Mechanical Engineering Project Presentation Day Booklet – 2016
Transcript of Mechanical Engineering Project Presentation Day Booklet – 2016
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Mechanical Engineering
Department
2016 Project
Presentation Day
April 21, 2016
Schedule for Project Presentation Day
Mechanical Engineering Department
April 21, 2016
8:00 AM Judges Assemble Higgins Labs 102
8:00 - 8:30 AM Refreshments
Judges Higgins Labs 102
Students Alden Hall
8:15 - 8:30 AM Judges Instructions Higgins Labs 102
8:30 - 11:30 PM Presentations Alden Hall
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch
Judges Higgins Labs 102
Students Alden Hall
1:00 - 1:15 PM Winners Announced Alden Hall
Table of Contents
Biomechanical 4
Design 10
Manufacturing 42
Materials 45
Robotics 51
Thermofluids 57
Page 4
Biomechanical
Rehabilitative Adult Tricycle
Eric Correia, Jaime Espinola, James Gruenbaum, John Papa
Each year, 800,000 people suffer from stroke in the United States,
and many develop hemiparesis, a weakness occurring on one side
of the body. Exercise is proven to be helpful in recovery from
stroke. The goal of this project was to develop a human-powered
device that can aid in recovery from a stroke, while also serving a
recreational purpose. This project resulted in the creation of a tri-
cycle which stores the pedaling energy of the strong leg with a
spring in order to assist the weak leg in pedaling. Quantitative test-
ing with force plates demonstrated that the force required to pedal
the strong side is 27% higher than the force required to pedal the
weak side. This result verifies calculations which indicated that the
force would be 30% higher. Qualitative testing with human sub-
jects resulted in an average survey rating of 4.5/5, indicating a
generally positive opinion of the tricycle.
Advisors: Holly Ault, Allen Hoffman
Page 5
Biomechanical
Systems Engineering Design for Point-of-Care Testing
Maereg Tafesse, Natalie Marquardt
The objective of this MQP is to design a point-of-care testing sys-
tem that would provide rapid diagnosis at the patient’s location.
The development of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) has
made it possible to detect infectious diseases in a timely manner.
However, sample preparation, isolation and testing with PCR are
subjected to several laboratory iterations. For instance, current
PCR practices require substantial input from the lab operators dur-
ing extraction and evaluation of samples, which can lead to errors,
risk of infection and time, inefficiency. This project presents a new
system that would enhance the use of PCR for testing infectious
diseases. The proposed system improves safety by reducing the
involvement of the lab operators. By automating the entire process
and making alterations to the chemical reactions, the system re-
duces the amount of time required to carry out a test. Since the
proposed system is designed to be portable, it can be incorporated
into ambulatory care and deployed at the patient's location.
Advisor: Professor Mustapha Fofana
Biomechanical
Page 6
Three Dimensional Force Sensing System for the
Applications of Gait Analysis and Robotics
Jessie Johnson, Selahaddin Ozkan
The motivation for this project was the development of a plat-
form that would allow the independence of patients of gait analy-
sis devices. Currently the most accurate systems for gait analysis
are bulky and complex, usually using a video system. There are
some simple shoe pad systems; however the usage of the systems
is restrictive and a medical supervisor to use the accompanying
software is generally needed. With the shoe sole system proposed
by our project, the calculation of normal and shear forces would
be plausible. With these two calculations together, a more accu-
rate solution to in-home gait analysis may be possible.
Secondly, this system can also be applied to robotics. By using
the shoe pad on the bottom of legged robots, the shear forces as
well as normal forces can be easily calculated, thus determining
how a robot’s foot slips as well as the center of pressure on the
robot’s foot. Thus the device could possibly be used in applica-
tions to help legged robots balance.
Advisors: Cagdas Onal, Kristen Billiar
Page 7
Biomechanical
Tibia Fracture Walking Boot: A Strain Controlling Device
Samuel Jacobs, Emily Potter, Nathaniel Sauer, Julie Tevenan
Traditional tibia fracture healing methods take extensive amounts
of time to heal and can be met with malalignments or nonunions.
The group designed a non-invasive strain application device that
improved upon existing fracture healing devices such as external
fixators, casts, and functional braces. The group accomplished this
by combining a Patellar Tendon Bearing (PTB) Brace with a tradi-
tional walking boot. Based on research, we identified that increas-
ing the gap size between the heel and bottom of the boot could
reduce force. We simulated the mechanical conditions associated
with successful bone regeneration by a three test process: proving
the mechanical properties of bone analogues, proving the brace
reduced the ground reaction force aptly, and proving the damp-
ened force translated to the optimal strain range at the fracture site.
The group identified that an 8 mm gap beneath the heel provided
the optimal strain range and force reduction for ideal healing con-
ditions.
Advisor: Brian Savilonis
Biomechanical
Page 8
Designing an Assistive mobility Devive to Aid in Geriatric Sit
to Stand
Olivia Bennett, Sarah Gabor, Samantha Neeno
Challenges with the sit to stand (STS) transition are one of the
chief complaints amongst the nearly 309 million elderly people in
the United States [1, 2]. The STS transition is defined as the pro-
cess of rising from a seated position to a stable standing position.
This Major Qualifying project designed a device to augment the
forces required for the STS transition. The objectives were to cre-
ate a safe, reliable, and ergonomic device which reduces energy
expenditure at a reasonable cost. The design utilized a moment
about the knee providing 25% assistance based on an average mo-
ment of 1Nm/kg [3]. Forces were produced using springs, which
extend as the user sits down. The design requires the user to wear
one brace on each knee. Clinical tests addressed issues of comfort,
impact on gait, and assistance with the STS transition. This data
were used to determine device effectiveness.
Advisor: Karen Troy
Page 9
Biomechanical
Engineering and Education for Affordable, Sustainable Rain-
water Harvesting in Paraguay
Katherine Picchione
According to the 2015 United Nations Millennium Development Goals
Report, 663 million people still lack access to improved water sources.
Rainwater harvesting, collecting and storing rainwater that falls on roofs,
offers one solution to water challenges in developing areas, but is often
unaffordable for poor families. In collaboration with the NGO Fundación
Paraguaya, this project aimed to make rainwater harvesting more feasible
through the design of educational materials and inexpensive water stor-
age tanks. A learning module, developed for a Paraguayan agricultural
high school, teaches rural youth the knowledge and skills to design,
build, operate, maintain, and repair rainwater harvesting systems using
local materials. The module also introduces a simplistic rainwater storage
tank made of repurposed tires, a design ‘ethno-engineered’ for Paraguay
where an excess of discarded tires presents an environmental and public
health hazard. In April 2016, both the learning module and ‘tire tank’
were piloted in Paraguay, evaluated, and modified based on user feed-
back. In the future, both the tanks and learning module promise to inspire
self-driven development, both in Paraguay and around the world.
Advisors: Diran Apelian, Robert Traver
Sponsor: Fundación Paraguaya
Design
Page 10
Improved Reacher-Gripper Device
Nathan Alvord, Matthew Lesonsky, Reed Standley
Individuals with physical impairments often need assistive devices such
as reacher grippers to perform daily activities. Commercial reacher grip-
pers can be difficult to use for individuals with reduced hand and wrist
functionality. After evaluating these reacher grippers, a novel design was
developed which decreases difficulties associated with using common
reacher grippers. The design features electro-mechanical actuation to
minimize the hand strength required to operate the device as well as fore-
arm support to alleviate stress on the user’s wrist. Additionally, this de-
sign allows the claws to fully close in under one second. After perform-
ing electrical and mechanical analyses on the proposed design, a first
generation prototype was manufactured. The device was subsequently
tested for feedback and functionality by typical users with varying physi-
cal capabilities. Results indicated the device allows users to comfortably
retrieve objects up to four pounds 32 inches away.
