Friday, May 3, 2024 I 1-3:30 p.m. I Kiewit Hall
Senior Design Showcase
School of Computing Senior Design Showcase |
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The School of Computing will showcase their seniors' capstone projects: Thursday, May 9, 2024 from 1-4:30 p.m. in the Nebraska Union (Auditorium, Centennial, Ballroom) on City Campus in Lincoln. The event is open to the public. Read more |
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2024 / 1-3:30 PM / KIEWIT HALL
The College of Engineering’s annual Senior Design Showcase, Nebraska’s premier undergraduate engineering student design event, is scheduled for Friday, May 3, 2024 in Kiewit Hall (lower level event space) on UNL's City Campus.
This event highlights new and innovative projects from more than 30 teams of graduating seniors from across the college. Their projects reflect real-world professional challenges, environments and, in some cases, collaborations with industry clients to develop products and devices that could have immediate impact.
Resources:
- Kiewit Hall (1700 Vine Street) (Campus map)
- Parking (Maps)
- 2024 Program (PDF)
Chemical Engineering
Dehydrogenation of Isopropyl Alcohol to Produce Acetone
Team Members
Connor Hartigan
Alexander Thomas
Meng Fong Wan
Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott
Project Description
Taking a sample procedure, the group designed, coded, and optimized the engineering aspects of a chemical production plant. Proper engineering standards were applied to create a more profitable process. The designed plant uses isopropanol as a precursor to produce bulk food and pharmaceutical grade acetone.
Cryogenic Distillation of Air
Team Members
Kaitlin McKenzie
Cassidy Jackson
Zach Alderson
Jack Doherty
Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott
Project Description
Oxygen, nitrogen and argon are used in both gaseous and liquid forms across many industries, with all of these components being found in the atmosphere. Cryogenic distillation can be used to separate the components using cryogenic temperatures to liquify the air and distillation to separate the components based on relative volatilities. This process allows for the scaled-up production of liquefied products. The goal of the project is to design a cryogenic distillation of air plant that will produce a target of 3,000 metric tons of oxygen per day while minimizing energy and utility usage throughout the plant.
Aklyation Process
Team Members
Thomas Hope
Benjamin Ebel
Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott
Project Description
This project consists of simulating, designing, and economically evaluating an alkylation unit. Specifically, we simulated a 100KTA hydrofluoric acid catalyzed (HAC) alkylation process. This process is widely used around the United States for alkylation production.
Alkaline Electrolysis of Water
Team Members
Justin Powers
Kenneth Reese
Wendell Li
Brennan Palmer
Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott
Project Description
This process creates H2 and O2 gas from filtered tap water using electrolysis. The trace amounts of gas are separated downstream. H2 and O2 are stored in tanks.
Production of Jet Fuel from Iso-Butanol
Team Members
Franklin Thomas
Wade Slepicka
Jordan Schlautman-Sudik
Jarod Harris
Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott
Project Description
This project outlines the theoretical modeling and construction of a jet fuel production plant using a renewable source of iso-butanol.
The Liquefaction of Natural Gas With Mixed Refrigerant Loops
Team Members
Jacob Konecky
Helen Philbrick
Keegan Nitsch
Matt Koenig
Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott
Project Description
Natural gas is a mixture of methane and other hydrocarbons that is used in power generation and a variety of chemical processes. Global usage of natural gas as a fuel source is increasing as it emits less pollutants than other fossil fuels, such as coal. The United States is the world's largest exporter of natural gas, but current global demand exceeds existing domestic infrastructure capacity. All overseas exports of natural gas are in the form of liquid natural gas (LNG). In order to meet the growing demand, new LNG facilities need to be built. This project analyzes two different methods of producing LNG on an industrial scale, both of which utilize multicomponent refrigerant (MR) loops. Mixed refrigerants allow for a highly optimizable cryogenic process but react poorly to disturbances added to the system. A facility consisting of a single MR loop is compared to a facility using a combination of single-component and multicomponent refrigeration cycles. Both facilities are sized for a production rate of 5 million tonnes of LNG per annum and compared on a basis of profitability, sustainability and flexibility.
