2023 Engineering Design Expo

Wade Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

The Wade Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering encompasses the mechanical engineering and mechatronics and robotics engineering majors. Representing the most diverse and general of all the engineering fields, mechanical engineers can be found working in almost any company. Mechanical engineers plan, design, power and direct the manufacture of tools and machines of all types, from roller coasters to rockets. Mechatronics and robotics engineering combines elements of computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering to develop automated systems and smart solutions to solve tomorrow's industry challenges.

Mechanical Engineering
Semi-Autonomous Floor Scrubber ACM provided a floor cleaner to be modified to meet their cleaning needs. The team manufactured components, wired motors/sensors, wrote a path-following algorithm, analyzed the cost and implemented safety features.
AIAA Design, Build, Fly This project details the design, manufacture and testing of Mjölnir, a remote-controlled airplane designed for the 2022-2023 AIAA Design Build Fly competition. The competition consists of a ground mission and three flight missions, each with specific target tasks. This year’s theme is Electronic Warfare.
Bucket QA This project consists of designing, building, and testing a device that measures the inner diameter of a 5-gallon bucket. Reducing errors helps Berry Global save time and money by decreasing resources spent on reworking bad parts.
Basic Utility Vehicle Trine has competed in the BUV competition over the past few years and looks to uphold its title this year. The team will compete in an endurance competition that spans seven hours where the team must complete as many laps as possible around the 2.2-mile course.
Cast in Steel Students were challenged to create an authentic African Spear Point by exploiting the steel casting manufacturing process. Through this senior design project, students learned how century-old casting techniques are being adapted to modern technologies.
BAE Circuit Card Sealant Machine This project consists of the design and build of an automated machine that applies a bead of silicone sealant along the edges of select components on specialty circuit card assemblies. Design and fabrication issues include aspects such as safety to people and components, automation, and control.
2022-2023 Combat Robot This project consists of the design, build, and competition of a combat robot in the “Beetleweight” division of the National Robotics Challenge. The robot utilizes a shuffle mechanism for movement, and a spinning metal bar for the weapon. The bot will compete in head-to-head competition.
Foam Splitter This project is a continuation of prior work and looks to adapt and complete the design of a machine used to split large rolls of foam into two sheets. The machine must split and re-roll the split foam autonomously. The project includes aspects of controllers (PLC), sensing, fabrication and more.
Design Build Launch Trine’s Design Build Launch senior design team had the challenge of building a high-power rocket that would be able to reach a pre-determined apogee and deploy a payload that, once landed, would autonomously receive radio frequency signals to perform a series of tasks with an onboard camera.
Tennis Testing Project The objective of this project was to determine changes in tennis ball rotations per minute based on the application of a tacky substance to tennis racket strings. Data was produced for the coefficient of friction for strings and rackets. High-speed camera imaging was used to determine the rotational speed data of a tennis ball.

Department of Design Engineering Technology

The Department of Design Engineering Technology creates well-rounded students who have integrated application experiences that directly utilize industry-standard equipment in each class, preparing them to immediately contribute upon entering their engineering career. The design engineering technology major prepares students to design products utilizing industry-standard 3D modeling software while generating products that meet customer-driven needs. Plastics engineering technology prepares students to work with plastic, whether creating products or developing reuse or recycling methods, and provides students the ability to succeed in the polymers industry.

