December 20, 2022
Students in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering work together in a semester-long capstone project to design, manufacture and test products. The experience gives students the hands-on preparation to be successful after graduation.
This past semester featured eight different MAE capstone groups, including teams that created an automated tire pressure regulation system for bikes, a fishing lure retrieval system and a lifting device for utility terrain vehicles.
Bike Buddy
One of the capstone groups, Bike Buddy, wanted to create an integrated automated pressure regulation system for bikes that consistently monitors and maintains tire pressure to alleviate flat or low-pressure tires at inopportune times. The goal was to make a device that fits all front and rear bikes and is capable of sustaining a tire pressure of up to 120 PSI.
Bike Buddy developed a product that attaches to hub of a wheel. A pressure gauge monitors the air pressure and a CO2 cannister supplies air to fill the tire.
The Golden Retriever
Another capstone group saw the need for a fishing lure retrieval system. Traditional lures are expensive and usually made of plastic, which can be harmful to ecosystems, while the hooks can hurt wildlife. Additionally, they frequently get caught in trees or bushes. The Golden Retriever aimed to create a device that retrieves lures, which would save money and preserve environmental impacts.
They developed a telescoping rod that is extendable up to 12 feet and a number of modular head attachments, including bucket shears, clamp, magnetic claw, fishing net and a storage bag.
The Highered Hand
The group the Highered Hand set out to design and build a lifting device for utility terrain vehicles (UTV) that loads heavy objects into the bed of the UTV. They saw the need to create something that attached to the hitch of the vehicle and can be stored when the UTV is in motion.
The product needed to have a lift capacity of 300 points, use existing UTV power source and hydraulic hook-ups, be easy to install and able to perform in all outdoor environments.
Ultimately, the Highered Hand’s device functioned well, lifted 450 pounds, compacts for portability during driving and only needs one operator to use. However, it was difficult to install.
Below are all capstone projects from the Fall 2022 semester. Take a few moments to learn how mechanical engineers develop solutions to engineering problems.
Group: Window-Matic
Team Members: Brian Huhman, Joseph Martin, Matthew Tranor, Eric Wiseman, Holden Carroll and Jordan Peterson
Objective: Develop a product to automate the process of opening windows without the customer having to physically open them themselves
Group: Bike Buddy
Team Members: Alaina DiCarlo, Cassidy Viox, Remington Wilson, Abram Benson, Alex Trout and Taylor Lewis
Objective: Create an integrated, automated pressure regulation system for bikes that consistently monitors and maintains tire pressure
Group: The Twilight Bar
Team Members: Edgar Pithua Olet, Zach Cissell, Austin Garrison, Jacob Polly, Hunter Weedman and Ziqi Wang
Objective: Create an inexpensive extendable and retractable light bar system for tractors and off-road vehicles that is weather resistant, compact and lightweight
Group: NosCorp
Team Members: Aleksandr Buechter, Pavel Buechter, Kendall Feist, Logan Graham and Seth Tate
Objective: Develop a system capable of supplying nitrous oxide as an oxidizer for the testing of hybrid rocket motors
Group: Fastrack
Team Members: Rafferty Brown, Caelen Morgret, Kionte Lewis, Alex Immel, Thomas Bonvoisin and Anthony Martin
Objective: Create an affordable modular bike rack attachment that can be mounted to bike racks
Group: Aqua Force
Team Members: Vito Bianco, Samantha Drainer, Taryn Fogarty, Hunter Hoelscher, Sam Kaplan and Adam Reddy
Objective: Design and built a height adjustable undercarriage cleaning pressure washer attachment
Group: The Golden Retriever
Team Members: Jimmy Kaufman, Dylan Dixson, Jacob Hewlett, Frank Barry, Cody Sikorski and Ethan Verhulst
Objective: Create a fishing lure retrieval system
Group: The Highered Hand
Team Members: Andrew Slater, Alexis Rinck, Josh Hellebusch, Tom Kabrick and Zane Lady
Objective: Design and build a lifting device to load objects into the bed of a UTV that is attached to the hitch and can be stored when the UTV is in motion