ME Projects – Fall 2023

Wheels on Rails is an exhilarating outdoor experience in Traverse City, Michigan. It offers one-of-a-kind tours that utilize custom-made exclusive pedal-powered rail bikes. The tours take place on out-of-service rail lines where the rail bikes are run through the woods of southern Traverse City. The company was founded by Macie Hefron. Her love for the outdoors, cycling, and railroads led to her rail biking.

After the first season, it was determined that more assistance was needed for the 1.75-grade incline on the tour’s return route. The focus of this project was to design a motor/throttle system for the existing rail bikes to navigate the 1.75 railroad grade on a six-mile route with a 198 ft elevation gain, ensuring passenger safety and ease of battery replacement. The potential design needed to have an extended battery life to cover the first half of the six-mile route (one hour) and accommodate the existing four-seater rail bike design with a maximum system weight of 1200 lbs. For long-term use, the final design had to be efficient, while prioritizing the safety and comfort of the rail bike passengers. Additionally, the team was tasked with designing a frame to attach the motor to the rail bike utilizing 3D modeling software as well as curating a bill of materials for the final design.

Michigan State University

Team Members
(left to right) 

Courtney Smith
Brighton, Michigan

Thaslimur Rahman
Hamtramck, Michigan

Raed Mohammed
Farmington Hills, Michigan

Muad Hassan
Hamtramck, Michigan

Jack Feistritzer
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Wheels on Rails, LLC

Project Sponsor

Macie Hefron
Traverse City, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Norbert Mueller

Wheels on Rails is an outdoor rail bike company that specializes in providing tours on out-of-service railroad lines in Traverse City, Michigan. After receiving assistance from previous Michigan State University mechanical engineering capstone groups on chassis design and assembly, they have returned with the next task of propulsion assistance. The objective was to modify the current rail bike models by designing them with the addition of a motor. Currently, the rail bikes are strictly pedal-powered. This creates potential issues for customers when some inclines are encountered on the tour. Wheels on Rails wants to make the tours fun for all customers without causing unenjoyable physical exertion to overcome these inclines. The addition of a motor/pedal assist to the rail bikes will allow Wheels on Rails to improve the customer experience.

This was a design-intensive project consisting of integrating a combustion engine onto the rail bike to deliver extra torque to the rear axle. The engine is required to supply enough power to push multiple rail bikes up a 1.75 grade incline for at least six miles. A throttle was included so that the user can control the speed of the rail bike. It was also important to have a clutch system so that the user is able to toggle the assistance of the engine for different parts of the railroad.

This project was conducted using computer-aided design to replicate Wheels on Rails rail bikes and to model the assembly of our recommended motor, along with the external systems such as throttle, clutch, and gearing integrated into the rail bike.

Michigan State University

Team Members
(left to right) 

Richmond Zhang
Fowlerville, Michigan

Jacob Bruck
West Bloomfield, Michigan

Nicolas Boehlert Somohano
Okemos, Michigan

Graham Bailey
Bay City, Michigan

Joseph Lambert
Troy, Michigan

Wheels on Rails, LLC

Project Sponsor

Macie Hefron
Traverse City, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Rebecca Anthony

Alro Steel is a distributor of metals, industrial supplies, and plastics. Founded in 1948 by two brothers, Alvin and Robert Glick, Alro Steel started in a small garage in Jackson, Michigan. Now, with over 75 locations in 15 states, it is one of America’s premier distributors in North America. Specifically, the Lansing Branch has the highest concentration of plasma burning capacity in the Midwest. Alro offers cut-to- size metals and plastics with next day delivery to over 50,000 customers, selling a broad inventory of products under a variety of company names such as Alro Steel, Alro Metals, Alro Metals Outlet, Alro Industrial Supply, and Alro Plastics. No matter how large or small the company is, Alro Steel’s main focus is on exceeding expectations and building relationships with all customers.

