mechanical engineering senior design project ideas

Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Projects 2022

Engineering Projects Expo is back and in person! We invite you to spend some time getting to know this year's Mechanical Engineering Senior Design projects and teams.

Engineering Projects Expo celebrates the hard work and many achievements of more than 200 students as they close out their undergraduate careers. Since August 2021, these students have been working through the design process from start to finish and have engineered solutions to real-world problems.

Students completing industry-sponsored projects were presented with challenges of relevance to their clients from a variety of specialties. Those in the Engineering for Social Innovation section of Senior Design developed entrepreneurial products based on user needs.

Teams were mentored and supported by a dedicated group of faculty directors and student program assistants, as well as fabrication, administrative, and laboratory staff over the course of the academic year. Most projects required students to develop skills across disciplines with some multi-disciplinary teams bringing together student expertise in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science.

Please explore projects below to learn more about this year's teams, their designs and the positive impact these engineers are making. Thank you for your support of our program and students. If you would like to learn more about the program or sponsoring a project, please visit Design Center Colorado .

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engineering students

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2022 Winners

Featured Projects

Deployable antenna could provide more powerful communications on smaller space satellites

Mechanical engineering students aim to make silicon wafer inspections more efficient

Mechanical engineering students develop a soft robot to improve lung examinations

Mechanical engineering students build machine to automate scrap metal disposal

Mechanical engineering seniors aim to sink purple sea urchin population with underwater vacuum

Mechanical engineering team presents innovative solution to fight climate change, win funding

2022 senior design projects.

Team 01: Machine Chip Disposal System

Accu-Precision is a local manufacturer whose daily machining operations yield hundreds of pounds of metal chips that are collected for recycling. This cumbersome task requires multiple machinists to lift and tip bins into large dumpsters by hand. We have created a machine that automates these actions to reduce handling time and physical strain, allowing machinists to work safely and efficiently.

Team 02: Deformable surgical needle

The small port diameter used in minimally invasive pediatric operations negatively impacts the size of needle profiles used in surgery. Our team collaborated with Children’s Hospital to design a novel suturing needle and an associated introducer that straightens the needle upon entering and exiting the body, allowing use of small ports for better surgical outcomes without loss of functionality.

Sponsored by Children's Hospital Colorado

Team 03: Novel In Vivo Camera System to Assess Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a medical condition where a collapse of the upper airway occurs during sleep in people of all ages. Current diagnosis methods are ineffective in simulating natural sleep to capture the location and pattern of obstructions. The goal of Team 3’s project is to develop a new method to measure sites and severity of the airway obstruction occurring during natural sleep.

Team 04: Modular filler/extractor

Festo automates laboratory and industrial processes to expedite testing and manufacturing. Our team designed a device that automatically dispenses combinations of fluids with the push of a button. Using duckbill valves and a linear actuator, our device succeeds in proving duckbills are viable for fluid applications. Our team designed this because we wanted to learn more about duckbill mechanisms.

Team 05: Flexible EOD Wire Attack Tool

The Attack Tool is designed to enhance the safety and versatility of EOD operators while working in the field. The improved tool introduces a rack and pinion gear system allowing for a 90° bend when inserted through a 1.5” diameter hole, generating a hemispherical range of attack. The tool can generate multiple cuts through 14 gauge wire via a pneumatic system, actuated by the existing tool handle

Sponsored by Los Alamos National Laboratory

Team 06: Lighted Electrosurgical Pencil

Medtronic produces electrosurgical pencils that cut and coagulate using high frequency electricity. Our team redesigned their current electrosurgical pencil (the SEP 50XX) to include a ring light, placed at the working end of the pencil, to increase visibility of the surgical field. This redesign also allows for more efficient smoke evacuation and improved overall pencil ergonomics.

Team 07: A Soft Robot for Surgical Interventions

During a bronchoscopy, a needle is passed through the airway to collect tissue samples for cancer diagnoses. Soft robots are relatively novel, yet exemplary in their adaptability in unpredictable environments and increased safety in human-robot interactions. By replacing the distal end of a catheter with a soft robot, we aim to make bronchoscopies safer for patients and easier for physicians.

Team 08: Dry Land Hockey Sled

Sled hockey is an adaptive sport for people with a variety of disabilities played as an alternative to hockey. Our goal was to create a modular attachment that could mimic similar movements off-the-ice for practice purposes. With the help of computer aided design and a fully functioning machine shop, our team was able to create a fun to use, well representative model for the sport.

Team 09: Project Index

Our team partnered with Quality of Life Plus to create a product that actively improves the life of our client, a Navy veteran. He sustained injuries resulting in the loss of approximately 1⁄2 of an inch past the center knuckle of his right index finger. We created a body driven prosthetic finger with a linkage mechanism to help our client bend his finger so he can more easily perform tasks.

Team 10: Deployable Baffle and Lens Alignment System

Sandia National Laboratories sponsored a project to create a new design for an optical lens housing and baffle deployment mechanism. Our prototype involves a carbon fiber truss linked via 3D printed connectors and a lead screw deployment system. This unique design fits in a cubic foot envelope and is under 5 pounds, optimizing future satellites while still surviving a launch and space environment.

Sponsored by Sandia National Laboratories

Team 11: Space-based optical alignment and deployable baffle

Space baffles are utilized to block stray sunlight that otherwise degrades the image quality of cameras in orbit. Our team partnered with Sandia National Laboratories to help reduce the mass and mechanical envelope of an optical space baffle. The group created a tape measure deployed, telescoping baffle that can maintain lens alignment at thermal extremes and survive a launch environment.

Team 12: Cessna Citation CJ4 Seat Mount

Safety and passenger experience are top priorities in the commercial aerospace industry. With Textron Aviation, our team developed new methods of attaching both the stationary and tracking seats in the Citation CJ4 Gen2 to the plane floor. Our seat assembly is designed to reduce free play in the attachment mechanism to improve the passenger’s feeling of security to match the safety of the design.

Team 13: Autonomous device/system for ground-based Warfighter protection, supply and/or evacuation

This year’s ARO team demonstrated an autonomous Warfighter protection system that acts as a squad member, defensively positioning itself and deploying protective shields. The team integrated two existing subsystems and added visual and voice commands, GPS navigation, and object detection. The system shall be a force multiplier, assuring our Warfighters that continuous protection is close at hand.

Sponsored by the United States Army Research Office

Team 14: SAE Baja Off-Road Vehicle Design

SAE International hosts a collegiate level Baja competition to design, build, and race single-seat, off-road vehicles that can withstand the punishment of rough terrain. The 2022 CU Boulder team has designed a new vehicle focused on optimizing component integration, thus decreasing weight and improving performance. This led to building a new transfer case, new chassis, and new suspension package.

Team 15: GmAPD (Geiger-mode Avalanche Photodiode) Thermal Management Study

Team 15 partnered with Ball Aerospace Tactical Solutions to create a compact active cooling system that removes 23W of heat against a 0 degree temperature gradient. The system must also prevent damage by minimizing forces applied to the advanced sensor package in a defense application. Backed by rigorous analysis and testing, our initial product design exceeds all design requirements.

Sponsored by Ball Aerospace, Tactical Solutions

Team 16: SMART CubeS - System of Magnetically Aligned And Reconfigurable Tiny Cube Satellites

Current space technologies are constrained to strict volumetric limits, resulting in single-mission system architectures. SMARTCubeS introduces unparalleled flexibility to deployable space-structures via dynamically reconfigurable swarms of connected, modular CubeSats. Launching these swarms as compact arrays, SMARTCubeS enables the creation of more advanced and adaptable on-orbit structures.

