Spring 2023 Senior Design Projects

Organized Flow

Objective: The goal is to create a mobile IV line organizer that can track and label different sized IV lines. This device would improve medical professional efficiency and reduce the risks of IV accidents.

Team Members:

• Rachel Kerkhoff
• Pradnya Narvekar
• Caitlynn Owens
• Kaveri Salunke

Advisors:

• Jacob Rammer, Assistant Professor Biomedical Engineering
• Grace Fasipe, Biomedical Engineering

Prototype

Project Findings:

Infusion-related mistakes are estimated to cost the U.S. healthcare system $2 billion annually. As a result, healthcare systems need to implement a device to manage and organize these IV lines so that each patient can have 2-15 lines and the medical staff can work efficiently without causing risk to the patient. 

Our team designed the Organized Flow-IV Line Organizer, a device to untangle and hold IV lines in an organized fashion, track and label IV lines using an LCD touchscreen, have sturdy clamps to allow for mobility, and reusability. The base of the device is made up of PLA which is biocompatible and easily sterilized using disinfectants used in medical facilities. It is designed with a ILI9488 touchscreen which is coded using Arduino to display and label six drugs in a color-coded table next to the corresponding IV lines. The hinge joint used allows for six lines to be swapped out and held sturdily in place when needed in the field. The C-shaped clamps attached allow for the device to be held firmly to a hospital bed side or IV poles during patient transportation. The compartment underneath the device holds the electrical components needed to power the ILI9488 touchscreen such as the Arduino, breadboard, and potentiometer. 

With a slightly larger budget and more time, a product that is ready to be used in the field could be created. However, we were still successful in designing and implementing a device that met the required specifications.

WCNL

Objective: Our project is an inflatable ramp that aims to help EMTs transport bariatric patients from their beds and onto a stretcher in a quick and efficient way that reduces strain on EMTS and risk of injury.

Team Members:

• Hazar Amer
• Nova Anderson
• Pilhwan Kim
• William Perry

Advisors:

• Jacob Rammer, Assistant Professor Biomedical Engineering
• Grace Fasipe, Biomedical Engineering

Project Findings:

The objective of our project is to help emergency medical personnel to move bariatric patients (who are 300+ pounds) from their beds to the stretcher. Current method being used in the field cause back injuries. 
The product must be able to lift and hold 700 pounds up to 1000 pounds with safety factor applied, with maximum angle of 20 degrees in time range of 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes. 

Our prototype suggests that our device is capable of reducing the amount of force required by EMTs and paramedics in moving patients, by less than 50%. This indicates that our device can provide a significant improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency medical situation.

Under Pressure

Objective: To provide a biofeedback system to be used with upper limb prosthetics. The biofeedback system relates pressure sensor information to the user via thermal feedback.

Team Members:

• Seif Abdljawad
• Yasmean Alrashid
• Gabriella Cutie Rodriguez
• Alishah Horton
• Thalia Manansala

Advisors:

• Jacob Rammer, Assistant Professor Biomedical Engineering
• Grace Fasipe, Biomedical Engineering

Project Findings:

Our group developed a sensory feedback device in the form of a sleeve called Force Touch. The device is an additive device that can function with a prosthetic hand and aid prosthetic users in understanding how much force is being applied to their prosthetic when navigating through life. The project utilized pressure sensors, LED lights, Peltier Thermal, Arduino, and circuit components to make a sleeve that would allow the user to obtain visual feedback and sensory feedback (heat or cold). 

Findings show that the pressure sensor signals (0-5V) were successfully grouped into three “sensing zones” and processed by the Arduino code to generate the desired output signals. For the LED display portion of the signal processing program, the signals were successfully characterized as “low” (0-9kg), “medium” (10-19kg), or “high” (20-30kg) pressure signals, through if-else programming. 4V signals were then correspondingly exported to the LED circuit to create an LED force strip effect for each zone, achieving three LED feedback displays. Meanwhile the pressure sensor signals were also processed, and routed to the Peltier circuit, where they would be amplified, to generate a 0-12V signal output which would serve as controls for Peltier actuation and feedback. Further, a potentiometer was connected in-line with this 0-12V output signal, to also give the user some flexibility. Furthermore, the device was able to perform its intended function despite the struggle with its assembly.

Ascension Extension

Objective: The goal is to take an under-utilized strip mall near North Ridge Mall in Milwaukee and use the lot to expand the nearby Ascension Living Facilities.

