Fall 2024 Senior Design Projects

BioBrace Builders

Objective: To develop an ankle brace that incorporates cooling technology and gait analysis, aimed at aiding rehabilitation during ankle injuries and preventing future occurrences.

Team Members:

• Taha Badani
• Cody Edmond
• Jessica Heraly
• Madeline Vetsch

Advisor: Jacob Rammer, Assistant Professor Biomedical Engineering

Findings:

We created an ankle brace that has automatic cooling with gait analysis to help with recovery time and prevention of future injuries.

Regal Rexnord

Objective: Design a fixture for separating mold halves used in casting polyurethane industrial couplings.

The current process, which uses a rotating fixture and hydraulic lift table, poses safety risks and can lead to operator fatigue. The new fixture will improve safety, ergonomics, ease of use, and reliability.

Team Members:

• Dylan Engelbright
• Adrian Sanchez
• Vince Swartz
• Josiah Welch

Advisor: Jacob Rammer, Assistant Professor Biomedical Engineering

Sensing and Proximity Innovations (SPI)

Objective: To bring ease of access to written information for those who are visually impaired.

Team Members:

• Aaron Brandner
• Josh Lopez
• Adrian Nazario-Valdez
• Ryan Taylor

Advisor: Grace McClatchey, Biomedical Engineering

Findings:

Visually impaired individuals face significant challenges in navigating and understanding their surroundings, often relying on tools and methods that are outdated, cumbersome, or difficult to learn, such as canes or braille. These limitations can hinder independence, safety, and quality of life in everyday environments.

At Sensing Proximity Innovation (S.P.I.), we recognize the urgent need for innovative solutions that leverage modern technology to address these gaps. 

Our mission is to create accessible, user-friendly devices that empower impaired individuals. This project is called the Chatti Glove, a class 1 medical device designed to be worn comfortably by the user and aid them by giving them auditory stimulus of their surroundings by utilizing NFC-to-voice device technology.

The NFC coil, embedded at the tip of the glove’s ring finger, connects to a Raspberry Pi and a speaker. When the NFC coil passes over an NFC-enabled sticker—designed to be placed in locations where braille is typically found—it verbalizes the encoded information. This could include the name of a room or details about a product, such as a medication label.

Designed for individuals with visual impairments, this device provides an alternative for those who find braille challenging or prefer quicker access to information. While its primary target market is businesses, it is also intended to appeal to individual consumers.

Smart Active Monitoring (SAM)

Objective: To create a smart device designed to detect the onset of potential CAUTI infection for catheterized patients. Through continual monitoring of key indicators in urine, our device will effectively enable timely intervention to promote faster and easier treatment. The device offers real-time data and alerts to healthcare staff to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare-associated infection rates.

Team Members:

• Madisyn Adelman
• Alyssa LaBouve
• Se Jin Le

Advisors:

• Jacob Rammer, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
• Grace McClatchey, Instructor, Biomedical Engineering

Findings:

We have successfully produced a device that can determine the flow, temperature, and conductivity of urine flowing through a urinary drainage bag system (foley catheter) to assist in the diagnosis of catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).

Healthcare staff, specifically in intensive care unit settings, are able to use our device to decide when to perform further diagnostic testing (urinalysis) on patient urine to determine if a CAUTI is present. This allows for direct indication of change in patient condition and can promote earlier treatment opposed to waiting for symptoms to present before performing a urinalysis. Through audible alerts paired with our proposed app, continuous monitoring and automatic notifications to healthcare staff are achieved.

We have also considered the importance of integration with currently utilized hospital monitoring technologies and will continue to explore how we are best able to address our options regarding that.

Furthermore, urine conductivity can provide a variety of information when analyzed carefully; this also provides us with an opportunity for further development focused on the evaluation of other conditions such as kidney function.

Ultimately, we found through conversing with a variety of healthcare personnel that our device has an opportunity to cut costs associated with CAUTIs, reduce hospital stays, and improve patient outcomes. 

