambient-temperature flexible thermoelectric generators using relatively low-cost additive manufacturing processes. A screen printable ink was developed for transforming nanoparticle ink into high-performance flexible thermoelectric generators with a peak thermoelectric …

Factors Affecting Patellar Mechanics And Bone Strain In Patients With Crouch Gait, Erika Ramirez

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Crouch gait is a musculoskeletal impairment that results in higher than normal stresses at the patellofemoral (PF) joint that can lead to instances of anterior knee pain and loss of ambulation. The impact of commonly implemented surgical procedures to correct for crouch gait can be quantified by evaluating stresses and underlying patellar bone strain during a gait cycle. The aims of this thesis work were (1) to analyze changes in PF mechanics and patellar bone strain between pre- and postoperative conditions; (2) to quantify the variability of predicted patellar strain due to different kinematic/loading profiles or patellar material properties; and …

Energy, Exergy And Economic Analysis Of A Micro-Cchp System, Ganesh Vinayak Doiphode

Theses and Dissertations

Combined cooling, heating and power generation (CCHP) systems can be utilized for commercial or multi-family residential buildings as efficient and reliable means to satisfy building power requirements and thermal loads. In the present study, a CCHP system consist of a Bryton cycle, an Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and an absorption Ammonia-water cycle is considered. A detailed model is developed via MATLAB to assess the performance of the considered cycle from energy, exergy and economic perspectives. Appropriate ranges for inputs are considered and the first law efficiency, second law efficiency and ECOP of the cycle are determined as 77.17%, 33.18% and …

Hardware-In-The-Loop Testbed For The Dynamics Of Spacecraft Rendezvous And Capture, Stephen Thiam Choy Kwok Choon

Theses and Dissertations

As more satellites are launched into orbit, the amount of space debris objects and defunct satellites in orbit that pose a risk to existing operational space systems is expected to grow. In addition, the risk of collision with defunct systems and space debris increase operational fuel cost for active satellites that have to perform avoidance maneuvers. When a satellite’s propulsion or attitude navigation system malfunction, this may cause the satellite to become defunct, potentially becoming a risk to other active space systems. A way to counter defunct satellite systems, is through robotic on-orbit servicing and active space debris removal as …

A Game Theory Motivated Approach To Analyzing Modularity In Automotive Systems, David John Thiess Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the effect of integrated and modular design on consumers and manufacturers and seeks to determine if there is an optimal design that benefits both. Some consumers perceive the automotive industry to design vehicles with only the company’s benefit in mind, rather than the desires of the consumer. However, the automotive industry seeks to please consumers, while minimizing the cost of production. A game-theoretic based model was developed that was used to determine if there existed a level of modularity for a system that optimized for both the manufacturer and consumer. The game model consisted of two players, …

A Mixed Method Study On The Impact Of Industry Sponsored Projects On Senior Capstone Design Student’S Motivational Factors, Devanshi Shah

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the change in student motivation through a yearlong senior capstone design course with respect to their choice of project type. The senior capstone design projects offered at the university fall into one of two major project types: industry sponsored and nonindustry sponsored. The students opt for either of the two major project types based on their interest and future career goals. The students were given an adapted version of Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) to self-identify their motivation levels by rating various questions on a 7-point Likert scale. The surveys were conducted at two different points …

Experimental And Numerical Analysis Of The Drag Force On Surfboards With Different Shapes, Omar Lahlou

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present study is to define the hydrodynamic resistance of surfboards with different designs. Decreasing the drag acting on a board helps the surfer to attain higher surfing performances. It helps to attain higher speeds and maneuvering for the surfer. In this thesis, theoretical, experimental and computational approaches are used to explain how the drag changes with different surfboard shapes. Four surfboards with varying shapes were towed at different speeds and the resulting force was recorded. Two computational models were developed using Star CCM and Flowsquare to confirm the experimental results. The drag force on the boards …

Open Source Completely 3-D Printable Centrifuge, Salil S. Sule, Aliaksei Petsiuk, Joshua M. Pearce

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Centrifuges are commonly required devices in medical diagnostics facilities as well as scientific laboratories. Although there are commercial and open source centrifuges, the costs of the former and the required electricity to operate the latter limit accessibility in resource-constrained settings. There is a need for low-cost, human-powered, verified, and reliable lab-scale centrifuges. This study provides the designs for a low-cost 100% 3-D printed centrifuge, which can be fabricated on any low-cost RepRap-class (self-replicating rapid prototyper) fused filament fabrication (FFF)- or fused particle fabrication (FPF)-based 3-D printer. In addition, validation procedures are provided using a web camera and free and open …

Silicone Tadpole: Research Into Soft Bodies, Danielle Fernandez

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this thesis, research is conducted in the area of soft robotics by building a soft tadpole that can deform with a specific air pressure. The goal is to mimic the motion of an organic tadpole in respect to its S-shaped tail movement. The angle of deformation, derived from material mechanic theories, ranges from 45 to 80 degrees for this type of movement. The design includes a head compartment which acts as a tank to transfer nitrogen pressure and a tail section that receives the said pressure and bends as a result. The tail section was designed with two rows …

Construction Of A Hyperspectral Camera Using Off-The-Shelf Parts And 3d-Printed Parts, Connor Heo