Dimethyl Ether Production from Methanol
Team Members
Taylor Adams
Jack Mettin
Leo Pruhs
Jacob Voigt
Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott
Project Description
Dimethyl ether (DME) is a promising clean fuel alternative that offers versatility and eco-friendliness in various applications like transportation and the chemical industry. To meet the escalating demand for sustainable energy sources, there’s a critical need to devise efficient methods for DME production. A prominent approach involves converting methanol, a widely available feedstock, into DME. Our project focuses on establishing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process for DME synthesis from methanol. This entails designing, implementing, and optimizing a production facility equipped with catalytic technologies for methanol-to-DME conversion. Our key objectives include the catalytic conversion of methanol to DME, optimizing reaction conditions to maximize DME yield while minimizing cost and energy consumption, conducting an environmental evaluation of the process to ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and assessing the economic viability of DME production factoring in capital costs, operational costs, and potential revenue. Upon project completion, we envision a robust and sustainable DME production process from methanol, offering a cleaner alternative to fuel.
Electrical Engineering
NeuroPong
Team Members
Austin Bubak
Jenny Olander
Jacob Dalton
Jacob Stewart
Faculty Supervisor
Mark Bauer
Project Description
The purpose of this project is to create a Brain Computer Interface (BCI) using Electroencephalography (EEG) to allow a user to play Pong with their mind. Using custom made hardware including an electrode cap, signal amplifiers, and embedded system design, as well as developing software for Fourier analysis and data processing, any subject can sit down and interact with the computer with nothing but their thoughts.
Weed Terminator
Team Members
Jacob Landegren
Pete Tungtweegait
Hein Htet Win
Logan Glynn
Faculty Supervisor
Mark Bauer
Project Description
The Weed Terminator is a robot that autonomously patrols fields using AI and cameras to identify weeds. Once detected, its drilling mechanism eliminates the unwanted plants at the root, offering a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to herbicides.
The Gig Starter Pack
Team Members
Preston Sorensen
Spencer Latimer
Josh Whittenburg
Charlie Sims
Faculty Supervisor
Mark Bauer
Project Description
When moving up from bedroom playing to a stage environment, a musician's rig must also change. Introducing The Gig Starter Pack, a hybrid digital/analog effects unit, amplifier head, and 1x12 speaker cabinet. Multiple algorithms on the digital side of the effects unit coupled with the analog gain stage in front of it makes adding delay, modulation, or volume to take a solo a breeze. The provided amplifier has the power to keep up with loud drum kits, all while having flexible transient and frequency response. The amplified signal is then sent out to the speaker cabinet, which sports an inventive cavity design that allows the high frequencies to propagate outwards while being a Helmholtz resonator for the low frequencies.
Soil Sensor Network for Greenhouse Application
Team Members
Jessica Campagnuolo
Matthew Neville
Kyle Linnell
Emerson Puatu
Faculty Supervisor
Mark Bauer
Project Description
The goal of our project was the development a network of sensors for monitoring soil qualities using wireless communication capabilities. The main body of the sensor contains all necessary electronics, including a printed circuit board with an MSP430F5522, a custom moisture sensor, temperature sensor, batteries, and the long range (LoRa) radio transceiver. The circuity within the 3D printed housing has connections to external probes which will be inserted into the soil. The user can interact with the probe readings from the main hub, which is powered by a Raspberry Pi with a touch screen. This hub also contains an air quality sensor to detect any impurities in the area. All of these components come together in a low power network to monitor the conditions of a plant environment.