Team Members:

• Rachel Clark
• Julie Gunkel
• Frances Nesler
• Dylan Nicosia
• Mason Schoof

Advisor: Randy Videkovich, Adjunct Professor Civil & Environmental Engineering

Project Presentation: Friday, May 5, 2023 from 10:40-11:10 am in EMS 190.

Engineering Collective Inc.

Objective: The goal is to create a new 5-story mixed-use (residential and commercial) building in the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District that will best satisfy the needs of the specific community who will reside there.

Team Members:

• James Alessia
• Nathan Kaplan
• Diego Lopez
• Oscar Picazo
• Margaret Simonelli

Advisor: Randy Videkovich, Adjunct Professor Civil & Environmental Engineering

Project Presentation: Friday, May 5, 2023 from 11:10-11:40 am in EMS 190.

Harbor View Apartments

Objective: The goal is to design a mixed-use development that positively impacts the expanding Harbor District.

Team Members:

• Jarod Brown
• Matthew Howard
• Donald Meronek
• Braden Mork
• Mackinley Russ

Advisor: Randy Videkovich, Adjunct Professor Civil & Environmental Engineering

Project Presentation: Friday, May 5, 2023 from 9:30-10:00 am in EMS 190.

Lakeshore Lodging and Carpark

Objective: The goal is to design a parking structure and hotel at 607 East Summerfest Place, Milwaukee, WI.

Team Members:

• Joshua Bohn
• Michael Dudenas
• Dylan Godlewski
• Adam Vandenbos
• Adam Wieser

Advisor: Randy Videkovich, Adjunct Professor Civil & Environmental Engineering

Project Presentation: Friday, May 5, 2023 from 10:00-10:30 am in EMS 190.

O.M. Schommer & Sons

Objective: The goal is to safely and effectively design a state-of-the-art multi-sport complex in the Harbor District. This facility will allow access for citizens with an active lifestyle to a developing area of Milwaukee.

Team Members:

• Chandler Baures
• Joe Kraimer
• Aaron Schmitt
• Olivia Schommer
• Jakob Ulman

Advisor: Randy Videkovich, Adjunct Professor Civil & Environmental Engineering

Project Presentation: Friday, May 5, 2023 from 9:00-9:30 am in EMS 190.

Pre-Stressed Inc.

Objective: The goal is to design an apartment building with necessary amenities and structures following codes, laws, and standard practices.

Team Members:

• Uriel DeSantiago
• Drake Halbach
• Dan Lakich
• Mason Stelter
• Davee Vang
• Seth Weis

Advisor: Randy Videkovich, Adjunct Professor Civil & Environmental Engineering

Project Presentation: Friday, May 5, 2023 from 11:40-12:10 am in EMS 190.

Food Review Application

Objective: The goal is to create a food review application which focuses on user-generated content to help people with dietary restrictions find good local food!

Team Members:

• Ethan Beck
• Evan Christopherson
• Dan Ripka
• Zak Schuh

Advisor: Avinash Rajendra, Computer Science

Roommate Pantry App

Objective: The goal is to design an application that can connect roommates together and keep track of their food storage. It also allows users to know exactly which food is theirs.

Team Members:

• Zak Brandenburg
• Broderick Hebert
• Erik Mortensen
• Carson Rennicke
• Baljot Singh

Advisor: Avinash Rajendra, Computer Science

Tool Ownership Tracker

Objective: Our group’s goal is to design a tool tracking application to allow a company to manage their tools into groups and subgroups to maintain accountability.

Team Members:

• Alex Fuller
• Judas Lane
• Isaac Lawson
• Tyler Meulmans
• Connor Nethen
• Michael Tulod

Advisor: Avinash Rajendra, Computer Science

Findings:

Our tool tracker application was created as an asset-tracking alternative to large paid brands such as Asset Panda. This application allows a site-based company to maintain an inventory of its equipment that would traditionally be used by multiple employees, causing the ‘ownership’ to change hands often. This frequent movement of assets can cause losses to the company in terms of time spent searching for a tool, and tools that go missing because they are left in the wrong place, or even get stolen.

Throughout the last two semesters, we worked to design a lightweight, easy-to-use, user interface to solve this problem that included some desired features to solve the problem in an elegant way— specifically, tiered toolboxes, barcode scanning for tool manipulation, trading tools with other users, interactive tables and search bars with JavaScript, batch return for checking tools back in, and a reporting system for missing or damaged tools.

Through our combined efforts we accomplished the implementation of all of our desired features! We learned a great deal about working in a team to develop a complicated piece of software utilizing the Agile method of Scrum meetings and a GitHub source control system that was linked to our team Discord server to notify us of all changes to branches contained in the project. Additionally, we gained experience in many technical skills including JavaScript interaction, API usage (Pyzbar), and page design with a focus on UX!

