The Senior Capstone Design Program in Mechanical Engineering builds on our lab-based, hands-on curriculum to provide students with “their first job, ” a project supplied by companies and entrepreneurs. These clients benefit from having a student team address their dynamic goals and tight budgets, and provide a fresh perspective.
Our Senior Capstone Design teams are formed based on student background, interests, and strengths. Student teams are advised by an eight-person advisory team, the members of which are specially selected for their technical expertise and for their proven ability to guide students through solving real-world, applied problems.
The projects span two semesters, beginning with the development of a project plan, whereby students define end-user needs, client needs, design objectives and constraints, and metrics for success. Proceeding through concept generation and selection, and then through the system- and component-level design stages, each team ultimately produces a working prototype that is tested and refined to meet the project objectives. Projects commence in late August and early January.
Heat Stress Prevention Kit
Team Members: Jessica Buck, Sean Mackey, Sophia Rizzo, Nicholas Sill, John Schuman, Joshua Kizer, Mikhail Alexander, Mechanical Engineering
Advisors: Jaclyn Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Bill Endress, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Air Force Research Lab
Project:
To design for a wearable cooling device for soldiers in the field. The team won top prize at the Air Force Research Lab University Design Challenge
Read More: Heat Stress Prevention Kit design won first place in the Air Force Research Lab University Design Challenge.
Team Members
Christian Vreeland, Thomas Gruber, Evan
Rosemore, and Taylor Erva, Mechanical Engineering
Advisor
Gregory Odegard, Mechanical Engineering-
Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor
Chrysler Group LLC
Project Overview
Our team worked in collaboration with another Senior Design team to develop a special edition lightweight carbon fiber tailgate for use in the next generation RAM 1500 for Chrysler Group LLC. The prototype tailgate was expected to reduce current production weight by 25 percent while maintaining loading integrity and integrating a custom selling feature.
Automatic Loading and Unloading Gravity Flow Rack System
Team Members: Jeffrey Baker, Andrew Crepeau, Samantha Kallman, Clay Sekely, and Halley Shawbitz, Mechanical Engineering
Advisor: Paul van Susante, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Project Overview
We are tasked with the complete design and prototype of a mechanism that couples a material rack to an assembly rack, transfers full containers of parts from the material rack to the assembly rack, and transfers empty containers from the assembly rack to the material rack.
Jocelyn Tervo, Riley Peterson, Becky Schlak,