Advisors: Holly Ault, Allen Hoffman
Page 11
Design
Axiomatic Design of Football
Liam Koenen, Camden Lariviere
The objective of this work is to test the hypothesis that axiomatic
design can facilitate better strategies for winning football games
compared to traditional coaching methods. Traditional coaching
methods consist of coaching philosophies relating to offensive and
defensive play calling. This work will attempt to determine a cor-
relation between functional metrics and the outcome of a football
game.
The scope of this work is in-game decisions, relating specifically
to play calling.
Statistical analysis will be conducted to determine what strategies
work in calling plays in a football game.
Advisors: Christopher Brown, Richard Henley
Page 12
Design
Improved Alpine Ski Binding
Kyle Fortin, Matthew Clark, Flah Ilyas, John Messier
Inadvertent release is one of the major causes of serious injuries to
alpine skiers. The cause of inadvertent release is the repeated flex
and counter-flex of the ski and binding, commonly called chatter.
Due to current ski bindings high mass and low natural frequency,
they are ill-equipped to handle this phenomenon. The results of
this project were the design and prototyping of a binding con-
ceived to prevent inadvertent release by increasing the natural
frequency of the binding, based on a patent held by Professor
Christopher Brown. This project also realized the creation of a
vibration-generating machine, which was used to test current ski
bindings under a vibrating load.
Advisor: Christopher Brown
Page 13
Design
Beehive Lifter
Hannah Gouzias, Sarah Smith, Alexander Venditti
Maintaining a beehive requires a substantial amount of physical
labor, and with the average age of beekeepers being around 55,
this amount of work can become difficult. This project was under-
taken to build a device that can be used to assist the beekeepers
and lift beehives as needed. Through researching the needs of bee-
keepers and analyzing existing devices, we were able to develop
and test a simple lifting device that will be easy for average bee-
keepers to build themselves. The prototype was designed to be
cost effective, stable, and have a mechanical advantage of at least
8, such that beekeepers can move up to 200 lbs of supers (hive
boxes that hold frames for honey) at a time safely without extraor-
dinary effort.
Advisors: Eben Cobb, Holly Ault
Page 14
Design
Carrier Lift MQP
Andrew Kennedy, Luke Proctor, Luke Williams
The goal of this project is to create a device to enable a person to
lift a loaded dog crate into a vehicle with minimal physical exer-
tion. A dog owner can face difficulties trying to get an animal into
a vehicle if the animal is uncooperative, or unable to enter the ve-
hicle under its own power due to injury or old age. This is an even
greater challenge if the dog is heavy, or if the owner has difficulty
handling heavy loads. Many products are available on the market
to assist persons to lift heavy objects, but none exist that are af-
fordable and can be reasonably used to lift an uncooperative or
infirm animal. The chosen design incorporates a scissor frame and
a home-built air bladder system to lift a loaded dog crate to an in-
tended maximum height of 30in.
Advisor: Eben Cobb
Page 15
Design
The Design of an Exoskeleton Arm Brace for Therapeutic Use
to Address Ataxia
Lauren Hunt, Amanda Konieczny, Mikayla Pasciuto,
Alexander Powers
Ataxia is a degenerative muscle disease that affects all ages, typi-
cally affecting gross motor skills, and may be diagnosed as spo-
radic, hereditary, or as a symptom of other pre-existing medical
conditions. The primary goal of this project is to develop a device
to be worn on the arm of a patient affected by ataxia. This device
is designed to allow every-day activities to become less strenuous,
thereby increasing the mobility of each affected individual and
limit unwarranted muscle spasms. The final device consists of two
adjustable metal bars attached to two separate sleeves with a gas-
ket located at the elbow. The gasket adds an adjustable friction
element, and this device incorporates the six major design require-
ments: adjustability, accommodation, cost, materials, weight, and
forces.
Advisor: Eben Cobb
Page 16
Design
Hamstring Muscle Assist Device
Liam Fisher, Christopher Preucil, Eric Williams
Due to injury or neurological limitations many people need a de-
vice to assist in riding a bicycle to overcome reduced functionality
of the hamstring muscle. The goal of this project is to design and
build a device to enable a person who has reduced usage of the
hamstring muscle to ride a bicycle by aiding leg motion between
the pedal angles of 180° to 225°. This device is meant to be usea-
ble for recreational cycling, and adaptable to a range of bicycles.
A wide variety of design concepts were explored, with the intent
to produce a device that can store energy provided during the por-
tion of the pedal stroke in which the user can provide power (0°-
180°), such that this stored energy can be utilized during the por-
tion of the pedal stroke where the user cannot provide power due
to their disability (180°-225°). The final design uses a pair of ex-
tension springs with a four stage pulley system, utilizing mechani-
cal advantage to store the necessary energy and provide the neces-
sary range of motion for the pedal stroke.
Advisor: Eben Cobb
Page 17
Design
Integrated Rapid Prototyping: Efficient Development of
Custom Orthotic Devices
James Nolan, Nicholas Picard, Francois-Xavier Stricker-Krongrad,
Eric Zandrow
Companies strive to quickly create customized products, meeting
the desires and needs of a consumer. Integrated Rapid Prototyping
(IRP) is a systematic approach of optimizing the product develop-
ment cycle from conception to realization, a process which we
defined by the combination of Full Field 3D digitization, Comput-
er Aided Design, Finite Element Analysis, additive manufacturing,
and non-destructive testing. IRP has applications in numerous
fields, from consumer accessibility to industry level manufactur-
ing. As a case study, IRP was applied to the medical field through
the creation of a custom orthotic device. A process done by using
leg scans taken by a portable scanner, designing an orthotic model
based on the scans, detailed construction and analysis of the CAD
model, fabrication through additive manufacturing, and product
testing via Digital Image Correlation. Through this application, the
team analyzed the development process by considering material
characteristics, surface metrology, full field optical techniques,
and subprocesses validation.
Advisor: Cosme Furlong
Sponsor: Orthocare Innovations
Page 18
Design
Indoor/Outdoor Wheelchair
Jacob Mercier, Wilson Bly Rougier, Elizabeth Schofield,
George Benda
Over 125,000 paraplegics in the United States require a wheelchair
for transportation. Many of these people want the ability to travel
safely over a variety of obstacles and thereby greatly increase their
independence. This project developed an all-purpose wheelchair
that operates as a standard wheelchair indoors and competes with
an all-terrain wheelchair outdoors. To accomplish this, necessary
standard features and dimensions were retained for indoor opera-
tion. To improve mobility outdoors, the chair was modified to al-
low on-the-fly adjustment of the center of gravity to prevent tip-
ping. Mountain bike tires were utilized to increase traction and
optional ratcheting drive levers were included to provide a me-
chanical advantage for climbing steep hills. Field tests showed the
prototype capable of extending the user’s range on steeper slopes,
over roots, through mud and grass while the standard chair had
major difficulties with traction and tipping. Survey results indicate
88% of people prefer the prototype to a standard wheelchair re-
garding the advantages it provided in each test.
