Engineering
Senior Design Projects Spring 2008
Eight seniors presented their senior design projects on May 2, 2008. In addition, two teams from Design 1 class presented the results of their lunar and martian thermodynamic analyses, one junior presented an independent study project, and a team from the junior controlled mechanisms class presented their design and prototype for a shipboard tissue culture flask stabilization device.
First are the senior design projects.
Internal Friction of Composite Materials
Students: Lonnie Atkins and Nicole Gagne
Mentor: Professor James Smith
The purpose of this project is to develop an apparatus to measure the internal friction in composites used by yacht manufacturers. Internal friction is the property of a solid that characterizes its capacity to scatter irreversibly the energy of mechanical vibrations. For solid materials a hysteresis curve displays the elastic and plastic characteristics of a solid material. The apparatus designed for this project has four main components; signal generation, thermal conditioning system, signal acquisition, and data processing.
Microprocessor Controlled Programmable Spinner for MEMS and Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication
Student: Shawn Huber
Mentor: Professo Mustafa Guvench
This spinner project serves to support the Micro-Electromechanical Resonator gas sensor research project under the NASA/ Maine Space Grant. The thin film application system has been designed and built as a tool for coating the vibrating member of a MEMR device with a thin film of a specified gas absorbing polymer. The electro-mechanical spinner control system has been automated through the use of a programmable “Basic StampTM” microcontroller acting as a master. The analog feedback power control circuit built ensures that the spin speed is always in line with the voltage generated by the master via a digital-to-analog converter.
Satellite Communications Antenna Control System
Student: Gabriel Garza
Mentors: Professors Julie Ellis and Brian Hodgkin
The mechanical system is a model of a Satellite Communications antenna that allows control of both the azimuth and the elevation of the antenna. Students can implement their own control system designs via a generic Proportional Integral Differential (PID) control system. They can then see the performance improvements their designs do (or do not) make on the operation of the antenna. The project provides engineering students with realistic exposure to classical control systems of interest to NASA as well as in most maritime communication systems. This project extends previous work by Mark Kapsch (observing) in 2007, and was supported by the Maine Space Grant Consortium.
Design of a QCM Resonance Measurement System with Automatic Parasitic Capacitance Cancellation
Student: Gregory Mitchell
Mentor: Professor Mustafa Guvench
The goal of this project is to design a circuit that will help measure resonance characteristics of piezoelectric quartz crystal; in doing so, canceling the effects of parasitic capacitance and conductance. The TSM quartz crystals are used as Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) sensors where the resonance frequency of the crystal changes as material is deposited on it. However, when the crystal is immersed in a gas or liquid, the resonance characteristics are degraded by viscous loading and the electrical parasitic conductance and capacitance, which render the QCM measurement inaccurate and unreliable. The circuit/system senses the currents passing through the parasitic branches and by generating and supplying equal but opposite currents, cancels out their effect on the measurement.
Electrical System Remote Control Device
Student: Anthony Bouchard
Mentor: Professor James Smith
The objective is the design and construction of a seemingly simple widget, a remotely controlled electrical extension cord. A typical TV remote control is used to activate a switch in the cord, allowing one to turn an appliance on or off without leaving the comfort of the recliner. As a practical use, the device can be used to control an electrical apparatus that does not have an on/off switch, or is located in an inconvenient area.
Creating a Windows Control Interface for the Pendubot
Student: Andrew Silsby
Mentor: Professor Carlos Luck
In this project, I created a software control system for the "Pendubot" that runs graphically under the Windows operating system. The Pendubot is a two-link planar robot with an actuator at the shoulder joint but no actuator at the elbow. Originally, the Pendubot was developed to be controlled by an MSDOS-based architecture with control programs that were non-graphical. This new Windows-based system will help future students learn fundamental concepts in nonlinear dynamics and robotic control theory on a modern computing platform.
The following project was accomplished as part of the Controlled Mechanisms course.
Odyssey Lab Stabilization
Students: Stephen Nelson, Corey Worthington, Levi Choinard, Dan Glidden, Caleb Field
Mentor: Daniel Martin
The goal we are trying to achieve is to enable whale cell culturing to take place on board the Odyssey, a 93-foot ketch operated by the Ocean Alliance, which collects data on ocean life. Since these cultures need time to grow cells in a somewhat stationary state, culture flasks will need to be kept level to prevent liquid from sloshing. The mechanism will have to fit inside an incubator. Two sizes of flasks are needed (Biosciences T-75 & T-50). Liquid can never touch the cap filter, but the cell uniformity is even more limiting to the periodic movement. Thus, components will need to be rotated as the ship moves so fluids only see an acceleration toward the bottom of the container (no sloshing). Maximum working conditions of sea state 2 are assumed. The boat roll has a period of roughly 5 to 10 seconds.
Dan Glidden demonstrates the device.
Team making the presentation while Professor John Wise and Ocean Alliance vice president Iain Kerr observe.
The following two team projects were part of the Design 1 class.
Staying Warm on the Moon
Students: David Thompson and John Crosby
Mentors: Professors James Smith and Adjunct Professon Ivan Most
The project is to design a failsafe, easily monitored, fully automated, service friendly ambient temperature control system for NASA’s planetary surface habitat and airlock unit’ that allows extended comfortable habitation by a four man crew. The planetary surface habitat and airlock unit is a tent-like structure built to demonstrate the concept that an inflatable system could be used as a viable architectural structure on the lunar surface. The thermal control design is based on the volume of the structure and upon hypothetical insulative properties. Challenges include creating an efficient system for cooling and heating with temperature extremes ranging from boiling to well below freezing.
The Mars Exploration Rover - WEB Design
Students: Michael Nelson,
Steve Coleman, Caleb Field, Dan Glidden, Tatjana Samardzic, Dejan Sarjic, Samuel Stevens, Travis Turner
Mentors: Professors James Smith and Adjunct Professor Ivan Most
The purpose of this project is to research and design a warm electronics box (WEB) for the Mars Exploration Rover. The box must be able to endure the trip to the planet as well as sustain a specified operating climate for the rover’s computer, circuitry, and batteries. The box has to endure temperatures as low as -105 C, while the average temperature on the planet is -63 C. The operating temperature range of the boxes needs to stay between -20 C and 50 C while the batteries are supplying power, and between 0 C and 50 C while the batteries are recharging.
Following is an independent study project.
Electrical Hybrid Home
Student: Stephen Knittweis
Mentor: Professor Julie Ellis
The purpose of the HYBRID HOME project is to demonstrate and document the feasibility of integrating harvested (alternative) energy with purchased energy in domestic electrical consumption. Energy is being harvested through a windmill and an array of solar panels. This energy is then stored in a bank of batteries where it is converted from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) through an inverter. The inverter delivers AC electrical power to a distribution (breaker) panel for selective consumption within the home. An electrical supply system independent from and coexistent with the utility grid is wired within the home. Electrical power can thus be consumed from either harvested or purchased energy - the two sources are isolated and operate simultaneously through separate distribution circuits (i.e., each system has its own breaker panel and receptacles).