Bold & Brash

Objective: Bold & Brash is redesigning the intersection of Clybourn St and Milwaukee St, which is a segment of the project in the design phases by the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Our group’s goal is to incorporate a multimodal focus when redesigning the intersection just north of the Third Ward. The multimodal concept plans prioritize the pedestrian and community transportation systems.

Team Members:

• Sydney Block
• Ryan DeVries
• Rebekah Downs
• Hunter Hanegmon
• Noah Thompson-Hall

Advisors:

• Sarah Blackowski, Assistant Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Clayton Cloutier, Adjunct Instructor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Cream City Design

Objective: To synthesize public input and our combined knowledge of engineering to create a solution to the I-794 freeway update.

Ultimately based on our decision matrix and project goals, we recommended removing the freeway entirely and designing a bi-directional Complete Street prioritizing sustainable urban development.

Team Members:

• Christopher Atou-Vieyra
• Albert Benigno
• Tatum Catalano
• Matthew Sowle
• Kieran Walsh

Advisors:

• Sarah Blackowski, Assistant Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Clayton Cloutier, Adjunct Instructor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Klenc Engineering

Objective: Our project goal is to remodel bi-directional Clybourn Street to make traffic flow in the local area more efficiently and improve local connectivity. We also want to create a green space in Milwaukee for more recreation in the city, improve environmental health, and showcase Milwaukee businesses.

Team Members:

• Kayla Bates
• Noah Nettesheim
• Evan Oklobdzija
• Luke Oommen
• Chris Ricci

Advisors:

• Sarah Blackowski, Assistant Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Clayton Cloutier, Adjunct Instructor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Event Radar

Objective: Our project goal is to create a centralized platform that enables users to discover live events within their desired area, with real-time updates to ensure up-to-date information.

The website will consolidate event data from various sources, providing a comprehensive view of event details in one place. The platform will offer all the essential information needed for effective event planning!

Team Members:

• Benjamin Hackbart
• Jannatul Hakim
• Annalise Harms
• Jonny Leston
• Carolyn Vang

Advisor: Ayesha Nipu, Computer Science

Foraging Tracker

Objective: The goal of our project is to create a web app where you are able to journal and track the things you and others find in nature such as plants, fish, fungi, etc. with markers and posts put onto a map.

Team Members:

• Anya Flickinger
• Jennifer Justus
• Danh Le
• Henry Retzer
• Ivan Sosa

Advisor: Ayesha Nipu, Computer Science

Findings:

Our project was creating a web app accessible on both mobile and desktop with the goal of letting people connect with both nature and their community by logging pictures and journal entries of plants, fish, fungi, etc. that they find in the outdoors.

Our app lets you photograph anything of your choosing in nature and create a post with it, this post then is saved to our map and your profile letting you easily find the location you originally found it so that you may return later on to find it or things similar to it again.

The community side of this app comes from our built-in friend and group system, this will let you connect with specific people to see their posts more easily or connect with a group of people you may know within your local community. Joining or adding friends will provide an easy way to see specifically their posts on our posts feed or the map in turn giving you access to more findings in the nature around you.

Lastly, you are also able to see the posts of those you don’t follow and that have chosen for their posts to be public, letting you even further explore what people in your area have found. The rest of our app is there to give a bit of a social media aspect with the ability to categorize their posts by what is in the image or by adding likes or comments to things other people have found.

In conclusion, our app is here to help log people’s findings in nature easily on a map with incentives to exploring the outdoors.

Green Thumb Tracker App

Objective: The goal of our project is to create an accessible, comprehensive solution for monitoring and optimizing plant growth in greenhouses and or home gardening setups.

By integrating a range of environmental sensors (for temperature, humidity, soil moisture, CO₂, and light), the system will provide users with real-time data on key growth conditions, allowing them to make data-driven adjustments for optimal plant health.

Additionally, through user-friendly data visualizations and cloud-based access, GreenThumb Tracker aims to empower both novice and expert gardeners with insights to manage their plant environments effectively, ultimately enhancing plant growth and yield.