The objective of this project was to improve the processing efficiencies at the primary plasma burning location in Lansing, Michigan. They wanted to increase efficiency and productivity by improving its specific material handling carts, which are used to transport semi-finished parts to additional processing stations. One of the main issues with the older models was that some of the workers preferred to use the overhead crane to transport the material, slowing down productivity and becoming a higher safety risk. Another issue was if a load was too heavy to push, a device called a “Tugger” would need to be used to move the cart, which is not the preference of many of the workers. Our main focus was on redesigning the material handling cart to hold a desired load, be able to move with ease, and improve productivity, all while listening to the workers’ feedback and suggestions.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Aaron McDowell
Mason, Michigan

Brendan Foster
Saline, Michigan

Logan Roeser-Nordling
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Nathan Wright
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Dan Mo
Farmington Hills, Michigan

Alro Steel

Project Sponsors

Joel Major
Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Andre Benard

Michigan State University was founded in 1855, conferred its first engineering undergraduate degrees in 1888, and has been a leader in research and teaching since that time. In preparing students for a future in the engineering field, numerous presentations and events are held. There are currently 11 undergraduate programs and 9 graduate programs, each of which participate in Design Day or the graduate research symposium. These are just two examples of when students and faculty display posters highlighting their projects to others at the university. The school currently owns 300 easels, foam boards, and binder clips used to display work across campus.

As of the beginning of the semester, the easels were stored in repurposed bakery carts with the trays removed, while the boards and clips were stored in cardboard boxes in laundry hampers. Both the bakery rack and cardboard boxes were not sturdy, nor convenient. The loading and unloading of easels was challenging and time-consuming, and the cardboard boxes that the posterboards were stored in were flimsy, leading to damage when not handled extremely carefully. Also, for shorter people, it was difficult to lift them out. Previously, it required multiple people to push both carts, which was inefficient when setting up and taking down. There were two existing improved carts provided by the sponsor, yet they only held easels. The combination of carts, boards, and clips on one vessel with a small storage footprint was essential for the college. Our goal was to create a cart that held 50 easels, 50 boards, and 250 binder clips. It was important to maximize sturdiness while minimizing weight since it had to be easy to move through doors and hallways, as well as outside when transporting it to different campus buildings. Lastly, loading and unloading the easels and posterboards had to be easy for one person to do.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Yusuf Abbas
Williamston, Michigan

Brandon Tsivitse
Rochester, Michigan

Emily Holman
Bay City, Michigan

Kylie Carbary
South Lyon, Michigan

Abel Barazza
Melvindale, Michigan

Gerdau

Project Sponsors

Erin Whiting
Jackson, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Galit Pelled

Peckham, Inc. is a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization that intertwines business and human services and values quality, diversity, and performance. With a mission to maximize human potential, Peckham provides opportunities aimed at fostering independence and self-sufficiency among individuals with disabilities. In the manufacturing realm, especially in garment manufacturing, Peckham has leaned on manual labor for operational processes, ensuring product quality and precision. Every client and employee at Peckham brings forth a unique story of overcoming adversity, and the organization has consistently exceeded customer expectations by delivering high-quality performance and globally competitive products, actualizing potential.

Our project set forth a strategic initiative to bolster Peckham’s operational efficiency within the garment manufacturing sector, specifically targeting the pack-out or end-of-line process. We crafted a phase one design proposal that seamlessly integrates innovative robotics and automation technologies into Peckham, Inc.’s existing processes. The focal point of our phase one design proposal was to ensure that the integration of automation not only amplified throughput but also promoted employee development and safety. This methodology was devised to ensure alignment with Peckham, Inc.’s core values, thereby enabling Peckham to continue to deliver on its potential and uphold its commitment to quality and performance.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Jonathon Dufresne
Orchard Lake, Michigan

Josh Heibeck
Chesterfield, Michigan

Faisal Alsuhaimi
Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Michael Dufresne
Orchard Lake, Michigan

Omran Alawadhi
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Peckham, Inc.

Project Sponsors

Erik Johnston
Lansing, Michigan

Dan Stevens
Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Seungik Baek

Peckham, Inc. is a nonprofit rehabilitation organization that was established in 1976. One of its goals is to supply equipment that is designed with the latest technology. It provides training in order to optimize human performance for people aiming to gain skills such as career planning and consultation that enables them to be confident in their ability to be self-sufficient on the path towards excellency. The program also includes a manufacturing division that designs and produces high-performance clothing and gear for the military in large quantities by turning rolls of fabric and cutting a variety of components to be delivered.

