Each year, Applied Engineering seniors complete a project as a culmination of their undergraduate education. The projects are typically shown at our annual Engineering Open House.
2025 Projects
MEMBERS: Oliver Harrison, Fernando Martinez
DEPARTMENTS: Applied Engineering/Engineering Technology
ADVISOR: Dr. Gary Brooking
SPONSOR: NIAR
The start of many automation processes begins with placing the work piece or material in the right orientation. Our senior design project aims to improve the process of this action. This project will serve as a functional demonstration for the NIAR ARC lab to showcase what can be done in-house. This is a demonstration cell to show how vison sensors in collaboration with a robtic arm and linear actuator can accurately and efficiently find the overlap of a steel culvert. Our first step will be to train the vision sensor where the overlap is located based on its appearance in different light settings. Once the sensor is trained, we will work on programing our linear actuator to move the culvert near the robot. The robot will then recive the code and point to the location of the seam in the material. This process could be used in many cells to start further automated processing. The interactive cell will be able to identify the seam each time despite its many potential placements. The robot is functional without any human aid and is a visible process to any audience. This demonstration will entice vistors of wichita state by exhibiting the possibilities this project allows. This, in turn, could help recruit students and/or staff for Wichita State and NIAR.
MEMBERS: Haylee Thurman, Megan Watkins, Kaitlyn Myers, Lauren Bulcroft
DEPARTMENTS: Applied Engineering/Engineering Technology
ADVISOR: Dr. Gary Brooking
SPONSOR: NIAR
Smart Supply is working to optimize production lines through the automatization of transport between the warehouse and the worker. The current process of locating and transporting necessary parts from the warehouse to the factory line is time-consuming and inefficient. Working with Deloitte’s Smart Factory on Wichita State University’s (WSU) campus, Smart Supply is integrating their current Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) for new purposes. This MiR will be used along with a Universal Robot (UR) provided by The National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR). By using the Smart Factory’s MiR, Smart Supply will employ existing components while repurposing their current MiR to create a new and more efficient solution. The UR will be placed onto the MiR to pick up the requested parts and place onto an additional waiting conveyor which will connect with the Smart Factory’s existing production line. This collaboration of robots will effectively deliver products to and from the warehouse and working line, resulting in minimal delays. Before the Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Smart Supply estimated the production for the Smart Factory to be 150 parts per month, falling short of The Smart Factory’s goals. Through model-scale simulation and pilot testing of the new solution, a reduction in machine downtime is projected, leading to an increase in the Smart Factory’s production to 200 parts per month once implemented in the coming months. Overall, Smart Supply’s solution increases manufacturing capabilities and eliminates non-value add tasks the workers have to complete, decreasing waste in the form of time and product.
MEMBERS: Clayton Short, Cooper Larsen, Dinh Thanh Lam Nguyen, Kevin Russell
DEPARTMENTS: Applied Engineering/Engineering Technology, Mechatronics
ADVISOR: Dr. Adam Lynch
SPONSOR: AMETEK PDS
A productive, efficient and cost-effective manufacturing process is essential for any company to be profitable. A local company’s actuator department has had issues in being able to meet their monthly quotas without having to utilize overtime hours for their workers near the end of each month. Our team used lean tools as well as operational management tools to identify areas where the team can improve the efficiency of the assembly process which will increase productivity, improve quality, and ultimately increase profits. Witnessing the build process of one of their actuators we were able to apply our tools to build a workflow process and identify changes to increase productivity. The particular actuator is the most built actuator by their department and its increased build efficiency is the first step towards their department reliably completing their monthly quotas. Our project also lays out a process that if applied to other areas of the local company’s manufacturing processes, would further improve the department to their efficiency expectations and possibly exceed those expectations.
MEMBERS: Maite Menendez, Grayson Graham, Hung Nguyen, Ainsley Altenbern
DEPARTMENTS: Applied Engineering/Engineering Technology, Entrepreneurship
ADVISOR: Nathan Smith
3-Axis 3D Printers have been around for over a decade and have become easy to use.
However, there are limiting factors when printing structural parts on a 3-axis printer.
The shear strength between layers is significantly weaker than the material strength.
5-axis printers can bridge that gap by being able to lay material in more than two
directions. VAXIS aims to bring an affordable 5-axis 3D printer to the market, allowing
more people to create stronger parts with more intricate designs. Furthermore, a 5-axis
3D printer can create parts with less support, allowing users to save on material
usage.
By utilizing proven designs from current CNC routers, as well as proven parts on existing
3D printers, our solution is adding everything together and including a rotary table.
With this design, VAXIS would be able to reduce manufacturing costs and offer a 3D
printer at a price never seen before. The overall goal is to bring expensive and uncommon
technology to the largest group of manufacturers.