Radar Based Fall Detection
Team Members
Bekah Nelson
Cole Long
Silas Perry
Edoe Houndjoe
Faculty Supervisor
Herbert Detloff
Project Description
Falling poses significant health risks, emphasizing the critical need for effective response mechanisms. Traditional solutions, such as wearable devices or monitoring systems, suffer from limitations including user discomfort, forgetfulness, or dependence on external devices. Addressing these shortcomings, this report proposes an autonomous fall detection system integrated with self-contained hardware and software. By embedding a neural network model, the system processes radar data to automatically detect fall events. Upon detection, an emergency response protocol is initiated to notify pre-selected contacts. The radar neural network is trained on one subject and is put in place as a proof of concept for such a system. Accuracy and robustness are critical for a device which will be in the business of saving lives. Results show the feasibility of further implementation. Recommendations include improving accuracy by training the network with broader data sets and condensing the package size for consumer usage.
Mechanical Engineering
SR-71 SAC Museum Exhibit
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Altec Boom Arm
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
3D Printed Pressure Vessel
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Altec Fairlead Redesign
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Project Onsen
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
NASA MicroG Next - Lunar Tool Carrier
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Lunar Flagpole
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Robotic Arm for Mars Helicopter
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Hospital Chair for Patients with Dwarfism
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Solar Distribution Trailer
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Detachment Mechanism for Double Lumen Catheter
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Ultrasound Probe Pressure Monitoring System
Team Members
Rebecca Podariu
Abigail Jacqmein
Chandler Harm
Ryker Van Brocklin
Faculty Supervisor
Aaron Mittelstet
Project Description
Development in the Cripple Creek Watershed has led to an increase in the amount of runoff in the area and the discharge of water through Cripple Creek, a tributary of Beal Slough. This has resulted in significant streambank erosion throughout the creek, especially in the portion managed by the Cripple Creek Homeowner’s Association. We have proposed a detention pond, widened stream channel, and a series of weirs to reduce the total volume and velocity of water in the stream.
Pneumatic Leg Press for MS Patients
Noah Hoffschneider
Levi Schulze
Tanner Brandl
Isaiah Spahn
Faculty Supervisor
Kurt Palik
Project Description
We have designed a leg press/hip sled machine for patients with Multiple Sclerosis or similar conditions. Our project sponsor is MSForward, a gym for those with neurological diseases. The design implements pneumatics for resistance so that it can be quickly and safely shutdown if a patient has muscle spasms.
Lunar Lander Rover
Noelle Whitaker
Luke Landkamer
Andrew Koranda
Reid Wortman
Faculty Supervisor
Kurt Palik
Project Description
Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Aerospace Museum have recently acquired a model of the Dynetics Lunar Lander, sparking the initiative to create an exhibit that is STEM-based, interactive, and educational, aimed at capturing the interest of a younger demographic. In response, the senior design team developed an exhibit inspired by the Artemis Rover. This exhibit showcases various mechanical components, including a linkage system, a gear system, and other build elements, all of which are identifiable within its design.
Lozier Shelf Load Tester
Jayden Ericson
Douglas Effle
Brody Karls
Brett Luedders
Faculty Supervisor
Keegan Moore
Project Description
Our objective was to design a shelf testing machine for Lozier Corporation in Omaha, NE. Lozier's current method for testing shelves is to load them manually with bags of steel pellets. This process is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and can be inaccurate. Lozier asked us to design a machine that applies load to a shelf evenly across its surface until the shelf fails. It was important that ease of use, speed of use, and safety were considered during the design process. The machine configuration needed to allow for the measurement of load and displacement data during the test. The machine needed to be able to apply a maximum 2400 pounds of load to a number of standard-sized Lozier shelves. Our design utilizes 40 pneumatic pistons to apply load to Lozier's largest standard shelf. A series of valves can be closed to configure the machine for a given shelf size. An additively manufactured cushion pad is attached to the end of each piston, which evenly distributes this load across the surface area of the shelf. These pads are flexible and remain in contact with the shelf even as it bends and deflects under the loading of a test. We believe our design is a great improvement upon the current shelf testing setup at Lozier, and we hope that it may be useful for the company long after our final prototype is delivered.