Our team was focused on improving the safety aspect of the sewing department at Peckham, Inc. The problem that the factory faces is the excessive amounts of threads accumulating on the floor and around the operator that may cause a slip hazard and decrease the efficiency of the operators, as they have to take time out of their work to clean up the debris. We designed two prototypes that tackled the issues for the different sewing machines that Peckham, Inc. uses. The mechanism’s main principle is the Venturi effect. This is achieved by having a compressed air supply attached to the wand. The first design created is a handheld wand that the operator can use freely, and the second design is a stationary vacuum that sucks in the threads before they reach the floor.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Jonathon Dufresne
Orchard Lake, Michigan

Josh Heibeck
Chesterfield, Michigan

Faisal Alsuhaimi
Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Michael Dufresne
Orchard Lake, Michigan

Omran Alawadhi
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Peckham, Inc.

Project Sponsors

Erik Johnston
Lansing, Michigan

Dan Stevens
Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Seungik Baek

Alanson, Michigan is a quaint town located at the top of the state’s lower peninsula. Situated on the banks of the Crooked River, the village has a rich history dating back to its founding during the Michigan lumber boom. It served as a transportation rest stop through the peak of rail travel and is one of the westernmost stops of Michigan’s Inland Route. In more recent times, Alanson has become a common place for tourist travel due to its many attractions, including the world’s smallest swing bridge, the village museum curated by the Inland Water Route Society, and the many recreational activities available on Sanctuary Island Park. The town’s island is located directly adjacent to the Crooked River and stands as an object of pride for the village. Originally donated by local resident Derry Williams as a memorial to his wife and son, Sanctuary Island features a pier, a gazebo, and a system of boardwalks traversing the park that have been contributed by other members of the community over the years.

Despite Sanctuary Island itself being a point of honor for the town, the method by which people can enter the park has not been. The hand-propelled ferry constructed to cross the stream encircling the island is currently inoperable. After the original system of underwater chains became unreliable and expensive to maintain, a private citizen devised a cable propulsion system for the ferry. Though an improvement, the second design did not operate smoothly or consistently. By the summer of 2023, the ferry was in a state of disrepair and the island was not accessible. The Village of Alanson tasked our team with designing a reliable, safe, and serviceable hand- propelled mechanism with the hopes of having Sanctuary Island accessible in time for next spring’s tourist season. Additionally, our solution had to meet a variety of operational constraints, such as allowing small watercraft to cross the stream and working with the existing infrastructure.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Matthew Fular
Livonia, Michigan

Hunter Arnett
Onondaga, Michigan

Celeste Salazar
Detroit, Michigan

Ethan Avery
Simi Valley, California

Steven Coscino
Naperville, Illinois

Village of Alanson

Project Sponsors

Wayne Blomberg
Alanson, Michigan

Charles Rehmann
Alanson, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Brian Feeny

Adventures in Training with a Purpose (ATP), established in 2015, emerged with a powerful mission: to address health and mobility challenges that underserved communities face, where access to proper paid rehabilitation resources is often limited. Operating as a registered nonprofit organization under 501(c)(3) status, ATP envisions a world where individuals are not confined by the constraints of their health. Representing an uncharted journey filled with meaning and enlightenment while training empowers individuals to strengthen both their mental and physical capabilities, and provides them newfound freedom of movement. ATP’s dedicated journey is all about breaking barriers and unlocking human potential in the pursuit of a healthier and more equitable society.

Our team’s primary objective was the development of an innovative design to enhance the functionality of conventional crutch tips, which have remained largely unchanged for centuries. This innovative design prioritizes the use of forward momentum and mobility in individuals’ movements. Presently, traditional crutch tip designs offer limited advantages in terms of reducing the effort required for crutch usage. Our groundbreaking approach not only instills user confidence but also places a strong emphasis on safety and improved mobility. Our mission entailed designing a crutch tip that would inspire patients to confidently take the next step of their rehabilitation journey.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Miles Grimes
Chesapeake, Virginia

Amjid Khogali-Watson
Lansing, Michigan

Zach Maccoux
Northville, Michigan

Longfei Bao
Taiyuan, China

Anita Patel
Canton, Michigan

Adventures in Training with a Purpose

Project Sponsors

Kevin Friedrich
Wexford, Pennsylvania

Jon Kolb
Wexford, Pennsylvania

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Zhaojian Li

Adventures in Training with a Purpose (ATP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals in need through physical training. Their support extends to various groups, such as amputees and veterans. They employ functional movement training techniques, integrating strength and aerobic exercises with elements of balance and movement patterns. This approach enhances an individual’s stability and balance. ATP firmly believes that regardless of a person’s disability, it should never limit his/her ability to live life to its fullest potential.