UWM PAWs Renovation

Objective: Our goal is to renovate PAWS. There are many bugs and glitches that occur during the current version of PAWS that creates a very poor user experience. We look to enhance the user experience.

Team Members:

• Caden Blindauer
• Daniel Boettcher
• Matthew Klinger
• Anupam Murikurthy
• Yazan Salem

Advisor: Avinash Rajendra, Computer Science

CodePlaza

Objective: The project goal is to is to create a website that gives software developers, freelancers or otherwise, a space to sell their code/scripts to customers as well as get hired for larger jobs.

Team Members:

• Haitam Chouiek
• Omar Hammad
• Usama Khan
• Caleb Wicker
• Shengxin Yu

Advisor: Avinash Rajendra, Computer Science

Project Findings:

Our team developed a website catering to freelance developers selling their code, giving us valuable insights into user experience, quality control, and developer engagement. To ensure an effortless user experience, we designed a user-friendly interface with easy-to-understand product descriptions. Maintaining high-quality code was crucial to establish trust with users, which we accomplished through rigorous testing and verification. Additionally, we engaged with freelance developers to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and pain points, thus improving our platform’s ability to serve the developer community.

Team 2

Objective: The project goal is to build a quality aquarium monitor that will track the necessary parameters to build a health environment for aquatic life inside your residential home.

Team Members:

• John Harb
• Milad Masoodi
• Kyle Rabin
• Cameron Wizner
• Tyler Zastrow

Advisor: Avinash Rajendra, Computer Science

Environmental Monitoring and Control System for Aquariums

Objective: To monitor aquarium environment and regulate them based on aquarium requirements.

Team Members:

• Hector Ambriz
• Nemanja Asanin
• Nicholas Birschbach
• Mitchell Freund
• Alex Hillmer

Advisor: William Dussault, UWM CEAS Electrical Engineering

Presentation: Friday, May 12, 2023 from 9:00-10:00 am in EMS E237

Major Features:

1. System monitors pH, Temperature and Turbidity.
2. Can control pH levels based on the users need.
3. LCD screen connected to system displays measured values for the consumer

Intended Market:

• US Fish Enthusiasts that would like more information and better control of their aquarium.

Cost: 

• ~$200 Prototype Cost, $247 Component Cost.

Environment:

• Indoor Unit
• Operating Temp Range: 40°F to 100°F
• Humidity Range: 0-100%

Power Input(s):

• AC Power: Min- 114Vac, Nom- 120Vac, Max- 126Vac, @ 15 Amps Max Current

Major Functions:

• Measure pH: Accuracy: ±0.1, Resolution: ±0.1, Range: 0-14
• Measure Turbidity: Accuracy: ±10 NTU, Resolution: 1, Range: 0 to 1000 NTU
• Measure Temperature: Accuracy: ±1°F, Resolution: 0.1, Range: 40°F to 100°F

Portable Signal Generator

Objective: To create a battery-powered, portable signal generator supply designed for aspiring engineers and students.

Team Members:

• Eunjae Cho
• Chris Dodaro
• Robert Munoz
• Daniel Rehm
• Henry Wiedemann
• Tou Xiong

Advisor: William Dussault, UWM CEAS Electrical Engineering

Presentation: Friday, May 12, 2023 from 8:00-9:00 am in EMS E237

Major Features:

• Voltage range is 0-10 V
• Frequency range is 0 to 500 kHz
• Battery capacity of more than 8000mAh

Intended Market:

• US market

Cost: 

• Sales Price: $199.99, Component Cost: $75, Assembly & Test Costs: $10

Environment:

• Indoor, Outdoor, Mobile
• Operating Temp Range:   -10 to 40 degrees C
• Operating Humidity Range:  10 to 98

Power Input(s):

• US Residential AC Power:  120 VAC @ 4 Amps Max
• Battery Power:   Qty 1 of lifetime, 14.8V, 30 Amps (max)

Major Functions:

• Sine/Square/Saw waveform generation: range = -5V to 5V, frequency range = 0 Hz -> 500kHz
• Functions:  On, Off, Output on/off
• Quantities: V, A, Hz

Stove Burner Monitor Safety System

Objective: To ensure a stovetop is attended while used and is secured to power if left unattended.