Sponsored by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Team 17: Silicon Wafer Center-Finding Improvement

Our team worked to improve the center-finding process used in the inspection of silicon wafers. The project’s goal is to find the wafer’s center to 10-micron accuracy in under 2 seconds. The center is the origin of a coordinate grid that is used to locate defects. The test bench implements a custom algorithm and high-magnification cameras to inspect the wafer profile and log the center position.

Team 18: Passive Shock Switch

Passive monitoring is used to detect events or initiate systems when power is unavailable. Team 18 created a passive, normally open switch for Los Alamos National Laboratory that closes and latches when a magnet displaces sufficiently to be captured by a steel plate. The passive design requires only the energy from a shock event to close, and will not latch in normal transportation environments.

Team 19: Deployable Helical Antenna

With the space industry’s push for smaller satellites, strict size constraints on hardware are needed. Our deployable spring antenna’s ability to stow at a fraction of its deployed height, survive launch and function as a powerful antenna, brings new solutions to Lockheed Martin Space. Combining the functionality of a passive deployment system and an antenna brings innovation to the industry.

Team 20: Electrosurgical Generator Electromechanical Load

This project’s goal is to create a system that allows Medtronic to test their electrosurgical generators. Via the engineering design process, we built a lead screw actuator with an electrode arm to replicate the generator’s arcing behavior in monopolar mode (dissection and coagulation), and a variable load using a saline bath to copy the varying tissue impedance in bipolar mode (vessel sealing).

Team 21: Positioning and Clamping Mechanism for Coriolis Flow Meter Subassembly

For precision flow measurements, MicroMotion’s Coriolis Flow Meter requires a precise manufacturing process to ensure that components are aligned to fit within their calibration window. In effort to reduce post processing aspects that allow them to achieve such precision, we have developed a new structural component in addition to a new clamping process that enhances flow tube conformity.

Team 22: NOAA ADLS-9

On behalf of NOAA, Team 22 have designed and manufactured the ADLS-9, a Doppler hemispheric LiDAR scanner for use in atmospheric data acquisition, offering increased portability, range of motion, and pointing accuracy over previous scanners. Two optical limit switches eliminate the buildup of positional uncertainty during continuous sweeps in both the azimuthal and elevational axes.

Team 23: Reusable Pacemaker lead extraction device

Philips aims to improve medical devices by minimizing cost and complication. We were tasked with redesigning an existing Philips pacemaker lead extraction device with a focus on sustainability. Our design separates the device into reusable and disposable sections that can be easily disassembled, sterilized and reassembled between procedures, in order to save time, reduce waste, and minimize cost.

Team 24: Development of a magnetic field steering system

This magnetic field generator is capable of creating a uniform field based on input from a sensor. Using the sensor to detect ambient fields, its software and electronics architecture drives current to each coil to zero the field between the two panels. This initial system is the first step towards developing a dynamic field steering system.

Team 25: Wind Turbine Blade Tip Tracker

Knowing a wind turbine blade’s deflection is vital to engineering and validating more efficient blades. We used groundbreaking techniques in GPS systems to track the position and orientation of a blade tip moving at 190 mph. These systems, when iterated through an extensive testing approach and coupled with post processing algorithms, tracked the position accurately to the size of a tennis ball!

Sponsored by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy

Team 26: Reinfusion Module Design for Rika

The Reinfusion Module attaches to a current Terumo BCT device, Rika, and accommodates additional blood processing functionality. This module is designed to minimize weight and downtime while maximizing ease of installation. The module accommodates existing Terumo components which are interchangeable between Rika and our module. Our proof of concept was verified through extensive testing.

Team 27: How to get rid-of ovality of the tubing received on the spool and before it gets on to the automation.

Terumo BCT required the removal of ovality from blood tubing within a fully-automated manufacturing process. Unacceptable tubing ovality has prevented increased production rates, and rendered a large portion of the tubing unusable. Our objective was to design and fabricate a high-speed manufacturing device that reforms the tubing through heat and mechanical manipulation before entering automation.

Team 28: Collegiate Wind Competition

To learn more about the offshore wind industry, the CU Wind Team participated in the 2022 Collegiate Wind Competition where universities compete to increase excitement in renewables. The team built an offshore wind turbine prototype that optimizes weight and power production, developed a hypothetical wind farm, and engaged middle school students through a wind energy presentation.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy

Team 40: AcoustaMed

Using a microfluidic chip developed by Dr. Ding’s laboratory at CU Boulder, AcoustaMed has developed a mechanical device that places mRNA into cells using a high frequency acoustic signal. The device is semi-autonomous, efficient and easy to use. The device can drastically speed up the process taking as little as 1% of the time used by current techniques.

Engineering for Social Innovation

Project Whitepaper

Team 41: Big SUR

Over 95% of the California’s bull kelp population has died off in the past decade. This can be attributed to the 10000% increase in purple sea urchin numbers. We decided to make an underwater vacuum with custom aeration technology and size sorting capabilities. The ergonomic device has a collection rate 6x higher than any other urchin removal method & will aid divers in clearing the urchin barrens.

Team 42: Rime Systems

Rime Systems has developed a unique technology for helping keep people cool in climates with excessive heat. This product is a nylon cooling vest that users would put on in hot environments. Using thermoelectric elements, it disperses cooling across the users back to achieve a steady state heat transfer. This device is meant to be used in environments where mass cooling is scarce or ineffective.

Team 43: Peace of Mind Braking System

Delta Horizons has created a novel braking system to improve the safety of four-wheeled walkers. The design features a mechanical system that does not require conscious user input. The brakes are engaged when the walker is unloaded to keep it from rolling away from the user. During normal use, the walker can roll freely. During excess loading, the brakes again engage, creating a stable system.

Team 44: Surround Strap

Playing video games is a valuable experience that connects people around the world. It’s an important part of the upbringing of so many, so we believe it’s essential to make gaming more accessible for everyone. The Surround Strap uses haptic feedback to improve directional awareness within a video game. This gives users in the deaf and low-hearing community a more complete gaming experience.

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2021 Mechanical Engineering Projects

Mechanical Engineering students apply the engineering skills they have acquired. The principles of design, how ethics affect engineering decisions, how professionals communicate ideas and the day-to-day implications of intellectual property.

They begin by researching the problem, brainstorming a range of solutions, and traveling to the sponsor’s site to learn more about the sponsor and the project. Student teams maintain contact with their industrial and faculty mentors, hold meetings, and make presentations on their work. Mechanical Engineering students submit written reports at intervals throughout the two-semester project timeline, and present oral presentations at the project’s conclusion.