Design Engineering Technology
Adaptive Assistive Device An existing 3D-printed child’s prosthetic was modified for improved fit, comfort and function for completion of common tasks such as playing with toys and riding a bicycle. The new design includes an improved grip mechanism and an additional bicycle attachment.
Ready to Assemble Cardboard Casket Design of a ready-to-assemble cardboard casket to minimize shipping size and cost of existing designs. Design includes use of combustible materials and elimination of metal hardware, resulting in an affordable, environmentally friendly, easy-to-use product for funeral homes and individuals.
Casket Production Table Our project goal was to increase production efficiency for an existing cardboard casket production facility. The final solution includes an adjustable-height production table with improved fixturing to allow completion of multiple processes and eliminate unnecessary material handling.
Dock Section Tool The dock tool simplifies removal and installation of dock sections while incorporating portability, stowability, ease of assembly, and adaptability for different types of docks. The dock is lifted vertically, flipped and rolled to shore while reducing overall size and weight from previous designs.
Goalball Throwing Device Trine University worked with Turnstone and the U.S. National Women’s Goalball team to develop a throwing device for use during practice. Goalball is a Paralympic team sport for blind and visually impaired people. The throwing device is crucial to prevent repetitive motion injuries during practice.
Metal Shredder Hendrickson has a process to cut metal tubing to size that produces long shavings. The team has designed a shredding device that collects the shavings and reduces the size for safer handling. This machine is also mobile and can be repositioned for ease of swapping bins and material disposal.
Mower Deck Trimmer The mower deck trimmer is a continuation project that improves the previous design completed by students in 2021. This new design uses a self-feeding head and a better electric motor with controls located near the rider. A new guard allows the user to maintain the trimmer unit with less effort.
NASA HERC Rover Our team designed a two-person, human-powered vehicle to traverse obstacles and complete tasks similar to those encountered on the moon or other planets. The vehicle must meet size, weight and maneuverability requirements. This is an annual competition hosted by NASA at the Space and Rocket Center in Alabama.
Trail Groomer Redesign This project entailed redesigning a grooming machine for the hiking trails at Pokagon State Park. This will allow park personnel to maintain the trail surfaces and recondition them throughout the year. The machine will be towed behind a John Deere 419 tractor and operated by one person.

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering encompasses three majors: electrical engineering, computer engineering and software engineering. Depending on their degree program, students may study the transmission of power and signals using electrical energy, the development of custom computing equipment, or the creation of quality computer software. To prepare students for the innovative work required in these areas, students are provided with a foundation in mathematics and science, proper development in communication skills, an understanding of the relevance and impact of engineering and technology on society, and a combination of classroom study and “hands-on” laboratory experience.

Electrical and Computer Engineering
Euphony (Discord-Style Communications App) Euphony is a communications app taking inspiration from current applications such as Discord and Zoom. It is designed for classrooms and organizations, with added administrative features such as a calendar system and user management to provide administrators with the tools to manage their groups.
NRC Micromouse Robot Our team of two electrical engineers and one computer engineer has designed and assembled a maze-solving robot to compete in the NRC Micromouse event. Our robot uses sensors to detect its surroundings and measure its traveled distance. After mapping the maze, it attempts to race back to the start.
Formula 1/10 th Racecar The Formula 1/10th scale autonomous vehicle is a self-driving vehicle that utilizes LiDAR and ROS (Robot Operating System) technology to detect nearby objects, avoid obstacles and map an indoor environment.
Fox Transmitter The Fox Transmitter can switch power modes to reach more than a 10-mile radius over a 2-meter frequency using programmable tones. An OLED will show the frequency and the power mode. Another display will show the battery life of the device. This versatile design will appeal to everyone.
Roomba Lawnmower The objective of this project is to create an autonomous lawnmower capable of mowing a small flat yard by utilizing LiDAR and a camera for object detection and tracking the robot’s location and orientation in the yard, utilizing a self-generated map to navigate the terrain.
Tabletop Board Game Our table-top board game emulator allows users to connect to a virtual board game via an Android app or a website, and to play three different games with up to four players. The game board is displayed on a custom cabinet.

McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering

The McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering trains students to solve problems within the chemical processes used to manufacture products. These products include the food we eat, the clothes we wear, materials for our homes and cars, our medicines and our health care products. Chemical engineering is an extremely versatile degree that can provide a multitude of career opportunities. In addition to manufacturing, graduates of our program have also become doctors, lawyers and researchers.