For this project, our assignment was to enhance an existing crutches design. The initial design provided to us lacked sturdiness and user-friendliness, falling short of ATP’s desired standards. Additionally, we were tasked with refining the spring mechanism inside the crutches. The crutch was composed of three main components: the handle, the middle section, and the foot, with the spring located in the middle portion. In the previous design, it was unable to generate sufficient energy for the user to lift off and use the crutches efficiently which was a significant challenge the spring faced. We successfully tackled this issue by implementing a stronger spring, ensuring it could provide the necessary support for users weighing between 100-120 lbs. This approach enabled us to tailor the spring and mechanism precisely, which enhanced user comfort and efficiency. We then collaborated with another group that worked on a separate part of the crutch and made sure that both designs fit into one cohesive crutch. By adapting our design to fit harmoniously with the other components, and improving the overall spring in the middle section, the overall crutch design was significantly improved.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Waabe Damboba
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Alexander Choma
Novi, Michigan

Erik Liu
Novi, Michigan

Phillip Jeon
Daejon, South Korea

Jalen King
Montclair, New Jersey

Adventures in Training with a Purpose

Project Sponsors

Kevin Friedrich
Wexford, Pennsylvania

Jon Kolb
Wexford, Pennsylvania

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Siva Nadimpalli

Magna International is a global automotive supplier and manufacturer headquartered in Canada, renowned for its comprehensive range of automotive systems, components, and complete vehicle assembly solutions. With a presence in 30 countries and a strong reputation for innovation and quality, Magna is a significant contributor in the automotive industry, providing leading-edge technologies and electric vehicle components, while also offering full-service capabilities for designing, engineering, and manufacturing vehicles. Additionally, Magna is deeply committed to sustainability, actively working to reduce emissions through the development of eco-friendly technologies and advanced mobility solutions, further solidifying its pivotal role in shaping the future of the automotive field.

Our team was tasked to design and analyze a micro-mobility concept for operation in urban areas and tailored to utility workers and skilled trades as the target audience. Notably, our close collaboration with a peer design group responsible for designing other aspects of the concept for Magna ensured the optimal positioning of critical system integration points, contributing to the overall dynamic and static stability of the integrated vehicle. Moreover, our project benefited from the cooperation with a peer from the Applied Engineering Sciences Department, who conducted a comprehensive cost analysis and economic viability study for the concept.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Dayton Kullman
Shelby, Michigan

Luke Honer
Angola, Indiana

Alex Figa
Clarkston, Michigan

David Twomley
Grosse Ile, Michigan

Ryan Bolio
Clarkston, Michigan

Wil Jozwiak
Farmington Hills, Michigan

Magna International

Project Sponsors

Julian Knutzen
Aurora, Ontario

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Neil Wright

Michigan State University was founded in 1855, conferred its first engineering undergraduate degrees in 1888, and has been a leader in research and teaching since that time. In preparing students for a future in the engineering field, numerous presentations and events are held. There are currently 11 undergraduate programs and 9 graduate programs, each of which participate in Design Day or the graduate research symposium. These are just two examples of when students and faculty display posters highlighting their projects to others at the university. The school currently owns 300 easels, foam boards, and binder clips used to display work across campus.