Student Teams

Design of a Low Cost, Disposable Foam Spray Gun

Mechanical Engineering Team 1

Quench Plug for Ring Gear Manufacturing Process

Mechanical Engineering Team 3

Atmospheric Water Generator

Mechanical Engineering Team 04

Redesign of Transconnector

Mechanical Engineering Team 5

Static and Dynamic Drone Landing Platform

Mechanical Engineering Team 06

Mechanical Engineering Team 07

Turret Temperature Conditioning system

Mechanical Engineering Team 8

Co-Bot Manufacturing Integration and Development

Mechanical Engineering Team 9

Improved Design for Low Density Feedstock Conveyance

Mechanical Engineering Team 10

Analysis and Design of a Black Powder Cannon

Mechanical Engineering Team 11

PR-13, Palm Ratchet - Processing/Introduction to Market

Mechanical Engineering Team 12

Densely-Packaged Electronics Circuits

Mechanical Engineering Team 13

Additively Grown Phase Change Material Heat Exchanger with A Single PCM Chamber

Mechanical Engineering Team 14

Blast Media Booth Modernization

Mechanical Engineering Team 15

Main Hangar Door Winter Heat Loss Mitigation

Mechanical Engineering Team 16

Design and Prototype of an Emergency Ballast System for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Mechanical Engineering Team 17

Output Improvement of Screw Assembly Process

Mechanical Engineering Team 18

Alternate Wear Sleeve Installation Method

Mechanical Engineering Team 19

Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Magnetometer

Mechanical Engineering Team 20

Underwater Data Transfer

Mechanical Engineering Team 21

Thermal Runaway Uncertainty Analysis of Lithium-Ion Battery During External Heating

Mechanical Engineering Team 22

Guillotine Maul - A Mechanical Wood Splitter

Mechanical Engineering Team 23

Design and Implementation of Fall Protection System

Mechanical Engineering Team 24

Preheating For Industrial Use

Mechanical Engineering Team 25

Ultrasonic Pipe Flow Sensor

Mechanical Engineering Team 26

Design A Low Cost Parcel Sorting Method

Mechanical Engineering Team 28

Jacobs Vehicle Systems Cylinder Head Rig

Mechanical Engineering Team 29

Development of Coil Spring System Fatigue Test Stand

Mechanical Engineering Team 30

Design of a Protein Based Photovoltaic Electrochemical Cell

Mechanical Engineering Team 31

Compact, Foldable Pet Stairs

Mechanical Engineering Team 32

Deep Reinforcement Learning for Robot Self-Navigation and Room Evacuation

Mechanical Engineering Team 33

Design of Robotic Assisted Surgery Simulated Use Device

Mechanical Engineering Team 34

Electromagnetic Expulsion of a Cylindrical Body from an Outer Tube

Mechanical Engineering Team 35

Water Consumption Analysis

Mechanical Engineering Team 36

Flow Characteristics of a Catalytic Layered Screen

Mechanical Engineering Team 37

Predict the Occurrence of Late Prosthetic Orthopedic Distal Bone Fractures

Mechanical Engineering Team 38

Masking Method for Airfoil Cooling Air Measurement

Mechanical Engineering Team 39

Thermal and Vibration Testing of Static Carbon Flange Seals

Mechanical Engineering Team 40

Experimental and Analytical Demonstration of Coupled Disk-Shaft Vibration

Mechanical Engineering Team 41

Determine Friction Dampening in Plate with Bolted Connections

Mechanical Engineering Team 42

Tribology Test Rig

Mechanical Engineering Team 43

Optimization of Power Thread Form Geometry

Mechanical Engineering Team 44

Rotating Disk Heat Transfer Coefficient

Mechanical Engineering Team 45

Flexible Seal Performance

Mechanical Engineering Team 48

Investigation of the Possible Effects of Ultrasonic Cleaning on the Fatigue Life of Gas Turbine Components

Mechanical Engineering Team 49

Rubber Calendering Process Automation & Improvement: Feed-Cut-Stack

Mechanical Engineering Team 50

Automated Tube Cutter

Mechanical Engineering Team 51

ME52 Large Compressor Loading Study

Mechanical Engineering Team 52

Modeling/Analysis of Airplane Rudder System

Mechanical Engineering Team 53

Conduction and Convection Heat Transfer Analysis in Architectured Open-Cell Foams

Mechanical Engineering Team 54

Design and Fabrication of Cartilage Specimen for Characterization

Mechanical Engineering Team 55

Modelling of Solid Propellant Combustion

Mechanical Engineering Team 56

Design of a Functionally Graded Solid-and-Lattice Hip implant

Mechanical Engineering Team 57

Engineering of a Smart Pump for Single Patient Use Hospital Mattresses

Mechanical Engineering Team 58

Method for High Frequency Wear Testing

Mechanical Engineering Team 59

Design and Manufacture of an Automated Parts Washer

Mechanical Engineering Team 60

Design, Development, and Fabrication of a 3D Laser Scanner Cooling System

Mechanical Engineering Team 61

Controlling Reciprocity in Nonlinear Granular Media

Mechanical Engineering Team 62

Experimental Investigation of Turbulent Premixed Flames with Pre-Vaporized Liquid Fuels

Mechanical Engineering Team 63

Soot Measurement of RD587 and its Surrogates Under Engine Relevant Conditions

Mechanical Engineering Team 65

Advanced Computational Techniques for Radiation in Combustion Applications

Mechanical Engineering Team 66

Infrared Imaging Analysis of Effusion Cooling Effectiveness in High Temperature Vitiated Crossflow

Mechanical Engineering Team 67

Sensing and Demultiplexing Ultra-low Frequency Waves

Mechanical Engineering Team 68

Optimization of an Orthopedic Bone Screw

Mechanical Engineering Team 70

Autonomous Aerial Inspection of Wind Turbines

Mechanical Engineering Team 71

CMC Sensor Adhesive Strain Capacity Evaluation

Mechanical Engineering Team 72

Stress Averaging Techniques: To improve accuracy and convergence in Stress-based Topology Optimization

Mechanical Engineering Team 73

ME 74 Automated DFM Analysis for Injection Molded Plastic Parts

Mechanical Engineering Team 74

Extracellular Matrix Mesh and Dynamics Modeling

Mechanical Engineering Team 75

Expulsion of Small Diameter Devices from Torpedo Tube Cartridges

Mechanical Engineering Team 77

About the Program Benefits for Our Students Faculty Leadership by Department Message from the Dean Program Overview

Senior Design By Year Archive of Senior Design Brochures Archive of Prior Years 2020 Senior Design Day 2021 Senior Design Day

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Project Examples

More than 1,000 projects successfully completed.

Below are just a handful of recent projects.

Exhibits for the Orpheum Children's Science Museum (Champaign, Illinois)

During the 2018 spring semester, two teams of five MechSE undergradudates created two new interactive astronomy-themed exhibits for the Orpheum Children's Science Museum in Champaign, Illinois. “Asteroid Mine” and “Orphy’s Escape to Space” are first-of-their-kind projects for the Senior Capstone Design Program. The students were given full autonomy to conceive, design, and build the exhibits, and they collaborated with Orpheum staff and MechSE faculty advisors. The students created original, interactive, working exhibits over the course of a single semester. We thank Phillips 66 for their support!

Hydraulic bike for the Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge

The goal of the 2018 spring semester team for the hydraulic bike project was to create a hydraulic system capable of powering and driving a bicycle for the National Fluid Power Association's vehicle challenge. Requirements include a power input, drive motor, a mechanism to store hydraulic power, and regenerative braking. The team produced a functioning treadle pump and hydraulic motor system with improved valving and consistent hydraulic flow.

