Department - Author 1

Mechanical Engineering Department

Degree Name - Author 1

BS in Mechanical Engineering

Date

6-2010

Primary Advisor

Tom Mase

Abstract/Summary

In keeping with the California Polytechnic State University motto of “Learn by Doing”, this project was performed by Mechanical Engineering students Joe Cloutier, Josh Kessler, and Mike Jaskulsky II as their senior project. Starting in the Fall 2009 quarter and reaching completion with the end of the Spring 2010 quarter, this project provided these students with experience in application of a formal engineering design process in the solving of an open-ended engineering design problem, in developing and maintaining an engineering project schedule, as well as providing further experience working on an engineering team.

As the engineers of Parker Aerospace seek to use different metals in their high performance bearing applications than have traditionally been used in the past, often the data does not exist for them to be able to accurately design against brinelling. To provide their engineers with this data, Parker Aerospace proposed the following as a senior project to Cal Poly’s seniors. They requested that a team of engineering students would design, fabricate, assemble, and validate through testing a machine that would determine the loads at the onset of brinelling for different metals and would allow for multiple measurements to be taken from each set of sample materials tested. Some of the secondary design requirements were for the test fixture to be portable, small enough to be used as a desktop unit, be able to accommodate a thermal chamber around the test area, and also provide measurements of the total deformation of the sample materials when under load. Also, time allowing, Parker Aerospace requested that the senior project team devote the last part of the last quarter to using the machine to provide data for a number of materials that they will provide.

The loads that the test machine would need to deliver to test all material samples to the onset of brinelling were determined through hertzian contact stress analysis. These calculated loads were then used to determine the deflection of the sample materials, allowing for the sizing of structural components and selection of necessary sensors.

The design for the fixture was developed around the initial design concept displayed in the Project Proposal by Parker Aerospace. After developing a number of different designs and variations of specific components of the fixture, the best of these design variations were presented to a panel of Parker Aerospace’s engineers during a Preliminary Design Review. From these designs, a final design was selected and various modifications were made as suggested by Parker. A final design was decided on and the rest of the project was completed by the end of the Spring quarter.

Share

COinS