Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineers research, design, develop, build and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines and machines. Our graduates have a solid understanding of materials/mechanics, mechanical design, dynamics/controls and thermal-fluid science—equipping them for jobs in nearly every industry.

Engineering Open House Home

2026 Projects

2026 HVAC Design Calculations

MEMBERS: Peyton Reynolds, Summer Goth, Darryl Moorehead, Xuphanh Hunter

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

SPONSOR: Yang-Seon Kim

This project involves the HVAC system design for a proposed three-story, 93,000-square-foot university building located in Denver, Colorado as part of the 2026 ASHRAE Student Design Competition. The building includes a mix of classrooms, offices, laboratories, collaboration areas, kitchens, and building support spaces that require careful consideration of ventilation, heating, and cooling needs. The project focuses on estimating building occupancy, calculating outdoor air ventilation requirements in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 62.1, and performing preliminary heating and cooling load calculations to size major HVAC equipment. Energy modeling software, including EnergyPlus and OpenStudio, is being used to develop a building model and evaluate system performance using Denver climate data. The goal of the project is to design an HVAC system capable of maintaining occupant comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency while satisfying the Owner’s Project Requirements and applicable ASHRAE standards. The final design will include ventilation calculations, system sizing, equipment selection, and a conceptual system layout that supports the diverse functional needs of the building while emphasizing long-term performance and maintainability.

Ceramic Matrix Fiber Composites for Aviation

MEMBERS: Gianna Watts, Linh Tran, Samantha Leong, Jorge Montiel

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

SPONSOR: Ramazan Asmatulu

The challenge presented to our group is to do research on the properties, applications, and manufacturing of CMCs for advanced aviation components. We also must develop a reliable fabrication and testing method for ceramic matrix composite (CMC) panels that can be evaluated for aerospace use. We will focus specifically on oxide CMCs that use the Nextel 610 ceramic fiber, AX-7810 solvent, and a 5-Harness satin weave.

Cheddar Popcorn Drying Machine

MEMBERS: Jeffrey Elliott, Samantha Elliott, Bruno Golac, Seth Langenberg, Cole Waymire

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

SPONSOR: The Popcorner, Wichita Kansas

The goal of this project was to eliminate the amount of wasted popcorn and extra time it takes to dry the cheddar popcorn. This design involves a sparger in the original popcorn tumbling pop and a heater/blower stand to place the pot on. The sparger is constructed in such a way to prevent any cheese, butter, or popcorn fragments from getting into its holes and it is removeable from the pot so each can be easily washed. The stand contains the heater/blower and allows for easy access for maintenance via a door on its side. The inside of the stand is lined with mass loaded vinyl to decrease the noise of the heater while the machine is running. Inside the stand there is control that allows the user to determine how long the heater and blower will run. After the popcorn tumbles in cheese, the pot will be transferred to the stand, and the sparger will be lined up with the hole on the top of the stand that the air is blown out of. The desired time will be set using the controls inside the stand and the heater will be turned on. The heater will blow hot air through the sparger to dry the popcorn and after it has finished running, it will automatically turn off, and the blower will turn on to circulate room temperature air through the pot to cool the popcorn so it can be bagged.
DCC Pulse Valve Cone Optimization

MEMBERS: Alex Watkins, Kenny Vu, Joel Banzhaf

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

SPONSOR: LS Industries Wichita, KS

Our team is tasked to redesign the pulse valve cone to ensure that the airflow distribution is evenly spread to all filter media within LS Industries’ dust collector system, improve overall efficiency of the filters, and reduce dust accumulation.​
Metal Wire Straightener Modeling and Simulation