As of the beginning of the semester, the easels were stored in repurposed bakery carts with the trays removed, while the boards and clips were stored in cardboard boxes in laundry hampers. Both the bakery rack and cardboard boxes were not sturdy, nor convenient. The loading and unloading of easels was challenging and time-consuming, and the cardboard boxes that the posterboards were stored in were flimsy, leading to damage when not handled extremely carefully. Also, for shorter people, it was difficult to lift them out. Previously, it required multiple people to push both carts, which was inefficient when setting up and taking down. There were two existing improved carts provided by the sponsor, yet they only held easels. The combination of carts, boards, and clips on one vessel with a small storage footprint was essential for the college. Our goal was to create a cart that held 50 easels, 50 boards, and 250 binder clips. It was important to maximize sturdiness while minimizing weight since it had to be easy to move through doors and hallways, as well as outside when transporting it to different campus buildings. Lastly, loading and unloading the easels and posterboards had to be easy for one person to do.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

John Salloum
Plymouth, Michigan

Luke Lemont
Commerce Township, Michigan

Anirudh Menon
Kochi, India

Saketh Vaka
Vijayawada, India

Jonathon Lewis
Armada, Michigan

Magna International

Project Sponsors

Julian Knutzen
Aurora, Ontario

Jim Quesenberry
Troy, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Neil Wright

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. Its strategic objective is to improve quality of life worldwide with connected products and solutions that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. Bosch is pursuing a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe, and exciting using cross-functional solutions. One of the largest sectors within Bosch is mobility. In terms of revenue, Bosch is the largest automotive supplier in the world. From spark plugs to electric motors and fuel cells, Bosch has a hand in numerous sectors throughout the automotive market. This project focused on fuel cells, which are a revolutionary innovation that combines hydrogen and oxygen to create power and offer a flexible opportunity to greatly reduce the carbon footprint of both commercial and personal travel. Whereas classic internal combustion engines emit pollutants into the atmosphere, the by-products produced by fuel cell-powered vehicles are steam and water.

With this project, our goal was to measure the contribution of individual anode components to the recirculation of the anode side of the fuel cell. From this understanding, optimization of a fuel cell system could be realized, resulting in optimized utilization of hydrogen gas. Currently, one of the largest challenges to the overall life cycle of fuel cell vehicles is the requirement of production of hydrogen. The reduction of hydrogen consumption would further increase the environmental benefits of fuel cell vehicles. The main obstacles the team focused on were how to measure the flow at three different locations, which gas to use in place of the hydrogen during testing, and the packaging of the system into a standalone bench.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Alexander Arnold
Highland, Michigan

Carter Stefanovski
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ben Walters
Plymouth, Michigan

Luke Roethemeyer
St. Louis, Missouri

Bhanu Makkapati
Plymouth, Michigan

Luke Schmidt
Lake Orion, Michigan

Robert Bosch LLC

Project Sponsors

Aaron Butler
Farmington Hills, Michigan

Jason Moll
Farmington Hills, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Guoming Zhu

The purpose of the Michigan State Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club is to promote a healthy lifestyle to better physical, social, and mental health regardless of an athlete’s physical ability. The club offers a wide variety of recreation activities such as seated volleyball, pickleball, goal ball, boccia ball, tandem cycling, roller hockey, and many more.

The club acquired several sleds for roller hockey, and the goal of this project is to improve the basic sled to serve a wider range of participants with varying abilities, while increasing performance, safety, and comfort. The previous phases of this project worked to improve the mobility and aesthetics of the sleds, and the comfort of the rider. Phase V focused on improving the safety for the user while maintaining the progress in the other areas achieved in the earlier phases of design.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Kailey Head
Monroe, Michigan

Stefan Bellman
Lake Orion, Michigan

Garrett Martin
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Angel Perez
Holland, Michigan

MSU Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club

Project Sponsors

Piotr Pasik
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Mohsen Zayernouri

The Michigan State University Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club facilitates inclusive and accessible sports for individuals with physical disabilities. The program is headed by Piotr Pasik and includes sporting events in wheelchair basketball, wheelchair hockey, and wheelchair rugby. The MSU Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club is funded by grants that are put directly back into the program for new sports wheelchairs, online exercise and nutrition programs, and support for engineering projects pertaining to the club.

Our team was tasked with optimizing an inclusive sports wheelchair for an individual with limited mobility. The project is in its ninth iteration and is a continuation of previous Capstone groups’ efforts. The individual has limited use of the left side of his body and the wheelchair must facilitate movement while enabling him to utilize his free hand for sport. Optimizing the sports wheelchair included using a simplistic design so that if an engineer is not present, repairs can still be made, improving the mobility of the chair, and enabling the individual to break, turn, and propel himself without limiting use of his free hand.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Zack Peterson
Brighton, Michigan

Anthony Montemayor
Northville, Michigan

Carson Kipp
Walled Lake, Michigan

Manuel Hudececk
Brighton, Michigan

MSU Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club

Project Sponsors

Piotr Pasik
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Thomas Pence

Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre serves the community throughout the year with multiple productions for students and the community. The Theatre Department strives to challenge complacency through its productions to expand the audience’s world view and create opportunities for important discussions about society. These performance spaces help stimulate the exchange of cultures and ideas, as well as create inspiration.