This project seeks to deliver an affordable, scalable solution that bridges the gap between simple plant care tools and complex industrial greenhouse systems, offering robust functionality for both small-scale and enthusiast-level applications.

Team Members:

• Toby Buckmaster
• Aaron Parker
• Darrelle Simonton
• Adam Ustby

Advisor: Ayesha Nipu, Computer Science

PantherHub

Objective: Provide a way for students to be connected to resources that they might not know are available.

Team Members:

• Jack Due
• Seht Lipor
• Emanuel Sarbu
• Arnov Saxena
• Daniel Estrada Sepulveda
• Erik Shen

Advisor: Ayesha Nipu, Computer Science

Sparring Seasons

Objective: The goal is to create an engaging 2.5D fighting game that appeals to both new and experienced players, focusing on fun gameplay and accessible mechanics.

Team Members:

• Yuri Kleyman
• Haroun Mekonnen
• Khushi Sharma
• Ennis Sonnen
• Yazi Yang

Advisor: Ayesha Nipu, Computer Science

Atomic Clock Receiver

Objective:
The purpose of this project is to build a high accuracy atomic clock which receives one of the time signals broadcast by the WWVB radio station in Fort Collins, CO.

Team Members:

• Sam Catania
• Aisha Mian
• Chase Nicpon

Advisors:

• Jeff Kautzer, Adjunct Professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
• William Dussault, Teaching Faculty II, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Block Diagram

Findings:
TBD

Major Features:

1. DC Powered Clock withLCD/ OLED Display
2. Rechargeable
3. Includes Temp/Humidity Sensors 
4. User friendly – usable by everybody 

Intended Market:

• United States

Cost: 

• Sales Price: $60 , Component Cost: $20, Assembly and Test Cost: $10

Environment:

• Indoor, Outdoor, Stationary
• Operating Temp: -40-125C, Range:-40-85oC, Accuracy +/-1oC, Resolution: +/- 1oC
• Operating Humidity: 0-100%, Accuracy +-2%, Resolution: +-2%
• Time: Range: Hours/ min , Accuracy +/- .01 s, Resolution: .1 s
• Battery Voltage:
  • Range: 5.5V to 8.4V
  • Accuracy: -.07V/+.02V,
  • Resolution: +/- .1V

Power Input(s):

• Battery Power:
  • 8.4 Volts @ 2.85A Max Current, Type-Size:18650 

Major Functions:

• On, Off, Idle mode

Major Interfaces, User Controls & Displays:

• USB-C, LCD /OLED

Automatic WiFi Doorbell

Objective: To create a doorbell that automatically rings at the detection of a person.

Team Members:

• Collier Hanks
• George Kutsunis
• Zoe Wagner

Advisor: Jeff Kautzer and William Dussault, UWM CEAS Electrical Engineering

Block Diagram

Major Features:

• Can differentiate between a person and an animal
• Capability to play back and record messages
• Connects to phone via Wi-Fi

Intended Market:

• North America

Cost: 

• Sales Price: $300, Component Cost: $140, Assembly & Test Costs: $10

Key Requirements:

• Rings doorbell when a person is detected standing in front the door from a range of 2-3 m ofdevice
• Notifies user’s phone via WiFi network, in case user is not home
• Allows user to record message and playback on speaker from a range of 40-45 dB sensitivity
• Differentiates between humans and animals
• Operating Temp Range:-10-50 degrees C 

Ultrasonic Glasses for the Blind

Objective:
The purpose of this project is to create a device that senses objects at a distance and notifies the user if there is an object nearby.