MEMBERS: Caroline Tallent, Jack May, Sam Morris, Alliston Jessup

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

SPONSOR: Brij Systems, Wichita

Metal Wire straightening is when metal coils are sent through a roller assembly to make the wire straight and usable. In industry, there is not a reliable way to adjust the rollers to get the appropriate amount of force on the wire, so machine workers have to adjust the rollers as the wire is being sent through. This takes up valuable time and money. To combat this issue, the team designed a metal wire straightening system in ANSYS LS-DYNA, an explicit dynamics software, that can be used to simulate the process on a computer rather than in real time. The goal of the project is to use the reliable LS-DYNA system to find positions/forces needed on each roller that will output a straight wire for various sizes and materials.
Recycled carbon fiber knee pad

MEMBERS: Barryck Heisler, Thai Dao, Kiet Huynh, Weston Hulse

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

This project presents the initial development of a sustainable knee support device using recycled carbon fiber thermoset composites. The project addresses the growing environmental concern of carbon fiber waste while meeting the demand for lightweight, durable, and cost-effective external padding. Traditional knee pads, though effective, often lack sustainability and can be heavy or expensive. By incorporating recycled carbon fiber, the team aims to create an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative without compromising mechanical performance. The design process involves material selection, CAD modeling, and fabrication of a 3D printed model for a layup. The project follows established ASTM standards, including tensile (ASTM D3039), flexural (ASTM D790), and impact (ASTM D7136) testing, to evaluate material properties such as strength, stiffness, and impact resistance. By producing test specimens with varying fiber weight fractions, conducting mechanical testing, and optimizing the composite structure for fabrication, a functional prototype can be produced. Ultimately, the project seeks to demonstrate that recycled carbon fiber composites can provide a high-performance, sustainable solution for knee pads and other types of worn padding.
Small-Scale Wind Turbine Design

MEMBERS: Calla Unruh, Matthew McClellan, Stewart McClelland, Zachary Walker

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

SPONSOR: Ikram Ahmed, Wichita KS

This project includes the design, construction, and testing of a small-scale wind turbine. Engineering design principles are employed to develop a functioning wind turbine system which include a rotor, drive-train, and a basic electrical system. While designing this turbine performance and reliability are the key factors which are being optimized. Additionally, this project includes the fabrication and assembly of a functional prototype; and validation testing of key performance characteristics such as power and coefficient of power.
Wash Tank Modification

MEMBERS: Kevin Nguyen, Vincent Wu, Quy Le

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

SPONSOR: Boeing Wichita

Complex geometry can be created using a 3D printer, such as internal channels for tube routing or blind inverted holes but prints with these types of geometry require the part to sit in an alkaline cleaning solution for several hours to dissolve support material once the part is done printing. In many cases, support material tends to adhere to the print surface of the tool due to the complexity of the pockets and cutouts, causing additional time and money for post-processing to clean up. Our group was tasked to design and create a solution to modify the current tank and process to increase the amount of 3D printed soluble support dissolved. Then create a small-scale version of the modification to demonstrate before potential getting fabricated and implemented.
Wheelchair Footrest Donning and Doffing Assistive Station

MEMBERS: Omar Berumen, Hoa Nguyen, Ethan Brooks, Dawson Miller

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

Wheelchair users with limited mobility often encounter difficulty when installing (donning) and removing (doffing) their wheelchair footrest attachment. The purpose of this project is to create a mechanical apparatus that allows wheelchair users to remove and attach footrests on their own. The design will consist of a station that the wheelchair user can approach. The station will be comprised of linear actuators that combine to create vertical and horizontal degrees of motion. Attached to the end of these actuators will be a foot rest grabber that dons and doffs the footrests.
Wheelchair Postural Support Chest Strap

MEMBERS: Dylan Boettcher, Tyler Bixenman, Samual Vanderweele, Adan Silerio

ADVISOR: Rajeev Nair

SPONSOR: Nils Hakansson

The objective of this design project is to produce a prototype for an independent chest strap for Dr. Nils Hakansson’s wheelchair. The chest strap must be able to be fastened and unfastened by Dr. Hakansson alone. The prototype must not hinder Dr. Hakansson’s movement in any way, nor must it interfere with the wheelchair and the environment.