Advisors: Alan Hoffman, Holly Ault
Page 19
Design
Designing a Robotic Arm for moving and Sorting Scraps at
Pacific Can, Beijing, China
Mohamad Alblaihess, William Farrar, Fernando Gonzalez,
Yifan Shao
In modern industry, innovation by automating processes provides
companies with competitive advantages in speed, efficiency, and
production value. This Major Qualifying Project studied the poten-
tial of a robotic, palletizing arm to help Pacific Can Company Ltd.
replace their manpower-driven operation of moving and stacking
unpainted and painted blocks of scrap metal. Focus areas of the
project included work area design, block distinction, alarm sys-
temization, as well as robotic arm and end of arm tool selection.
Advisors: Jianyu Liang, Amy Zeng
Sponsor: Pacific Can Ltd.
Page 20
Design
Design of a Flipper Prosthetic for a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
Vivian Liang, Samantha Varela, Iok Wong
Sea turtles often have flipper damage when found. Lola is a sea
turtle missing one of her front flippers, causing her to swim im-
properly and hence unable to survive alone. This project initiated
the development of a prosthetic to imitate Lola’s healthy flipper to
help her swim more effectively. Flipper blades of various shapes
were designed using CAD, fabricated with a 3D printing and
molding process, and tested in a wind tunnel. The wind tunnel per-
formance was further understood through finite element simula-
tion. The optimal flipper design was identified for superior wind
tunnel performance, i.e., high lift and low drag. An attachment
mechanism was designed with consideration of fitting Lola’s re-
sidual limb. Shoulder loadings that Lola can apply were analyzed
and compared with the required force for swimming in water. This
work paves the way for the development of a biomimetic flipper to
help amputated turtles across the world swim with better efficien-
cy and fewer injuries.
Advisors: Yuxiang Liu, Brian Savilonis
Page 21
Design
Feedback Control of a Tunable Laser for Cavity
Optomechanics Device
Tianchang Gu, Jinqiang Ning, Zhijie Wang
In this project, the team developed a LabVIEW program to pro-
vide convenient, intuitive, and multi-functioned feedback control
for the tunable laser system used in study of cavity optomechanics.
Furthermore, the team built a low-cost, high-accuracy fiber-based
Mach-Zehnder interferometer and conducted experiments to find
the length difference of interferometer’s two arms. The connection
from mechanics to optics was built by interference, and from op-
tics to mechanics was built by radiation pressure of the light. Mo-
tor-scan in the wide range and piezo-scan in the narrow range
were processed by New Focus 6700 Tunable Laser System™ and
Data Acquisition System (DAQ System) to obtain measurements
for intensity and wavelength. The relationship between intensity
and wavelength was analyzed and applied to find the characteris-
tics of cavity length. The results of this project may benefit the
users in Cavity Optomechanics field, especially for those aim to
get precise wavelength measurements in picometer scale.
Advisors: Yuxiang Liu, Yiming Rong
Page 22
Design
Thermal Performance Assessment Chamber: The Design and
Development of a Novel Fire Attack Hose Testing Apparatus
Anthony Capuano, Joshua Donovan, Camden Knoff,
Jack Murphy, Panyawat Tukaew
Recent research has shown that fire attack hoses are burning
through on the fireground, leaving firefighters without water and
putting their lives at risk. To address this concern, the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has begun revising its stand-
ards to include more rigorous thermal performance tests for fire
hoses. The Thermal Performance Assessment Chamber was de-
signed and created to expose hoses to convective and radiative
heat transfer at intensities similar to those found on the fireground.
Initial testing has shown that under thermal exposure, fire attack
hoses can fail in as little as 2 minutes. If adopted into the national
standards, this apparatus will eventually be used to test all new
hoses entering the fire service.
Advisor: Kathy Notarianni
Page 23
Design
Design and Testing of Power Cycle Concepts for WPI
Kite-Powered Water Pump
Jessie Ciulla, Abdulrahaman Jilani, Joseph Samela,
John Scarborough
The purpose of this MQP was to research, analyze, and design
functional iterations of an airborne wind energy kite powered wa-
ter pump. The ideal prototype was low cost, serviceable, opera-
tional under variable wind speeds and for different kites, and able
to house a one- or two-kite system. The goals of this project were
to design a support for the water pump that could be incorporated
into the existing design, to improve the housing for the power
spool to allow for a stall spool and brakes, to test the designs, and
to improve the pump shaft. The design and testing were completed
by a team of four mechanical engineering students. CAD was used
to design all parts, and a program was developed to calculate vari-
ables within the airborne wind system such as required force at a
certain wind speed or spool size. The final design was tested, and
there is prospective for this technology to grow as more research
and development is invested.
Advisor: David Olinger
Page 24
Design
Bose IR Reception Test Improvements
Justin Brousseau, Connor MacMillan, Michael Roche
Bose Corporation uses infrared technology (IR) in a variety of
commercially available products. With such a reliance on IR, the
effective evaluation of product performance is crucial from a prod-
uct development and marketing perspective. This project focused
on the development of a robust, quantitative and repeatable testing
procedure with which Bose Corporation could qualify their infra-
red technology. Specific areas of focus include the design and im-
plementation of a standard test procedure and test fixtures that in-
crease test precision, reduced human error in the test, and decrease
test time. With a more universal and defined testing procedure, the
comparison of different products becomes more effective, and
measurement variation between test operators and products is re-
duced by 50%. Through this decrease in variation, the need for
cross-functional meetings that are currently held throughout the
development of a product will be eliminated and the overall testing
process will be reduced to 1/4 the time of the current process.
Advisors: John Hall, David Planchard
Sponsor: Bose Corporation
Page 25
Design
Design and Optimization of a Formula SAE Vehicle
William Kinkead, Connor Morette, Adrian Pickering,
Zachary Sears, James Waldo
The purpose of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) For-
mula Major Qualifying Project (MQP) is to develop a vehicle for
entry in competitions. This MQP went beyond textbook theory by
designing, building and testing the performance of a real vehicle.
Students worked in multidisciplinary (Mechanical, Electrical,
Computer Science, Manufacturing and Aero) teams throughout the
year. Emphasis was placed on reliability, serviceability, and ad-
justability of critical sub-systems. Suspension, steering and
drivetrain components are designed to be easily replaceable on the
track with only basic tools. The engine was paired with a custom
pneumatic shift transmission to allow an automatic shift mode to
make fast, consistent shifts. An aerodynamic package is designed
to provide maximum down force in the expected speed range,
without creating large amounts of drag. Sensors are strategically
located on the aerodynamic, suspension and drivetrain components
for faster and more accurate collection of data used in tuning the
vehicle. A removable steering wheel integrated drivetrain feed-
back, vehicle controls, and a manual paddle shift mode to provide
comfortable and intuitive driver controls. The vehicle is required
to accommodate a 95th percentile model comfortably and safely in
the driver's compartment. The design of the interior driver com-
partment and bodywork allows the driver to quickly and safely
exit the vehicle in an emergency situation, while protecting them
from road debris and providing an aesthetically appealing body-
work package.
