Thirty student teams in Purdue Polytechnic’s School of Engineering Technology will give poster presentations about their industry-sponsored senior capstone projects on Friday, December 8, in the Purdue Memorial Union’s south ballroom.
Each team designs and builds projects throughout the fall and spring semesters. Most capstone projects require the improvement of a process to increase safety, efficiency, or automation for an industry customer.
Frederick Berry, professor of engineering technology, and Phil Sanger, professor of electrical and computer engineering technology, lead the senior capstone course, which is now in its sixth year.
“Our students spend an entire school year working on a real world problem for a client. This experience forms a bridge from their nice neat academic studies and the messy and complicated global engineering workplace,” Sanger said. “I tell my students that this project should be their gateway into their dream job, proving that they are fully prepared to hit the ground running with potential employers and differentiating themselves from the other candidates.”
The student teams’ posters will describe the following projects:
- Automated system for foam insertion
- Automated system for removal of poly-film backing
- Automated system for activity wheel assembly
- Automated system for solar panel cleaning
- Assembly line turbo waste elimination
- Industrial power/energy management
- Electronic monitoring device for cribbing deterrence
- Modular LED board and power circuit building blocks
- Multi-technology experiment station
- Additive manufacturing of aluminum components
- Die-cast robot mastering and process control
- New process for degating of high pressure die castings
- Block lock loading fixture
- System for nonintrusive monitoring and reporting the condition of primary and secondary structure
- Biowall controls
- Separation of rare earth elements from coal ash
- Miniaturization of vapor/air testing device
- Hazardous vapor-capture device for on-site manufacturing
- Hog cooling panel, control package development
- Cost-effective, safer and smart portable chemical applicator
- Lager fridge
- Single-pin extraction process for various connectors
- Technology training system
- Proportional pressure regulator demonstrator
- Augmented reality/virtual reality use in manufacturing
Several projects are international in nature, requiring students to work with counterparts in Denmark, Holland, Germany, and Peru. These projects include:
- Semi-autonomous shuttle for material handling
- Fully autonomous guidance system for the Lenze Powered Shuttle
- Rotational support for patients with dropped head condition
- Improving the multi-head weigher with vibration to increase accuracy in dispensing foods
“Businesses both large and small work with suppliers and customers around the world,” said Berry. “Our senior capstone program gives students unique insight into solving problems that cross the boundaries of nations and cultures.”
Industry sponsors include the following:
- Arconic (Lafayette, IN)
- Boeing (Puget Sound, WA)
- Caterpillar (Lafayette, IN)
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Kokomo, IN)
- FirstBuild (Louisville, KY)
- GE Aviation (Cincinnati, OH)
- John Deere (Moline, IL)
- Lafayette Instrument (Lafayette, IN)
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, CA)
- Lexington Paint & Supply (Nicholasville, KY)
- Microscan (Renton, WA), Molex (Lisle, IL)
- Proportion-Air (McCordsville, IN)
- Stryker (Kalamazoo, MI)
- Zimmer Biomet (Warsaw, IN)
The posters will be on display from 1–4 p.m. Friday, December 8, 2017, in the south ballroom. Students will present their completed projects in late April 2018.
Additional information: