Category: Engineering

1 Day Design Project: Bag Hack

Introduction My wife bought this awesome bag in Amsterdam. It’s the perfect size, functional, and stylish. After having had it for two years, it’s time for an update. She wanted to add a new patch, covering up or getting rid of the old one. Once we found the perfect patch, it was just slightly smaller… Continue reading 1 Day Design Project: Bag Hack

Data and Information Visualization Part II

Figure 3 - This graph is our own creation from data available in the paper. We see it's very interesting that weight and performance do not seem correlated here.

Sometimes it is important to create your own figures when they don’t exist. (see Data and Information Visualization Part I) The example I’d like to give is from a paper titled “Thermal Performance of Domestic Replacement A19 LED Lighting Products.” The paper highlights the varied nature of LED heat sink “performance” for a given set… Continue reading Data and Information Visualization Part II

Data and Information Visualization

Figure 3 - This is the "boiled down" figure which captures only particularly relevant information.

If a picture is worth a thousand words then a graph or chart is worth at least a thousand words. The ability to understand and create graphs or figures is essential for anyone interested in Science Technology Engineering or Mathematics. Here’s a great example of how one might “boil down” a figure for their own… Continue reading Data and Information Visualization

Simplicity in Design

Simplicity is an essential property of good design. It saves time, money, resources, and is easier to understand and analyze. A design’s simplicity is often measured by the number of parts that make it up. The fewer the parts, the simpler the design, which also means fewer opportunities for failure. CASE STUDY: REGENERATIVE BICYCLE BRAKE… Continue reading Simplicity in Design

Engineering, Design, and Technology Booklist

The Following is a booklist from Mechanical Engineering Magazine: Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas by James Adams FLying Buttresses, Entropy, and O-Rings: The World of an Engineer by James Adams Engineering and the Mind’s Eye by Eugene Ferguson Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman by Richard Feynman The Existential Pleasures of Engineering by Samuel… Continue reading Engineering, Design, and Technology Booklist

Senior Design Project (prototype 3.0) – the final prototype

After completing the construction and testing of the “second prototype” (2.5), it was time to design, fabricate, and test the final prototype. Here are a few pictures of the final design: Check out the design optimization: and a progression of the designs through the year: Further details of the project can be found at: Bike… Continue reading Senior Design Project (prototype 3.0) – the final prototype

Labview Proportional Control Code Example

The following are a few highlights of a simple control system built this spring. As can be seen in the picture, a power source was used in conjunction with a LabVIEW DAQ and a thermocouple module with a digial output module (for pwm for the fan). A computer fan and a type K thermocouple were… Continue reading Labview Proportional Control Code Example

Senior Design Project (prototype 2.5)

Mechanical engineering students are required to complete a senior design project. What follows are a few highlights of our group’s progress so far. For a site devoted to the project, visit: Bike Brake WordPress Our project was to replace a traditional bicycle brake with a device which would slow the bike down, and capture energy… Continue reading Senior Design Project (prototype 2.5)

Arduino Regenerative Bike Brake Code

Arduino Code The following is a prototype program for a device used on a bicycle with a generator for a brake.  Essentially this is a regenerative brake for a bicycle which charges a USB battery (one of the new mobile charger batteries).  Thus, when you’re braking, you can charge this mobile battery up full which… Continue reading Arduino Regenerative Bike Brake Code