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2007 Fall Senior Design Symposium
December 6, 2007

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Engineering Groups

Efficiency Engineering
GH & K Engineering
JKS Engineering
Pinnacle Engineering
Snowy Range Engineering

Senior Design News
12/6/2007 - Senior Design Schedule and Judges Listing
12/10/2007 - Symposium Award Winners

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Efficiency Engineering
Andrew S. Swanson and Chase W. Wilcox ABSTRACT - Human Powered Lunar Rover Efficiency Engineering, organized by Mechanical Engineering Seniors Andrew Swanson and Chase Wilcox, began work on a light duty, human powered, lunar scout vehicle in January 2007 for their Senior Design project.  Their focus has been on low cost, high mobility, and safety.  Specific design specifications are: •         Minimum 8-foot turning radius •         Minimum 12-inch ground clearance •         Maximum 6-inch suspension travel •         Maximum 220-pound unladen weight •         Maximum $3,000 materials cost
After determining that a four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer, fully independent suspension vehicle would be the best approach to the problem, Andrew and Chase modeled and analyzed the vehicle in SolidWorks™.  A detailed design that is expected to meet or exceed all of the design specifications except weight was developed after several design iterations.  The two are engaged in fabrication of the project and plan to have construction completed by mid November.  They will then test their lunar rover and present the complete project at the University of Wyoming, College of Engineering, Senior Design Symposium on December 6, 2007.
JKS Engineering
Brian, a fifth grade student who has a disability and uses a wheel chair, has limited mobility for moving along a standard 8½ X 11-inch page when writing.  Therefore, JKS Engineering, founded by Mechanical Engineering Students Paul Jansen, Tyrel K. Kennedy, and Paul W. Smith, has undertaken the task of designing a slant board with a page positioning device to allow Brian to move his writing paper as he writes so the area of the page on which he is writing remains within his range of motion. Design specifications were developed in consultation with Brian and his teacher with the goal of allowing Brian to be more independent in the school environment.  The slant board/page positioner needs to be collapsed for transport yet light enough for Brian to handle without assistance.  The controls must be easy for Brian to use, and the power source must be sufficient to last for a normal school day plus time in the evening for homework.  Fabrication of the slant board/page positioner will commence shortly and is expected to be completed sometime after Thanksgiving break.  The slang board/page positioner is in the process of being designed and will be fabricated in the second portion of the fall semester of 2007.	Paul Jansen Tyrel K. Kennedy Paul Smith ABSTRACT - JKS Engineering – Page Positioner
Snowy Mountain Engineering
	Robert J. Detimore Gregory Masie Steven M. Merkley Photo (L-R: S. Merkley, G. Masie, and R. Detimore) ABSTRACT Rough Terrain Miniature Man Lift The Rough Terrain Miniature Man Lift (RTMML) is a novel idea introduced to Snowy Mountain Engineering (SME) by Mr. Ron Borgialli.  Students comprising SME are Robert Detimore, Gregory Masie, and Steve Merkley.  The RTMML has been designed to allow the average home owner to work around the outside of their homes easily and more efficiently.  To meet target marketing goals, the lift was designed to be affordable, lightweight, stable, and have the capacity to raise and lower 500 pounds.  SME designed a wheeled lift that is stabilized with outrigger jacks.  The working platform travels up a mast on rollers and is raised and lowered by an electric motor that drives a power screw through a worm-gear speed reducer.  Fabrication of the RTMML is scheduled to be completed in early November of 2008 followed by testing and presentation of the project at the 2008 College of Engineering Senior Design Symposium on December 6, 2007.
GH & M Engineering
John Gilchrist Justin Hovland Jason Mason ABSTRACT - Lift Bed The Sagen family of Laramie, Wyoming, has a son, Tyler, with a disability, requiring other family members to provide hygienic care.  As Tyler grows and Tyler’s siblings leave home, more of Tyler’s care falls on his parents.  In particular, bending over a bed at standard bed height is an awkward position that is proving increasingly difficult for his parents.  Yet, Tyler needs the bed to be at standard height or lower, so he can safely get out of bed in the mornings.  The Sagens have requested a lift bed that can position Tyler at a comfortable height for hygienic care and be lowered to a lower level for Tyler’s safety when he awakes in the mornings.  GH&M Engineering, the student design team of John D. Gilchrist, Justin B. Hovland, and Jason S. Mason, designed an adjustable lift bed for Tyler.  The bed sits at a standard bed height when lowered and has a 30 inch lift range.  The raising mechanism utilizes power screws concealed in oak bedposts at each corner of the bed.  The power screws hang from bearings at the top of each bedpost and are driven at the lower end by a chain drive that encircles the bed through aluminum guide tubes.  The power unit is a modified garage door opener.  The bed frame is made of rectangular steel tubing and rests on the power screw nuts.  Fabrication of the lift bed is well under way and is expected to be completed by mid November.  The lift bed project will be presented at the College of Engineering Senior Design Symposium on December 6, 2007.
Pinnacle Engineering
Jared Beck William A. Fleak Douglas J. Kenik Nicholas Schaneman ABSTRACT– Heliostat In response to declining worldwide oil reserves green energy sources are being developed to offer consumers alternatives that are environmentally sound and sustainable.  One such green development is converting solar energy released by the sun into usable energy through special collectors and generators.  Cam Works LLC in Laramie, Wyoming has recently procured three parabolic reflectors and wishes to use these to harness solar power.  Pinnacle Engineering, a student design firm formed by Jared R. Beck, Austin Fleak, Douglas J. Kenik, and Nicholas B. Schaneman, has been contracted to design and construct a heliostat to track the movement of the sun and reflect concentrated sunlight onto a fixed target relative to the parabolic reflector.  To track the sun, the heliostat was designed with two degrees of freedom using electric actuators to control the motion. The heliostat is expected to be accurate within ½ inch of the 1½-inch diameter solar target 90% of the time.  The heliostat is designed for a lifespan of 15-20 years by designing for wind loading from a 50 year storm, i.e. a maximum 76 mile per hour wind as given by the ASCE 7-02 Standard Handbook for a 50-year storm in Laramie, Wyoming at the 10-foot maximum height of the parabolic collector.  Construction of a prototype has begun and is expected to be completed by late November.  The project will be presented at the 2007 College of Engineering Senior Design Symposium on December 6, 2007.