In theatrical productions, the “grid” serves as a crucial support structure for suspending props and backdrops. While this system facilitates the smooth raising and lowering of practical items like chandeliers, the persistent issue of spinning fixtures has been a longstanding concern, causing undue distraction for the audience. Our mission was to engineer a raising and lowering system capable of rectifying this issue, ensuring steadiness and stability in practical drops. To achieve this, we sought to minimize wire diameter, to optimize smooth operation, and reduce the number of wires to a minimum, ultimately aiming for a single point of connection to the practical drop for utmost audience focus. The safety of our system was paramount, as it operates above individuals. We designed it to bear loads of up to 25 lbs. with a high factor of safety, implementing fail-safes and mechanical stops to safeguard against any potential operator or equipment failures. Moreover, our system was crafted with sustainability and cost-effectiveness in mind, seamlessly integrating with the existing rigging infrastructure and being able to be reused in the future plays for various lighting fixtures and practical drops. Through meticulous engineering and innovative design, our raising and lowering system not only addresses these challenges but also sets a new benchmark for efficiency, safety, and audience engagement in practical drop operations. We are proud to present a solution that enhances the theatrical experience, ensuring a seamless and immersive production for all.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Nolan Hoffman
Brighton, Michigan

Lingyi Zhao
Shanghai, China

Sarah Walrath
South Lyon, Michigan

Jordan Arnold
Highland, Michigan

Charles Mercer
Mason, Michigan

MSU Department of Theatre

Project Sponsors

Levi Galloway
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Patrick Kwon

The Department of Theatre at Michigan State University strives to provide graduate and undergraduate education in all realms of performing arts by challenging tradition to create something new. Its mission is to incite, excite, and provoke action through plays and musicals. While the department connects with the spectator through action on stage, the depth of this connection is enhanced by many other aspects, including the sights, sounds, and insights into the human condition that are acknowledged through this experience. The Scene Shop plays a key role, as this is where many of the settings and inanimate pieces of the performance are brought to life. This state-of- the-art teaching laboratory opened in 2016 and has transformed the learning experiences of those working on set design and construction ever since.

For this space to function as safely, efficiently, and effectively as possible there was a need to control the debris created through some of the fabrication processes that take place at the Scene Shop. It was also of key importance that specific design restrictions were heeded. First, ease of use and convenience were considered. The final design is easy to set up and properly maintain. Spatial constraints were also in place as the amount of available physical space in the Scene Shop is extremely limited. To account for all of this and more, a collapsible enclosure was built to create an area where activities such as sanding could take place inside, while carefully minimizing the amount of space taken up. When not in use, this design retracts against a wall and takes up little to no space. In doing this, an area with negative pressure was created so that these and similar tasks could be completed inside, and the debris created could be removed from the workspace and environment. This system was set up using an existing structure within the shop to once again reduce space used. This makes for a cleaner working environment and enhances the safety of the task for the operator.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Lochlann Dunlavey
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Jackson Rayer
South Lyon, Michigan

Haley Denton
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Adam Peckens
Ovid, Michigan

Jack Whitcomb
Edwardsburg, Michigan

MSU Department of Theatre

Project Sponsors

Marc White
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Farhad Jaberi

The Michigan State University Department of Theatre puts on many shows throughout the year. The theatre program provides a courageous and self-driven creative process within and outside of current structures with a focus on using art to create a path to success. They provide personalized experiences for both undergraduate and graduate students, using technology to design new worlds and through examining the past to understand the present and influence the future. For graduate students, there is a focus on preparation for a career as a professor or administrator at major universities and colleges throughout the United States, or a career in professional theatre.

