Electro-Mechanical Systems 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 …

Me3328 Buckling Lab, Willem Bitterolf, Samantha Flores, Jacy Gonsalves, Brooke Thompson

Mechanical Engineering

The objective of this senior design project is to design and develop an instructional buckling apparatus (hereafter referred to as a “buckling tester”) to enhance student comprehension of column buckling behavior through direct experimental investigation. The apparatus is specifically intended to bridge the gap between theoretical predictions and observed physical response of structural column members subjected to axial compressive loading. In particular, the system will allow students to examine how column behavior transitions between Euler’s elastic buckling theory, which governs long, slender columns, and the Johnson parabolic formula, which more accurately describes intermediate and shorter columns influenced by material yielding. …

Me3328 Combined Loading Beam Bending Lab, Alejandro Islas, Viswesh Vancheeswaran, Owen Spencer, Henry Andrews

Mechanical Engineering

Serving as a new laboratory experiment for ME 3328 (Design for Strength & Stiffness), strain gauges were adhered, wired, and calibrated on a cantilever beam lab apparatus capable of undergoing pure bending, pure torsion, and combined bending.

Design And Development Of A 12-Degree-Of-Freedom Quadruped Robot, Kai De La Cruz

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design, analysis, and experimental validation of a 12-degree-of-freedom (DOF) quadruped robot developed as a research platform for legged locomotion and control. The system builds upon the Cal Poly Legged Robotics Group’s prior 8-DOF quadruped, addressing key limitations in manipulability, load distribution, and mechanical robustness by introducing a 3-DOF leg architecture.

The mechanical design emphasizes lightweight construction, structural integrity, and modularity to support future research extensions. Static and dynamic loading models were developed to inform component sizing and material selection. A carbon-fiber chassis and redesigned leg assemblies were fabricated and validated through finite element analysis and physical …

Automated Soil Resetting System For Extraterrestrial Regolith Simulation, Parker W. Brennan, Anthony C. Daniels

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project focuses on designing an automated soil resetting system for extraterrestrial regolith simulation. The system will prepare a regolith simulant testbed to a desired, repeatable density, enabling reliable wheel–terrain testing for planetary rover research. Manual soil preparation currently exposes testers to hazardous particulates and produces inconsistent results.

The proposed system will integrate mechanical and control elements to reset the soil bed safely and efficiently. A combination of raking and vibrational methods will be explored, with feedback sensors and automation to achieve target density control. The research will proceed through literature review, benchtop experimentation, prototype design, and full-scale testing over …

Residential Hvac Installation Faults: Field Prevalence, Drivers, And Energy Impacts, Seyed Ali Rooholghodos

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Faults in residential comfort systems can have detrimental effects on the performance of the system, reducing the energy efficiency, affecting indoor comfort, and shortening equipment lifespan. Many of the faults occur at installation. However, there has not previously been a systematic and nationally representative study to indicate the prevalence of the faults, meaning the distribution of faults by fault type and fault intensity. Understanding true fault prevalence is essential to be able to identify derivers, and to assess the incremental electricity consumption of the new installation systems.

This study presents on-site data from 341 new central cooling systems—air conditioners and …

Design Of A 10-Ton Capacity Solar-Powered Cold Storage At The Cituis Fish Auction Site, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia, Wardi Wardi, Muhammad Arif Budiyanto

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

This study presents the design of a 10-ton capacity solar-powered cold storage system for the Cituis Fish Auction Site (TPI) in Tangerang, Indonesia, as a sustainable solution to support the coastal fisheries sector. The system comprises two temperature zones: an anteroom at 5°C and a freezer room at -30°C, both integrated with a hybrid system utilizing solar panels and batteries. The total power consumption of the cooling system reaches 27.51 kW. The simulation results, obtained using HOMER Pro software, indicate that the hybrid PV system can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 16,754 kg per year. From an economic …

The Role Of Internal Factors On Vehicular Mobility, Aziz Mdimi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Vehicle mobility internal factors are influenced by the performance state of the road surface quality, governor, engine, gear train, differential unit and mobility unit. Studies on vehicular mobility models exist for off-road external factors but absent on on-road internal factors. The on-road internal factors model describes the vehicular mobility performance as a function of internal factors. In the current undertaking, results are generated by the determination of mobility performance characteristics with the application of 2nd Order Ordinary Differential Equations and using Laplace operator with MATLAB Software simulation. The effect of road surface against the time taken varies accordingly. At a …