Advisor: David Planchard
Page 26
Design
Design and Production of a Scalable 3D Printed Prosthetic
Hand
Sean Greene, Daniel Lipson, Abimael Mercado, Aung Soe,
The e-NABLE community is an amazing group of individuals
from all over the world who are using their 3D printers to create
free 3D printed hands and arms for those in need of an upper limb
assistive device. When Ivan Owen posted a video of his homebuilt
mechanical hand on Youtube in 2011, he never could have pre-
dicted how far it would reach.The objective of this MQP is to cre-
ate a low cost (US $50), scalable, wrist powered, 3D-printed pros-
thetic hand with the goal to publish the design files as open-source
and public domain. Current 3D printed prosthetic hand designs do
not lend themselves to selective scaling which causes kinematic
failures. Improper selective scaling and initial design also negativ-
ity effects the assembly and the ability to address field serviceabil-
ity.Through mechatronic, material, kinematic, and manufacturabil-
ity studies, various generation prototypes were created. Using a
unique design incorporating equation based dimensions and pa-
rameters along with improved user interface and instructions pro-
vided successful results.
Advisors: David Planchard, Glen Gaudette
Page 27
Design
SAE Baja Redesign
Ryan Horton, Kenneth McPherson, Jason Mehta, Dylan Stimson
The purpose of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja
MQP was to update and modify the pre-existing vehicle for com-
petition in 2017. Major design modifications were made to the
chassis, suspension, drivetrain, and steering.
The rear of the chassis was modified allowing for proper orienta-
tion of the drivetrain and suspension. Kinematic analysis was per-
formed during the design phase for the front and rear suspension
in order to ensure ideal camber throughout suspension travel. The
entire suspension was then represented utilizing the half car mod-
el, analyzed using the mechatronic bond-graph method, and simu-
lated using Matlab.
The team used stress analysis to ensure that all designed compo-
nents could withstand the rigors of an SAE Baja competition with-
out component failure. Physical analysis was conducted to find the
appropriate gear reduction required to meet our design specifica-
tions for top speed and maximum torque.
The team worked diligently with manufacturers to ensure that the
components could be manufactured and used the WPI SAE chap-
ter to ensure that the car was completed in a timely fashion. Engi-
neering analysis as well as diligent communication with all stake-
holders allowed the MQP to create a fully operational and compet-
itive vehicle that meets the Mini Baja SAE competition specifica-
tions.
Advisor: David Planchard
Page 28
Design
Designing and Testing a Dynamic Prosthetic Socket
Daniel Felix, Selim Tanriverdi, Crystal Trivedi, Everett Wenzlaff
When an amputee wears a prosthesis for an extended period of
time, poor socket fit and high pressures contribute to discomfort,
skin abrasions, swelling, tissue necropathy, and blood vessel oc-
clusion within the residual limb. The goal of this project is to de-
sign and test a new prosthetic fitting for transtibial amputees that
will reduce the amount of stress on the skin and soft tissues of the
lower limb by automatically adjusting and redistributing the pres-
sures within the area of the socket. To address these issues, we
designed a socket with built in bladders that are controlled by an
automated pneumatic system. Our design redistributes pressure
within the system to increase comfort for the wearer.
Advisors: Marko Popovic, Yitzhak Mendelson, Selçuk Güçeri
Sponsor: Liberating Technologies Incorporated
Page 29
Design
Automated Design Tool
Daniel Grande, Felice Mancini
Individualization of education is recognized by the National Acad-
emy of Engineering (NAE) to be one of the grand challenges for
educators worldwide. But personalizing activities for every indi-
vidual in the classroom is a tedious task because of the variability
that exists in any classroom, be it in the form of individual student
capabilities and instructor teaching styles. With increasing enroll-
ment, teaching resources are stretched thin and individualization at
the level of every course is almost non existent. Personalization or
individualization is even more challenging in areas such as system
design and analysis.
Therefore, in order to provide an exploratory learning experience
in design and analysis, this project demonstrates an automated vir-
tual lab in the area of system design and analysis. The project
combines different research activities in automated analysis using
graph grammar approach and tree search methods. In particular, a
graph grammar rule-based system to automatically generate bond
graphs for various systems is developed. This is combined with
similar grammar based rules and search algorithms to provide au-
tomation in analysis and design. Examples will be demonstrated to
showcase the potential as well as how this concept can be scaled
using appropriate learning algorithms towards personalizing edu-
cation.
Advisor: Pradeep Radhakrishnan
Page 30
Design
Automation of Manual Assembly
Cameron DeWallace, James West, Justin Hence
MilliporeSigma produces single-use manufacturing plastic assem-
blies for biological therapeutics. Due to the very high degree of
customization present in these assemblies, the associated assembly
process is manual and is not necessarily scalable. Besides, manual
assembly results in challenges such as operator fatigue and incor-
rect assemblies. In order to improve and overcome these challeng-
es, the team conducted detailed research into various aspects of the
Danvers Mobius Production Unit. By integrating a structured de-
sign methodology ranging from studying the current operational
model, interviews with key stakeholders, observations on the shop
floor to developing activity maps for the various processes, differ-
ent avenues for automation were identified. After brainstorming
and generating different automation concepts for various stages of
the assembly operation, the team decided to focus on further en-
hancing concepts for tube-insertion. In particular, the focus was on
inserting small tubes, which is not only a challenging and repeti-
tive process but also causes operator fatigue. The project will de-
tail different design and analyses carried out as well as the results
from testing the proof of concept.
Advisor: Pradeep Radhakrishnan
Sponsor: MilliporeSigma
Page 31
Design
Harnessing Wind Energy: 3D Printing a Small-Scale Wind
Turbine with a Fiberglass Converging-Diverging Nozzle
Stacey Chaves, Isabella Sanchez, Eduardo Sandoval
This project aims to design and create an affordable yet efficient
small-scale wind turbine to provide people in diverse environ-
ments with the opportunity to harness wind energy. We investigat-
ed different wind turbine designs and ultimately decided on a de-
sign with a three-bladed horizontal axis wind turbine placed inside
of a converging-diverging nozzle, in order to maximize wind
speeds, and furthermore, maximize power output. We also made
our design accessible to others by 3D printing our wind turbine,
since 3D printing is a fast growing and accessible technology. As a
result, we used and investigated ABS plastic because it is one of
the most common materials used in 3D printers. Additionally, we
used PVC piping for the tower supporting our nozzle and we con-
structed a platform out of wood. Lastly, we used fiberglass coated
with a two-part epoxy to construct the converging-diverging
nozzle.
Advisor: Nima Rahbar
Page 32
Design
Design of a System for in-situ Measurements of Semiconductor
-Catalyst Under Strain
Nickolas Burnell, Julianne Flynn, Mitchell Green, Gabriel Ludke
Rising concerns over global warming and fossil fuels creates a
need for alternative energy sources. Hydrogen, the most abundant
chemical element in the universe, can be harnessed through solar-
driven water electrolysis by a photocatalyst material. The project
team designed, manufactured and tested a device in which a pho-
tocatalyst material can be mechanically strained to improve its
energy conversion efficiency. The device consists of an electrical-
ly conductive substrate, a straining mechanism, and a reaction
chamber. The electrically conductive substrate, made of a metal-
filled polymer, acts as an electrode for the photocatalyst. The
straining mechanism was designed to bend this substrate and
transfer strain to the photocatalyst over a range of -2 to 2%. The
reaction chamber was created to house the substrate and mecha-
nism while allowing light to reach the photocatalyst. All compo-
nents were designed to be chemically resistant to one molar sulfu-
ric acid, in which the reaction will be conducted.