Chemical Engineering
From Waste to Worth: CO2 Recycling The purpose of this design is to capture and purify CO2 from an exhaust stream from industrial mixers. This exhaust stream includes volatiles and N2 that must be removed to ensure recovered CO2 is beverage-grade quality. This process will save the company money and reduce its carbon footprint.
Carbon Dioxide Transformed Into a Fuel Source Carmeuse’s environmental initiative reduces its CO2 footprint by converting flue gas from a limestone kiln into methanol. CO2 is purified, separated from other waste gases and reacted with hydrogen to produce methanol, reducing the carbon footprint and creating a new energy source.
Mo’ Beer is Mo’ Better This study was conducted to analyze bacterial growth in beer before and after it has undergone pasteurization. The collected data will provide insight into the unit’s performance and its ability to eliminate microorganisms.
Spent Grain Transport: Chapman’s Electric Works The design initiative had two objectives: to design a system for transporting brewing grains and to establish safe standard operating procedures in a brewery. The procedures will be accessible through links to instructional documents detailing the safety standards for each piece of equipment.
FrayNot: Testing Various Compounds for Enhanced Durability of Jeans The goal of this project was to improve inner thigh durability in jeans. We developed a repeatable method to test fabric durability. Several fabric treatments were tested for increasing fabric wear resistance.
POET's VFD Cost Reduction Effort Our task was to examine the cost-effectiveness of installing variable frequency drives (VFDs) on pumps at Poet Bioprocessing. By utilizing VFDs to regulate fluid flow utility, costs could be reduced. The data collected will be used to determine under what conditions the VFDs should be purchased.
In-line Gas Sampling: The Future of Silicone Production The goal of this project was to create a test method for a silicone manufacturing facility to reduce downtime. Currently, multiple tests are needed for each batch to remove unwanted gases to acceptable levels, wasting production time.

Department of Computer and Information Technology

The Department of Computer and Information Technology (CSIT) provides a broad-based, sophisticated understanding of information and its technology, including critical areas such as data science, preparing students to enter the workforce ready to add immediate benefit to their chosen organization. In addition to the overall CSIT degree program, the department offers concentrations in cybersecurity, health informatics and web development.

CSIT
Asset Security Scanner An Asset Security Scanner that scans, stores and visualizes security findings to help IT staff manage their attack surface, the points where unauthorized users could enter or extract data, was developed. This application leverages Censys, Grafana and MySQL, and has a back end written using Python. Attack surfaces are visualized based on user-provided flags and hosts.
Digital Community Event Calendar System It is our mission to provide an accessible and comprehensive community calendar for the DeKalb County community. The various community organizations of DeKalb County will be able to submit events to the application. After approval, the public will be able to search events going on in their community.
PWNIUM The purpose of this project is to increase cybersecurity measures; to help prevent and handle any attacks that may arise against Fernwood Botanical Garden. The main goal is to identify current data security risks, implement detection/protection measures and propose policy changes.
Trine 360 We are creating a virtual tour for the entire Angola campus. This will allow potential students to view campus from the comfort of their own home. We want to show students the ins and outs of each building on campus, so they can make an informed decision on coming to Trine University.

Jim and Joan Bock Department of Biomedical Engineering

The Jim and Joan Bock Department of Biomedical Engineering integrates the design and problem-solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to advance health care. The program offers students a broad background that includes the engineering school’s proven hands-on approach while more fully integrating basic and healthcare sciences. Due to this interdisciplinary nature and rapidly advancing knowledge in the field of medicine, the biomedical engineering curriculum offers advanced and specialized courses to keep up with current advancements.