Team Members:

• Hassan Abdallah
• Ben Huynh
• Ethan Monka
• Donald Novak
• Elijah Raflik
• Jared Rasmussen

Advisor: William Dussault, UWM CEAS Electrical Engineering

Presentation: Friday, May 12, 2023 from 10:00 am – 11:00 am in EMS E237

Major Features:

• Bluetooth notifications
• Automatic Stove Power Management
• Backup power supply

Intended Market:

• US market

Cost: 

• Sales Price: $199.99, Component Cost: $75, Assembly & Test Costs: $10

Environment:

• Indoor
• Operating Temp Range:   40 to -70 degrees C
• Operating Humidity Range:  0 to 100

Power Input(s):

• AC Power: 120 V
• Battery power: 4 hr
• Major Functions
• On, off, and standby mode
• Bluetooth Connectivity Range: 200-300 meters
• Temperature Sensor Range: Min: 70 ^oC, Max: 120 ^oC
• Motion Sensor Range: 2 m 

Portable Solar Generator

Objective: To design a portable solar powered energy storage device for on-demand common electrical needs used in residential backup, camping and travel (120 Vac, 12 Vdc and 5Vdc).

Team Members:

• Joey Authement
• Trevor Glamm
• Nadeem Khair
• Kathryn Radaj
• Jared Thierfelder

Advisor: William Dussault, UWM CEAS Electrical Engineering

Presentation: Friday, May 12, 2023 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm in EMS E237

Major Features:

• Two 120VAC, 60Hz outputs
• 12V and 5V DC outputs
• 300Wh with 12 V, 25Ahrs LiFePO4 Battery High efficiency converters and maximum power point tracking to reduce power loss

Intended Market:

• USA, Off-grid residents, Commerical Use, Traveling/Camping

Cost: 

• Sales Price: $350, Component Cost: $200, Assembly & Test Costs: $50

Environment:

• Outdoor, Portable
• Operating Temp Range: -20–50 °C
• Operating Humidity Range:  0-100%, Noncondensing

Power Input(s):

• Battery Power:   12 Volts @ 25 Amps Max Current, LiFePO4
• Solar Panel:  12 VDC depending on weather conditions and panel angle

Major Functions:

• Functions: AC and DC output
• Quantities Measured: 
  • Battery Charge
    • +/-1% accuracy and 1% accuracy
  • Temperature 
    • +/- 1̊ F 
  • Current 
    • 0A to 20A, ±0.1A Accuracy, 0.1A Resolution
  • Voltage 
    • 11V to 13V, ±0.1V Accuracy, 0.1V Resolution
  • Power
    • 0W to 1200W, ±0.1W Accuracy, 0.1W Resolution
• Quantity:
  • AC Power out: 120V  ±0.1V, 60Hz
  • DC Power Out: 12V ±0.1V , 25A Max
  • DC Power Out: 5V ±0.1V , 25A Max

Ergonomic Evaluation of a Fabrication Deburring Cell

Objective: To evaluate the processes and identify ergonomic risks before proposing possible solutions to mitigate the identified risks.

Team Members:

• Baseer Hussaini
• Matthew Weber
• Tyler Wendt

Project Advisor:

• Madiha Ahmed, Industrial Engineering
• Iftekharuddin Khan, Industrial Engineering

Industry Mentor:

• Erin Dugan, Krones Inc.
• Alexandra Apenteng, Krones Inc.

Project Presentation:
Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 3:40-4:00 pm

Connected Systems Institute
(East of Golda Meir Library)

Click here for complete agenda.

Maintenance Cost Estimation for FedEx Ground Delivery Vehicles

Objective: The goal of this project is to reduce the budget variance between the estimated maintenance cost for a fleet of delivery vehicles and the actual cost by formulating a variable model that can provide accurate estimates for any given mileage period on any vehicle model within the fleet. 

Team Members:

• Cameron Kendall
• Abdulrahman Yahya

Project Advisor:

• Wilkistar Otieno, Chair, Industrial Engineering

Industry Mentor:

• Ryan Hahn, FedEx
• Mark Janociak, FedEx

Project Presentation:
Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 4:05-4:25 pm

Connected Systems Institute
(East of Golda Meir Library)

Click here for complete agenda.

A 7-Day Employee Schedule & Relevant KPIs for FedEx Ground

Objective: To create an optimal 7-day schedule for FedEx Ground delivery drivers along with Key Performance Indices to be used to evaluate the system performance.

Team Members:

• Andrea Veron Esqueda
• Jason Morrisson
• Johann Sebastian Suarez

Project Advisor:

• Iftekharuddin Khan, Industrial Engineering

Industry Mentor:

• Ryan Hahn, FedEx
• Mark Janociak, FedEx

Project Presentation:
Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 4:30-4:55 pm

Connected Systems Institute
(East of Golda Meir Library)

Click here for complete agenda.

