Human Powered Vehicle
Team: HPV Design
Team Members: Evan Bauer (ME), Mike Macak (ME), Jim Palminteri (ME), David Reuter (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Subha Kumpaty
The objective of the project is designing and constructing a completely new human powered vehicle from the ground up to compete in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) in Grove City, Penn. The primary focuses of the design team were on the vehicle frame, aerodynamics, ergonomics, drive-train, as well as vehicle steering and stability. The vehicle must meet all the regulations set forth by the ASME HPV Challenge. A two piece, center pivot, recumbent design was chosen. A prototype was built for verification of analysis and aid in design features for the final vehicle.
Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition
Team: TBTTROTT
Team Members: Ryan Breuer (SE), Andrew Holm (SE), Jefferson Leach (ME), Jeremiah Patrick (CE), Christopher Patzke (ME), Alexandra Puetz (EE), Gabriel Schaap (EE), Molly Stieber (ME), Kelly Westphal (ME), Sam Yarcho (SE), Ian Zimmermann (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. William Farrow
Sponsors: Brake Align, Hemisphere GPS, IEA Inc., Milwaukee Tool, Plexus, Rexnord and Tech by Design
This vehicle will be entered into the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition. It must be able to navigate a randomized obstacle course fully autonomously to get within 0.1 meters of an input GPS coordinate while carrying a 20lb payload. The speed of the robot will be monitored via the Inertial Measurement Unit and the motor controllers. The motor controllers will ensure the maximum speed of 10 m.p.h. is not exceeded.
Feedback control will be implemented using tachometers attached to the motors to provide an error signal. An on-board GPS system will be used in navigation and mapping. Sensors on board will be used to navigate the robot, follow lane lines and avoid obstacles. The robot will communicate with judges’ computers using the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems ( JAUS) protocol: a wireless router using an ad-hoc network will be used to transfer data between the robot and judges’ computers.
Compliant Robot Demonstration
of Compact Integrated Fluid Power Systems
Team: AMAG
Team Members: Brian Cheney (ME), Jonathon Slightam (ME), Alex Yendrzeski (ME)
Faculty Advisors: Dr. William Farrow, Vito Gervasi ’96, ’03
The design and construction of the compliant robot demonstrator proved that complex dexterous integrated fluid power mechanisms can be produced in minimal manufacturing steps and can vastly reduce the number of components needed in the system while also using materials that are compatible in high magnetic fields. The project's main goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of compact integrated fluid power systems via additive manufacturing, and to assist in addressing the goals of Project 2G of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP), which highlights the use for surgical robotic systems in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) environment.
SAE Baja Car
Team: Brew Crew Racing
Team Members: Jordan Balcerzak (ME), Matt Brady (ME), Brandon Gauntt (ME), Adam Himmelspach (ME), Casey Kinders (ME), Kyle Liesener (ME), Paul Marchant (ME), Brandon Meister-Place (ME), Shoshana Perlman (ME), Ghislain Schneider (ME), Andrew Sebald (ME), Eric Welch (ME), Matt Wirtz (ME), Tyler Wudstrack (ME), Mitch Yehle (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mathew Schaefer
This year’s MSOE SAE Baja design project was re-designing and manufacturing the off-road recreational vehicle built for the 2010-2011 year. This vehicle will be capable of traversing many different types of terrain including mud pits, hill climbs, jumps, and obstacle-filled trails. The drivetrain and suspension of last year’s vehicle was re-designed to improve performance, handling, durability and overall drivability. The vehicle is designed with a manufacturing sense in mind, one part of the SAE sponsored competition in June is that the vehicle has to be designed so that 4,000 units/year can be produced cheaply and easily. The vehicle must also follow SAE rules regarding operator safety, safety cut off systems, and other baseline regulations to pass tech inspections at competition. The vehicle will be competing against 100 other collegiate teams from across North and South America in Burlington, Wis., June 7-10.
SAE Formula Hybrid
Team Members: Blake Buvid (ME), Daniel Ertl (EE), Adam Hassig (EE), Sven Krause (EE), Ryan May (EE), David Paton (ME), Kristin Tiarks (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Steve Williams
Sponsors: Alltrax, American Acrylics, Bender, Cooper Power Systems, CORE Consulting, DigiCOPY, electricmotorsport.com, Fastenal, GraybaR, HB Performance Systems, IEWC, Milwaukee Electric Tool, Omron, Rockwell Automation, Speaker, Speedy Metals, StanekTool, West Coast Magnetics
Each year, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) holds a variety of design challenges focused on the advancement of the transportation industry. The most challenging and exciting of these is the Formula-Hybrid Competition. Formula Hybrid challenges students to design, fabricate and test a Formula-1 inspired, electric-hybrid race car. The goal of this is to provide an experience that is built around creative thinking, innovative designs, team work, and brisk decision making.