This 3D printer plans to bridge the gap between expensive, industrial grade additive
manufacturing and consumer grade FDM printing. With the ability to create stronger
complex geometries, VAXIS wants to unlock new creative possibilities for hobbyists
and small-scale innovators.
MEMBERS: Michael Zalewski, Wiley Hutcheson, Jose Lerma
DEPARTMENTS: Applied Engineering/Engineering Technology, Business
ADVISOR: Dr. Gary Brooking
Industrial robotic automation faces a persistent challenge, robotic singularities,
which occur when multi-axis joints align causing loss of accuracy, mechanical wear,
and complicates programming. Traditional solutions rely on joint movement pathing,
which reduces accuracy and delays deployment. Nerve Robotics introduces an innovative
neural network-based control system that eliminates singularities, optimizing motion
paths for
seamless robotic automation. Unlike conventional kinematic control methods, neural
networks dynamically adapt to positional data, ensuring accurate and efficient movement.
Similar to human motion, the system continuously adjusts joint values without the
need for complex calculations. Once trained the path can be reliably reproduced. Integrated
as a custom add-in for ABB’s RobotStudio, this allows for compatibility with all of
ABB’s robotic arms and seamlessly integrates into programmer's workflow. Customers
benefit from reduced programming time, improved efficiency, and minimized mechanical
wear, resulting in lower operational costs.
Preliminary testing demonstrates significant improvements in motion path reliability,
reducing programming time by an estimated 20% and mitigating downtime due to singularities.
The scalable model allows businesses to pay based on computational usage, providing
a cost-effective automation enhancement. With the industrial robotics market expanding,
the adoption of intelligent, adaptable control solutions presents a competitive
advantage.
Future development aims to refine neural network efficiency and expand compatibility across different robotic platforms. By eliminating singularities, this technology redefines robotic automation, ensuring a smarter, more efficient future.
2024 Student Projects
MEMBERS: Alex Richards; Aaron Sisco; Wesley Horner; Jerret Delancy
ADVISOR: Dr. Andy Stallard
SPONSOR: Hormesys
The demand for innovative solutions continues to drive sports science and engineering. Our entry for Engineering Open House is a performance enhancing product: cooling insoles designed to increase the performance of endurance athletes. These insoles utilize phase change materials (PCMs) along with selected additives to create a new type of insole within the sports industry. Our cooling insoles' main objective is to address the critical need of effective temperature regulation during prolonged physical activity. Endurance athletes are constantly pushing their limits in demanding environments and often face challenges related to heat buildup, leading to discomfort and performance degradation. Our approach integrates advanced PCM technology from MicroTek Laboratories, known for its thermal energy storage properties, with additives to assist with durability, flexibility, and overall performance. The key innovation lies in the strategic incorporation of PCMs, which undergo phase transitions at specific temperatures, effectively absorbing excess heat from the athlete's feet during exercise from the pressure of the feet hitting the ground. This active cooling approach helps with the risk of heat-related injuries and allows athletes to maintain peak performance levels for extended amounts of time. There are scientific studies that support that cooling during activities more than 30 minutes has an exponential effect on increased performance. Our cooling insoles represent an advancement in sports engineering, utilizing the fusion of materials to elevate the performance and endurance of athletes in their search for optimal performance.
MEMBERS: Devin DaPra; Evan Julius; Mostafa Mohammad; Blake Rausch
ADVISOR: Dr. Gary Brooking; Dr. Caskell Stallard
Cheating among the student body requires active and real time monitoring that teacher must remain vigilant to spot. To prevent cheating, teachers will roam the class while students are taking tests, working on homework or even amongst themselves. Most teachers cannot divide their attention enough to monitor students in different locations of the classroom, or even beyond the classroom environment at home. However, to prevent cheating it requires a high amount of attention that a teacher may or may not be able to provide. This will put a significant strain on the teachers and the paraeducator in the classroom. These requirements are relaxed in a smaller classroom environment, but within a classroom of twenty to thirty students it can become strenuous, and errors can occur. In a modern classroom, teachers have implemented Chromebooks and online assignments that provide students with the required help they may need. However, this has led to students wondering from the assignments to find easier methods of communication and problem solving. In this work, it can be demonstrated how the implementation of recognition features, and the implementations of a smart database may provide students with the attention and activate learning to the degree that will allow a student to grow concurrently in a classroom and at home environment.
2023 Student Projects
The below projects include both senior design projects, as well as student teams from ENGT205.
MEMBERS: Emon Tehrani, Ryan Powell, Caleb Miller, Jahanvi Thakkar
ADVISOR: Caskel Stallard
SPONSOR: NIAR Robotics and Automation Lab
To remove interns from possible danger and increase the accuracy of the hole drilled as well as the ability to operate an ABB robot. Along with those benefits you would not need much experience in drilling operations or ABB experience to produce the same quality as someone who has large amount of experience.
