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SAE AeroDesign for Competition 2007
Team: Brew City Bombers
Students: Aaron Ratka (ME), Paul Tychsen (ME), Mark More (ME), Steve George (ME), Tony Coffee (ME), Dan Croisant (ME), Scott Bendorf (ME), Zach Zitelman (ME), Dhruv Dixit (ME),Kyle Gleason (ME), John Trongard (ME), Tim Kroscher (ME),Dan Jamerson (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Robert Rizza
The SAE AeroDesign team has answered the call for an airworthy airplane design. Tasked with constructing a large scale model airplane designed for competition, the team has come to a final design. Two 0.61 cubic inch engines pull the bird up into the heavens. A 12 foot wingspan blots out the sun as the 10 pound plane soars past. Built to take off in less than 100ft, and designed to carry nearly 40 pounds, the plane is a true work of art. Constructed using advanced carbon techniques, structural FEA analysis, and aerodynamic considerations, the plane has a promising future of joining its predecessors in hanging in the rafters of the CC building for years to come.
Appreciation is extended to: Johnson Controls, the Milwaukee RC Association, Charter Steel, and Stainless Foundry & Engineering, Inc.
Solar Boat
Team: Solar Boat Design Team
Students: Jeremy Eisenbrandt (ME), Matthew Liles (ME), Joseph Paulik (ME), William Restock (ME), Jason Robbins (ME), Nicole Waraxa (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Professor Thomas Labus
It has been four years since the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) has competed in the American Society of Mechanical Engineer (ASME) International's Solar Splash competition. A once Milwaukee hosted event is now being held in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Solar Splash competition promotes "an interest in Science and Technology, Education, and Personal Interactive Skills". It is primarily set up for students at the college level to encourage experience working in a team setting. The competition consists of three races, sprint, slalom, and endurance, in which solar power will be used to power DC electric motors to run the boat. Like previous years, this year's team is constructing the entire boat from scratch. The components that will be used from previous teams will be the electric motors (two ten horsepower motors and one five horsepower motor), the six 12 volt lead acid batteries, drivetrain design, and four 120 watt photovoltaic panels. A slim mono hull design, basically a flat-bottomed fiberglass shell, was decided upon along with a ducted propeller to increase the efficiency of the overall design. The team hopes to do well in the overall competition and bring back a first place trophy to put in MSOE's display case.
Appreciation is extended to: 3M, Fluid Power Institute (MSOE), Johnson Controls, L.A.R. and Associates, Mercury Marine, Rapid Prototyping Center (MSOE) and Signode Midwest and those that have helped us throughout the course of our project.
Human Powered Vehicle
Students: Dave Dave Engelhardt (ME), Andrew Kleitsch (ME), Jeremiah Allen (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Professor Thomas Labus
The Human Powered Vehicle is a project that focuses on designing a vehicle that is powered solely by a human operator's effort in order to accomplish performance objectives such as top speed and endurance. A step above modern bicycles, these vehicles focus on advanced design features such as aerodynamics and energy storage. This year's team has focused on designing a versatile drive train powered by products from the fluid power industry. This drive train has been retrofitted to fit the previous year's vehicle frame. The drive train contains technologies that allow for regenerative braking, energy storage, speed boosting, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and fully automated control of the CVT's output gear ratio based on the terrain and vehicle operator's physiological condition. This design is a groundbreaking synthesis of industry technology and intense physical performance and has the purpose of developing vehicles that are just as capable as automobiles and even more reliable.
Appreciation is extended to: Eaton Corporation, HUSCO International, MSOE Fluid Power Institute, HydraForce, Parker Hannafin Corporation
BeachLauncher, Mobile Boat Launching Vehicle
Team: BeachLauncher
Students: Brian Miller (ME), Matt Pellmann (ME), Zac Rockendorf (ME)
Faculty: Dr. Subha Kumpaty
The BeachLauncher is a mobile boat launching vehicle that was built for DLH Marine. It was designed to address the problems with the current production unit such as a lack of articulation, drive-train and chassis failure, and size limitations. The new design will accommodate a 30-foot long boat weighing up to 12,000 pounds. The frame is constructed of two pieces of c-channel connected with box steel cross-members which provide a location for the boat supports. Ternaries are attached to the frame with roller bearings that allow the articulation of the frame and are located at specific location to allow full movement and functionality while keeping the frame low to the ground to minimize the water depth needed. The hydraulics system consists of sixteen wheel motors to accelerate the fully loaded launcher up a twenty degree slope in sandy terrain. Two independent pumps provide the fluid to the motors on each side of the vehicle to allow skid steering. A Caterpillar C2.2 diesel engine rotates the pumps to meet these demands.