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 …

Computational Modeling Of Torque Arm And Load Cell Interactions In Uta Racing Brake Dynamometer, Anthony A. Aiyedun

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The UTA Racing Team is developing a brake dynamometer to measure the coefficients of friction of various brake pads and calipers under controlled conditions. The dynamometer simulates on-track braking scenarios, testing brake pads at temperatures up to 1300ºF and pressures similar to racing environments. Its primary goal is to generate accurate friction vs. temperature graphs for various brake pad and rotor combinations, addressing the need for dedicated testing equipment. This project creates an ANSYS simulation of the torque arm and load cell interaction. The computational model accurately represents the relationship between applied torque and measured load cell force, incorporating precise …

Autonomous Control Of A Hybrid Unmanned Aerial Towed System On A Moving Platform, Zachary M. Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

With tethered rotor drones being more popular for aerial surveillance, moving platforms for tethered drones are being researched. However, these systems require constant power to the rotor drones for stabilization. With this difficulty in power consumption, a hybrid drone solution is presented. The hybrid drone is similar to an airplane, with quadcopter motors attached for stabilization and thrust when not moving.

The controller for the hybrid drone was tested and verified in simulation. The simulation of the system was built in Fortran and consists of a driver, a tether, and a hybrid drone. The driver was modeled after a generic …

Cellulose Recovery From Waste Denim Fabrics Through Indigo Vat Dye Reduction And Spandex Dissolution, Tito N. Venance

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study addresses environmental conservation by tackling end-of-life management for post-consumer denim garments through the recycling of cotton fibres from waste denim. The purification process involved dithionite reduction of vat dyes in the presence of an alkali followed by selective dissolution of spandex using N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Optimal conditions for dye removal were determined at 90°C for 120 minutes with sodium hydroxide at 25 g/L, sodium dithionite at 6 g/L and PVP at 4.5 g/L, while spandex extraction was achieved using a 5% DMF solution at 70°C for 4 hours. Ultraviolet (UV)-vis spectrophotometric analysis indicated a significant increase in whiteness (DL*). …

Effects Of Thermal Shock Protection Methods On Pressure Measurements In A Rapid Compression Machine, Myeji Materego

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The study investigates the impact of thermal shock protection methods on pressure measurements in Rapid Compression Machines (RCMs). It focuses on the performance of various pressure transducers, specifically 601A, 701A, 6061B, and 7005, under atmospheric initial conditions. The research emphasizes the importance of mounting techniques and coatings, revealing their significant effects on pressure trace accuracy. Special mounting adaptors for the pressure transducers were designed and manufactured, this enabled simultaneous measurements for all transducers to be made in a single compression stroke. Instantaneous pressure within combustion chamber was measured when air was compressed in RCM from initial pressure and temperatures of …

An Efficient Computational Frameworks For Design And Analysis Of Metamaterials, Raj Pradip Khawale

All Dissertations

Advancement in additive manufacturing helps in building artificial lattice structures with unique properties that are not available in naturally occurring materials or in continuum structures. Specifically, beam-based lattices are well known for producing lightweight structures with very high strength, auxetic behavior, and energy absorption capabilities. In recent years, numerous research studies have been conducted on generating algorithms and frameworks to obtain unusual properties based on the variation in the cell geometry and material properties. However, the exploration of the full design space is hampered in practice primarily due to restrictions on cell tiling variation. Additionally, the lattices are very intricate, …

3d Printed Microfluidic Fabrication Methodology, Characterization, Mechanical Design, And Applications In Electrostatic Artificial Muscles And Benthic Microbial Fuel Cells, Terak B. Hornik

Master's Theses

The fabrication of microfluidic devices often requires specialized methods. The development of these methods requires careful characterization and understanding of the processes involved. Using primarily PolyJet 3D printing technology, microfluidics offers a wide scope of applications such as microfluidic benthic microbial fuel cells (MBMFCs) and electrostatic artificial muscles. MBMFCs benefit from the confinement of the microbes resulting in close proximity between the electrode and the organisms. Using a modular design called the Sponge, assembly and upscaling is possible. Electrostatic artificial muscles benefit from a microfluidic approach due to the non-linearity of electrostatic attraction creating disproportionate benefits when miniaturized. When designed …

Assessing The Importance Of Air-Decking Blasting In Controlling Bigv At An Open Pit Gold Mine In Tanzania Using Ann Model, Karim R. Baruti