Team Members:

• Yoshio Jimenez Chavez
• Gideon Green
• Andrick Hernandez
• Omar Issa
• Cheo Reys

Advisors:

• Jeff Kautzer, Adjunct Professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
• William Dussault, Teaching Faculty II, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Block Diagram

Findings:
TBD

Major Features:

• The glasses are equipped with ultrasonic sensors.
• Battery operated, rechargeable.
• Haptic motor that vibrates more intensely as user approaches objects
• User has control of on/off of the glasses.
• Scans every .5 secs
• Sensor detects 99% of objects
• Key differentiating Performance:
  • Warning to blind user when there is an obstacle in a close distance (up to 15m of sensing distance, and up to 180 degree of coverage)

Intended Market:

• All ages in the United States

Cost: 

• Sales Price: $2,000, Component Cost: $180, Assembly and Test Cost: $10

Environment:

• Indoor, Outdoor, Wearable
• Operating Temp: -20-40C
• Operating Humidity: 30-100%

Power Input(s):

• Residential AC Power: 102 – 132 V @ 2.4A
• Battery Power: Qty 2 of 2 Rechargeable Battery, 5Volts

Major Functions:

• For each: Accuracy-100% & Range – .1-15m & Scans every .5 secs at the speed of light
• Haptic Motor has 1225 Rotations/Min and a Frequency of 165 Hz
• 180 Degree FOV
• Function Examples: On, Off

Developing An Effective Inventory Model

Objective: Our goal is to provide Expert Engineering Solutions with more effective inventory management. Based on historical data, we will be suggesting safety stock level, reorder point, and order quantity for the companies most important products. The selection of these will be to minimize the risk of stockout while also minimizing the associated inventory costs.

Team Members:

• Muqrin Alrehaili
• Thomas Schaller
• Weston Schneider

Advisor: Dah-Chuan Gong, Scientist II, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering

Aircraft Oil Tank

Objective: Design a lightweight, efficient oil tank for DeltaHawk’s diesel aircraft engines that meets FAA requirements, separates air from aerated oil, holds 6 quarts, and withstands 9g forward and 6g downward forces, while adhering to budget limits.

Deliverables:

• Complete CAD model of the tank
• A functional prototype to test on aircraft
• Manufacturability assessment
• Develop a test plan to safely test the prototype on the aircraft

Team Members:

• Giles Grows
• Matthew Medema
• John Pembroke
• Michael Serra

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Andy Oja, DeltaHawk Engines

Demolding Fixture Redesign

Objective: Design a new fixture to separate mold halves for casting polyurethane couplings, enhancing safety, ergonomics, ease of use, and reliability while reducing operator fatigue and safety risks.

Team Members:

• Dylan Engelbright
• Adrian Sanchez
• Vince Swartz
• Josiah Welch

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: David Hanson, Regal Rexnord

Findings:

Regal Rexnord is a global company that designs and manufactures innovative products for various industries. They specialize in motion control, power transmission, and industrial components, serving markets such as automation, energy, and transportation. 

Our CTQs for the project are: 

• To stay under a $500 budget, with the possibility of increasing it up to $1000 if necessary for emergencies.
• The epoxy resin dispenser will be designed to ensure a consistent flow rate during the initial fill, preventing spills to the outer diameter and applying the resin according to the specified pattern in the procedure instructions.
• It will also meet ergonomic standards, satisfying the 13-question ergonomic checklist provided by Regal Rexnord.
• The resin application in the initial fill phase will be completed in 75 seconds or less.
• Additionally, safety features such as an E-stop and/or shield will be incorporated to protect the operator from the spinning brake or motor.

We were able to meet the following requirements

• The project is $122.96 under budget, with a total cost of $377.04.
• It meets the outer diameter requirement, providing a steady flow rate controlled by a foot pedal.
• The design has been approved by the Regal Rexnord team and features an initial fill time of 30 seconds, which can be adjusted as needed.
• Additionally, an E-stop button is included on the motor controller for added safety.

The Senior Design team was able to improve upon the safety, ergonomics, and ease of use associated with all demolding fixtures at The Regal Rexnord New Berlin facility by completely overhauling the existing solution. The axis of rotation, degrees of rotation, and locking functionality were revised to yield positive adjustments in necessary force, operator neck inclination, and operator involvement. A comprehensive ergonomic analysis revealed that risk of injury associated with the existing solution was significantly reduced due to the group’s design changes.