The Fairchild Theatre stage is used throughout the year for different concerts and performances, which has brought about curiosity about the grid structure above the stage and how much weight it can safely hold. We have conducted an analysis focusing on the individual beams of the grid and the load on the grid supports caused by loading on the individual members of the grid. We focused on point loads that had the highest chance of causing failure on the member. We also examined the rivets holding the beams together and determined the stress concentrations and conducted a bolt shearing analysis to determine the safety of the rivets. We focused on a process where chain motors supporting lighting and scenery are attached to a pipe that lays across multiple different beams in the grid since this is a practice used in the theatre.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Joshua Bennett
Jackson, Michigan

Matthew Jasgur
Walled Lake, Michigan

Deaven Kirn
Tecumseh, Michigan

David Mueller
Southfield, Michigan

Nicolas Stoller
Grosse Pointe, Michigan

MSU Department of Theatre

DJ Selmeyer
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Sara Roccabianca

The MSU Adaptive Sports and Recreation Club was established in 2014 with the primary objective of providing students equitable access to regular physical activity, regardless of their physical mobility status. The club offers a diverse range of recreational sporting options year-round, encompassing activities such as adaptive rowing, boccia ball, and even adaptive track & field. Its unwavering commitment lies in ensuring inclusive access and active engagement for all participants. The club serves as a hub for cultivating a socially dynamic community, where both disabled athletes and able-bodied volunteers can partake in healthy activities. Before the program’s establishment, the opportunity for MSU students with physical mobility disabilities to compete at the national level was difficult to obtain, but the MSU Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club now provides students with that platform. Overall, the sports club has become a destination for the Spartans of today and the future with physical disabilities.

Among the diverse array of sports offered, sled hockey stands out as an exhilarating and highly competitive team sport, tailored for those with lower-body impairments. The transfer platform enables athletes to transfer from their mobility aids to a hockey sled; however, the platform encountered safety and mobility issues. Therefore, our team’s focus in the modification of the transfer platform consisted of ensuring transfer safety and independent use. Our team’s redesign involved modifying the handlebars to increase rigidity during a transfer. To improve independent use, a docking mechanism to ensure stability from a hockey sled to the platform was designed. Overall, these changes are to help improve mobility of users during transfers, enabling ease of access for all.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Alejandro Tlatelpa
Clinton Township, Michigan

Tate Virkus
Haslett, Michigan

Hunter Staton
Dearborn, Michigan

Alex York
Harrison Township, Michigan

Citizen Kim
Seoul, Korea

MSU Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club

Project Sponsors

Piotr Pasik
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Ricardo Mejia-Alvarez

The Michigan State University Adaptive Sports & Recreation club is committed to providing a diverse range of sporting and recreational opportunities tailored to individuals with physical disabilities. Its offerings encompass sports such as boccia ball, hand-cycling, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair floorball, wheelchair basketball, as well as adaptive variations of track & field and rowing. The club’s overarching goal is to enhance the quality of life for those with physical disabilities by enabling their participation in activities that may otherwise be inaccessible to them. They achieve this by supplying all necessary sports equipment to their students and taking pride in their unwavering support for inclusion and diversity.

A major barrier to accessing adaptive sports opportunities was the lack of reliable transportation for individuals with disabilities. The EW-36, a 3-wheel mobility scooter designed to enable easy transportation for people with physical disabilities, faced challenges during winter due to its limited functionality. Our industry advisor tasked us with enhancing the scooter’s winter performance by improving its structure and increasing power output to prevent it from getting stuck in the snow. The scooter’s structure was not optimized for winter conditions, leading to snow buildup in the wheel wells and under the scooter near the engine. Additionally, the scooter lacked the power needed to consistently navigate through the snow. The goal of this project was to reduce the risk of getting stuck in inclement weather by optimizing the scooter’s structure and increasing its power output, addressing a significant obstacle to accessing the benefits of adaptive sports.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Mitchell Bjorne
DeWitt, Michigan

Lesheng Zeng
Chengdu, China

Noah Schott
Bath, Michigan

Arron Stebic
Crystal Falls, Michigan

Connor Michel
El Segundo, California

MSU Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club

Project Sponsors

Piotr Pasik
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Haseung Chung

For over a century, internal combustion engines have been the heart of transportation. However, as temperatures rise and climate change becomes more evident, people are shifting their focus to different powertrain alternatives. The Michigan State University Department of Mechanical Engineering performs research in areas such as manufacturing and internal combustion engines, while also providing excellent curriculum to students. The Department of Mechanical Engineering decided to study the issue of carbon emissions for cleaner forms of transportation. One system that was considered was the hydrogen fuel cell system. This powertrain uses proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells to convert hydrogen fuel into energy. Secondly, we examined a hydrogen fueled IC engine operated similarly to gasoline IC engines which uses hydrogen as fuel instead.

