Senior Design Project

[Sampson]

Well I'm in my last semester of college and that means taking capstone class, which is a class where a groups of students design and build something. I'm in a group with 6 other people, we are all majoring in mechanical engineering technology. We are having trouble coming up with an idea for a project that can be done by us with a minimal amount of money (around $400 to $500) and be finished in the 13 weeks we have left this semester all while taking other classes aswell. So my question is do you guys have any ideas? Fabrication of anything isn't a problem just the cost.

 

[96Indyram]

What field would you like the project to be in? Automotive? Aerospace? Kitchen/ bathroom appliances? Lawn and garden? ..etc...lol.

Give us a direction your group wants to go....

 

[superds]

I don't have an idea for you but if you do come up with one and you think it'll break the budget, consider asking local manufacturers to sponsor the project. I know companies I've worked for have sponsored capstone projects which had very little relation to their business. If you want even more help from the company, come up with an idea that will benefit them. I know working with a local company is a major part of capstone experience where I went to school.

 

[Sampson]

It can be in any field really, automotive would be my preference, but it really doesn't matter. Me and one of my group members are trying to get funding from the companies we co-oped with, mine was local to school. We are just waiting to here back from them.

 

[96Indyram]

To be honest I never went to college, and never heard of the capstone class until now.
Been searching around the internet about it and mechanical engineering capstone projects and I must say...Pretty cool!!!
I have been a Machinist for 22 years and have fabricated alot of stuff for the aerospace industry. I never have been involved much with the engineering side of things unless it was my own little projects.

Ok enough about that!

Automotive is the direction...step one complete.

So something useful .... Kinda like the tailgate drop down step thingy on the new ford trucks? A modification of sorts...your not wanting to reinvent the wheel I take it?

How about a redesigned clutch master cylinder/ system for a RBV that is simple to bleed?
LOL Just kidding.

 

[Sampson]

Ya we don't want to reinvent the wheel lol, it doesn't have to be something new either. It could be modifying something to make it better.

 

[adsm08]

Try designing a vehicle that doesn't look like it was designed by retards. You know, space to touch and work on things, plugs that actually unplug, etc.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

The seat warmer on my 2012 focus dosent get warm until I sit down I`m thinking about trading it in

 

[Sampson]

I have a 2012 focus with heated seats and never noticed that.

 

[MastuhWaffles]

This is exactly what I'm doing, I'm going for a MENG degree and I'll have to do a senior design project too, you can also do stuff with solar panels, everyone loves solar panels.

 

[Sampson]

We were thinking of doing something with solar panels, just not sure what we would do with them. Maybe a solar powered block heater.

 

[MastuhWaffles]

We were thinking of doing something with solar panels, just not sure what we would do with them. Maybe a solar powered block heater.

They made a solar satellite array at my school.

 

[simpler=better]

Use the second set of spark plugs on a 2.3L to do direct water injection? Or possibly direct injection? Get a custom grind and different cam sprockets, make a 6 stroke engine?

[someone else's idea] Modify a transfer case to take input from an electric motor, so that you can easily retrofit a 2WD truck as a hybrid?

Same as above, but with a small diesel from a reefer cooler for slow cruise speeds? Keep a big engine up front, then switch to the diesel engine when cruising?

Design an adapter for 98+ 2WD brakes to accept different rotors that don't suck?

Something something LEDs, maybe a smoothed frontend that has integrated lighting?

Make a fuel injected high compression hit or miss?

If you want to go diesel alternative fuels, get a small old diesel (mercedes 1980-1985, or any small generator engine) and bolt it to an engine dyno. Slap a sniffer on the exhaust, and start playing with alcohol/propane/water injection, different turbo configurations, etc. so see if you can increase hp and decrease emissions.