Advisor: Pratap Rao
Page 33
Design
Designing a Concussion-Reducing Football Helmet
Kelly Beisswanger, Danielle Haley, Glen Morgan,
Vincent Tavernelli
The goal of this project was to reduce the likelihood of concussions for
football players by designing a helmet that decreased linear acceleration
of the head. The design incorporated shock-absorbent protective padding.
A testing assembly was created to simulate an impact force while meas-
uring x and z accelerations experienced in the head. Recorded accelera-
tions were used in equations to calculate the Head Injury Criteria (HIC)
and Gadd Severity Index (SI) parameters, which are commonly used to
measure the probability of a head injury. Results obtained from the hel-
met with shock-absorbent material were compared to results obtained
from the helmet in its original condition. Analysis of the results demon-
strated that exterior shock-absorbent protective padding was effective at
reducing the likelihood of a concussion by reducing the linear accelera-
tion of the head when comparing parameters such as acceleration, HIC,
and GSI.
Advisor: Brian Savilonis
Page 34
Design
Water Energy Harvester
Sarah Bailey, Katrina Bradley, Andrea Chan, Nathan Curtis,
Lauren Richard
The Water Energy Harvester MQP aims to provide design insight
into a novel system that collects energy from flowing water. This
project is a continuation of a previous MQP which initialized the
basic design for a tidal turbine. The updated design is comprised
of a single neoprene fin that moves sinusoidally in the direction of
the flow of water, similar to the motion of an eel’s dorsal fin. Both
the fin and powertrain designs have been redeveloped for greater
power transfer, energy collection efficiency, and manufacturabil-
ity. Though no data was collected to determine the power efficien-
cy of the device, it was determined that a lighter, continuous fin is
necessary for smoother undulating motion and for reducing the
torque needed during its sinusoidal motion. The crankshaft re-
quires manufacturing that is exceptionally difficult on WPI’s cam-
pus and may also need to be made of a different material.
Advisor: Brian Savilonis
Page 35
Design
A Novel Transmission for a Motorcycle Engine
Ethan Barrieau, Jason Beauregard
Current motorcycle transmissions have extensive room for optimization.
This Major Qualifying Project utilizes the engineering design process in
order to develop a novel automatic manual motorcycle transmission. The
engineering design process is essential throughout the development of the
system and was utilized to mimic the design process in a commercial
setting. Intended outcomes where to create a smaller transmission system
with an internal gear selector system. Gear transitions will be manually
selected by the motorcycle operator to provide efficient transitions while
maintaining operator control. This project is a multi-phase project, with
this years intended focus on the gear selector system. A prototype was
created in order to analyze and redesign for future development.
Advisor: Christopher Scarpino
Page 36
Design
Aerial Ice Dam Control & Removal
Stephen Arata, Riley Shoneck, Mitchell Weeks
Ice dams can cause serious damage to homes during the winter-
time. Multirotor mounted solutions were designed and fabricated
to deploy salt on these ice dams, allowing backed-up water to
channel through the ice dams and prevent continued water dam-
age. Two mechanisms were developed and prototyped. The proto-
types had rapid interchangeability with a unified static multirotor
mount. They were designed for quick assembly and repair, with
the majority of parts composed of lightweight laser-cut acrylic and
3D-printed PLA. One mechanism carried and deployed 0.7 kg of
standard calcium chloride throw-able ice pucks, while the other
prototype carried and deployed 1.239 kg of granular pet-safe ice
melt. Both units are controlled manually by the same transmitter/
receiver system (tested to a line-of-sight range of over 450m),
which is independent of the multirotor flight control system. Both
mechanisms performed as intended, deploying their respective
forms of salt in a controlled manner.
Advisor: John Sullivan
Page 37
Design
Body Armor Impact Map System
Carolyn Keyes, Nicholas Potvin, Zachary Richards,
Christopher Tolisano
Bullet-resistant vests have saved the lives of many law enforce-
ment officers, however, after being shot, wearers are commonly
left with life-threatening injuries. Therefore, users are sometimes
unable to call for help, delaying the response time for needed as-
sistance. Reducing the time between the impact and the arrival of
medical care is critical to the user’s survival. To assist in ensuring
a timely response, a system capable of detecting a ballistic impact,
determining its location, and calculating the likely injury sustained
by the wearer was created. The system utilizes a custom designed
network of sensors and accompanying circuitry. The circuit trans-
mits the collected information of the impact to an application in-
stalled on the user's smartphone via Bluetooth. The impact data is
then sent along with the GPS location of the smartphone to a mon-
itoring entity, providing an instant medical alert, as well as warn-
ing other officers of a potentially dangerous situation.
Advisors: John Sullivan, William Michalson
Page 38
Design
Design and Fabrication of a Stirling Engine
Pete DiMaggio, Jennifer Eastaugh, Justin Fahie, Alex Silk
In this Major Qualifying Project (MQP), our team designed and
fabricated a Stirling engine, an external combustion engine that
operates due to expansion and compression of air associated with
an external heat source and converting that energy into mechanical
work. The team designed a dual beta-type Stirling configuration
and modeled it using computer aided design (CAD) software. The
engine was analyzed thermodynamically and subsequently fabri-
cated, though a sequence of design iterations to reach the final pro-
totype assembly. Computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software
and computer numerical control (CNC) machines were used to
create complex parts. The dual nature of the design reduced the
need for a large flywheel to store inertial energy. A unique piston
design and ring system were implemented reduce the inertia com-
ponents of the system. The prototype is undergoing final test eval-
uations and results will be forthcoming.
Advisor: John Sullivan
Page 39
Design
Dog Entertainment
Arthur Fulgoni, Hector Rivas, and Omar Younis
Finding time and energy for playing with dogs is getting harder
each day. Elderly or physically disabled dog owners may lack the
strength or endurance to train and exercise their pets. Our FIDO
project designed a tennis ball-throwing center to entertain a dog. It
focuses on the overall design and performance of a new product.
Mechanical systems for elevation, rotation and launching of a ten-
nis ball were analyzed and studied to improve the previous sys-
tems for faster operations. The footprint of the FIDO design was
configured to allow a single person to move, relocate, and set it
up. The time required for a subsequent ball toss was designed to
be less than 15 seconds. The team designed and fabricated an aes-
thetically appealing outer housing of FIDO including painted
frame, laser cut-to-fit acrylic side panels, and finished wood as the
top and bottom bases for the product. The system provides interac-
tive input for both interior and exterior operation.
Advisor: John Sullivan
Page 40
Design
Stirling Engine Design and Fabrication
Alexander Church, Benjamin Greenbaum, Cory Stirling
The objective of this project was to design and manufacture a Stir-
ling engine capable of producing 100 Watts. A Stirling engine is
an external combustion engine that creates work by utilizing a
temperature gradient within a cylinder to drive a piston. These
engines are attractive options for green technologies because the
temperature differential can be produced by a variety of heat
sources. Analysis showed that a Beta configuration would meet
both thermodynamic and manufacturing requirements. Practical
testing was performed to verify the initial analysis. The crank-
shaft, piston, displacer, heating element, and cooling element were
machined from stock material. These components were combined
with parts from prior Stirling Engine MQPs, a flywheel and power
testing apparatus, to fully construct the engine. Testing was per-
formed on the engine, and areas for improvement were document-
ed and addressed. Prototype testing is ongoing currently
Advisor: John Sullivan
Page 41
Design
The Snow Rake: Removing Snow from Multiple Story Roofs
Grant Brining, Mark Chakuroff, Zachary Charland,
Thomas Stanovich
Heavy winter snowfall around the country puts the structural in-
tegrity of residential homes at risk. While single story homes are
easy to clear, it is a daunting task to climb on a roof to remove
snow from a multiple-story home. Two snow removal system pro-
totypes were designed,fabricated, and tested which would allow a
contracting team to clear snow on a multiple story roof from
ground level. One of these prototypes shows great promise and
would dramatically increase user safety.