Compact and Efficient Fluid Power Competition: Additive manufactured excavator cab

Design of a Solar Powered Lemur Heating and Cooling System (for Johnson Controls and the Lemur Conservation Foundation)

Design of an ICU Bed Head Angle Measurement System (for Carle Foundation Hospital and Shell Oil Company)

Design for optimized heat flow across a bolted/gasketed interface (for Boeing)

Surgical pad control box design (for Innoventor)

Bike helmet design (for Caveat Emptor)

Industrial burner redesign for reduced weight (for Eclipse)

Bridge impactor design for fault detection (for Civil Engineering)

Cold aisle containment design to save cooling cost (for NSCA)

Design of an affordable human-powered water pump for Cambodia that utilizes local materials and manufacturing techniques (humanitarian project, sponsored by Shell)

Shell Eco-Marathon Americas Competition

NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge

Design of a waterside economizer predicted to save over $2M/year in cooling costs (for NCSA Blue Waters supercomputer)

SpaceX Hyperloop

To propose a Senior Capstone Design Project or to learn more, contact: Damon McFall , PE, MBA Sponsored Projects Coordinator [email protected] or 217-244-6278

Senior design projects

Senior design projects (also known as "capstone" projects) are the centerpiece of the ME curriculum's professional component, allowing students to be involved in interesting, real-world activities. Each senior is required to complete this course. Capstone projects are each advised by a full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member who works with the teams.

For more detailed information, please visit ME Undergraduate Advising Canvas: Capstone Page .

Without exception, all ME 495 projects must be team efforts. Teams must consist of between three and five students.

Project topics

Students can pursue their varied technical and professional interests through a selection of projects that include:

Competition-based

mechanical engineering senior design project ideas

Capstone design projects allow students to experience the rigor and structure of a full-cycle design, including:

Through the capstone courses, students learn to fully define a design problem. This includes not only a statement of the project deliverables and objectives in the layman's or client's terms, but also a full definition of the agreed upon functional requirements and constraints (quantified). In the case of the competition-based projects, the problem definition is based on the detailed rules and guidelines of the competition.

All of the capstone projects draw upon at least several fundamental engineering science areas and involve significant quantitative analysis often in the form of numerical simulation, typically preceded by approximate analytical solutions. Industry-inspired projects are carefully selected on the basis of the required fundamental engineering science areas and also to align with the core expertise of the faculty adviser.

All projects must include a written report. Although the form of the report may vary according to the nature and requirements of the individual project, all final reports must contain the following (or equivalent) sections:

Industry Capstone Program

Industry-sponsored senior design projects provide benefits for both students and sponsoring organizations. Students gain valuable experience from working within real-world constraints, while sponsoring organizations reap the innovations and insights provided by the project deliverables.

Past ME industry-sponsored capstone projects

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Senior Design Past Projects

Below is a list of organizations who have sponsored senior design projects for the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering.

Spring 2019

$Team: Math Magicians$

Spring 2018

Spring 2017

Fall 2016 Brochure (.pdf)

Spring 2016

Mechanical Engineering Projects

Get mechanical projects topics and ideas for study and research. NevonProjects provides the widest list of mechanical engineering projects topics to help students, researchers and engineers in their research and development. Also we have a great variety of pre made mechanical project kits using hydraulics, gears, energy generation systems for you to use in your projects. Our kits help enthusiasts, students and researchers build test new mechanical systems in no time. Our researchers constantly research on new topics and ideas to help students in their research on mechanical system designs.

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Mechanical Engineering and Technology Senior Projects

Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) is the profession in which knowledge of applied mathematical and natural sciences, coupled with principles of technology gained by study and laboratory activity, is used to implement technological advances. The MET student is involved with the following three broad categories of study: energy, structures and motion in mechanical systems and manufacturing. The energy field involves the production and transfer of energy and the conversion of one form of energy to another. Specific areas include energy generating power plants, gas turbine and rocket engines, auto and diesel cycle power plants, refrigeration and air conditioning, solar and wind energy production and laser applications. Professionals involved with structures and motion in mechanical systems are often designers of mechanical systems, work in metallurgical laboratories, space vehicles, as well as the more common devices and products. Professionals working in the manufacturing sector are involved with production planning, tool design, numerically controlled machine programming, quality assurance, and the development of new high volume production systems. In addition, some MET professionals are involved with quality control, project management, purchasing and field service. Mechanical engineering technology is the broadest of all of the engineering technology fields.

Victair Mistifier Gearbox: Metal Casted Housing

Gabe Bruno, Casey McFarlen, and Ricky Skinner

The current global population is 7.2 billion. It is projected to increase by 1 billion over the next 12 years. There is only 5% of usable farming land left on earth. Food is a resource that humans must consume daily. These facts undeniably lead to a shortage of food in the future. It is essential to mankind survival that farming becomes more efficient and sustainable. This provided the motivation to design a more efficient transmission for the Victair Mistifier (orchard and vineyard sprayer). Victair Mistifiers are designed, engineered, and manufactured by H.F. Hauff Company in Yakima, WA. The Hauff Company’s commitment to manufacturing the best sprayer on the market accompanied with the desire to address sustainable farming, are the driving forces behind this project. The scope of the project is to design, develop, and test a gearbox that optimizes the overall function of the sprayer. The gearbox simplifies the overall design of the sprayer, by replacing 19 major components with 8. This design decreases material costs, increases manufacturability, and decreases assembly time. The gearbox receives power from the tractor’s power take-off (PTO) via the input shaft. It transmits the power through machine elements to two shafts that will power fans. The fans will spin in opposite directions at an equal, desired rotational speed. The transmission will be enclosed in an engineered metal casted housing. The gearbox design was proven, by the prototype, to perform to specifications while maintaining an oil temperature of less than 90 degrees Celsius.

Improved Tennis Racquet Stringer

William Ligon Bruno

What design change to a conventional ATS Sports model drop-weight stringer can be made to decrease the stringing time for a tennis racquet? To answer this, a detailed analysis on design, manufacturability, and structural integrity was done to design a product that is manufacturable within the timeframe and produces a device which decreases the stringing time. First, an analysis on each vital component was done including the ratcheting components, pressure arm/drop mass, etc. Second, a virtual model was created with auxiliary components to test different designs. Through this analysis and the virtual model it was indicated that a duel stringing device opposed to a conventional single stringing device would meet the design requirements set forth in the project report. A more detailed design was done to the device to finalize the product for manufacturing. This included reducing the weight of the product through shelling out components and using lightweight material, reducing the cost through utilizing cheaper pre-designed material other than requesting custom designed material, modifying dimensions for the correct weight distribution, and planning for the ergonomics of use. The manufacturing process consisted of machining and 3Dprinting over 40 parts. After final assembly, modifications are again assessed to increase functionality. Testing results should demonstrate a reduction in the time needed to string a racquet by half ad produce a tension from 30-90lbs as stated in the design requirements.

Solar Evaporative Fan Coil Unit

Samuel Budnick, Kyle Kluever, and Jeremy Dickson

The purpose of any engineering project is to anticipate a need and meet that need through prediction analysis and design. Over 70% of the nation’s energy is consumed by building infrastructure such as HVAC systems, electrical, etc. HVAC systems use boilers to generate hot water or steam to heat buildings and evaporative chillers to provide air conditioning, much like the central plant here on campus. The project included the construction of a solar collector that will heat water to 140F in order to run it through a heat exchanger that can have air passed over it. An evaporative chiller was also designed to harness the latent heat of vaporization to chill a heat exchanger that can then have water passed through it. The circulation pump and any temperature sensors will be powered by a photovoltaic array so that no electricity is needed to power the device. The air from the ducted fan can then be passed over this heat exchanger in order to generate hot air for a room, and the same for the cold air with cold water. Testing will consider input and output water temperature, as well as input and output air temperature in order to compare the changes and develop a value for efficiency. Initial testing has found that 140F heating water can provide enough load in a heat exchanger to provide 85F leaving air temperature. Water that has been cooled to 40F by the evaporative chiller can provide a leaving air temperature of 55F.