Establishing Inventory & Asset Tracking

Objective: To implement a digital inventory management system for the Connected Systems Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, to enable seamless and real-time track and tracing of the manufacturing testbed’s work in progress.  We are utilizing our project sponsor’s hardware and software. This is the inaugural senior design project done using the CSI testbed. 

Team Members:

• Devin Arfstrom
• AJ Holzheimer
• Kevin Pedley

Project Advisor:

• Wilkistar Otieno, Chair, Industrial Engineering
• Dah-Chuan Gong, Industrial Engineering

Industry Mentor:

• Scott Kogler, Brady Corporation

Project Presentation:
Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 5:00-5:20 pm

Connected Systems Institute
(East of Golda Meir Library)

Click here for complete agenda.

Computational Modeling of a Physical Vapor Deposition Process for Thin Films

Objective: Utilize computational modeling to find the correlation between molecular dynamics simulations, and experimentally grown thin films, for device optimization.

Team Members:

• Owen Bellevage
• Rosalba Huerta
• Weiling Xia

Project Advisor: Dr. Ben Church, Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Industry Mentor: Dr. Valentine Novosad, Senior Materials Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory

Digital Image Analysis of Steel Microstructure

Objective: Create a process, using digital image analysis, that accurately describes characteristics of cementite morphology in pearlite and spheroidite.

Team Members:

• Thomas Brefka
• Quintin Faretra-Gundlach

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ben Church, Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Industry Mentor: Ted Fitzpatrick, Process Metallurgist, Charter Steel

Bond Strength of Metal-Matrix Composite Insert Casting

Objective: Design a test method to measure the mechanical bond strength between a metal-matrix composite (MMC) and aluminum for an insert casting process. 

Team Members:

• Pong Lee
• Gavin Schmer
• James Veltri
• Steven Wenninger

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ben Church, Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Industry Mentor: David Weiss, VP Research and Development, Eck Industries

Safe Passivation of a Pyrophoric Powder

Objective: Design a process that allows for safe, controlled passivation of pyrophoric aluminum metal powder by forming an outer layer of aluminum oxide.

Team Members:

• Chloe Hotze
• Luis-Agustin Moctezuma
• Katelyn Sprandel

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ben Church, Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Industry Mentor: Dr. Ben Schultz, Manager, Alloys and Composites, MATSYS, Inc.

3D Printed Robotic Arm

Objective: The goal of this project is to develop a robotic arm that moves through six degrees of motion for a showroom setting. This is to showcase the capabilities of 3D printing.

Team Members:

• Evan Foust
• Matthew LaPlant
• Fatijon Lena
• Gabriel Picato
• Evan Skaer

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Jordan Nowak, Engman-Taylor

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 4:00-4:25 pm in EMS E250.

Project Findings:

The final design features an aesthetically pleasing, functional, and sturdy robot capable of accurately displacing the block in the programmed sequence. Through the iterative design process, the team identified critical variables in motor movement and made minor changes to the design to ensure accuracy and precision throughout the demonstration sequence. The use of nylon 12 material and HP 3D printing technology allowed production of robust and durable parts, which could withstand the stresses and forces experienced during testing. Although the initial designs of the linkages were modified to accommodate tighter motor tolerances, the resulting design did not compromise the functionality or visual appeal of the robot. The testing phase identified some minor issues, such as the need for more secure wiring, as well as refining the code for more fluid movement. However, these issues were addressed and resulted in increased performance of the robot. 

Recommendations for future work include the exploration of more advanced programming techniques to improve the accuracy and fluidity of the robot’s movements. Additionally, research or development code for flexibility in the self-correction abilities of the servos would aid in the overall fluidity. Finally, when looking at linkage design, potential development of a bone-inspired infill (trabeculae) would decrease the overall weight of the linkages and increase their strength/ rigidity.

Automated Tool Calibration System

Objective: To build onto the system that was developed by the previous senior design team by developing an automated calibration system for the EVO line of the manual cable tie tools. The design must feature a tieless test system.

Team Members:

• Andrew Grady
• John Marshall
• Andrew Peroutka
• Benjamin Rathert
• Aimee Stolcers

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Roger Nietzell, HellermannTyton

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 2:30-2:55 pm in EMS E250.

Project Findings:

Our approach to the problem solved the inner and outer knob components of the calibration process. Due to the time limit, the actuator for the top slide on the tool had a functional issue that was not able to be discovered until the entire prototype had been built and the code was tested. If more time were given and this project were to be continued, the recommendation would be to create a more autonomous program by creating a working mechanism for the top slide, install spring tension on the internal adjuster tool, and configure faster tool-install mounts. The design that had been started contains a block that needs to be put on the tool head which is then inserted into the printed bed. Since this requires a separate piece, it is not ideal for a manufacturing process. Additional recommendations would include changing the fastener head type to match the CAD model and installing metal 3D printed parts. Additionally, if any protection from the surrounding environment is sought, then some sort of IP protection box would suffice.