Appreciation is extended to: DLH Marine and GS Hydraulics.
Baja SAE
Team Skullflower
Students: Justin Andreas (ME), Stefan Effmann (ME), Craig Hauck (ME), Rene Holldorf (ME), Anthony Koeppen (ME), Scott Maupin (ME), Andreas Ruehs (ME), John Smith (ME), Ole Struve(ME), Steve Williams (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Matt Schaefer
The goal of this project was to design and build an off-road vehicle that could withstand the punishment of rough terrain. The vehicle was designed to not only be sold on the consumer market but also to be raced at a competition at the end of the school year against over 150 schools. The heart of this monster is a ten horsepower engine which transmits power through a continuously variable transmission to a double reduction gearbox and a telescoping drive shaft. Rough terrain requires a unique suspension in both the front and rear. The front spreads a set of independent single A-arms with 15° of caster providing immense travel without breaking a sweat. A set of independent semi-trailing arms in the rear grants agility in maneuverability while dishing out a side of aggressive response. The chassis is a full tubular roll cage incorporating the benefits of space frame and monocoque technologies without sacrificing good looks or charm. As important as the wheels it rolls on, the steering provides smooth reaction using rack and pinion equipment. Finally, massive disk brakes and cross-drilled rotors are strapped to a set of one off front hubs and the rear final drive.
Appreciation is extended to: Brady Corporation, Briggs and Stratton Corporation, Diamond Chain Company, Dräger Medical AG & Co. KG, Grob Inc., HB Performance Systems, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Polaris Industries Inc., Reich Tool and Design Inc., Timken Company, and Weasler Engineering Inc..
FSAE Dual Outboard Brakes
Team: Formula Braking
Students: John Bauman (ME), Kyle Nelson (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Richard Dykowski
The Formula SAE braking team implemented dual outboard brakes into the design of this year's vehicle. The single rear rotor/caliper design of last year's car lead to several problems such as unequal torques on the differential, heat transfer complications leading to differential leaking, and unequal braking on the rear wheels. The main goals in the design of this year's braking system, among solving last year's problems, were to keep the weight below 45 pounds and to have a 60 - 0 mph stopping distance of 100 ft. Implementing dual outboard brakes in the rear proved to be the solution. Having a split system allowed for equal braking and torsion, while placing them outboard solved the heat transfer problem. The additional brake also allowed for more braking force to help accomplish the 100 ft stopping distance. Along with incorporating these brakes into the vehicle came the design and manufacture of new rear uprights. This new design had to mount the calipers and be able to withstand to torques that would be incurred under heavy braking. Using modern computer simulation along with actual testing, proper design of the uprights was accomplished.
FSAE Turbo Charger Design
Team Turbo
Students: Tiffany Fiedler (ME), Robert Haas (ME), David Grant (ME), William Pankiw(ME)
Faculty Advisor: Richard Dykowski
The turbo design team's objective is to add power output to the standard Honda 4FI engine used on the FSAE formula car. This turbo design will set standards for future MSOE FSAE teams in the nationwide competition. FSAE has set strict guidelines on the design and implementation of these turbochargers. Our final analysis will include attaching the turbo to the engine and running various experiments to make sure our design falls within the rules and guidelines, including air inlet restriction and emission standards, set by FSAE while adding enough power output to justify the extra cost and time.