Wakeboard Winch

Eric Christensen

A wakeboard winch is a stationary device used to tow wakeboard riders through a body of water allowing riders to access locations that may be too shallow for boats or where motorboat restrictions apply. For this instance, the device will be intended to use on a small lake where motorized boats are prohibited but will also possess a transportable design so it may be used in other locations. Winches that can be purchased from manufacturers tend to be expensive and unaffordable for most people while many homemade winches tend to lack the same performance capabilities as manufactured winches. The principal investigator of this project will be responsible for designing, building, and analyzing a wakeboard winch that yields the performance of a manufactured device while being built with a minimal budget.

Jeremy Dickson, Sam Budnick, and Kyle Kluever

RC Baja Competition Drive Train and Differential

Chelsea Dowdell and Nathan Wilhelm

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers holds regional student design competitions each year with both a reoccurring RC Baja competition with a new challenge course each year. This project covers the design and manufacturing of components for a radio controlled car to race in the annual ASME RC Baja competition. For this project the car was broken down into its component subsystems and divided between two partners. It was then determined which components of each respective subsystem could be purchased and which required design and manufacture within the rules set forth in the ASME Baja competition rule book. All of the parts, both to be purchased and to be manufactured, were first drawn in SolidWorks to check alignment and for ease of FE analysis before manufacturing began. Parts and systems that were designed include: chassis of the car, differential and gear train, steering system, and the suspension system. Diverse manufacturing methods were used including waterjet cutting, 3dprinting, and the use of manual mills and lathes which in the future will be converted to CNC operations for ease of manufacturing. Both hands on and computer testing thus far has shown that the car will be successful in completing the tasks that are required of it at the RC Baja competition. To conclude, after the design and manufacturing of this car was completed a functional vehicle that starts, stops, and turns without issue was successfully created and functional testing will be completed at the competition.

Composite Brake Rotor Assembly by Utilizing Replaceable Friction Surfaces

This project investigated a proof of concept design involving a rotor fabricated from aluminum with replaceable friction surfaces with greater or equal performance characteristics in order to reduce cost and maintenance. The replaceable friction surfaces provide a means to mitigate cost to the end user. The structure is constrained by the dimensions, 11.75” diameter and 1.25” width and serves as a direct replacement rotor for a circle track racecar. Analyses provide a direct comparison in static mass, moments of inertia, and forced convection thermal calculations in order to determine if the concept was viable. Requirements for a successful design were a 22% reduction in total rotating mass, resist a linear deceleration rate of 8 meters per second, and the centripetal forces of an angular velocity of 315 radians per second. Off-car testing revealed a 4 pound reduction in static rotor mass and achieved a 34% reduction in the moment of inertia. On-vehicle testing involved data logging multiple laps at a local racetrack. The concept rotor assembly displayed a higher theoretical peak than the conventional design. In the composite structure the heat was rejected earlier in the cool down phase of the lap resulting in higher steady state of absorption/radiation characteristics. Means of monitoring the performance are by way of a GPS accelerometer and remote mounted infrared sensors mounted to each hub. This design offers the all the function of a conventional rotor with a 42% reduction in replacement cost and 18% reduction in replacement time.

Collapsible Wheelchair Wheel Design

Joseph Fischer

Portability, convenience, and efficiency are becoming more and more prevalent as technology increases. This is also true with wheelchairs; Wheelchairs are being designed to fold and collapse smaller and smaller with every iteration but there is one parameter that remains constant, the wheel. No matter how small the wheelchair frame folds it is always limited by its’ wheel’s diameter. This project aims to create a collapsible wheel design to accompany a foldable wheelchair in order to make it more portable and storable. Since the diameter of the wheel is the limiting factor in a foldable wheelchair, the relatively small width dimension of the wheel was increased in order to compensate for the reduction of the diameter dimension. This was achieved by creating a wheel composed of six equal parts that interlock to form a solid, functional wheel capable of supporting a human to the weight capacity of other wheelchairs (250 pounds). It is also important that the wheel is easy and quick to assemble and disassemble for users of all ages and capability. It will be tested for strength but also for how quickly it can be assembled and disassembled. To achieve a 1-minute assembly time, quick release hinges were used, an instruction manual was created, and magnet and Velcro attach points were implemented. This collapsible wheel design collapses a standard 24-inch wheelchair wheel to an 11.25 by 10.75 by 6.00-inch assembly. This is a reduction of 83% of its original frontal area when collapsed.

Toyota Disc Brake Conversion Brackets

Geoffrey Gibson

A common issue with Toyota pickups from the 1980’s is the factory braking system is not responsive enough for the driver to properly brake during an emergency situation. The cause of the poor response in braking comes from the drum brakes that are on the rear of the vehicle. Aftermarket vendors offered disc brake conversions that change the brakes on the rear axle from drum to disc. The aftermarket brackets that are in the conversion are thick and bulky adding excess weight to the already heavy pickup. These thick brackets in the conversion do not retain the factory emergency brake which is required to maintain proper functionality. To remedy the issue, a set of brackets were designed around the use of Ford Mustang calipers and Mitsubishi Montero rotors in order to retain the factory emergency brake and to maintain the correct wheel lug pattern. In order to reduce the bulk of the brackets, stress analysis was performed on the bracket design to find the minimum allowable thickness. This was performed over multiple materials to use different thicknesses. Once a thickness was calculated for each material, it was reevaluated to ensure that the brackets would not deflect more than what the tolerance allowed. With brackets designed and built, they will be tested on the test vehicle where the deflection of the bracket will be recorded and compared to the .005” tolerance. The calculations that were performed prove the vehicle will safely stop in the specified distance of 75ft. from 40 mph.

Emulsion Pump Pressure Relief

Aaron Greean

Over time the harsh outdoor environment wears away at asphalt surfaces. Asphalt emulsion is sprayed onto the surface to act as a sacrificial barrier. To pump this asphalt emulsion for spray application an effective pressure relief device must be incorporated. High pressure is needed to achieve the desired spray pattern, but this same pressure can cause components to fail in the presence of a pressure spike. Hydraulically driven positive displacement pumps are used to pump the emulsion, so a pinched hoses or a clog in the system results in a severe pressure spike. Due to the emulsions viscosity and abrasive additives a direct relief device is not suitable for long term service. A remote activated pressure relief device is needed to allow adequate spray pressure and prevent system failure. The device is manufactured with off the shelf hydraulic and pneumatic parts bolted to a steel base plate. A pilot pressure is taken from the emulsion circuit and feeds a pneumatic cylinder that pulls a linearly actuated hydraulic valve, in turn diverting the hydraulic flow to the reservoir instead of driving the pump. The pull of the cylinder is balanced by an adjustable spring to allow for different pressure settings. After installing the pressure relief device pressure was be measured at different locations throughout the system. The emulsion pressure relief device performed an as engineered and the pressure remained between 50 and 90 psi.