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences (ACSPS) is working together with the Mechanical Engineering Department to build a modifiable camera with 3D-printed parts and off-the-shelf parts (sourced from Edmund Optics and Amazon). The design is to be readily changeable, primarily with the 3D printed parts, as to accommodate new ideas and functionalities in the future. Ultimately, the camera should be relatively cheap while maintaining functionality for proposed use cases. Earlier versions of the design will be tested extensively and rapidly updated in the ACSPS labs with benchtop testing. This will involve subjects with both visible and infrared emissions, …

Design Of A Scara Based Mobile 3d Printing Platform, Zachary Hyden

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Currently 3D printers rely heavily on people to run them, there is no automatic way to start a new print after one has finished. On top of this 3D printers are limited in the area they can print on. Even though the additive manufacturing market is rapidly growing and is increasingly being used in product manufacturing there has yet to be a solution to this problem. This research proposes using mobile 3D printing robots to solve both of these issues. The proposed prototype utilizes a Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) based robot capable of cooperatively manufacturing parts. This allows …

3d Printing A Microfluidic Chip Capable Of Droplet Emulsion Using Ninjaflex Filament, Robert Andrews

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper details an investigation into methods and designs of 3D printing a microfluidic system capable of droplet emulsion using NinjaFlex filament. The specific field in which this paper’s experiment is rooted is dubbed “BioMEMS,” short for bio microelectromechanical systems. One prominent research area in BioMEMS is developing a “lab on a chip.” Essentially, the goal is to miniaturize common lab processes to the micro scale, rendering it possible to include these processes in a small chip. Reducing necessary sample sizes, shortening the reaction times of lab processes, and increasing mobility of lab processes can all be realized through microfluidic …

Modeling Of Complex Parts For Industrial Waterjet Cleaning, Braden James

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Industrial high-pressure waterjet cleaning is common to many industries. The modeling in this paper functions inside a collaborative robotic framework for high mix, low volume processes where human robot collaboration is beneficial. Automation of pressure washing is desirable for economic and ergonomic reasons. An automated cleaning system needs path simulation and analysis to give the operator insight into the predicted cleaning performance of the system. In this paper, ablation, the removal of a substrate coating by waterjet, is modeled for robotic cleaning operations. The model is designed to work with complex parts often found in spray cleaning operations, namely parts …

Capillary Penetration Method For Measuring Wetting Properties Of Carbon Ionomer Films For Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (Pemfc) Applications, Sofyane Abbou, Kazuya Tajiri, K. T. Alofari, Ezequiel F. Medici, A. T. Haug, Jeffrey S. Allen

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

In this work, capillary rise experiments were performed to assess the wetting properties of carbon-ionomer (CI) films. The samples were attached to a micro-balance and then immersed into liquid water to (i) measure the mass gain from the liquid uptake and (ii) estimate the (external) contact angle to water (typical value around 140°). The results showed that drying the CI films under low vacuum significantly impacted the CI film wettability. The influence of the ionomer content on the CI films’ wettability was investigated with various ionomer to carbon (I/C) ratios: 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4. No significant variation of the …

Unmanned Aerial Power Line Surveillance Drone, Brock Arp, Wade Vine, Cameron Whigham, Lorenzo Stewart

Senior Design Project For Engineers

The purpose of our project is to provide power line workers and linemen with a safe way to inspect the power lines. Our Aircraft is an UAV that is capable of surveying 200 linear miles in a normal working shift. The aircraft will be launched/landed and operated from an F-150 pickup truck with a facilitated launch mechanism attached. The aircraft must maintain an altitude of 150-400 ft. It will be recovered via net that will extend from the truck as the plane comes in for a landing, This will eliminate the need for landing gear. The goal for this project …

A Parametric Resonator With Low Threshold Excitation For Vibration Energy Harvesting, Shahrzad Towfighian, Wei Yang

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Scholarship

A parametric resonator for vibration energy harvesting is presented. Despite large responses from parametric resonance, two major drawbacks of parametric resonance harvesters are the high threshold excitation and narrow bandwidth. We addressed these two shortcomings by adding magnetic nonlinearity to the system. The proposed vibration energy harvester consists of two piezoelectric cantilevers beams, each with a magnetic tip. By controlling the distance between the two magnets, the threshold excitation level needed to trigger the parametric resonance decreases. Combining the softening and hardening behavior of the two magnetically coupled beams increases the frequency bandwidth. In addition, the amplitude of the response …

2019 Student Steel Bridge Team, Kourtney Arena, Andrew Biglin, Brett Palmer, Nathaniel Maute, Kenneth Reiser, Jacob Dicks, Paul Kowaleski

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Every year AISC runs a regional and national steel bridge competition. The competition offers a chance for civil engineering students to gain valuable experience designing a bridge. In addition to this, mechanical engineering students are provided the opportunity to practice machining steel parts. For the competition, teams from participating schools are given a scenario with certain constraints to design a bridge for. At the competition, the bridges are ranked based on weight, structural efficiency, construction economy, assembly speed, deflection, aesthetics, and overall performance.

The program Risa 3D was used in order to design and perform analysis on the bridge. Using …

Thermal Management Design Tool System For Cubesat Applications, Siakrishna Reddy Kanumuru

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Saikrishna Reddy Kanumuru on April 26, 2019.