The group predicts that their proposed solution will survive a minimum of 10 years, (or 1,000,000+ cycles) in the manufacturing facility. The project was completed on time, and under budget.

Engine Hose Simulator

Objective: Develop test equipment to simulate real‐world conditions by designing a heating/cooling control system designed to assure thermal stability for HellermannTyton’s vehicular hose clamps.

Team Members:

• Alexsander Andric
• Jovica Kojic
• Scott LaMothe
• JD Peterson III

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Joseph Friedli and Jerad Grewe, HellermanTyton North America

Findings:

HellermannTyton currently outsources Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT), a process that ensures product structural and thermal integrity under extreme conditions. To reduce costs and improve design accuracy, an in-house system for thermal portion of HALT has been developed. The system, which controls temperature within -40℃ to 150℃ (cooling to -50℃), uses automated thermal control to simulate varying temperature profiles for a week-long runtime. A prototype chamber, one-fifth the size of the final system, verifies the design. The system is to eventually be integrated with a shaker table to simulate vibrations, mirrors HALT testing conditions.

A refrigeration system was fully optimized to meet sponsor requirements, with components selected and verified through heat transfer calculations and CFD simulations. The system ensures efficiency, reliability, and proper functionality. The Python-based control system, tested in the prototype chamber, can be transferred to the final cascade refrigeration system. A detailed schematic for electrical wiring ensures seamless interaction between the heating, cooling systems, and controls. HellermannTyton will receive the complete system, including the cascade refrigeration system, heater and fan assembly, Raspberry Pi, LCD display, and necessary hardware.

Noise (DB) Reduction of Main Grinder Area

Objective: Reduce the main grinder area’s noise levels to keep the operator’s 8‐hour Time Weighted Average below OSHA’s 90 dB limit, without affecting throughput. This will improve working conditions in Hampel’s thermoforming process.

Team Members:

• K. Simon Diffenbaugh
• Xeng Lor
• Delvin Thao
• Alexander Wiggins

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Nick Tobias, Hampel Corp.

Findings:

The Hampel project aimed to reduce the operator area’s noise level to meet OSHA’s permissible limits for an 8-hour shift. Collaborating with Hampel, the team defined specific goals based on their needs and challenges. Various design solutions were proposed, each with unique advantages and trade-offs. The chosen design emphasized manufacturability and ease of testing. After implementing the prototype, an economic analysis was conducted to determine the project’s total cost.

The solution involved integrating a chute flap design into the grinder chute, adding a gasket between the grinder and chute, and applying dampening material to the chute’s exterior. These measures reduced noise levels in the operator area from 100dB to 90dB during regular operations and from 110dB to 90dB while grinding plastic trims. Additional recommendations include installing a second chute flap, implementing a noise-canceling system, or relocating the operator to a second floor with an extended chute. 

The noise-canceling system would require extensive research into high-resolution speakers, microphones, and systems capable of precise and high-speed sound cancellation, which entails significant costs. The second-floor relocation would involve architectural assessments, structural modifications, and new logistics for operator access and material transport. Adding a second chute flap is the most cost-effective and immediate recommendation, with potential improvements to materials and performance.

Sheeter System for Machine 8

Objective: Evaluate alternative sheet alignment for Hampel’s thermoforming. Current loading fails to handle sheet size variations, causing scrap and fire risks. Goal: improve loading to manage size variations.

Team Members:

• David Adegbami
• Dylan Hall
• Tri Nguyen

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Nick Tobias, Hampel Corp.

Findings:

The current sheet loading system is not able to align the sheet evenly into the clamps system due to the variation of incoming sheet stock sizing, which can lead to sheets falling out inside the furnace and causing fire hazards. 

The design team successfully developed an alternative solution that addresses the issues with the current sheeter system for Machine 8. The proposed design meets all critical to quality (CTQ) requirements by accommodating differences in sheet tolerances and operating within the specified time limits.