Robotics Senior Design Team
Robotics Senior Design Team
Team: Moon Movers
Students: Crystal Anhalt (ME), Omar Bibian (EE), Scott Bills (EE), Holly Hogan (ME), Theresa Narveson (ME), Randall Ristow (ME), Aaron Ritter (ME), Timothy Romero (EE), Brian Schwartz (ME), Wesley Taylor (ME), Sotao Thao (ME), David Westfall (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. William Farrow
Desired and useful material exists on the surface of the moon in the form of Regolith, and a method is needed to harvest it. The MSOE Robotics team has entered a NASA funded competition aimed at developing such a method. The 2007 NASA Regolith Excavation Centennial Challenge will be co-hosted in California by the California Space Authority and the California Space Education and Workforce Institute. NASA has chosen this centennial challenge because current excavation technologies are too heavy, require too much power, and are human operated, all of which make cost-effective lunar operations difficult. The team's task is to develop a fully autonomous excavator that fits within NASA's stringent weight and efficiency restrictions:
- System must be fully autonomous
- Mass of system may not exceed 40 kilograms
- System must run on 30 watts or less of DC power
- System must operate within a 4 meter x 4 meter sandbox filled with Regolith simulant
- 30 minutes will be given to each team to excavate as much regolith as possible and deliver it to an adjacent, fixed collector
Total Purse of $250,000 will be distributed among the top three teams, based on mass of Regolith excavated above 150 kilograms.
Appreciation is extended to: Dorner, Plexus, Telesmith, and Professor Williams
Thermal Power Cycle for Lunar Base Development
Team: Lunar Power
Students: Chris Edwards(ME), Ron Goodman(ME), Mike McCambridge(ME), Kyle Momenee(ME), Jeff Reiter(ME), Tim Swets(ME)
Faculty Advisor: Professor Michael Swedish
With recent increased interest in the desire to build a lunar base, a self-sustaining power plant will be required to establish a sufficient source for energy. Large variations in temperature across the lunar surface suggest the possibility of applying a heat engine cycle (power cycle). These temperature variations allow for potentially high thermal cycle efficiencies. The design team evaluated four ideal thermal power cycles - the Brayton, Ericcson, Rankine and Stirling cycles - with an output goal of 200kW. Also, a feasible working fluid was determined for each cycle.
Appreciation is extended to: NASA and the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC)
ASI Technologies, Inc. Air Door
Students: Ross Chawansky (ME), Nicholas Hockers (ME), and Brian Soik (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Professor Soud Al-Mishwit
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ASI Technologies, Inc. has been a leading manufacturer for over 38 years distributing products to the cold storage, commercial, industrial, and clean production markets. In 2001, ASI introduced the new AirSealTM air door. This state-of-the-art "invisible" door was designed for cold storage facilities requiring high traffic volume where temperature controls between environments is critical. Since air door technology is relatively new to both the company and the industry, ASI Tech. is looking to continuously improve the performance of the AirSealTM to remain ahead of their competition. The task of the team was to analyze the current design and use engineering problem solving techniques to suggest optimal air door settings, as well as provide ASI Tech. with design modifications to further increase seal efficiency. By collecting air velocity and pressure data from the current design, mathematical analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software was then used to model the air flow velocity decay and amount of spreading from the outlet nozzle. The proposed new design reduces the amount of air spreading across the width of the door, thus recapturing more of the conditioned air and providing a better overall air seal.
Two Piece Assembly Job
Students: Aaron Honadel (ME), Kevin McClory (ME), Tim O'Connor (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Subha Kumpaty
The source for the Two Piece Assembly Job came from a Special Education teacher at Fairview South High School in Brookfield. The teacher approached MSOE with an idea to help some of her students with the school's work program. The students working in the program have cognitive and physical handicaps which limit their ability to work on projects. One of the current projects is for a Hot Toppers, a local company which manufactures after-market motorcycle nut and bolt covers. The project has the students assembling two parts; however this process proves to be difficult for many of the students and requires assistance from the teacher. The two parts consist of a black cap and silver cover which stack inside one another. To do this, a double lazy susan design was devised which would consistently place the black cap in the silver cover. The assembly process will take place when the black cap passes over a hole and into the silver cover in the bottom lazy susan. The lazy susans will be powered with a single motor and controlled with a mutilated gear drive. This design will help students with their jobs while still providing them with a sense of accomplishment when they are done. Appreciation is extended to Super Steel Corp. and Jack's Home Repair.