MEMBERS: Trevr Bahr, William Short, Jacob Isaac
ADVISOR: Dr. Gary Brooking
SPONSOR: Textron Aviation (Wichita, KS)
Textron Aviation requested for Team Shock Vac to do a study of the vacuum system at CMF. With this, the team was required to determine vacuum supplied, demanded, and the cost associated with this. Costs include electrical cost, maintenance costs, and the cost associated with downtime. The client has requested a recommendation based on the data we acquired throughout the past two semesters. This recommendation must be a conservative estimate/recommendation because not supplying enough vacuum to the CMF facility is really not an option. Once having a recommendation, the team was requested to look into a control system that automatically rotates pumps based on runtimes. Currently, this is a manual operation that has no rhyme or reason to it. The team has been told that a rotation takes place, but we have yet to witness this with our own eyes. As a team, we have had to meet with several Textron Aviation personnel to determine what exactly is happening with the system. It is one that we have found to not be monitored, nor really on the radar for quite some time. With our teams efforts, we hope to bring the issues found to the attention of management.
MEMBERS: Anna Lay, Kait Van Vleet, Catherine Small
ADVISOR: Andy Stallard
The city of Wichita is looking for ways to make the Cowskin Creek Water Reclamation Facility more energy efficient and save costs. The team, Energy Management Specialists, have come up with different areas where energy usage can be reduced. These areas include the aeration basin, the aerobic blowers, and the UV disinfection system. With the surface aerators, the solution is to purchase a new DO meter since one side is faulty. The aerobic blowers are used for odor control for the aerobic digesters. The team suggests adding an ORP sensor to tell the machinery when to run. The UV disinfection system is the last step of wastewater treatment. The system is almost at its design life so one suggestion is to replace it with a new machine that is higher in efficiency. The last suggestion from the team is to shut down an entire train in the aerobic basin. Each step in the process has two sides and shutting down an entire train during the low flow months would save a tremendous amount of energy usage. Through the gathering of the plant’s bills, the team was able to calculate the amount they would save within these approaches.
With these approaches reducing energy in the plant there will be significant changes in environmental, economic, and social benefits for local communities. The implementation of these approaches can be a pilot for other wastewater treatment plants to follow in this direction. Improving efficiencies all around the world to provide a positive environmental impact.
MEMBERS: Logan Pittman, Alonso Martinez, Jacob Singer
ADVISOR: John Harrison
SPONSOR: National Institute for Aviation Research - Environmental Test Laboratories (Reid Owens)
The aim of the project is to improve the common candy dispenser, with the goal of making buying candy a more exciting experience for the buyer. Our device will be able to dispense candy using a digital interface. Other dispensers have already become digital – there are vending machines and drink dispensers with colorful screen interfaces. However, this same technology has not been applied to candy dispensers. A common candy dispenser appeals to young children through the experience of turning a physical crank. Our modernized version will use a servo in place of a crank. To adequately replace the experience of turning a crank, the digital interface will include a user-friendly design. Using an interface will also provide the option to include video games in the candy-buying process, much like an arcade game. Spending money, then, is rewarded with both sweets and play.
MEMBERS: Rhund Khaldi, Dylen Trecek, Jaydn Richardson, Aubrie Thomison, Hannah Phillips
ADVISOR: Tom McGuire
SPONSOR: Envision (Wichita, KS)
Members of the visually impaired community express frustration of the lack of free hands due to the regular usage of white canes. This team has developed On-the-Go, which is a device that is compatible with a typical white cane (as it is an add-on), and will offer those who are visually impaired connectivity to their smart phones. People with varying levels of visual impairments will implement the On-the-Go cane add-on device because it will allow them to have more independence and confidence in their daily lives. This product offers tactile integration with the user’s phone from a device attached to the handle of the cane. Iterations of this device have been tested by potential users, and the feedback received has been used to determine the most optimal design. The final product consists of a battery, a charger, 3 buttons, and an ESP32C all confined in a slim housing that attaches to the handle of the cane. The iPhone sees the ESP32C as an external keyboard. Buttons on the device have assigned commands like Siri, Activate, Next Element, and Previous Element. The device is rechargeable, with an anticipated battery life of 7 days. This product will be available to the market for all cane users.