Cobot Material Wear Test System

Objective: The goal is to design a collaborative UR-10 v5.8 Cobot gripper to hold a saturated cleaning agent wipe material, with a pump integrated with the Cobot that feeds cleaning agent on the wipe to maintain moisture.

Team Members:

• Brock Huisman
• Nathaniel Jamieson
• Brian Schwartz
• The Thanh Tran
• Kristopher Zeise

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Dan Nemecek, GE HealthCare

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 7:30-7:55 pm in EMS E250.

Project Findings:

Completing the Cobot life cycle washer provided numerous challenges. Initially, the group had one end-of-arm tool to perform the cycle tests that GE would need. Only when the GE engineers provided significantly smaller parts did we realize that our current end-of-arm tool would not work. Based on this conclusion, we decided to design a second end-of-arm tool that was smaller and could be used to wash the smaller components that GE provided. The integration of the pump and part stand also had problems that seemed dependent on each other. The original design had the part holder angled so the pump tubing held above the tested part. This design ensured correct cleaning agent saturation, but testing this concept proved unfunctional. The end-of-arm tool bumped into the tubing, which disrupted the continuous flow of the pump to the tested part. Fixing this issue meant reconfiguring the part holder to be flat and integrating the pump tubing into the end-of-arm tool.

High Performance Motor Group Coil Winder Modification

Objective: The goal is to repurpose an existing automatic coil winder to wind stator cores for a small 1.5″ variable reluctance motor. Cad model, parts drawings, assembly drawing of automatic winder machine and mechanisms.

Team Members:

• Joshua Hindman
• Nancy Martinez Lazaro
• Ann Richards
• Samuel Soens
• Jonathan Stone

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Amir Alqaddi, Elwood

Final Assembly

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 7:00 – 7:25 pm in EMS E250.

Findings

The objective of the project is to repurpose an automatic coil winder to wind stator cores for a small 1.5″ variable reluctance motor. The existing automatic winder is for a 2″ diameter motor and needs to be modified to accommodate the smaller motor. 

5 of 7 CTQs were met.

The recommendations for this project would be for Elwood Motors to investigate opportunities to optimize the design of the modified winder to reduce manufacturing costs or increase productivity. This could involve manufacturing parts in-house or outsourcing to a more cost-effective supplier. In addition, we would recommend Elwood Motors to be cautious of long run-times or consider replacing the cooling cylinders to prevent overheating. We would also recommend they consider replacing the electronics and programming to control the device and adapt prototyping features like the Arduino code and 3D-printed parts. To maximize productivity, we suggest providing proper training to all operators using the modified automatic coil winder and implementing a preventive maintenance schedule to ensure its longevity and prevent unplanned downtime. We also recommend they conduct regular reviews and analysis of production metrics to measure the impact of the modified winder on production efficiency, cost savings, and quality. Finally, we recommend continuously gathering customer and operator feedback to ensure that the modified winder is meeting needs and expectations.

Spike Brewing Hoptimizer Dry Hopping System

Objective: The project goal is to create an innovative and cost effective dry hopper add-on system to Spike Brewing’s current fermentation tank line. The system will be able to remove oxygen before dispersing the additional media into the tank during the “cold” brewing phase. Project deliverables include a CAD assembly, manufacturing prints, costed bill of materials, and test results of prototypes.

Team Members:

• Dante Brown
• Jack Brown
• George Call
• Sean Coppin

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Adam Hellman, Spike Brewing

Prototype:

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 6:30-6:55 pm in EMS E250.

Project Findings:

The project CTQ metrics were established early and verifiably accomplished through testing and legacy data. The team is confident that the proposed final design will either meet market needs as is or serve as a strong foundation for further iterations by Spike Brewing.

Next steps include the following:
• Obtain a prototype made with final material choice, clear polycarbonate
• Perform additional testing, namely media dispersal and oxygen testing with new prototype
• Reach out to preferred vendors for tooling quotes
• Verify finals costs based on number of units expected to sell per year

If an optimized design is desired, rheology data of hop pellets at a minimum would be required to find the ideal geometry of the hopper. This would require sending hop pellets to a lab capable of processing rheology data. Time and cost should be factored into this decision as to whether a slight increase in the performance of the dry hopper system is worth the additional, up-front costs.

