Automated Mill

Group Members:
Benson Mitchell, Jason Blume, and Li-Rhen Wong

Description:
Precision Tool has a Bridgeport mill that is being used to drill holes through square tubes. This task is done manually by two operators and therefore, time consuming. The project's goal is to modify the mill by computer controlling the quill axis. This allows one operator to complete the task.

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Can Crusher

Group Members:
Troy Neuenschwander and Gordon Cooper

Description:
This device was intended to be used in a company break room to crush a large volume of cans. It used a hydraulically actuated cylinder to crush to crush cans and eject them into a 55 gallon drum.

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Drink Mixer

Group Members:
Thomas Griffin, Allison Cockrum, and Elizabeth Beard

Description:
The goal is to create a drink dispenser able to mix at least 4 different drinks using 3 base liquids. The group will use the BasicX processor to control the motor for each valve, opening specific valves for certain times to measure appropriate amounts of base liquid for each drink.

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Weather Machine

Group Members:
Mike Byron and Ben Furnish

Description:
This project was a portable weather station. It is capable of measuring temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity.

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Power Generation System

Group Members:
Steve Buell, Justin Harbert, Greg Allen. Tim Schlabach, Kurt Easton, Sara McWilliams, and
Ben Shaw

Description:
As part of class requirements, a group of senior students enrolled in Aerodynamics Lab will create a Power Generation System for use with TSU’s Subsonic Wind tunnel. Working with TSU CAD majors they will use the TSU rapid prototype system create a 3 propeller system. Each component will be designed and created singly and then assembled for a final product. The blades will be based off a Clark Y airfoil and will be assembled into the spinner with the ability to adjust the pitch of each blade.

This propeller system will be mounted to an alternator and be mounted in the tunnel’s mounting system as one unit. The alternator is used in the system to apply resistance to the propeller system therefore applying a load to the tunnel. The alternator will be wired to a variable resistant load so that with changing wind speeds, resistance can be equally increased. Using this system and setup the system will be able to measure the power generation of TSU’s Subsonic Wind Tunnel. The idea is based on measuring the RPM and torque of the system. With this information power can be calculated for the wind tunnel.

Many of the calculations for appropriate pitch angle and twist are minor calculations that have no great bearings on the project. Some problem areas of the design involve mobility and stresses. Mobility is an issue because the blades must be attached in such a way that they can be adjusted for different pitch angles. Stresses of the system are relatively minor, but since the system will be made of an ABS material that is printed in layers it will have a problem with shear forces that must be considered and corrected in the design steps.

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