Nov 22
Apr 18, 2019
On Friday, April 26th Lake Superior State University engineering and engineering technology students will present their senior design projects. The students work in multi-disciplinary teams and many of the projects collaborate with industry to solve real-world problems for companies. The demonstrations begin at 12:30 p.m. in the Center for Applied Science and Engineering Technology (CASET) and are open to the public.
Each project requires a detailed technical engineering analysis, development and follow-through to provide a realistic experience for our graduates. Projects are typically industrial in nature. Some allow for opportunities to break ground and be a part of a new process or product warranting a patent. Others provide opportunities for presentations at conferences and/or competition participation.
Students work with timelines, monetary and management issues, communication, teamwork, paperwork, and logistics within their teams. In addition, they handle guidelines, design reviews, development and production issues, purchasing, changing project definitions, and lessons learned as they work with their faculty advisors and industrial customers.
Team Superior Mobile Test Systems (SMTS) has designed and built a vehicle development testing device for the Continental Air Supply unit (CAirS). CAirS is an integrated air suspension system that includes valve block, compressor, and control unit. The testing device uses real vehicle components with four air cylinders that replicate the vehicle’s pneumatic spring system, to evaluate the functions of variable ride height and load compensation of CAirS, all while performing under real vehicle conditions of pressure, volume, and displacement. This testing device will allow Continental to develop and validate software and hardware for the CAirS without the need of a test vehicle. The presentation starts at 12:30 p.m. and demonstration begins at 1:00 p.m.
Team SMTS is sponsored by Continental. Team Members include Eric Farlow (MfgET), Luis F. de Valderrama (ME), Rick Miller (ME), Justin Portice (EET), Karl Schmidt (ME), Adam Shafer (ME), and Jamis Shafer (ME). Their Faculty Advisor is Dr. Masoud Zarepoor and Industrial Contacts are Dan Goodrich and Matt Tuhro.
Dan Goodrich, Systems Engineering Manager at Continental said, “Continental has been involved in LSSU School of Engineering and Technology Senior Projects for over 20 years. Road surface friction tester, grade simulation dynamometer, and air suspension compressor test stand are just a few of the many projects. Students always get knowledge and experience way beyond a typical class setting better preparing them for graduate school or employment, while also providing them a major sense of accomplishment. Project sponsors always receive real deliverables. LSSU’s management and refinement of Senior Projects over the decades assures every stakeholder wins!”
Team Collaborative Industrial Robotic Applications (CIRA) utilized two collaborative robots to design and implement a robotics demonstration and training work cell. These FANUC CR-7iA/L robots offer new capabilities allowing human interaction with minimal safety precautions. The robots have been placed on a mobile cart that can either be used at LSSU for training purposes or transported to conventions. In addition to the mobile cart work cell design, Team CIRA has also completed the following: implementation of two end-of-arm tooling, mechanical and electrical assembly of the mobile cart, three labs, transportation requirements, user manuals, tutorials, and documentation. The presentation starts at 1:00 p.m. in CASET212 and demonstration begins at 1:30 p.m. in CASET124.
Team CIRA is sponsored by LSSU and consists of Alexander Elias (MfgET), Evan Reeves (ME), Trevor Simons (ME), Isaac Payne (MfgET), Reese Mayhew (EE), Brandon Niemi (EE). Their Faculty Advisor is Jim Devaprasad, and Industrial Contacts are Dr. Kimberly Muller and Dr. Joseph Moening.
Team Corning Robotic Development (CRD) is working under the guidance of Lake Superior State University and Corning Inc. to design an automated solution for a quality control cell at the end of a catalytic converter filter line within Corning’s facility. CRD’s design concept will increase throughput, quality, and profitability, while reducing human interaction. The presentation starts at 1:30 p.m. in CASET212 and demonstration begins at 2:00 p.m. in CASET125.
Team CRD is sponsored by Corning Inc. and consists of Michael Pung (CE), Alec Leask (ME), Nathan Hudson (ME), Sarah Mathews (MfgET), Nathan Pim (MfgET), and Jonathan Balogh (EE). Their Faculty Advisors are Dr. Edoardo Sarda and Jeff King, and Industrial Contacts are Gail Dyer and Martin Ringelberg.
Team Superior Oscillation Research (SOR) was concerned about how through new exploration and aging infrastructure, as there is an ever increasing risk of oil spills or leaks into natural bodies of water, and that presently there is no low-cost method to actively monitor for such events under ice cover. Therefore, a method of based on acoustic reverberation times under ice was investigated. Frequency bands below 90 kHz were being used in a scaled feasibility study of this method in a 6’x2’x2’ tank with naturally-grown ice layers. Reflections from the walls were minimized via anechoic linings as to simulate natural expansive environments. Results of these experiments suggest the feasibility of using acoustic reverberation to detect both the ice layer from open water and oil under the ice. The presentation starts at 2:00 p.m. in CASET212 and demonstration begins at 2:30 p.m. in CASET124.
Team Superior Oscillation Research is sponsored by LSSU. Team Members include Jacob Brendly (ME), Patrick Kelley (ME), and Drake LaFleur (ME). Their Faculty Advisors are Dr. Robert Hildebrand and Dr. David Baumann.
Team Offline Tire Vision Systems (OTVS) partnered with Esys Automation to develop an offline tire vision system. The system is capable of recording tire tread images used for product verification during automotive tire and rim assembly processes. The project required the team to develop a light weight, portable system that can record fully knit tire tread images using a line scan camera, while making the images available for upload to the Esys online tire inspection system. Images are obtained through synchronization of an integrated stepper motor and a line scan camera during tire rotation. The goal of the project is to strengthen Esys’ tire inspection product line, while reducing assembly line downtime due to the development of master tire tread inspection images. The presentation starts at 2:30 p.m. in CASET212 and demonstration begins at 3:00 p.m. in CASET125.
Team OTVS is sponsored by Esys Automation. Team Members include Jaron Rowe (ME), Kellan Korab (ME), Mateus Fonai (ME), Adam Palumbo (ME), Chandler Messer (EET), Trevor Trainor (EE). Their Faculty Advisor is David Leach, and Industrial Contacts is Mark Compton.