The design was completed on schedule and within budget.

Recommendations for improving the design include incorporating welds to reduce the number of fasteners and minimize the risk of looseness between ramp components. Additionally, it is suggested to use laser liner modules mounted directly onto the machine setup instead of tripod-mounted laser liner modules to conserve shop floor space and eliminate potential tripping hazards.

Soccer Goals Fexed and Caster Wheel Mount Housing

Objective: The project aims to redesign the wheel mount housing for Keeper Goals’ soccer goal side panels and backbars to enhance user safety and eliminate the need for protective padding.

The new design will create a unified mount for both fixed and caster wheels, reduce welding time and material costs, and maintain compatibility with existing components.

Deliverables include a working prototype, CAD models.

Team Members:

• Nicholas Klenner
• Jack Miralrio
• Jarred Nelson
• Jay Purohit

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Adam Fink, Keeper Goals

Findings:

The Keeper Goals Soccer Goal Wheel Mount Housing Redesign aimed to enhance safety, streamline manufacturing, and reduce costs while maintaining structural integrity and compliance with ASTM standards. The final design eliminates sharp edges, reducing injury risks, and removes the need for additional safety padding. Using in-house tools like MIG welders and drill presses, the design simplifies construction by employing consistent materials—2×4 A500 steel tubing—aligned with existing inventories.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) verified the design’s structural soundness. Static analysis showed a maximum principal stress of 6,208 psi, well below the material’s yield (36,000 psi) and ultimate stress (58,000 psi), ensuring factors of safety above 5.8. Fatigue analysis, using the Modified Goodman Criterion, confirmed the design’s durability under cyclic loading, achieving infinite life performance.

Economically, the project met cost-related Critical to Quality (CTQ) targets, keeping manufacturing cost increases under 10% and achieving a 6% reduction at 40 units. Streamlined material use reduced procurement complexity, though precise cuts and weld smoothing increased labor efforts. Standardizing weld fixtures can improve future efficiency.

Ultimately, the redesign improves safety, simplifies production, and aligns with Keeper Goals’ needs, offering a cost-effective, durable, and user-friendly solution.

The redesigned soccer goal wheel mount housing demonstrates strong potential to serve as Keeper Goals’ new standard. By leveraging in-house machinery and requiring only a simple holding fixture for assembly, the design ensures compatibility with existing manufacturing processes while maintaining production efficiency. Its straightforward integration into current workflows highlights its practicality and cost-effectiveness.

Trade Show Mechanical Puzzle Box

Objective: Design an eye-catching mechanical puzzle box for trade shows based on mechanical principles like hinges, levers, and gears to showcase the benefits of 3D printing and design for additive manufacturing.

Team Members:

• Lilly Herbst
• Joe Kebis
• Kenjee Luangkhot
• Aman Malkani

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Jordan Nowak, 3D Parts Unlimited

Findings:

The final design included a box with four walls and five puzzles utilizing gears, hinges, and other mechanisms inside the box, not including the top. The design was printed within the specified dimensions, being 9.9″x 9.9”x9.0”, and stayed within budget constraints at $894. After dropping a certain edge of the box on concrete multiple times, the targeted hinge fractured. 

Future recommendations include adding or improving lattice structures on parts with internal mechanisms for the excess powder to escape. Additionally, modifying the clearance of moving parts will decrease the likelihood of parts being fused. 

Overall, the team found this project fascinating and exciting. During the project selection process, all four members discussed previous interests in using 3D printing technology and were eager to learn and utilize the innovative technology provided in this project.

Universal Epoxy Dispenser

Objective: Automate the potting process for AC and DC industrial brakes to reduce cycle time from 95 to 75 seconds and ensure consistent epoxy distribution according to specifications.

Team Members:

• Lucas Goelzer
• Dylan Hovey
• Jacob Pavletich
• Nicholas Thammavongsa

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentors: Rajab Elsharef and Isabel Walsh, Regal Rexnord