MS Forward - Cardio Machine
Trey Johnston
Luke Roberts
Grant Crockett
Max Gengler
Faculty Supervisor
Eric Markvicka
Project Description
Our group redesigned a cardio machine for MS Forward. MS Forward is a gym in Omaha for people with Multiple Sclerosis, or MS. Due to the effects of M, equipment for the gym must have special considerations, and we had to account for these. To do this we modified the current machine to maximize reliability and simplicity. To address reliability, we knew we needed to replace the previous resistance mechanism. Previously, a band brake was used to provide resistance to the user. This mechanism was constantly needing to be fixed, and provided poor repeatability. In our redesign, the band brake was replaced with a permanent magnetic brake. This style of brake was chosen as there are no wearing parts and resistance can be set anywhere from no resistance to max resistance. This resistance mechanism was crucial in the redesign to provide reliability and repeatability. To simplify the machine the foot pedals from the previous design were removed as they were not being used and were getting in the way. Lastly, 2” tubes were added to the base so weights could be placed on top to add stability.
Kawasaki Mule Dashbar
Casey Rose
Ty Fleshman
Peyton Wilkoski
Faculty Supervisor
Dr. Qilin Guo
Project Description
Our group has been working with Kawasaki to improve a welding process for the dash bar of the Kawasaki Mule Pro UTV. The improvement that was requested by Kawasaki was to eliminate a counter weld that runs along the back side of the dash bar for the sole purpose of keeping it from warping during the welding process.
Husker Motorsports - Carbon Fiber Wheel
Thomas Crum
Jordan Chapin
Benjamin Bashtovoi
Caden Lind
Faculty Supervisor
Yuris Dzenis
Project Description
Every year the Husker Motorsports team participates in a Formula SAE competition which challenges students to design and manufacture a Formula-style vehicle that will compete against colleges from across the world. This year Husker Motorsports sponsored a senior capstone project that will improve the vehicle’s performance by reducing unsprung mass. Unsprung mass reduction has numerous benefits on vehicle dynamics, including improved acceleration, handling, and braking.
To achieve these performance improvements, the team has developed carbon fiber composite wheels that weigh less than the current wheel solution and provide better rigidity. The team has designed and modeled the wheel according to the 2023-2024 competition car criteria, conducted composite loading simulations based on past vehicle performance, and developed a manufacturing plan for future production. In addition to developing the team’s 3D modeling, traditional manufacturing, and mechanical testing skills, the project has furthered the team’s complex simulation, composite manufacturing, and hands-on skills.
As the use of high-performance composites increases in motorsports, this project will provide Husker Motorsports with a product that will improve their competitiveness for future competitions.
Microfluidic Channel Design
Jacen Reeb
Kyle Delgado
Tyler Wehling
David McCaffery
Faculty Supervisor
George Gogos
Project Description
The goal of the project is to design a microfluidic chip that can mix two fluids together within the channels. The goal is to achieve turbulent flow, and to create a design that can achieve the best mixing efficiency and the right amount of turbulent flow. Too much turbulent flow could cause a significant amount of backpressure, which leads to a resistance of flow. Too little turbulent flow would result in a bad mixing efficiency.
SAC Museum Restoration Project
Jonathan Schlott
Justin Rohrig
Jacob Pilker
Jackson Slaughter
Faculty Supervisor
Kurt Palik
Project Description
The SAC Restoration Project is intended to showcase the hard work that restoration volunteers do to restore old aircraft at the SAC Museum. The exhibit is specifically dedicated to Jim Fink, an aircraft restoration volunteer with over 15,000 hours of service. This exhibit aims to teach kids about the restoration process at the SAC Museum in two different interactive pieces. The first piece involves a build-your-own rocket launching system, which allows kids to build their own unique model rocket ship and watch it be launched 10-15 feet into the air. The second piece is a hexagonal-shaped table that includes an explanation of the four different steps in the restoration process, an interactive touch screen display with information about aircraft restoration, and an engraved plaque dedicated to Jim Fink.
Automatic Muck Bucket Dumping System
Jaden vonRentzell
Owen Calkins
Faculty Supervisor
Piyush Grover
Project Description