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John Chiu, EIT

john.chiu62@gmail.com+1 585 410 5421Design Portfolio1

1John Chiu

Table of ContentsLow Cost Millinewton Force Sensor 3Senior Design Team P14029: Robotic Fish6Robotics Project9ASEE Model Design Competition11SAE Mini Baja Competition13Kiln Cart Transfer System16Achievements182

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Low Cost Millinewton Force SensorThesis StudentFall 2014 Spring 2016Part of my masters thesis was the development of a low cost millinewton force sensor. Based on a cantilevered strain gauge design and an Arduino DAQ system, the aim of the project was to reduce the cost of characterization of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs). Via Bluetooth serial communications, the data was processed in a custom LabVIEW program (below).

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Low Cost Millinewton Force SensorThesis StudentFall 2014 Spring 2016The microcontroller stack developed was based off of a ARD-LTC2499 ADC shield. An analog, RC low-pass filter circuit was made prior to the op-amp to reduce amplification of noises. The amplification circuit, based on a Wheatstone bridge configuration (below), was needed in order for the ADC to read the signals.

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Low Cost Millinewton Force SensorThesis StudentFall 2014 Spring 2016The developed millinewton force sensor system cost around $200. Alternative systems can range from $300 to thousands depending what sensor and DAQs are used. This sensor would allow greater accessibility to millinewton force sensing.

5John ChiuMechanical EngineerClick here for my full thesis

Senior Design Team P14029: Robotic FishMechanical Design LeadFall 2013 Spring 2014Working on a team of four, the senior design was to develop a fish around the McKibben muscle (below). A McKibben muscle is made of a meshed sleeving with an expandable (rubber) inner tube. When the inner tube is inflated, either by air or fluid, the center expands. This expansion then causes an axial contraction which is analogous in function to skeletal muscle.6

ActuatedNon-actuatedJohn ChiuMechanical Engineer

Test rig for the muscles. The machined delrin end caps was designed with an incorporated line tensioner.

Senior Design Team P14029: Robotic FishMechanical Design LeadFall 2013 Spring 20147John ChiuMechanical Engineer

Designed for easy maintenance, the fish utilized a single thread size for all fasteners. The transparent acrylic waterproof box allowed us to spot potential leakages and errors without needing to open the enclosure. Utilizing water instead of air allowed the muscles to gain more rigidity when compared to pressurized air. It also had the added benefit of being able to draw actuation fluid from its surroundings instead of a buoyant storage. Using water instead of common hydraulic fluids eliminates the environmental impact in cases of actuator leakage. The muscles were mounted in the head segment of the fish instead of the tail to allow the use of larger muscles, which allows for higher actuational power and travel.

Click here for more information from our project website

Senior Design Team P14029: Robotic FishMechanical Design LeadFall 2013 Spring 20148John ChiuMechanical EngineerThe Robotic Fish project was featured in a local news paper for a campus-wide event. We submitted the robotic fish to the 2014 ASME Student Mechanism and Robot Design Competition in Buffalo, NY and took first place in the Undergraduate Robot Division.

Click here for the online article

Robotics ProjectMechanical Design and CAD LeadFall 2013In robotics class were learned about the different actuational devices, sensors, and control algorithms for robotic systems. In groups of two, we were tasked with creating a project and an objective to accomplish. We wanted to explore the interesting movements of Omni-directional wheels and developed the Security Bot. The objective was to detect an object placed randomly in a given space lined by electrical tape. Then the Security Bot must push the object out of the outlined space and return to wait for other intruders. We utilized ultra-sonic ping sensors for object detection and a 4-way infrared sensor to detect the bounds of the outlined space. The automation of the Security Bot was based on an Arduino Uno microcontroller.9John ChiuMechanical Engineer

Robotics ProjectMechanical Design LeadFall 201310John ChiuMechanical Engineer

Omni Wheel Directional Movement(Video)

Completing the Objective(Video)

ASEE Model Design CompetitionMechanical DesignSpring 2011The ASEE Model Design Competition is held annually at the ASEE Convention for first and second year undergraduate students. A different game is developed each year by the ASEE board which seeks to challenge students in a point based competition. We took 3rd place at the 2011 ASEE Vancouver Convention.11John ChiuMechanical EngineerThe 2010-2011 game as about forestry. A wooden track with a plywood base was the setting for our competition field. Electrical tape was laid out in a M shape to aid in line following robots. Randomly placed red and green dowels were lined up under each arc. The red dowels represented dead trees for harvesting and the green ones were healthy trees. The objective was to make it around the track as fast as possible and collect as many red dowels as you can, autonomously. Points are lost for each green dowel knocked over.