Hospital Bed Back Assist and Controller
Team: S.A.B.R. Innovations
Student: Andrew Barry (ME), Ron Covert (ME), Scott Gillis (ME), Brian Remick (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Subha Kumpaty
The team's goal was to design a control system that would allow a hospital bed's back to be articulated at various speeds. The design also includes an assisted standing device design that will be able to be fitted to most hospital beds to provide assistance in getting patients out of the bed. Both components of the design use a common 90 volt DC power requirement, allowing both to be controlled and have their speed varied by a two-axis potentiometer joystick. The design uses one 130 volt, 3 amp pulse width modulator to vary the speed of a motor and linear actuator. Switches are used to prevent the bed from moving into positions of conflicting geometry.
Appreciation is sent out to the Milwaukee School of Engineering's Nursing Department for donating a hospital bed to use for this project.
Ergonomic Lift-Assist Device for Handicapped Toilet Use
Students: Samuel Burns (ME), John Hubball (ME), Jason Platek (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Subha Kumpaty
Certain individuals that have multiple disabilities may have difficulties using the bathroom unassisted. Also, if those individuals are large in height or weight there may be additional difficulties in using standard-sized toilets without significant aid from another individual. The aim of this project was to design an ergonomic toilet lift device that assists handicapped individuals use the bathroom more safely and autonomously.
The final design of the lift-assist device uses a scissors link mechanism to raise and lower a custom designed toilet seat. The motion is provided by two electric actuators, which are symmetrically located on both sides of the toilet base. The base of the lift-assist device, along with the main components, will be made of 6061 aluminum. The seat will be machined out of solid plastic.
The design will be built during the Spring semester, 2007. The lift-assist device will then be installed for use in Fairview South School in Brookfield, WI. This is a school that serves students with multiple disabilities, aged 10-21.
Appreciation is extended to: Danaher Motion for the donation of two electric actuators.
Ultra High Molecular Weight Forming Fixture
Students: Jacob Knappmiller (ME), Dustin Elliott (ME), Tim Brinkmann (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Subha Kumpaty
Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is commonly used in manufacturing processes because of its low coefficient of friction and low wear rate. Signode Engineered Products' current process for forming the UHMWPE tracks used in their strapping machines has a high failure rate. The main goal of this project is to address the problems of maintaining the corners at 90 degrees and holding the groove tolerances. Other aspects that need to be accounted for include: the robustness to manufacture enough tracks for the length of the production, cost of fixture, and safety. Our design uses two strip heaters, a unique corner forming fixtures, and compressed air to form the new tracks.
Appreciation is extended to: Signode Engineered Products for their support throughout the project.
Pulse-Jet Water Intensifier
Team: SBD (Silent But Destructive)
Students: Andrew Bergesen (ME), Brad Borchers (ME), Clayton Brunger (ME), Ben Evers (ME), Dave Krakora (ME), Andrew Kundert (ME), Ben Romenesko (ME),
Stephen Strombeck (ME), Jason Zidek (ME)
Faculty Advisor: Professor Thomas Labus
The Pulse-Jet Water Intensifier or PJWI has been designed and developed as a demolition tool. The technology has been developed as a replacement for the jackhammer. The use of high pressure (75,000 psi) water as a demolition tool does not generate nearly the amount of noise or dust as a solid object striking concrete. The PJWI requires a power source with hydraulics for cocking and the need to be positioned near a desired surface. With those needs in mind, the PJWI was interfaced with a 38 Hp, 5 ton, compact excavator donated by Gehl. The excavator was donated due to shipping damage. The excavator was repaired and now provides adequate power for cycling the PJWI and adequate mobility for positioning the PJWI against a horizontal or vertical surface. The PJWI was simulated using MATLAB, to use parameters that achieve the desired performance. The high strength fixture was designed to allow the PJWI the maximum range of motion the excavator could support. The Labjack control system was developed with safety in mind to allow the user to have complete control of the PJWI at all times.