Advisor: John Sullivan
Page 42
Manufacturing Engineering
Analysis of 3d Printed Beams and Truss Bridges
Aaron Cornelius
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), a common form of 3d print-
ing, has several key drawbacks that make it difficult to analyze
using traditional engineering equations. This paper analyzed tradi-
tional engineering models in regards to 3d printed beams in bend-
ing and proposes adapted equations. The proposed infill based
model accurately predicts the failure point of beams, and is suita-
ble for both direct calculation of beam strength and for compara-
tive analysis with changing part dimensions and printing variables.
Additionally, a new system for breaking 3d printed truss bridges is
proposed for use in educational settings, which allows quick and
simple setup with minimal printing time.
Advisor: Torbjorn Bergstrom
Page 43
Manufacturing Engineering
Surface Metrology of Additive Manufactured Surfaces
Adam Lemoine, Matthew Mancini, Joseluis Velez
Additive manufactured surfaces are known to be problematic. The
ability to repeat surface measurements must be established before
the influence of manufacturing variables on surface roughness can
be properly compared. Topographic measurements of laser sin-
tered surfaces manufactured by additive manufacturing are stud-
ied. Measured height data are compared directly and using con-
ventional and multi-scale characterization parameters. Additional-
ly, this work demonstrates a method for selecting the measurement
size and the size of calculation regions for studying surface topog-
raphies. The variance between different locations on a surface
tends to be greater when the scale of observation is small. Identify-
ing the scales where individual topographical features become less
visible can be useful for selecting necessary scales to study. Also,
this work presents a correlation study between the linear energy
density of the laser used in the sintering process and conventional
and multi-scale parameters, which can support additive manufac-
turing process design. Recently proposed principles of surface
metrology, emphasizing scale, geometric features and measure-
ment fidelity, are examined in light of these results.
Advisor: Cristopher Brown
Page 44
Manufacturing Engineering
Improving the Drying Technology at Pacific Can, Beijing
Rida Fayyaz, Andrew Kenyon, Victor Vasquez
The goal of this project is to assist the Beijing manufacturing facil-
ity of Pacific Can in determining a more efficient and economical
drying system into the manufacturing process of aluminum cans.
We analyzed the current drying process, conducted experiments to
determine the feasibility of our proposed alternatives, and created
a 3D model of our recommended solution for integration into the
current process. Major methods used include engineering design,
design of experiment, systems thinking and cost-benefit analysis.
Advisors: Jianyu Liang, Amy Zeng
Sponsor: Pacific Can Ltd.
Page 45
Materials Engineering
Dissimilar Metal Casting
Rachel Harrison, Scott Olson, Alino Te
The aim of this project was to explore the nature of metallurgical
bonds that can be created between steel and aluminum. Metallic
coatings were utilized to facilitate the formation of quality bonds
between the two dissimilar metals. Hot dipping experiments were
performed to evaluate the effect of time and coating material. The
introduction of zinc as a coating material improved the bond quali-
ty; attempts to use a more complex metal matrix material were
unsuccessful due to challenges with its creation. The conclusions
drawn from this research provide a basis for better understanding
of the mechanism of metal diffusion over time and the
subsequent bond formation.
Advisor: Diran Apelian
Sponsor: Metal Processing Institute
Page 46
Materials Engineering
Friction Testing for Shoe Sole
Brien Hard, Joe Lidwin, Chris Murray, Connor King
This project focuses on finding a possible correlation between sur-
face roughness and coefficient of friction for elastomer com-
pounds used in making shoe soles. The surface of the elastomer
compounds were measured with a confocal microscope to obtain
topographical data. Analysis techniques were used to understand
the area of the surface and determine at what micrometer scales
the surface should be analyzed. This process helps to determine
the scales in which two surfaces could be considered different. An
apparatus was designed to test the tangential and normal compo-
nents of the coefficient of friction between the elastomer and
counter face. The coefficient of friction measurements were re-
gressed with the height parameters and the area scale complexity
of the surface to attempt to find a correlation.
Advisor: Christopher Brown
Page 47
Materials Engineering
Effects of Intumescent Layering on the Pyrolysis of FRP
Systems
Lewis DuBois, Zhidong He, Adam McNally
Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRPs) compose a versatile set of ma-
terials and offer several advantages over conventional materials in
architectural applications such as exterior cladding and ornamental
features. Manufacturers are developing a myriad of systems to
improve these materials’ ability to meet fire safety regulations.
Cone calorimetry is a bench-scale test those results can be used to
estimate an FRP system’s performance in a full-scale fire test, and
can be used to compare intumescent layered systems to established
systems. Simulating cone calorimeter experiments in Gpyro, a
comprehensive pyrolysis modeling program, offers the possibility
of predicting FRP systems’ performances before they are fabricat-
ed. However, use of Gpyro in this application is in its infancy and
requires fine tuning to accurately predict test results. This project
compared the effectiveness of different fire-resistant FRP systems
in terms of meeting building regulations and tested the efficacy of
Gpyro at predicting cone calorimeter test results from material
properties.
Advisor: Nicholas Dembsey
Sponsor: Kreysler & Associates
Materials Engineering
Fire Behavior of a Fiber Reinforced Polymer Load Bearing
Wall
Paul Esteve, Alexander Klose, Thomas Washburn
This report investigates in-plane load carrying behavior of a fiber
reinforced polymer (FRP) wall exposed to localized flashover con-
ditions. The structural behavior under ambient and fire conditions
was analyzed using engineering science principles to gain insight
into the mechanisms behind the behavior. Individual wall compo-
nents and a scaled assembly were tested at ambient temperatures
providing a baseline to compare with fire test results. Two 8x4
foot FRP assemblies exposed to fire conditions were evaluated to
determine their load carrying behavior.
Advisor: Nicholas Dembsey
Sponsor: Kreysler & Associates
Page 48
Page 49
Materials Engineering
Friction Stir Welding of Dissimilar Materials
Matthew Ryder, Christopher Sample, Jinghan Wu
Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a solid-state welding process that
has demonstrated the ability to join both similar and dissimilar
alloys, as well as materials unweldable by traditional fusion weld-
ing techniques. Improved mechanical properties were reported
often without the need for post-weld heat treatment. To develop a
fundamental understanding of the process, and broaden the range
of applications in aerospace and automotive industries, it is imper-
ative to establish relationships between welding parameters and
weld quality, resulting microstructures, and tensile properties and
microhardness. A fixture was specifically designed and fabricated
to accommodate different sample geometries, and the fixture ma-
terial was selected based on heat transfer computations. Similar
and dissimilar FSW experiments using various rotation and trav-
erse speeds were performed on three heat treated wrought alumi-
num alloys (Al6061-T651, Al2024-T351, Al7075-T735), located
systematically on both advancing and retreating sides of the weld.