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Air-decking blasting technique is used to control blast induced ground vibration (BIGV) in several mines including open-pit gold mines located in Tanzania. While the importance of air-deck to control BIGV is practically evident, theoretical models such as BIGV prediction models cannot be used to assess the importance of air-decking. The main objective of this study was to assess the importance of the air-decking blasting technique to control BIGV using the artificial neural network (ANN)Model. To achieve this objective, ANNs were modeled and trained to learn the pattern of data using Multilayer Perception with Back Propagation to predict BIGV. The main …

Novel Designs Of Soft Tactile Sensor And Robot Finger Manipulator Based On Optical Fibers., Seokyoung Han

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Robotic manipulation is one of the main types of automated labor that humans want to achieve in order to free ourselves from mundane and hazardous tasks. The range of realizations could be very broad, from massive industrial robots to highly advanced medical devices for human healthcare. Given the critical nature of these application spaces, they require robust, safe, and most of all versatile designs. In that direction, one of the most interesting topics is the anthropomorphic robotic manipulator. Since it is inspired by human hands’ function and structure, it is able to achieve the aforementioned system requirements. However, the perfect …

Balsa Bridge, Caleb T. Lovett

All Undergraduate Projects

The problem presented throughout this report was to create a small-scale bridge made entirely out of balsa wood and glue, that could withstand substantial force, as well as perform a lifting/lowering cycle. Other requirements associated with the bridge were properties of weight, deflection, size, and shape. This problem presented a challenge that tested the mathematical side of engineering, being strongly reliant on statics, mechanics of materials, and mechanical design analyses.

To approach this problem, the first step was to complete in depth calculations of the chosen design. With this done, manufacturing and assembly was able to be completed. With a …

Rc Baja: Drivetrain And Chassis, Caden Harris

All Undergraduate Projects

The engineers in the CWU Mechanical Engineering Technology program were asked to design and manufacture a remote-controlled Baja car to compete in several different events. The car was required to compete in a drag race, slalom event, and Baja event against other cars created by engineering students. To compete at the highest level, the cars needed to finely balance ruggedness, weight, torque, and top speed.

This report is dedicated to the designing, manufacturing, and testing of the drivetrain and chassis that supported the RC car as it competed in the school-sanctioned competition; a partner was responsible for the steering and …

Development Of A Solidworks Api, Andrew Magyar

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With the current advancements in CAD software, and precision of modern motors, we believe that a new way to communicate from hardware to software is possible. This report details the steps we have taken to attempt just that. The essential idea behind this is that modern controls for robotics are not as user friendly as they can be. The general action taken is to create an API for SolidWorks that connects it to the other necessary controller software and makes it so that a robot, and its exact current position, can be changed simply and intuitively from SolidWorks. Furthermore, the …

Silver Sintering Reliability And Its Enhancement For Use In High-Density Power Modules, Alicia Medina Garcia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This master's thesis is dedicated to enhancing the reliability of silver sinter die attachments, a pivotal component within the dynamic realm of power electronics. The study is meticulously organized into four distinct chapters, each contributing to a comprehensive understanding of silver sinter die attachment reliability and its implications for contemporary electronic packaging. In Chapter 1, an introduction is provided to the significance of silver sinter die attachment in the context of power electronics, underlining the imperatives associated with miniaturization, weight reduction, and heightened efficiency. The compelling need to investigate die attachment properties, particularly in high-temperature and high-power-density environments, is emphasized. …

Accelerated Testing Of Solder Spheres Under Combined Temperature, Current, And Shear Stresses To Estimate Reliability, Collin Ruby

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the densification of power electronics in the pursuit of decreased size and weight and increased efficiency, the need to investigate the properties of solder in packages with higher working temperatures and power densities is becoming apparent. Many research groups have conducted accelerated testing using methods such as thermal aging, shear or tensile stress tests, or electromigration tests, but relatively little research exists that considers the impact of several stresses in a combined study. This work aims to produce a novel method for estimating the lifetime of SAC305 solder joints under a combined stress scenario, which more accurately depicts the …

Robotic Origami Worm, Carter Josef, Michael Freeman, Mohammad Hasan

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Soft robotics can solve many unique engineering problems. The ancient art of origami has inspired design for a new breed of robots. In this research, a novel fold design was created which has high linear stiffness, high bending stiffness, and the ability to deform omnidirectionally in order to turn. The robot is operated using a DC motor to expand and contract and electromagnets to control friction. The robot moves very quickly compared with many other origami robots in the literature. Other interesting ways to control friction were explored including expansion mechanisms. An origami design was created and tested that expands …