Instron Tt-C 1055 Redesign For Tensile Testing Lab Use: The Design And Construction Of Tensile Test Gripping Assemblies

Melvin Lee Hortman

The goal of this project was to design, manufacture, and test a pair of cheap gripping assemblies with mount adapters to the Instron TT-C tensile testing machine, which was currently out of service in the Materials Laboratory of Central Washington University’s Hogue Technology Building, for educational use. The gripping assemblies would enable tensile, or pulling force, tests on tensile specimens up to 20,000 lbs, being able to test high carbon steel. The gripping assemblies and mounting adapters were designed and manufactured completely by a Central Washington University Mechanical Engineering Technology student who used the cumulative knowledge gained from engineering analysis and manufacturing courses over the span of his four years at Central. All design and manufacturing were done using the Central Washington University facilities and laboratories with the exception of heat treatments which were outsourced. It was estimated that the initial device construction will cost $771.00 and 440 man hours. Most gripping assemblies in industry cost anywhere between $6,000 and $15,000 for assemblies with a 20,000 lb load capacity. The design of the gripping assemblies was simple with no luxury of hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical clamping capabilities. The manufacture of the initial pair of gripping assemblies was unreasonable and robust due to limitations governed by the capabilities of Central Washington University’s lab facilities which also added unreasonable hours to the amount of man hours required. In common industrial factories/warehouses owned by testing machine manufacturers, the amount of man hours would be significantly less.

Branch Cutter Adapter for Electric Impact Gun

Cullen Hubbard

There are many homeowners that would like to maintain the trees around their homes but cannot do so. The drive of this project was to develop a 0g mechanism which would provide a senior citizen or an individual with limited upper body strength, with the ability to cut through branches that would otherwise pose challenging. The design would allow the end user to cut a branch by simply pulling a trigger. A branch cutting attachment was designed to attach to the front of a DeWALT cordless impact gun. This attachment will convert the rotational torque and motion from the impact gun into a shearing motion which can be utilized by a set of cutting blades to cut through the branches. This conversion came through a worm gear set that simultaneously changes the rotational direction of motion and increases the output torque of the impact gun through the gear set. The cutter was constructed from lightweight aluminum to keep the weight down as it is a hand held tool and was also designed to be easily attached and detached from the impact gun for ease of use. The design incorporated off the shelf blades so that in the event a blade was damaged during use a new blade was easy to obtain. Through testing it was found that the cutting attachment performed well on a variety of tree branch types and sizes up to 1-1/8”. It was also found that the attachment was easy to use by all user types.

Plate and Frame Heat Exchanger

Eric Johnson

Heat exchangers are a commonly used device in many different industries, with many different applications. The heat exchanger used in the brewing program here at CWU is a brazed plate and frame heat exchanger, so it cannot be taken apart for cleaning. Due to this, the overall efficiency of the heat exchanger will be reduced, causing fouling, because of the buildup of brewing material. In order to effectively combat this fouling, a heat exchanger must be constructed that can be disassembled for cleaning, and then reassembled with ease, while still being able to perform the same amount of heat transfer as the brazed system. Specifically, a gasketed plate and frame heat exchanger was constructed for this purpose, which utilizes rubber gaskets to seal the system, instead of brazing. This heat exchanger was constructed using twenty stainless steel plates, with four flow holes punched for the fluid paths, and arranged with the attached gaskets in a cross flow pattern. To test the effectiveness of this system, the heat exchanger will operate using cold tap water to cool down water heated to approximately 200 °F. The output temperature of the water will be measured, in order to see how well the heat exchanger is able to transfer heat between the two fluids. The results of this test will indicate the viability of this system, state the specific rate of heat transfer within this system, and compare this value to the previously utilized brazed heat exchanger.

Space Saver Bike Rack

Taylor Johnson

Apartment living can be crowded especially for a cyclist. Bicycles are bulky and difficult to store. A device is needed to store two road bikes weighing up to 40 pounds each while saving as much space as possible. To solve this problem many iterations of various free standing and wall-leaning bike rack designs were drawn. Evolution of the design can be traced through the drawings included in the report. The first design analyzed was a free standing rack. After calculations and adjustments this design was going to have to be very bulky in order to achieve the stability requirements. The next design that was analyzed was a wall-leaning rack. This design was very compact and satisfied the stability requirements gracefully. In winter, materials were ordered and prepared for construction. Construction included cutting ABS pipe, gluing or drilling and pinning fittings. Construction was completed without major issues. The final device is working properly despite a couple of minor clearance related oversights. The bike rack supports two bikes weighing 35 pounds each. The compactness requirement of 72 inches squared was met. This spring the deflection of the rack will be tested and compared to the predicted data. The racks capacity to support loads up to 40 pounds will be tested. A test will be run where the rack is loaded with two bikes and the floor area and volume occupied can be found. These values will be compared to the original configuration of road bike leaning against the wall in the apartment.

Kyle Kluever, Samuel Budnick, and Jeremy Dickson

The purpose of any engineering project is to anticipate a need and meet that need through prediction analysis and design. Over 70% of the nation’s energy is consumed by building infrastructure such as HVAC systems, electrical, etc. HVAC systems use boilers to generate hot water or steam to heat buildings and evaporative chillers to provide air conditioning, much like the central plant on campus. The project included the construction of a solar collector that will heat water to 140F in order to run it through a heat exchanger that can have air passed over it. An evaporative chiller was also designed to harness the latent heat of vaporization to chill a heat exchanger that can then have water passed through it. The circulation pump and any temperature sensors will be powered by a photovoltaic array so that no electricity is needed to power the device. The air from the ducted fan can then be passed over this heat exchanger in order to generate hot air for a room, and the same for the cold air with cold water. Testing will consider input and output water temperature, as well as input and output air temperature in order to compare the changes and develop a value for efficiency. Initial testing has found that 140F heating water can provide enough load in a heat exchanger to provide 85F leaving air temperature. Water that has been cooled to 40F by the evaporative chiller can provide a leaving air temperature of 55F.

Custom Glasses Cases

Nikolas Ivan Klukas

The modern market is centralized around technological advances that improve and better everyday life. With approximately 150 million Americans that use corrective eye-ware on a daily basis, the need for improved technology in glasses cases is inevitable. Current glasses cases work to either protect the glasses and are big and bulky, or are made smaller to be more easily transported. The concept is to take any pair of glasses and make a custom case for them. The programs being utilized to complete the project are solidworks and excel. The process is started by making a base layout of the glasses case in solidworks. Then a excel spreadsheet was made. Linking an excel spreadsheet to solidworks enables rapid input of new dimension to adjust solidworks drawing to the correct or new size. This provides a quick way to make my case fit any pair of glasses, no matter the dimensions. The solidworks model is then saved as a Stereolithography file and sent to the 3-d printer. The cases came out fully functional and open and close perfectly. From sit down to completed glasses case depends on the size of the glasses the case was modeled around. The more cubic inches the case is, the longer it takes to print. The first case took 10 hours to print.

Pivoting Motocross Foot Pegs

Michael LeBlanc

The ability to keep a dirt bike rider’s feet in full contact with the foot pegs at all times is something all riders’ face when riding their bike. The foot pegs that come factory and aftermarket today are universally static and non-rotational which prevent the ability for maximum contact to be maintained. During various riding positions, a rider’s foot can partially become disconnected from the peg allowing for a loss of potential control and balance/stability. The solution devised was a set of pegs that have the ability to rotate with the rider’s foot. The rotational ability of the pegs allow for the rider’s feet to stay in full contact throughout various riding positions or conditions. The pivoting peg allows for full contact with the pegs provides more stability and control over the bike which improves capabilities of balance and speed/momentum. To accomplish the pivoting, a round shaft with limiting stops was created to rotate fifteen degrees forward and backwards on the bike. Based on the design concept that was created and calculations that were done on the design, such as deflection and load bearing calculations, these pegs will easily any issues support the weight of a 185 pound rider, while still having the capability to rotate without binding. More testing of these pegs is scheduled for spring quarter 2015. From the calculations that were prepared, the pegs will pivot fifteen degrees and support the minimum weight requirement of 185 pounds.

