Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design

Industry Partner Program for Senior Student Design

SENIOR DESIGN PROJECTS

Following are some recent design team projects in Mechanical Engineering at UNH.

1. Folded Sheet Metal Rail and Elevator Safety Brake

Sponsored by Otis Elevator Company

This team analyzed and modeled a “new” approach to the standard elevator safety device.  This “new” approach to elevator safety is based upon the application of rails made of folded steel, with notches, which is engaged by a cam-style braking mechanism.  This mechanism encompasses both the emergency brake and the holding brake, which keeps the car in position during loading/unloading of passengers during normal elevator operation.

2. Design of an air bearing tester 

Sponsored by ASML 

Students designed and built a working air bearing tester for use at ASML’s Wilton, CT facility.  ASML currently has an air bearing tester overseas, but it is complicated and very expensive with a price of approximately $60,000. The new tester functions using a pneumatic cylinder supported by a simple support structure which applies a force to the bearing. The forces generated at various air supply pressures were verified using a load cell to be within 3.4% of the theoretical force values.

3. Child and Adult Breathing Apparatus for Nosebleeds

Sponsored by Z-Medica

Students designed, built, and evaluated a device that imitates natural human breathing for adults and children. The amount of kaolin released from the gauze that enters the respiratory tract can be determined from testing.

4. Ground Resonance Demonstrator

Sponsored by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Sikorsky Aircraft  sponsored  a Senior Design team  to design and build a demonstrator that simulates a phenomenon known as ground resonance while staying within pre-established design constraints.