Mechanical Engineers - Senior Projects

[Ralph]

I know there are a few mechanical engineers on here; who's graduating? I'm working on our Senior Project a lot right now and I wanted to share this rendering of a robot we are building.

Check it out, let me know what you think

[250r rider 88]

looks good im not an ME student, im a mechanical drafting student and just wandering if you guys drew up any drawing first and what program did you use?

looks like a solid design, 2 thumbs up

[Ralph]

The model was designed in SoldiWorks and rendered in Photoview 360. We made a lot of paper sketches and then started building the parts for the assembly.

I am currently fabricating the robot, so when I designed I made sure it was all stuff I could easily build.

[Ralph]

Here are some pics of the actual build

[Ralph]

It's nice to have a water jet for the small details.

[Ralph]

Learned how to TIG weld for this one

[250r rider 88]

looks like a great project, with it being your senior year how are job prospects for you? im in the 1st of 2 years in my program and 3 of 8 2nd years already have 40k plus jobs

[Ralph]

I am starting a job in Houston in the middle of June. Its not as easy as it used to be but as long as you put in a solid effort it shouldn't be an issue.

Most of the B.S. ME positions are paying around 55k. That seemed like a pretty typical salary. When I got my offer lets just say I was very satisfied and accepted right away and canceled an upcoming interview. A lot of the positions are just training you for management type positions. The job I accepted was for an actual design position where I got to make stuff and see it work.

Even today I am still getting emails from recruiters.

[Quad18star]

Ralph ... whats the final thing gunna be for? Like just a robot or do something specific?

[Ralph]

Originally posted by Quad18star
Ralph ... whats the final thing gunna be for? Like just a robot or do something specific?

The sponsor is doing a lot of work with bomb disposal type applications. Currently all the bomb disposal bots and Search and Rescue bots are closed platforms which are super expensive and non-interchangeable.

The idea is that the US Military needs an open platform which is versatile and modular. Focusing on standard connections and interfaces so that they can upgrade them over time and not be held hostage to one manufacturer.

This platform would also serve as a workhorse type robot. It can carry a decent amount of payload and can easily reconfigure for different tasks. You can extend the wheelbase to do tasks like climb stairs or lift heavy objects.

On another day they can throw in a camera/lidar/etc. module and add in extra batteries and send it out for a reconnaissance mission.

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by Ralph
The sponsor is doing a lot of work with bomb disposal type applications. Currently all the bomb disposal bots and Search and Rescue bots are closed platforms which are super expensive and non-interchangeable.

The idea is that the US Military needs an open platform which is versatile and modular. Focusing on standard connections and interfaces so that they can upgrade them over time and not be held hostage to one manufacturer.

This platform would also serve as a workhorse type robot. It can carry a decent amount of payload and can easily reconfigure for different tasks. You can extend the wheelbase to do task like climb stairs or lift heavy objects.

Thats awesome. Good luck with the project.

Make something like that for mining and I'll endorse it.LOL

[Ralph]

Thanks Greg,

This model costs the army somewhere around a quarter of a million dollars. Our budget is around a grand. haha.

This model also cant be fixed in the field as the company locks it so it has to be sent back to the US to be fixed.

[motohanks]

good luck with the project Ralph. That's bs how iRobot makes it so only they can service the robot. Some guy from iRobot came to my college to speak a few weeks ago and I tried to go, but we got there a little late and the room was already full (small room only holding ~50 people).

[Ralph]

Originally posted by motohanks
good luck with the project Ralph. That's bs how iRobot makes it so only they can service the robot. Some guy from iRobot came to my college to speak a few weeks ago and I tried to go, but we got there a little late and the room was already full (small room only holding ~50 people).

I suppose I understand the security aspect so that if a robot falls in the wrong hands they cant do much with it but I too think its overkill.

[VTredneckgames]

looks good. Glad you are actually building it.

Im so tired of the design teams that dont build. You dont get the full effect until you try to build it.

I was on our FSAE team for 3 years, we had a 2 year cycle. You learn a lot when you get to build.

[Tommy 17]

good ol senior design... That class was pretty rough it was so much work. Who was your teacher? I had engel he was pretty awesome.

It amazes me how much money the companies make off these projects. I know from ours GM got a production ready patenable part and a testable prototype. Last I heard it was in production on the car.

I read you got a job in houston. Who did you take a job with? Hopefully it works out for you... Texas will be a cool place with alot of stuff to do.


heres the poster for my senior project.

[Ralph]

Ill send you a message to catch you up.

[honda400ex2003]

looks cool ralph! the senior design teams for the ME dept are showing all of their work today too. We have a full year of senior design at Tech. I will be taking that next spring most likely. steve

[400exrider707]

That's cool!

Here's what we did at my school, the SAE baja competitions. This was this years current car (I graduated in 06, but still help the guys out finding parts and what not).
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs452.ash1/24909_411761124594_684179594_5106105_2797350_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs412.snc3/24909_411761134594_684179594_5106107_7187964_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs432.snc3/24909_411761139594_684179594_5106108_7432371_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs432.snc3/24909_411761149594_684179594_5106110_6081539_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs412.snc3/24909_411761154594_684179594_5106111_4253641_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs432.snc3/24909_411761169594_684179594_5106114_1336992_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs432.snc3/24909_411761174594_684179594_5106115_535536_n.jpg