Conversion Casting From A36 Steel to Grey Iron

Chris Nichols

Conversion castings are used in manufacturing to reduce time and costs of the production of machined parts. This project incorporated a machined production component from a local manufacturer and designed and produced an equivalent component using the casting process. The casting material chosen needed to be able to withstand all tension and compression forces when the component is used in service along with locations and dimensions of holes needed to be in accordance with all specified tolerances. The casting design process had to account for draft issues, shrinkage during material solidification, porosity and internal cavities formed during solidification, and overall optimization of material used for the casting process. The use of computer simulated solidification software aided in the design of runner and gating dimensions as well as predetermining significant problem areas for porosity and internal cavities within the castings. The manufacture of the mold pattern and core boxes was completed using the additive manufacturing process of three dimensional printing. Using this process eliminates the use of any machining processes for the manufacture of the casting along with significantly reducing the amount of man hours for fabrication. The patterns were made as well as the castings poured at Central Washington University using the 3-D printers and the foundry located in the engineering building. Success of this project will be determined through comparison of all dimensions to the current machined components and performance testing when put into service.

MX Snow Ski

Jordan Olson

Living in the Pacific Northwest has many perks when it comes to enjoying the outdoors. All of the seasons can be enjoyed, as well as being completely surrounded by beautiful rolling hills and mountains. Being someone who continuously enjoys the outdoors year-round it’s always fun to try new hobbies. The problem with owning a dirt bike is that most people ride during the dryer and warmer seasons of the year. This project would enable the bike to be ridden even during the snowy winter season. Riding a dirt bike in snow has been recently explored by only a few companies the past few years. Why not design our own working system? A Honda Cr250r dirt bike became the test model and a front mount for a snow ski was designed. This ski would replace the front wheel/tire, while a paddle tire would be implemented at the rear of the bike. After all thirteen parts are machined from the CNC, table mill, band saw, and surface grinders, the device is considered complete and will be properly mounted to the dirt bike. When tested, the dirt bike should handle well in the snow by making tight turns, long sweeping turns, and tracking straight with ease. The ski mount device will also allow the front ski to pivot in the upward position from 20-45°, while also pivoting downward at least 10-25°. This will allow a rider to enjoy dirt biking all year-round.

Dump Bed Lifting Mechanism

Zachary Pate

The project was motivated by a need to create a device that would cause a small truck or trailer bed to lift up quickly and dump its contents. This would eliminate the need to use manual physical labor, which is both slow and exhausting. Additional design constraints require the stroke and diameter of the cylinder to be 6” x2”. A design was conceived with the intent to incorporate a less costly device onto an existing trailer frame that would lift the bed and dump the load. With this in mind, a scissor lift device would have two basic requirements, first to lift 500 pounds and second to achieve a 40 degree angle of lift. The intended design is called a scissor lift. Lifting mechanisms for dump trucks are too large and expensive for use on a small six foot trailer. Designing a lift to use a smaller cylinder to accomplish the same task as a larger lift, was accomplished with engineering design. This smaller cylinder presents a geometric challenge so there is enough lift to tilt and dump the load. To accomplish this, the lift will have to accommodate the cylinder to transfer its force through the arms. The calculations predicted that a .5 gpm hydraulic pump would take 62 seconds to lift 500 pounds, dump and lower the load. Initial tests indicated a tilt goes to 39 degrees.

Catmobile Front Suspension

Adam Romine

Each year electric vehicles become more and more popular. The electric vehicle that the Central Washington University Electric Vehicle Club is building needs a front suspension. The vehicle is being built to compete in the Electrathon America Race in May of 2015. The suspension attaches to the wheels and attaches to the frame of the vehicle and provides bump dampening. The suspension was built was using a single swing arm type design. This design consists of six parts that are welded and bolted together to connect the wheel to the frame. The shock absorber that is attached to the single swing arm that absorbs the shock of the vehicle's weight as it goes over irregularities in the road. The design of the suspension had to fit within the constraints of the preexisting frame. The suspension was manufactured using the tools in the Central Washington University Machine Shop and Power Lab for under $140. The suspension weighs 9.6lbs per side and is made of steel. Initial tests so far have shown that it is strong enough to hold the static load of the vehicle plus the driver. The suspension provides the wheels with the 50ft turning diameter requirements. The shock travel requirement will need some modifications before it meets the desired specification. The suspension is operational and is ready to undergo testing and eventually be ready to compete in the Electrathon America Race.

Victair Mistifier Gearbox: Shafts and Bearings

Rickey Skinner, Gabe bruno, and Casey McFarlen

Collapsible Bicycle Frame

Keith Stone

There are many situations where people could choose to ride a bicycle, whether it is to go to school, to a job, to meet with friends, or just for recreational purposes. However, once people reach their destination and have a break between their trips, they are left with a bicycle with little means of storing it while they go about their day. Some people buy a bike lock so that they can secure it in a safe location, while others may just lean it against a wall or even roll it into the building with them. However, according to FBI statistics there were about 190,703 stolen bicycles in 2013 alone and bringing the bicycle in buildings takes up space and having a kick stand does not guarantee that the bicycle will remain upright; especially if it is nudged by people who are attempting to move past because of the amount of space the bicycle takes up. Traveling is also expensive already, and for those who travel by plane may wish to take the bicycle with them and not want to rent an expensive vehicle when they reach their destination. The motivation for this project is to come up with a solution so that the bicycle is secure but also compact and small so that people can bring the bicycle on a plane as carry-on, and not be an inconvenience with the bicycle weight and size.

Composite Snowmobile Suspension Assembly

Michael Villarma

Snowmobile technology is constantly evolving and incorporating new ideas into products for the consumer to enjoy. After market manufactures are competing among themselves for the top position in suspension technology, yet none have broken the boundaries and really pushed to the next level, until now. The objective of this design was to provide the consumer with a lightweight and simplistic suspension system that would meet the performance demands of the consumer market. In order to meet the strength to weight ratio requirements of this design, composites were implemented to provide the necessary structural strength for the overall system. A one piece carbon fiber sub frame is the first of its kind and provides a foundation for all other components to fasten too. By replacing structural materials that were initially made from a high strength steel with a light weight carbon fiber, the weight savings are substantial and can be observed throughout the system. In order to determine the success of this design, a series of tests both on and off the vehicle were performed to accurately describe the behavior of the material under load. 3 point bending, load analysis, and weight comparison are examples of the test processes that will provide conclusive data on the overall performance of this design.

