Projects

Project Portfolio

A digital collection of school, organization, and personal projects, organized by relevance.

Featured Project:

Wind Tunnel Control System

Purdue University Mechanical Engineering Dept. (Summer 2020)

This summer, myself and one teammate created two designs for a new probe positioning apparatus for the Purdue ME Wind Tunnels. I was tasked with designing a high-budget, replacement-based system (pictured). This design features:

Independent X, Y, Z, and Theta Positional Control
Separate Measurement and Positional Devices (Increases Accuracy)
A New Quick-Release System for the Probe (Improves Ergonomics)
An Adruino-Based, Client-Sided Feedback and Calibration System

Compressible Flow Modeling

Class Project – Gas Dynamics (Spring 2021)

As a part of my Gas Dynamics class, I was tasked with creating a computer modeling program that could iteratively solve for the flow characteristics of a generalized 1-D flow undergoing simultaneous area change, friction, and heat transfer in a converging-diverging nozzle with forced cooling. This project synthesized a large array of topics to complete, including isentropic flow analysis, Fanno flow analysis, Rayleigh flow analysis, and using iterative methods to solve coupled differential equations.

The resulting report serves to demonstrate my competency in fluid mechanics theory, as well as my ability to model complex mathematical systems.

3D-printed Buoyancy System

IEEE ROV Team (Spring 2021)

For 2021, the IEEE ROV Team introduced a novel buoyancy system based on 3D-printed shells filled with expanding buoyancy foam. Unlike designs of the past, using 3D-printed shells allowed for more customization, as well as better and more consistent buoyancy control.

The final system is printed in 13 parts. The “upper 6” shells are for aesthetics only, and are epoxied together to create a single piece that can be easily removed to access the power box and binder ports. The “lower 7” shells are filled with calibrated amounts of foam, and are affixed to the frame directly via heat-set inserts, providing a stable connection for the system.

As Mechanical Lead, I designed and calibrated this new foam, and successfully provided the pilot with a net-neutrally-buoyant system, allowing him to maximize the robot’s thrust envelope by reducing necessary trim.

CNC Manufacturing Project

IEEE ROV Team (Spring 2020)

For this project, I was tasked with manufacturing a team member’s design as a part of the IEEE ROV Team.

I used several skills and machines to complete this project, including CAD with Solidworks, CAM with Fusion360, CNC operations with the 3-Axis Mill and the Lathe (including Live Tooling), and manually tapping 6-32 holes into the parts.

Monitoring Probe

IEEE ROV Team (Spring 2019)

This Monitoring Probe (also known as the Micro-ROV) is a tool designed for the 2019 Purdue IEEE ROV Team for the 2019 MATE International Competition. As a member of the tools team, I designed this tool to jettison from the main ROV, traverse down a 6″ diameter corrugated tube, and investigate a dam’s structural support at the end of the tube. The final product is a 7″ long, fully-enclosed PET-G shell, and is powered via a Blue Robotics T200 Thruster.

As a disclaimer, I did not design the camera or the camera enclosure, that was done by another member of our team who specialized in the robot’s cameras.

Grout Dispenser Tool

IEEE ROV Team (Spring 2019)

The “Grouter” Grout Dispenser Tool is a tool designed for the 2019 IEEE ROV Team. As a member of the tools team, I spent the semester working on this tool. I worked through multiple iterations and requirement changes to continually improve this part ahead of the 2019 MATE International competition. Features include:

Able to hold and dispense 50 mL of Mexican beach pebbles
Doubles as a dynamic buoyancy unit (the volume of air within the unit when loaded is calculated so that the tool is net neutrally buoyant between the initial and final configurations)
Has survived stress tests of hundreds of cycles, including tests cycling the unit up to 20 Hz

Audio Equalizer

Class Project – Linear Circuit Analysis (Spring 2019)

The purpose of this project was to build an audio equalizer that could independently control the proportions of bass, mid, and treble frequencies of an input audio frequency. The system operates using various filters, amplifiers, crossovers, and buffers to create an effective audio equalizer.

3D Printing Exploration

A Collection of Independent Projects (Summer 2020)

Over the summer, I used my design experience to experiment with my 3D printer, as well as learn more about the technology and various abilities. Through these experiments, I expanded my knowledge in the following fields:

Designing for Additive Manufacturing
Designing for Post-Process Assembly
Custom Print Supports with PrusaSlicer
Multi-Color Integration with PrusaSlicer
3D Printer Enclosures
3D Printed Fluid Systems

I also expanded my CAD knowledge, testing out new design elements that would normally be impossible to create with conventional machining.

Bicycle-Powered Boilermaker Special Model

Independent Project (Summer 2018)

This was a summer project that I completed and brought back to Purdue to ride during Home football games. The model’s features include:

PVC Train Horn Project

Boiler Gold Rush (Summer 2018)

This project was my “beacon” for my new students as a part of the Boiler Gold Rush Student Orientation Program at Purdue University. As you can see, the beacon is hands-free, and includes a breath-powered, 110 dB PVC train horn. My 18 students were easily able to find me in crowds during Purdue’s massive, week-long orientation program, and my tenacity during the week resulted in an 89% student retention rate at the end of the week (higher than most groups), as well as myself being awarded “Most Spirited TL” and “Best Beacon” that year.

Big Bass Drum Costume

Independent Project (Fall 2017)

This was a quick project I designed an built in just 5 hours on the Friday before Halloween 2017. I started designing it at noon, and was able to finish the project by 5pm the same day, just in time to march with the Purdue All American Marching Band on their way back to Elliot Hall of Music after their rehearsal. I also wore the drum in the audience at the Purdue vs. Nebraska game that Saturday.