Engine Manipulator

Objective: The goal of the project is design and produce a device which can rotate several different models of small engines for further assembly. Using a dedicated design for this task removes the safety risk present with operators manipulating those engines manually.

Team Members:

• Joshua Beamsley
• Grant Chojnacki
• Matthew Dittbrender
• Tucker Opgenorth
• Ryan Severson

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Mo Besharat, GENERAC

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 5:30-5:55 pm in EMS E250.

Project Findings:

Throughout the project we developed our engineering skills and communication abilities. Through consistent meetings with our industry sponsor, we were able to create a portfolio of the requested deliverables that satisfied all requirements. Having this consistent communication allowed us to maintain realistic timelines for productivity. Having the opportunity to develop a real-world solution for an industry problem allowed us to apply our academic experience in a meaningful way.

Sleep Surface Support Mechanism

Objective: The goal is to improve the sleeping surface of a neonatal incubator mattress to include a frame structure that can connect to a base platform.

Team Members:

• Connor Booth
• Cameron Furseth
• Ryan Rohde
• Adam Streich
• Luke Westhoff

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Ramune Auzelyte, GE HealthCare

Requirements:

The sleep surface support mechanism shall meet the criteria listed below:

• Shall be designed and meet (or exceed) GE’s design standard and criteria.
• Shall be integrated to an existing product, without (or with a minimal) existing part modification

Other design constrains cleanability (chemical material compatibility, removable component design, etc.), safety, suspended mass, etc.

The frame structure shall:

• Be collapsible lower the sleep surface and the neonate to enable performance of medical care on the neonate on a sturdy surface.
• Absorb shock due to motion of the neonatal care system, thereby providing a smoother and more comfortable ride for the neonate during transport.
• Be adjustable by lowering one frame side to adjust the tilt angle of the sleep surface for the neonate and it shall be rotational at the horizontal plane

Students will be introduced to the specific product design characteristics. GE will provide assistance with technical expert and consultant, introduce to GE’s MIC products, provide specific to the project information, test resources, and/or materials.

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 4:30-4:55 pm in EMS E250.

Deliverables:

The output of this project will include:

• Technical report
• Drawing package of final prototype. CAD drawings of each part, assembly, installation (if needed)
• Detailed design model -interface design with GE’s product
• Bill of material for the fixture (Including any hardware, off-the-shelf parts)
• Analysis (or testing if applicable) report demonstrating design can meet requirements
• System cost analysis

Project Findings:

During the past several months, the design team has held meetings on a regular basis to review the project’s problem statement and to begin work on different solutions to the given problem. The design team believes that this project has opened doors to many new designs that the sponsor could work with in the future based on the analysis conducted, the calculations performed, and the overall data collected. Each viable solution and design drawn out and debated over by the design team has led to a single, fully functional minimally viable prototype being fabricated. With all of the data collected and the minimally viable prototype fabricated, the design team suggests some recommendations for moving forward with this project. 

We recommend further analysis and testing within hospitals around the world to gather input and different views from the NICU nurses and doctors to enhance the current prototype design with a higher range of functionality. We also recommend further delving into the dimensions and installation fitting of the minimally viable prototype into the NICU incubator on a larger scale.

Brass Mixed Pin Sorting Device

Objective: The goal is to design a free-standing sorting device to separate various mixed pins.

Team Members:

• Patrick Adelman
• Cailin Dilday
• Thomas Fong
• Kenneth Krause Jr.
• Thajying Thao

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: James Connelly, Master Lock

Requirements:

The generation of a sorting system capable of differentiating and separating mixed brass pins of various lengths. This device would be free standing and able to operate, after loading and initial setup, on its own without operator intervention. The general requirements of the sorter should include:

1. Allow for operators to easily and ergonomically load mixed pins into the device.
2. Allow for operators to easily and ergonomically unload sorted pins from the device.
3. Differentiate and sort various mixed pins as well as any potential debris or contamination missed in.
4. To be self-contained and designed for longevity, maintainability and overall cleanliness is a dirty manufacturing environment.
5. The sorter needs to operate in a safe manner as to not pose a risk to operators or other machinery.
6. The unit should be able to fit within a maximum build space of 16” Wide, 16” Deep and 16” Tall
7. And assumed maximum budget of $5000 should be used.

The project team will use any Master Lock machine design specifications and checklists to help with final design features and constraints.

Prototype

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 3:00-3:25 pm in EMS E250.

Deliverables:

Milestone 1: Problem Definition

• Develop a project charter that lists what is In-scope and out of scope for the project. This will be the driving document for the project to gain alignment (Voice of the Customer).