Miniature, Submersible Electromagnetic Pumps Of Molten Lead And Sodium For Gen-Iv Nuclear Reactors Development, Ragai M. Altamimi

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Heavy metals and alkali Liquid Metals are suitable coolants for Generation IV terrestrial nuclear reactors for operating at elevated temperatures for achieving plant thermal efficiency more than 40% and the thermochemical generation of hydrogen fuel. In addition, the low vapor pressure of these liquids eliminates the need for a pressure vessel and instead operates slightly below ambient pressure. A primary issue with the uses of these coolants is their compatibility with nuclear fuel, cladding and core structure materials at elevated temperatures more than 500oC. Therefore, in pile and out-of-pile test loops have been constructed or being considered for quantifying the …

Implementation Of Static Rfid Landmarks In Slam For Planogram Compliance, Brennan L. Drake

Honors College Theses

Autonomous robotic systems are becoming increasingly prevalent in everyday life and exhibit robust solutions in a wide range of applications. They face many obstacles with the foremost of which being SLAM, or Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, that encompasses both creation of the map of an unknown environment and localization of the robot in said environment. In this experiment, researchers propose the use of RFID tags in a semi-dynamic commercial environment to provide concrete landmarks for localization and mapping in pursuit of increased locational certainty. With this obtained, the ultimate goal of the research is to construct a robotics platform for …

Mechanical Energy Harvester For Powering Rfid Systems Components: Modeling, Analysis, Optimization And Design, Alireza Babaei

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Finding alternative power sources has been an important topic of study worldwide. It is vital to find substitutes for finite fossil fuels. Such substitutes may be termed renewable energy sources and infinite supplies. Such limitless sources are derived from ambient energy like wind energy, solar energy, sea waves energy; on the other hand, smart cities megaprojects have been receiving enormous amounts of funding to transition our lives into smart lives. Smart cities heavily rely on smart devices and electronics, which utilize small amounts of energy to run. Using batteries as the power source for such smart devices imposes environmental and …

Novel Locomotion Methods In Magnetic Actuation And Pipe Inspection, Adam Cox

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

There is much room for improvement in tube network inspections of jet aircraft. Often, these inspections are incomplete and inconsistent. In this paper, we develop a Modular Robotic Inspection System (MoRIS) for jet aircraft tube networks and a corresponding kinematic model. MoRIS consists of a Base Station for user control and communication, and robotic Vertebrae for accessing and inspecting the network. The presented and tested design of MoRIS can travel up to 9 feet in a tube network. The Vertebrae can navigate in all orientations, including smooth vertical tubes. The design is optimized for nominal 1.5" outside diameter tubes. We …

Novelty Ice Cream Assembly Prototype, Mason Sylvester, Logan Williamson, Alvaro Martinez, Adin Gilman-Cohen

Mechanical Engineering

Cool Beans USA is a novelty ice cream startup company founded by Keith Zachow. In the winter of 2022, our team began working with Mr. Zachow to develop a machine to automate parts of the production process for his product. This product consists of two hemispherical ice-cream cone shell halves filled with soft serve ice cream and pressed together. The assembled pods are around the size and shape of a small walnut and are intended to be sold in stores as a frozen finger food. At the time of project inception, this product was in its early stages and was …

Interactive Lego Girl Scout Arm, Christopher Suzuki, Emi Okuyama, Bryson Shores, Karina Sandoval

Mechanical Engineering

This Senior Project Report document outlines the senior design project for Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast (GSCCC) led by a team of four Mechanical Engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The project encompasses the researching, designing, prototyping, and testing of a LEGO robotic arm for the Girl Scouts to learn more about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and provide support to each Girl Scouts cookie sales in their stores. Their goal was to build a LEGO robotic arm that will interact with customers at the Girl Scout stores and promote the girl scouts' interest …

Interactive Lego Girl Scout Arm, Chris Suzuki, Emi Okuyama, Bryson Shores, Karina Sandoval

Mechanical Engineering

This Senior Project Report document outlines the senior design project for Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast (GSCCC) led by a team of four Mechanical Engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The project encompasses the researching, designing, prototyping, and testing of a LEGO robotic arm for the Girl Scouts to learn more about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and provide support to each Girl Scouts cookie sales in their stores. Their goal was to build a LEGO robotic arm that will interact with customers at the Girl Scout stores and promote the girl scouts' interest …