Quality index was first evaluated to assess and optimize the pro-
cess. Further, microstructural characteristics, including band spac-
ing and grain size, have been measured and analytically correlated
with microhardness and tensile properties in both traverse and lon-
gitudinal directions. The results will be presented and discussed in
the context of structural applications for the transportation indus-
try.
Advisor: Diana Lados
Page 50
Materials Engineering
Hybrid Doped Silica Aerogels
Evan Baum, Corey Richards
Silica aerogels are lightweight, highly porous, nanostructured ma-
terials with low density, low dielectric constants, and excellent
thermal insulation properties. They are among the most easily fab-
ricated aerogels due to the availability of required materials such
as carbon dioxide, ethanol, and tetraethyl orthosilicate; and the
relatively simple sol-gel chemistry involved. By using silica aero-
gels as skeletons, nanomaterials were easily and effectively struc-
tured in three dimensions to create electrically conductive, low
density, and porous nanostructured networks. Aerogels doped with
carbon nanotubes, graphene, tungsten disulfide, and molybdenum
disulfide were fabricated by the liquid carbon dioxide supercritical
drying of silica gels that were loaded with these nanomaterials.
The dopants were introduced into the gels by dispersing them in
ethanol, which acts as the pore liquid of the gels. The resulting
aerogels, having properties that are tunable through dopant materi-
al and concentration, could serve as a fundamental design for fu-
ture low density and porous networks suitable for catalysis, energy
conversion, energy storage, tunable thermal properties, high com-
pressibility and many other applications.
Advisor: Balaji Panchapakesan
Page 51
Robotics
Fire Containment Drone
Tim Neilan, Cameron Peterson, David Rubenstein, Bryan Toribio
The focus of this project was to create a fire suppressing multi-
rotor drone platform capable of working in parallel with firefight-
ers and first responders. The Fire Containment Drone was de-
signed to aid in fighting boat fires as they provide unique difficul-
ties for firefighters that a multirotor drone platform could alleviate.
The drone system utilizes a fire suppression gel called FireIce. The
fire suppression system used wireless communication, GPS loca-
tion, camera feedback, and a temperature sensing array to assess
the fire and accurately apply the fire suppression agent. As this is
an exploratory project for drone technology, the prototype system
will provide a foundation for future projects to build on.
Advisors: William Michalson, Fred Looft
Page 52
Robotics
Foldable Micro Aerial Vehicles
Fuchen Chen, Weijia Tao, Dabai Zhang
Folding is an efficient way of constructing 3D structures. It re-
quires less energy to manufacture and less space for storage. This
paper presents a robot fabrication method inspired by origami.
Crease pattern is laser cut onto polyester sheets to become the
basic parts that form the structure of robot. Such parts are then
folded and assembled together. To demonstrate the functionality
and reliability of this fabrication method, two kinds of micro aerial
vehicles, a quadcopter and a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)
aircraft, are designed and tested. Test flights are performed suc-
cessfully on both vehicles.
Advisor: Cagdas Onal
Page 53
Robotics
HERO Glove
Alex Caracappa, Saraj Pirasmepulkul, Peerapat Luxsuwong,
Tri Khuu
Non-repetitive manipulation tasks that are easy for humans to per-
form are difficult for autonomous robots to execute. The Haptic
Exoskeletal Robot Operator (HERO) Glove is a system designed
for users to remotely control robot manipulators whilst providing
sensory feedback to the user. This realistic haptic feedback is
achieved through the use of toroidal air-filled actuators that stiffen
up around the user’s fingers. Tactile sensor data is sent from the
robot to the HERO Glove, where it is used to vary the pressure in
the toroidal actuators to simulate the sense of touch. Curvature
sensors and inertial measurement units are used to capture the
glove’s pose to control the robot.
Advisors: Cagdas Onal, William Michalson
Sponsor: Soft Robotics Lab at WPI
Page 54
Robotics
Hydro-Muscle Actuated Exo-Legs for Therapy and Video
Gaming
Nicholas Benson, Jason Hyacinthe, Steven Ruotolo,
Chenwei Zhang
Ambulatory disabilities affects approximately 30.6 million people
in the US over the age of 15 according to the 2010 US Census. Of
these 30.6 million, about 10.8 million have the ability to walk a
quarter mile continuously, but find it difficult doing so. The goals
of this project were to design a device to be used therapeutically in
order to help re-learn walking motions, to strengthen muscles, or
to assist in everyday life. The device was also designed to be used
as part of cyber physical interface, e.g. virtual reality (VR) system
to offer a source of physical input and feedback. To accomplish
this task, our team built a wearable leg actuation assisting appa-
ratus that outputs a minimum of five percent of the average adult’s
knee joint moment and is combinable to a VR system to fully en-
gulf the user into a gaming environment.
Advisor: Marko Popovic, Eben Cobb, Charles Sheldon
Page 55
Robotics
Ornithopter, Flapping Wing Robot
Brian Baggaley, Jourdan McKenna, Daniel Sanderson,
Fredrick Wight
The objective for this project is to design and implement an orni-
thopter capable of short-distance flight. An ornithopter is a robot
that flies in a manner similar to a bird by generating flapping wing
motion. Ornithopters can be more efficient, cost effective and en-
vironmentally friendly than fixed-wing aircrafts. This ornithopter
has been developed by observation of both natural and man-made
fliers, as well as previous academic projects. Goals for this project
include being capable of maneuvering around and over obstacles
by adjusting pitch, yaw, and roll, ability to glide for seven seconds
under its own power, can switch between flapping and gliding
with minimal disruption of flight pattern and being durable enough
to withstand impacts with minimal to no damage.
Advisors: Marko Popovic, Hossein Hakim, Dmitry Berenson
Page 56
Robotics
Lower-limb Exoskeleton Design
Brian Flynn
Calculated and measured kinematic and dynamic data are seldom
the focus of viability reports or articles regarding the effectiveness
of rehabilitative exoskeletons. Mechanical bodies with a number
of links and joints can be analyzed using forward and inverse kine-
matics, dynamics, and bond graph techniques. A more comprehen-
sive understanding of the dynamic qualities of the mechanism and
its components is achieved when the results of the separate meth-
ods are analyzed and compared. Preliminary mechanical analyses
which employ these methods lead to more accurate predictions of
significant component features as well as the forces acting upon
them, resulting in a design that is closer to the system being imitat-
ed.
By collecting and making these data public, researchers and de-
signers can make further advances in the field, promoting the de-
sign of more effective rehabilitative devices and a more compre-
hensive collective understanding of how to best approach the de-
sign process for a rehabilitative exoskeleton device. These meth-
ods are currently being applied to the design of an adjustable and
compliant lower-limb exoskeleton for clinical rehabilitation. It is
particularly important to quantify the effects of a device under the
influence of numerous internal and external forces with the ability
to have its dimensions altered. If a standard for the analysis of a
similar device is developed and mechanical analysis results are
shared, the amount of time consumed during the design process
can be reduced.