Biomedical Engineering
Thermo-Sensing Apparel for Individuals with Paralysis Adaptive skiing is a sport that allows people with disabilities to participate in the same type of ski events as people skiing in a traditional manner. Partnering with Adaptive Adventures and BAE Systems, this BME senior design team developed a thermosensing sock that sends skin temperature readings and warnings to adaptive skiers’ phones. This will allow adaptive skiers to enjoy skiing while reducing risk of frostbite.
Catheter Insertion & Watchman Procedure Medical Simulation Device The Catheter Lab Trainer 2.0 project aims to produce a medical simulation device that accurately models the human circulatory system in order to teach inexperienced physicians how to perform catheterization procedures, such as Watchman device implantation.
Adapted Trike The Adapted Trike team was tasked with creating a solution for the customer, a woman with Multiple Sclerosis, to ride a tricycle. The trike will accommodate for the customer’s symptoms, weakened right extremities and fatigue, with use of an electric assist, modified pedal, and adapted seat
Parkview Health Safe Sleep Testing Infant Sleep-related infant death remains problematic. The design team designed a Safe Sleep Testing Infant to collect relevant data on unsafe infant sleep scenarios using electronic sensors. The device can certify infant sleep products as safe and educate parents on safe infant sleep practices.
Joint Manipulation Trainer Joint mobilizations are therapeutic techniques that are difficult to learn from a textbook. The Trine University Department of Physical Therapy tasked our biomedical engineering senior design team to design a robust trainer capable of identifying all five grades of mobilization using circuitry, programming and mechanical design.
Modified Archery Stand In partnership with Quality of Life Plus and the Veterans Adaptive Sports & Training Program, the BME senior design team at Trine University, Archers’ Choice, has designed and manufactured a modified archery stand that will allow disabled veterans to participate in the sport of archery.
Neonatal ABG Trainer The ABG and Arterial Line Insertion Trainer will be used by medical staff to train and practice ABG sampling and arterial line insertion by simulating both processes as performed on a newborn child.
Neonatal Thoracostomy Trainer Our team was presented with a challenge from Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation to design a neonatal thoracostomy task trainer. The trainer will allow physicians to perform needle decompression or chest tube insertion to alleviate pressure build-up within the pleural cavity.

Reiners Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Reiners Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering prepares students to design, build and maintain safe, reliable civil infrastructure systems that provide for basic societal needs and improve quality of life. These systems include buildings, bridges, tunnels, dams, highways, railways, airports, arenas for sports and music, water supplies, wastewater treatment, flood control and energy production. The program curriculum offers considerable breadth, focusing on each of the five major civil engineering disciplines: structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, transportation engineering, environmental engineering and water resources engineering, while also incorporating concepts in civil engineering materials and construction engineering.

Civil Engineering
CR 100 N 200 W Roundabout Students designed a roundabout to be located at the intersection of N 200 W and W 100 N in Angola Indiana. Roundabouts increase traffic flow and reduce serious accidents. Students surveyed the site, performed turn counts and designed the roundabout geometry, pavement and site drainage.
Angola Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion The City of Angola needs to expand its wastewater treatment capacity, as the city’s population and Trine University enrollment grow. Students evaluated adding new clarifiers, aeration tanks and primary tanks to treat wastewater to allow for future growth and new Indiana Department of Environmental Management phosphorus limits.
Green Space
Sidewalk and LID Design
Concrete Canoe: Seraphina Students designed a concrete canoe for the annual ASCE competition. Students researched, designed, procured and tested several concrete mixes to find the right combination of strength, workability and durability. They built a full-scale prototype and participated in a regional competition.
Dorm Expansion Plan
General Residential Building for Master Dorm Expansion
Old U.S. 27 and Baker Rd. Roundabout Students designed a roundabout located at the intersection of Old U.S. 27 and Baker Road in Fremont, Indiana. Roundabouts increase traffic flow and reduce serious accidents. Students surveyed the site, performed traffic counts and designed the roundabout geometry and site drainage.
Student Design Center Our team designed a new Student Design Center to replace the existing one at Trine University. The project included soil testing, structural design of a steelframed building, foundation design, sustainability considerations and site design. The team designed the new SDC using RISA 3D computer software.