ASME R/C BAJA CAR Suspension and Steering

Nathan Wilhelm

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers holds regional student design competitions each year with both a reoccurring RC Baja competition with a new challenge course each year. This project covers the design and manufacturing of components for a radio controlled car to race in the annual ASME RC Baja competition. For this project the car was broken down into its component subsystems and divided between two partners. It was then determined which components of each respective subsystem could be purchased and which required design and manufacture within the rules set forth in the ASME Baja competition rule book. All of the parts, both to be purchased and to be manufactured, were first drawn in SolidWorks to check alignment and for ease of FE analysis before manufacturing began. Parts and systems that were designed include: chassis of the car, differential and gear train, steering system, and the suspension system. Diverse manufacturing methods were used including waterjet cutting, 3d-printing, and the use of manual mills and lathes which in the future will be converted to CNC operations for ease of manufacturing. Both hands on and computer testing thus far has shown that the car will be successful in completing the tasks that are required of it at the RC Baja competition. To conclude, after the design and manufacturing of this car was completed a functional vehicle that starts, stops, and turns without issue was successfully created and functional testing will be completed at the competition.

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Mechanical Engineering

The Mechanical Engineering Department is the largest department at Cal Poly with more than 1,250 undergraduates and is ranked as the second-best undergraduate focused mechanical engineering program in the country by U.S. News and World Reports.

The curriculum shares a common philosophy that real engineering work requires not only a solid understanding of theory but also hands-on experiences and skills to finish the job. With state-of-the-art laboratories, student clubs and organizations, and machine shops, the program effectively combines theory and practical application to prepare students for careers in a wide variety of industries and graduate school.

Modified from me.calpoly.edu

Senior Projects from 2022 2022

Baja Bug Suspension , James Ankers, Rebecca Hansen, Dakota Robert Hollingsworth, and Thomas Alfred Spycher

Deep Ocean Vehicle (DOV) Scientific Payload , Nichole "Nikki" T. Arm, Mason Gariepy, Brianna Roberts, and Kyle C. Walsh

SunSation’s Solar Powered Picnic Table , Michelle M. Barnett, Christopher Barber, Casey Durham, and David Mason

Tree Climbing Limb Saw , Andrew E. Bray, Parker Tenney, Drew M. Robles, and Aimee T. Chiem

Heating Lanyard to Warm Body Core , Cole Bunker, Spencer Alonge, Tyler Elsom, and Matthew Hyland

Baker/Koob Final Report: Solar Solution for Mini Mars Rover , Jonathan Cederquist, Cole Korchek, Derick Louie, Michaella Ochotorena, and Collin Petersen

Universal Tread for Power Wheelchairs , Daniel Ceja Gonzalez, Ryan Scarcella, Aaron Rocha, and Brian Song

Mars Rover Mechanical Arm & Turret , Kendall C. Chappell, Kyle D. Peterson, Rodrigo Gonzalez, and Sam Cole

Gasifier Wall Wash Manifold , Ashley Sieu Che, Gintaras Julius Baipsys, Peyton Joseph Archibald, and Michael Thomas Kieran

Mechanized Theatre Turntable , Chloe Huiyi Chou, Ethan Lee Stroh, Ruodolf Reller Quelnat Rumbaoa, and Davide Lanfranconi

Physics in the Garden 2.0 , Zachary Colwell, Maddy Rossitto, and Sean Porter

Offshore Wind Turbine Gearbox , Michael Cooper, Ernesto Portillo, Kyle Hammer, and Carson Bryan

Insulated Solar Electric Cooker with Solid Thermal Storage , Eric M. Cortes, Andy M. McCombs, Dominick Trageser, and Nami Suzuki

UV Space Imager Enclosure Coating , David Silva Cortez, Victor Alexander Rempel Dekhtyar, and Maria L. Muñoz

Acoustic Release and Receiver System , Sebastien Danthinne, Carlos E. Otero, Joseph R. Lyons, Reagan M. Lawson, and Lily G. de Torres

8 DOF Quadrupedal Hopping Robot , Clayton T. Elwell, John Bennett, Tyler McCue, and Daniel Munic

Auxiliary Gearbox Field Repair Sled , Eli C. Ferman, Karl K. Clapp, Samantha M. Brown, and Caleb M. Kephart

Callaway Measurement Device , Andre S. Fisher, Roman Hays, Blake Sousa, and Grant Gabrielson

Utilization of Resin-Based Additive Manufacturing for Investment Casting , Matthew Frost and Isaiah Hong

Picnic Table Solar Powered Shade , Louis Gerny, Esmeralda Gonzalez, Connor Gigone, and Ryan Dean

Bike to the Future , Wanjiku Gichigi, Luisa Shu Yi Chiu, Alexander Kalman Dunn, and Georgia Ann Holmes

Coil Quick (RV Sewer Hose Compressor) Device , Arturo Guijosa-Ruiz and David M. Bourgoin

Mono Ski Trainer , Alexander Scott Hinerman, Shayla Anne Schoensee, Carson Rinkenberger, and Barrett L. Osborne

Galilean Cannon , Mariah Kirkham, Marcus Beloney, Jonas Honeyman, and Joshua Pratt

Therapeutic Mechanical Horse , Cade M. Liberty, Aleya Dolorfino, Peter Philips, Zuzanna Dominik, and Luke Watts

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Mechanical Engineering

Senior design.

In the fall and spring, Engineering Design MECE E3420 and MECE E3430 (collectively called Senior Design) constitute the capstone design course in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Columbia University. Students form teams to research, design, and produce a prototype of an original system of their own design. These courses bring together many of the concepts that were introduced in the undergraduate curriculum.

2020-2021 Projects

Past Years' Projects

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COMMENTS

Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Projects 2022
Team 01: Machine Chip Disposal System · Team 02: Deformable surgical needle · Team 03: Novel In Vivo Camera System to Assess Obstructive Sleep Apnea · Team
2021 Mechanical Engineering Projects
2021 Mechanical Engineering Projects · team photo. Design of a Low Cost, Disposable Foam Spray Gun · team photo. Quench Plug for Ring Gear Manufacturing Process.
Project Examples
Design of a Solar Powered Lemur Heating and Cooling System (for Johnson Controls and the Lemur Conservation Foundation). lemurs ; Design of an ICU Bed Head Angle
Senior design projects
Risk and liability; Ethical issues; Impact on society; Impact on the environment; Cost and engineering economics. Industry Capstone Program. Industry-sponsored
Senior Design Past Projects
Fall 2016 · Team Cool Under Fire Team: Cool Under Fire · Team Fence Stretcher Team: Fence Stretcher · Team Mayax Liquid 3D Printer Team: Mayax Liquid 3D Printer
What is a good senior design project for a mechanical engineering
MECHANICAL PROJECT · 1. Smart steering system for four wheels (sss) · 2. Inbuilt hydraulic jack · 3. Shock absorbing unit for bumper · 4. Automatic head light
Latest Mechanical Engineering Projects Ideas List
All Mechanical Projects · 3 Speed Gearbox Mechanism · 5 Speed Gearbox Mechanism · Mechanical Bird Flapping Mechanism · Motorized Power Steering Mechanism · Design &
Mechanical Engineering and Technology Senior Projects
Mechanical Engineering and Technology Senior Projects · Victair Mistifier Gearbox: Metal Casted Housing · Improved Tennis Racquet Stringer · Solar Evaporative Fan
Mechanical Engineering
The Mechanical Engineering Department is the largest department at Cal Poly with more than 1,250 undergraduates and is ranked as the second-best
Senior Design
2020-2021 Projects · Group 1: SCUFE · Group 2: Renaissance Rocket Payload Bay · Group 3: Chicken Friend · Group 4: Beach Cleaner Pro · Group 5: Shelving · Group 6: