Senior Design Day: Mechanical Engineering

The University of Akron News

05/09/2023

First Place - Research Design Projects: Recycling Plastic Bottles Into 3D Printing Filament. Pictured left to right are team members Megan Arcena, Melissa Cardew and Alexis Jordan.

First Place - Research Design Projects: Recycling Plastic Bottles Into 3D Printing Filament. Pictured left to right are team members Megan Arcena, Melissa Cardew and Alexis Jordan.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) has been consistently striving to make Senior Design Day a showcase of our student Engineering, Design and Innovation talent. These projects take their root in multiple opportunities provided by local industries, research faculty and national competitions like Formula SAE, Baja Racing and Rocket Design to name a few. Our students have excelled in building diverse teams, working creatively within budgets and outperforming project sponsor expectations.

Thirty-four projects were presented in one of four categories: Research Design Projects, Industry Sponsored Research Projects, College Sponsored Large Design Projects and Entrepreneurial/Innovation Design Projects.

"In recent years, the ME Department started partially funding entrepreneurial student projects through the encouragement and support of the Advisory Council," said Dr. Gopal Nadkarni, a senior design instructor. "We aim to provide the graduating class an opportunity to showcase their talent honed over four years of instruction. Nothing makes us happier than seeing our students learning that their skills can truly make an impact. They make The University of Akron proud."

Congratulations to the following students:

Research Design Projects:

First Place: Recycling Plastic Bottles Into 3D Printing Filament
Megan Arcena, Melissa Cardew, Alexis Jordan
Advisor: Dr. Kannan
Second Place: Autonomous Spacecraft Repair
Nathan Doty, Emily Greene, Ashton Orosa, Julia Patek
Advisor: Dr. Mahajan
Honorable Mention: Induced Drag Lab Curriculum with Variable Aspect Ratio Wing Design
Alexander Milligan, Elizabeth Plyler
Advisor: Dr. Garafolo

Industrial Design Projects:

First Place: Carlisle Paper Peeler Prototype
Shawn Dinger, Graham Purnell
Advisor: Dr. Kannan
Second Place: Nidec Automated Winder
Andrew Leonard, Ben Swartz, Michael Pugh, Garrett Dostall
Advisor: David Peters
Honorable Mention: Landing Gear Sealing Solution
Andy Milligan
Advisor: Dr. Kannan

College Sponsored Projects:

First Place: Development of a Regeneratively Cooled Liquid Rocket Engine
Dillon Petty, Nicole Zimmerli
Advisor: Dr. Kannan
Second Place: ZIPS Baja Gear Differential
Hunter Bonk, Paul Cornett, Chase Lane, William Norton, Colton Zanko
Advisor. Dr. Kwon
Honorable Mention: Fluid Powered Bike
Ethan Andrews, Carter Moore, Andrew Sobel, Bryce Towne
Advisor: Dr. Sawyer

Entrepreneurial/Innovation Design Projects:

First Place: Thermal Cooling Cup
Yazen Amawi, Joshua Lloyd, Jack Strifler, Alex Cramer
Advisor: Dr. Nadkarni
Second Place: Frostflex Cooling Glove
Caleb Edmondson, Isaac Edmondson, Joey Esker, Nadine Salem
Advisor: David Peters
Honorable Mention: Excavator Claw Machine
Lucas Biondich, Jared Ulichney, Michael Rodgers, Eric Mathews
Advisor: Dr. Mastrametto

Best Video Presentations:

Autonomous Spacecraft Repair
Nathan Doty, Emily Greene, Ashton Orosa, Julia Patek
Compact Residual Stress Tester
Vincent Pishnery, Britney Gadd, Gabrielle Johnson, Bryce Bickford, Brian Leonard
SBM Industry Project
Nick Jordan
Development of a Regeneratively Cooled Liquid Rocket Engine
Dillon Petty, Nicole Zimmerli
Thermal Cooling Cup
Yazen Amawi, Joshua Lloyd, Jack Strifler, Alex Cramer

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