Milestone 2: Preliminary Design

• Generate a variety of options (at least 3) to be evaluated for final design consideration.
  • A timeline and rough budget estimate should be included at this stage for each potential option.

Milestone 3: Detailed Design

• Further refinement of the selected design from Milestone 1.
  • A detailed timeline and budget estimate should be generated.

Milestone 4: Construction

• A virtual model / prototype that can accomplish the component and feeding process described in the requirements.
  • Documentation for the device including specifications, programming code, drawings, 3D models, assembly instructions, full cost breakdown, part list and a user manual (operating and maintenance instructions).

Project Findings:

The overall project was a great learning experience not only in engineering design but also for soft skills including real world experience, teamwork, and communication. The project met all the agreed upon CTQs within the physical prototype and by mathematical analysis. However, there are several suggestions for future improvements to ensure functionality of the prototype. The first suggestion would be to obtain and implement a new Arduino board as the communication port on the original board ceased to work. The second would be to work with Keyence to obtain a photo-eye with a smaller spot size to fit in the prototype. Additionally, while the weight of the prototype complies with OSHA recommendations, it is suggested that handles be added to the sides of the enclosure to allow for better mobility of the device. Other less critical suggestions would be to color the good/bad bins appropriately for operator ease and lengthen the sides of the slide to account for pin bounce. Several lessons learned by the team include test early and often as failures can be unexpected, allow more time for tasks in the Gantt chart, and be consistent with hole sizes for ease of manufacturing and assembly.

Parallel Load Cell Tensile Tester

Objective: The goal of this project is to develop a tensile tester that can run tensile tests on 32 cable ties simultaneously. The elongation and ultimate strength of each tie needs to be recorded. This allows for simultaneous testing of product samples.

Team Members:

• Bradley Bernklau
• Nicholas Gilhaus
• Steven Knopp
• Aedon Meurer
• Ian Smith

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Joey Friedli, HellermannTyton

Prototype

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 6:00-6:25 pm in EMS E250.

Project Findings:

The team met all the corrected CTQs for the tensile tester’s design. Using stepper motor driven ball screws, the team designed an affordable solution to creating a multiple sample tensile tester. The motor and ball screw combination allows for a compact test, capable of meeting all the size and strength requirements. By controlling the stepper motor, the elongation of each cable tie can be determined. Utilizing individual pancake load cells, the amount of force on each cable tie, when it fails, can be recorded. To meet cost and strength requirements, the frame was designed utilizing 80/20 aluminum framing already available at HellermanTyton. The design choices were verified using conservative calculations for stress and fatigue failure criteria. The team used finite element analysis to confirm the deflection and stress calculations for the supporting W-Beam. The next step in the design process is testing the design by creating a prototype. After the prototype is finished being constructed, the code outline can be tested and optimized. When our team was ready for quoting and ordering the components to physically build the assembly of the prototype, our team ran into long lead times for the ball screws. This is an instrumental piece used to turn rotational motion into linear motion. Because of this long lead time, our sponsor from HellermannTyton amended the semester deliverables from creating the physical prototype, to only delivering a CAD model.

Pressure Chamber Ingress Risk Evaluation Fixture

Objective: The goal is to develop and construct a test fixture to evaluate the ingress risk to a nailer pressure chamber. Tools will not fire fasteners while in the fixture and must be adaptable.

Team Members:

• Abigail Cittadino
• Andrew Dykeman
• Alex Riley
• Devin Toburen
• Kaiden Turnquist

Project Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui, Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering

Industry Mentor: Jeremy Keifenheim, Milwaukee Tool

Project Presentation: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 3:30-3:55 pm in EMS E250.

Project Findings:

The deliverable of this project was a working prototype of an ingress test fixture for Milwaukee Tool. It was required to be fully automated, reuse media, have an adaptable nailer stand and prevent media buildup. Designing and testing for a safe, reliable system required knowledge of circuits, mechatronics systems, programming knowledge and force analysis. One of the challenges of this project was getting the system to be entirely automated. Troubleshooting the code and configuring the specific parts within the system proved to be a more technical skill than initially thought. The final system consisted of a start button, ball valve, proximity sensor for the lid and LED light strip. Pivoting away from a custom sand blasting cabinet was a key decision in the success of the project. Purchasing an off-the-shelf cabinet allowed for the timeline to stay on track. A dust reclaiming unit was purchased as well to collect the media particulates from the air as best as possible for the safety of the operator. A vibration unit was attached to the bottom compartment to prevent media build up on the sides, meeting the requirement. The final prototype was tested and found to meet all requirements of the project.