They repurposed 48 M28™ LITHIUM-ION Battery Packs from Milwaukee Electric Tool (the same battery packs found on many household tools) to power their car.
The students competed at the SAE Formula Hybrid International Competition at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and won first place in the Hybrid-Electric Class and the second place GM Best Engineered Hybrid Systems Award. They also stopped in Indianapolis to participate in the Indy 500 Emerging Tech Day. While there, they took first place in the "Hybrids in Progress." Congratulations to the 2010-11 SAE Formula Hybrid Team!
Solar Thermal and Solar Photovoltaic Laboratory Equipment
Team Members: Stephanie Drozek, Ryan Enot, Andrew Hjortland, Kevin Rode
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Christopher Damm
Sponsors: Helios USA LLC., Hot Water Products Inc., Solar Skies LLC., and We Energies.
Renewable energies are an emerging form of technology. The purpose of the project is to design and build solar thermal and solar photovoltaic laboratory equipment. This equipment will better educate people, especially MSOE engineering students, about these two forms of renewable energy. A solar thermal system stores energy from the sun as heat, and a solar photovoltaic system converts energy from the sun into electricity. Both pieces of laboratory equipment are designed to be used indoors, and therefore require artificial lighting that closely models the sun. Specific design parameters can be adjusted to see the effects on each system’s performance. Upon completion, both systems will be used in the MSOE Renewable Energy Laboratory.
ASABE 1/4 Scale Tractor Pull
Team Members: Devon Lee, Ian Schmit, Ted Tadysak, Smith Theiler, Marcus Traber, Andy Triscari, Brandon Ullrich, CJ Waelti
Advisor: Tim Kerrigan ’90, ’99
Sponsors: Poclain Hydraulics, Advanced Design Concepts (ADC), MKT Engineering, Sun Hydraulics, Milwaukee Machine Works, Milsco, Hayes, Uzelac Industries, KMC Stampings, RCI Engineering and Dr. Robert Spitzer. Without their support our success would not be possible.
As the first team from MSOE competing in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering ¼ Scale Tractor Design Competition, our goal is to design a tractor that is functional, aesthetically pleasing, safe and reliable. The completed tractor will be taken to Peoria, Ill., in early June to compete in the competition. At the competition the team and tractor will be put through the paces in a four-hook tractor pull, a maneuverability competition, design judging and a presentation.
Thermal Control System for Altair, the New Lunar Lander
Team Members: Students: Mike Borden (ME), Carina Buck (ME), Clayton Fitzgerald (ME), Nick Norppa (ME), Ian Rokser (ME), Lisa Ruffalo (ME), Chris Schultz (ME), Thomas Simmons (ME), Mark Warwick (ME)
Advisor: Professor Michael Swedish
As the United States has renewed interest in returning to the lunar surface, NASA’s Constellation program has significant work to do on Altair, their new lunar lander. Altair will transport up to four American astronauts to the lunar surface while providing a comfortable thermal environment for both personnel and equipment. Previous lunar missions utilized consumable materials to cool the lander. Future lunar missions will require a more robust thermal control approach, one that allows for longer duration missions while minimizing resources. The Lunar Council has been working with NASA to both model and determine the feasibility of several thermal control systems. These systems include: Absorption Refrigeration, Heat Pipes and Magnetic Refrigeration. The Absorption Refrigeration system was determined a feasible design as long as an additional thermal energy input is available. Heat Pipes have been found capable of providing adequate passive thermal control. The Magnetic Refrigeration system was also determined a feasible design, although there are considerable design challenges that must be overcome before a suitable system can be built. A heat pipe was chosen for experimental study during the spring quarter, providing a means to test the numerical models developed during the design process and to demonstrate how this technology might be applied to Altair. Appreciation is extended to: Greg Schunk/EV34/MSFC, NASA’s MSFC, Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, Orbital Technologies Corp. and Astronautics Corporation of America.
SAE Aero Design Competition
Team Members: Kevin Biederer (ME), Fryderyk Czajkowski (ME), Brian Erickson (ME), Jake Gay (MEM), Elliot Gronland (ME), Andrew Hanson (ME), Peter Kendl (ME), Carl Sarro (ME), Matt Woodruff (ME)
Advisor: Dr. Robert Rizza
This year’s SAE Aero Design Team has designed, built and flown a heavy lift remote control airplane with the goal of lifting the most weight under certain restrictions. The plane is constructed of mostly composite materials, along with other high strength low weight materials. The twin engine design is capable of producing twenty pounds of thrust in order to lift the fifty five pound weight of the plane. The twelve foot wingspan is capable of producing enough lift to take off on a grass field within 200 feet, and the amazing landing gear design is capable of landing in the undeveloped grass field it took off from. Appreciation is extended to: Amalga Composites, Master Lock, and ITW/Devcon for their contributions to the project.