Mechanical engineering technology students to present capstone projects May 3

May 1, 2017 Outreach, Research, Signature and Emerging Areas

About 45 University of Maine students in the Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) Program will present their senior capstone design projects on Maine Day.

From 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, students will showcase their final projects in the Machine Tool Lab, Room 106.

Scheduled presentations:

  • 9–9:30 a.m. “Human-powered alternative energy.” MET students are collaborating with a team of four high school students and their faculty adviser in Belfast to build a green power-generating station. Energy will be generated by children pushing a merry-go-round and be used to charge cell phones at a kiosk at a city park in Belfast.
  • 9:30–10 a.m. “Pellet mill for bio-sourced energy.” MET students are designing and building a biomass pellet mill to convert agricultural byproducts into a usable fuel source. Biomass pellets represent a form of renewable energy that currently is being disposed.
  • 10–10:30 a.m. “4th axis on CNC machine.” MET students are designing and building a fourth axis for a CNC router at Shaw & Tenney, an Orono-based manufacturer of wooden oars, paddles and other boating accessories. The fourth axis will allow the company to manufacture a wider range of products.
  • 10:30–11 a.m. “Wind-wave basin boat launcher.” MET students are collaborating with UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center to design and build a launch platform for the center’s wind-wave basin. The project will result in a reduction of effort and increased flexibility.
  • 11–11:30 a.m. “Power pinned singlets.” MET students are exploring manufacturing processes and techniques to produce a safe, reliable method to attach blades within steam turbines for GE using a nonwelding-based approach.
  • 11:30 a.m.–noon “Hybrid go-kart.” MET students are building a propane-powered hybrid go-kart with electrical engineering students, that is anticipated to be operational by Maine Day.
  • Noon–1 p.m. Break
  • 1–1:30 p.m. “Knitted composites for structural applications.” MET students are collaborating with the UMaine Composites Center to manufacture carbon fiber knitted composite structures for use in automotive and pedestrian bridge applications.
  • 1:30–2 p.m. “3-D printed fixtures for aerospace applications.” MET students are collaborating with an aerospace manufacturer to 3-D print fixtures used in the manufacture, inspection and assembly of aerospace components. By additively printing 3-D fixtures instead of subtractive removing material via traditional approaches, manufacturers will be able to reduce lead times and costs.
  • 2–2:30 p.m. “Virtual terrain simulator.” MET students are collaborating with UMaine’s VEMI Lab to produce a tactile feedback, or “haptic,” floor. By incorporating tactile feedback into the floor, VEMI envisions studying the effects of loss of balance with old age, as well as methods to mitigate those effects. Further potential applications include high-end gaming applications.
  • 2:30–3 p.m. “Automation of material handling.” MET students are refurbishing and modifying an industrial robot to automate material handling for a Maine-based company.
  • 3–3:30 p.m. “Boom mower for landfill applications.” MET students are refurbishing a boom flail mower for high-angle mowing applications for Pine Tree Landfill located in Hampden. By adding this capability, Pine Tree Landfill will be able to comply with regulations in a safer manner than currently possible.

All presentations are open to the public.

More information on the projects is available online or by contacting Brett Ellis at 581.2134, brett.ellis@maine.edu; or Keith Berube at 581.2342, keith.berube@maine.edu.