MEMBERS: Landon Olson, Bryce Minor, Trenton Parsons
ADVISOR: Tom McGuire
Opened in 2017, the John Bardo Center was constructed as the first phase of the Innovation Hub. It serves as a cooperation effort between the various engineering departments of Wichita State University and several industry leaders operating in the Wichita area. One of the spaces provided in the John Bardo Center is the Innovation Hub Intended as a place for engineering students to have easy access to the tools and equipment necessary for building cost-effective and short-run prototypes and various other projects. One weakness of the space is the lack of adequate long-term storage for said projects and their required materials. Presently, the only available space is a series of lockers. For larger-scale projects and raw materials like piping, wood, and sheet metal have no effective means of storage. Project ANNEXX was designed to counter this. Comprised of two 40-foot containers and two 20-foot containers arranged in an L shape, the bulk of the design provides lockable self-storage and separate storage for long and bulky items. The space is also designed to be entirely self-sufficient, generating power from a series of wind turbines and PV units. The capacity to install student-made units, as well as a means to analyze the efficiency of the system, has also been created to foster further growth of the Innovation Hub and the engineering department. Constructed and led by students, this space embodies the spirit and intention of the Innovation Hub.
MEMBERS: Bo Henry, Shannon Looney, Luke Schuessler, Javiar Agudo
ADVISOR: Joe Jabara
The device will record, encrypt, and exfiltrate in-person conversations in order to assist red teams, organizations that test the physical and network security of companies. This is done through a raspberry pi, light sensor, battery, microphone, and Bluetooth. When lights are turned on, the raspberry pi will begin recording and stop when lights are turned off. We use this as a trigger because it is low power, turns on when meetings begin (when the lights turn on), and preserves our battery life by not constantly recording information. At certain predetermined intervals, this data will be exfiltrated to red teams through Bluetooth. All of this is done without connecting to any building power or network. The battery life will last two to four days and the device will cost between 65 and 80 dollars to manufacture depending on the battery size chosen.
MEMBERS: Annie Wilson, Sam Benz, Trent Parsons
ADVISOR: John Harrison
This device will allow anglers to retro fit their current trolling motors with GPS anchoring technology. The retro fit GPS anchor offers an alternative to current "Spot Lock" GPS anchoring technology, which is cost prohibitive for many amateur anglers and requires purchasing a complete trolling motor unit compatible with the technology. Our device will offer a reasonably priced alternative for amateur fresh water anglers who use foot pedal controlled trolling motors. The device will integrate with current foot pedal set ups to maintain a designated stationary position.
MEMBERS: Amogh Gokhale, Alana Cahill, Louie Tipton, Devin McConico, Alex Valdovinos
ADVISOR: Tom McGuire
SPONSOR: Parkinson's Connect (Wichita, KS)
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders, an estimated 500,000 Americans are currently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease: a chronic and progressive disease that affects the central nervous system. It can cause a variety of mobility issues such as tremors, bradykinesia, stiffness, and imbalance. These symptoms take a serious physical toll on the patient, and cause them to lose the ability to do everyday tasks that were once simple before. A substantial issue our group has identified with the help of our sponsor, Parkinson’s Connect, is the inability of Parkinson’s patients to move from the middle to the edge of their bed. This issue largely affects later stage patients who live at home, and may only have one other person, or no other caregivers available. To combat this issue, Rise Mobility Devices has come up with a mechanical device to help facilitate this movement. This device consists of a durable yet comfortable specialized fleece and nylon blanket connected to a rotating pipe installed in the bed frame, and will move back and forth via hand crank. This product will be primarily for individual Parkinson’s patients and those who want to cut back costs of caregiving facilities. Furthermore, this device has the potential to help people suffering from other neurodegenerative diseases or disabilities.
MEMBERS: Kevin Dunham, Nickolas Morningstar, Hunter Garrison
ADVISOR: Thomas McGuire
SPONSOR: Club Parkinson's (Wichita, KS)
Parkinson’s Disease affects over 10 million people worldwide. Freeze Gait is a symptom the often occurs with advanced Parkinson’s Disease that causes episodes of temporary inability to step that occurs on initiation or turning while walking, especially with sudden movement and surprise. There are few remedies currently on the market to help a Parkinson’s Patient overcome freeze gait. However, KJN Biomechanical Designs is working on implementing features to an upright walker to help assist a Parkinson’s Patient overcome Freeze Gait. The plan to assist patients with Freeze Gait is to implement a step over and metronome function into a universal kit which can be applied to different models of upright walkers. Studies show that a metronome and step over function both help stimulate the brain and body to get back in sync with each other to help the patient's body move using outside audio and visual cues. This universal feature will differ from the competition because it will be easily attachable to any style of walker. This universal kit will also be of a lower cost and utilize additional improvements. Such as, allowing for a step over laser that is more visible outside and in bright light.
MEMBERS: Jordan Mugmon, Eduardo Santillan, Devin Williams, Olatunbosun Fagbemi, Uriel Gloire Mbengu Batukandikila
ADVISOR: Andy Stallard
Our team was paired with Wichita State to make a device that improves existing rain sensors and adds new features and design elements. Design considerations include an elevated level of accuracy and easy cleaning without the use of harsh chemicals. It will also need to withstand extreme weather and work in remote areas. Our goal is to meet our clients needs to the best of our abilities using our robust and diverse engineering skills.