ASEE Model Design CompetitionMechanical DesignSpring 201112John ChiuMechanical Engineer

Exploded View Animation(Video)

Color Sensor8 QTR Sensor ArrayDowel Collection TrayDowel Scoop

SAE Mini Baja CompetitionCAD Drafting LeadFall 2009 Spring 2011SAE Mini Baja (now just Baja SAE) is an intercollegiate competition where teams build off-road vehicles to run in an 4 hour endurance race. Each team is given a 10-horsepower Briggs & Stratton Intek Model 19 engine. For the competition, the finished vehicle goes through a series of dynamic and static tests to earn points. These tests includes acceleration, maneuverability, hill climb/traction, special events, and the endurance run.13John ChiuMechanical Engineer

SAE Mini Baja CompetitionCAD Drafting LeadFall 2009 Spring 201114John ChiuMechanical Engineer

The yellow frame was the previous years model. The grey model sought to improve on the previous frame by reducing the overall footprint, weight, and better ergonomics for the driver. Other improvements included an increased angle of incident of the front suspension to better absorb impacts, a planetary gearbox and CVT, and stronger A-arms to resist deformation.

Solidworks stress analysis were done to ensure that the suspension bracket would hold up to the assumed forces and fit within a factor of safety.

The Baja frame with a scale model of a 95th percentile man to check ergonomics.

SAE Mini Baja CompetitionCAD Drafting LeadFall 2009 Spring 201115John ChiuMechanical Engineer

(Left) Old upright for the front next to the new (right), lighter, CNC machined upright.

New upright assembly. From left to right: spline shaft for wheel, pressed roller bearing, splined spacer, and left-hand hex nut.

Finished Baja car with the high performance Fox Shock (in blue). The final design utilized a solid rear axle for better power retention around corners. Large chevroned rear tires were used to increase traction in loose dirt and muddy conditions.

Improved upper (right) and lower (left) A-arms utilized a single curved pipe for rigidity. Previous years A-arms were welded and showed damage at the welds from impacts.

Kiln Cart Transfer SystemMechanical Design Engineer CoopNov. 2012 Feb. 2013Victor Insulators makes a variety of ceramic insulators for the powerlines and has been around since 1893. Founded by Fred M. Locke, they are the oldest insulator company in North America.16John ChiuMechanical Engineer

As a Mechanical Design Engineer Coop, I was tasked to retrofit a an old kiln cart transfer system from the 60s for automation. The system had to made under a low of $10k budget, when compared to other systems which can cost north of $100k.

Prior to development of an automated system, it was procedure to move the kiln carts by had. This posed a potential risk since the insulators can weight up to 150lbs each. After firing up the ceramic pugs in the kiln with its compressive glaze coating, when broken, can be as sharp as razers. Occasionally the shelves that the insulators are placed on in the cart will break due to frequent heating and cooling cycles. KilnTransfer Car

Kiln Cart Transfer SystemMechanical Design Engineer CoopNov. 2012 Feb. 2013The final design utilized a sourced custom built hydraulic piston. At the ends or the dual-opposed hydraulic cylinders were servo actuated clevis pins that would rotate into place when in position.17John ChiuMechanical Engineer

This design was the 5th iteration due to cost restrictions and the capabilities of the staff to implement the proposed system. Hydraulic pistons were chosen form of actuation because the kiln carts could weight up to 2 tons fully loaded. Since the kiln car transfer system uses hydraulic gear pump for movement, it was simpler to utilize the on board hydraulic reservoir. The finalized system was controlled via limit switches and PLCs implemented by the staff.

AchievementsScience without engineers are just philosophers. 18John ChiuMechanical Engineer

My team was featured in the citywide school calendar after winning 1st place in the 2006 Finger Lakes FIRST Robotics Competition Regionals. Having attended a FIRST Robotics team for four years in high school, I learned early on what it meant to design something. I had a passion for working with my hands and building robots.

Finished 3rd out of 15 in the 2011 ASEE Model Design Competition in Vancouver, British Columbia

CSWA certified in Solidworks, Spring 2011

Inducted into the Mechanical Engineers honors society Pi Tau Sigma in 2014

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Thank you for your time and considerations!19John ChiuMechanical EngineerJohn Chiu, EITjohn.chiu62@gmail.com+1 585 410 5421Design Portfolio

19John Chiu