Advisors: Yiming Rong, Pradeep Radhakrishnan
Page 57
Thermofluids
NFPA 285 Screening Rig Evaluation
Michelle Dong, Shannon Rice, Earl Schiffhauer, Keith Sullivan
Composite building materials, such as Fiber Reinforced Polymers
(FRP) are becoming more widely used in the exterior cladding
systems of modern buildings. The light-weight, fast, and easily
customizable design of FRP appeals to both architects and engi-
neers. However, FRP's classification as a combustible material
presents concerns with respect to external fire spread. Combustible
exterior cladding assemblies are required to pass the NFPA 285
multi-story building test. The full scale NFPA 285 test is expen-
sive to run, and it is challenging to repeatedly test the exterior
cladding specimen when considering potential alterations to the
assembly. This project focuses on utilizing a cost-effective inter-
mediate-scale screening rig in the WPI Fire Laboratory to provide
results which are indicative of the full scale NFPA 285 test. An
instrumented assembly specimen is tested in the intermediate-scale
test, and results are compared to previous tests, and the NFPA 285
standardized test.
Advisor: Nicholas Dembsey
Sponsor: Kreysler & Associates
Page 58
Thermofluids
Alternative Methods of Aircraft Braking
Matthew Dunster, Thomas Nuthman, Gregory Stockman,
Nathan Varney
The objectives of this Major Qualifying Project are to identify al-
ternative braking methods for use in commercial aircraft, and to
evaluate the feasibility of a fluidic brake utilizing magnetorheolog-
ical fluid (MRF). This design addresses the problem of overheat-
ing of conventional brakes during a high-speed rejected take-off
(RTO). To determine the energy requirements of the braking sys-
tem, a set of thermodynamic equations are derived and validated
using a case study of the Boeing 737-800. The requirements of the
brakes are given by the brake energy conversion rate as a function
of time during an RTO. The MRF braking system is then evaluat-
ed using a computational thermodynamic model to determine the
transient pressures and temperatures generated during an RTO
event. The model and calculations show that pump efficiencies of
less than 0.1% are required to achieve the necessary energy dissi-
pation during an RTO event. Using the model, a pump and heat
exchanger are sized to evaluate the feasibility of the MRF braking
system.
Advisor: Mustafa Fofana
Sponsor: United Technologies Research Center
Page 59
Thermofluids
Heat Transfer Demo Cart
Kyle LeBorgne, Foster Lee, João Maurício Vasconcelos,
Robert Wood
Visual aids provide an opportunity for greater conceptual under-
standing in many engineering topics. In heat transfer education,
such visualization tools are rare, if in practice at all. The objective
of this project is to design and construct a portable device capable
of both demonstrating heat transfer forced and natural convection
in real-time, and measuring the convective heat transfer coefficient
‘h’. Analysis of the design and functional requirements resulted in
the development of a subsonic, insulated wind tunnel. The test
chamber of the tunnel is outfitted with custom manufactured ge-
ometry and instruments including thermocouples and hot wire ane-
mometry for data acquisition. Control of heat flux, air velocity,
and test geometry enables the tunnel to simulate common sample
problems found in introductory heat transfer textbooks. The suc-
cessful operation of the experiment indicates the device is applica-
ble to a broad range of configurations, including those that parallel
introductory heat transfer problems.
Advisor: Selçuk Güçeri
Page 60
Thermofluids
Forensic Fire Scene Analysis Using Computational Fluid
Dynamics
Francisco Kang, Raeshawn Kennedy, Bernard Rabidou,
Dimitrios Savva
Fire investigations remain one of the most complicated forensic
sciences as it is common for investigators to examine the same fire
scene and reach different conclusions regarding fire origin. To
better understand this science, this project utilized Fire Dynamics
Simulator (FDS), a computational fluid dynamics program, to as-
sess how fire conditions in a compartment, such as fire growth and
flame spread, are affected by ventilation and fire origin. During
the course of this assessment, full-scale fire test data provided by
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was
replicated to add validity to FDS model simulations. Following
this replication, features of FDS facilitated analysis by providing
data that could not be captured during live testing such as visual
representations inside the compartment. From this analysis, a pos-
sible correlation could be made between fire growth, flame spread
and any additional factors that may help investigators determine
area of fire origin.
Advisor: Milosh Puchovsky, Christopher Wood
Page 61
Thermofluids
Integration of a CHP Unit into the Worcester County Jail
Ryan Carello, Thomas Fay, Nathan Ghion, Stefan Smith
This project analyzed the feasibility of using the heat generated by
a West Boylston Municipal Lighting Plant (WBMLP) owned and
operated combined heat and power (CHP) unit to provide domes-
tic water heating for the Worcester County Jail (WCJ). After a site
visit and analysis of data gathered by a flow meter installed in the
boiler room of the WCJ, the team determined the jail’s domestic
water heating load and decided on an appropriate CHP unit size to
meet this demand (two 75 kW units). After numerous calculations,
it was found that the project was financially and environmentally
feasible. The team also reviewed permitting requirements and
compiled a list of incentive programs that the WBMLP should
apply for; as well as a guideline on how to apply for these incen-
tives. The project also provides the following:
A detailed visualization of the proposed CHP units and how
they will be placed in relation to the jail’s boiler room
An estimated budget for the CHP unit installation which in-
cludes financial returns
A construction schedule to be used in planning the logistics
for the integration of the CHP units.
Advisor: Brian Savilonis
Sponsor: West Boylston Municipal Lighting Plant
Page 62
Thermofluids
Electrohydrodynamic Conduction Pumping in Micro-
Scale With Two Phase Flow AREA: Thermo-fluids
Darien Khea, Ahmed Hossain
The heat transfer requirements in order to regulate operating tem-
peratures in high power electronics stems from the technological
advancements of miniaturizing systems.
Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) conduction pumps can be utilized
for micro-scale thermal control. EHD conduction pumps are ad-
vantageous in the sense that they are simple in design, have no
moving parts, require lower power to operate, and is able to be
used in microgravity. This project offers performance character-
istics such as pressure and flow rate generation in micro-scale for
a single phase flow based on an EHD pump consisting of three
electrode pairs. These electrode pairs comprise of a flush ring
ground electrode and two 400 micron perforated high voltage
electrodes.
Advisor: Jamal Yagoobi
Page 63
Thermofluids
Fluid Flow Distribution Control in Micro-Scale with EHD
Conduction Pumping Mechanism
Tobin Dancy, Omesh Kamat, Tommy Larkin
Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) conduction pumping technology uti-
lizes the interaction between an applied electrical field and disso-
ciated ions within a dielectric fluid to generate a net body force
within the working fluid, which results in a net flow in a desired
direction. EHD conduction pumps have noticeable benefits when
compared to their traditional mechanical counterparts due to their
low vibration and noise generation, low power consumption, and
ability to operate in microgravity. EHD conduction pumps provide
intelligent flow control via their ability to vary the electric field
voltage applied to their electrodes. Flow distribution control using
EHD conduction pumps has been previously examined in macro-
and meso-scale configurations confirming effective redistribution
of flow and recovery from mal-distribution in both single and two-
phase flows. The purpose of this Major Qualifying Project was to
study the use of EHD conduction pumps in controlling single
phase flow distribution through parallel micro-channels, 500 mi-
crons tall, using upstream micro-scale EHD pumps. Voltage ap-
plied to the micro-scale EHD conduction pumps ranged between 0
-1500 volts. The working fluid used in these experiments was the
refrigerant HCFC-123, operated at ambient conditions.
Advisor: Jamal Yagoobi