In each step, from mining raw materials to final product, carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. The question is, which system, from start to finish, produces the least amount of carbon dioxide. Emissions and cost for mining raw materials, transporting and refining those materials, manufacturing each component of the powertrain, producing the hydrogen fuel, and overall assembly were examined. The degradation for the powertrain components also played a key role in the decision. By looking at each system’s emission data, a choice was made for which system is better.

These findings were presented in a format specified by the Michigan State University Department of Mechanical Engineering. This information will help with further research on these different transportation methods.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Jeffery Zhou
Troy, Michigan

Yang Yi
Shenzhen, China

Ethan LaBelle
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Nick Aseriti
Traverse City, Michigan

MSU Department of Mechanical Engineering

Project Sponsors

Harold Schock
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Harold Schock

Founded in 2017, the Michigan State University Rocketry Club is an amateur rocketry group with the mission of designing, building, and launching high-powered rockets. Each summer, the MSU Rocketry Club competes in the Spaceport America Cup in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they compete against over 150 other organizations. This past summer, MSU Rocketry competed in the 10,000 feet solid motor division, and successfully launched and recovered their rocket. For summer 2024, MSU Rocketry plans to compete with and launch a custom-made hybrid motor rocket in the 10,000 feet division.

In order to properly test and eventually launch their next rocket, MSU Rocketry required a launch stand with the necessary capabilities to accommodate a hybrid rocket. These capabilities included the ability to support the 100+ pound rocket, the ability to weigh the rocket on the stand, and the ability to be tilted at a set angle. Additionally, the launch stand needed to be tall enough to ensure the rocket reached the required speed off of the rail. It was also paramount that the launch stand was modular in design, allowing for disassembly and transport to the competition. In order to accommodate a successful launch, a launch tower with these capabilities was designed, developed, and manufactured.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Owen Garber
Davidson, Michigan

Adam Stevens
Lansing, Michigan

Tommy Erickson
Grosse Ile, Michigan

Chenghan Cai
Auburn Hills, Michigan

Sampath Eaty
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Aidan Svoboda
Austin, Texas

MSU Rocketry Club

Project Sponsors

Owen Garber
East Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Elisa Toulson

Munters FoodTech is a global leader in climate solutions for mission-critical processes in livestock farming and greenhouses. Additionally, they offer cutting-edge software designed to control and optimize the entire food production value chain. Munsters’ solutions enhance productivity while facilitating sustainable food production in environments where there are high requirements for quality, animal health, and food safety. Sustainability is an important part of Munters’ business strategy and value creation.

The goal of our project was to transition the manual assembly process currently in place at Munters FoodTech into a more efficient, automated one. The completion of this project has greatly impacted the company. Not only has the automated process helped to reduce production costs, but it has also enabled the rotation of staff to other projects within the company, thereby maximizing efficiency. The fully automated assembly process has impacted the company’s operations by enabling the more rapid fulfillment of work orders, which leads to increased profits and a notable reduction in production costs. With the new assembly process in place, shutters of various sizes, tailored to customers’ individual specifications are now effortlessly and precisely assembled with no item-to-item variation. This transition to automation is a pivotal change in the production process. Prior to the implementation of our project, the overall assembly process had not been adjusted in approximately thirty years, apart from the addition of a robot to provide machining precision. Additionally, the project involved researching options for improving methods of the cutting of materials.

Michigan State University

Team Members (left to right)

Alex Rodriguez
San Juan, Puerto Rico

Ryan Cyrowski
Bloomfield, Michigan

Mark Kemp
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Jason Li
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Marianna Osentoski
Marysville, Michigan

Munsters FoodTech

Project Sponsors

Mark Eggleston
Lansing, Michigan

ME Faculty Advisor

Dr. Ahmed Naguib