College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Mechanical Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Mechanical Engineering
College - Author 2
College of Engineering
Department - Author 2
Mechanical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 2
BS in Mechanical Engineering
College - Author 3
College of Engineering
Department - Author 3
Mechanical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 3
BS in Mechanical Engineering
College - Author 4
College of Engineering
Department - Author 4
Mechanical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 4
BS in Mechanical Engineering
Date
6-2022
Primary Advisor
Sarah Harding, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
The demonstration triple-spool turbine and controls project consisted of the conceptualization, design, analysis, build, and test of a demonstration model of three concentric driveshafts, such as those used in conventional turbofan (or power generation turbine) engines. Specifically, our team focused on building a basic, portable, mechanical model of such a driveshaft assembly, while also developing the backend firmware/control and user interface software used to control it. This model was developed with the initial intent of use in the Cal Poly engines lab with a goal of remotely controlling the motors driving the driveshaft model by means of a USB cable and/or wireless network.
The design began by generating requirements and penciling out possible architectures set to satisfy the needs of the project sponsor. Because much of the design had already been conceptualized, this development focused around translating known features or geometry into more tangible numeric requirements. More focus was also put on safety, operability, and manufacturability—incorporating such considerations as field of view, emergency-stop activation, and shielding of pinch points and high voltage electronics. Early on, there was also much discussion around changes to scope given the feasibility of developing a user interface within our sponsors desires given the team’s mechanical focus and relative inexperience with software and interface programming.
As the model progressed into preliminary design, the physical model and user interface began to take shape. Our team played with sketches and animations of possible control interfaces, while putting together a basic concept prototype. Thought was put into failure modes and effects, and some analysis surrounding reliability (such as bearing life cycle) was conducted. While the mechanical aspects of the design began to take shape, we still struggled with the development of the motor control and software.
As we pushed past Critical Design Review and into manufacturing and test, we began to break barriers both in mechanical production and in software programming. We constructed our physical model, and eventually managed to successfully command motor control of the driveshaft model. While we successfully built out a graphical user interface with dynamic controls/toggles, as well as a mechanical model that could be controlled and actuated via USB cable, we failed to implement the junction between interface and motor control—meaning the interface could be moved and inputs could be changed, but the mechanical model could only be controlled using pre-written scripts or direct control of each motor via their separate host software. This satisfied many of the basic geometric, visual, and graphic desires of our sponsor, but lacked the aspects of remote control desired for a classroom setting. For our team, this served as a lesson on the tribulations associated with firmware and graphical user interface programming. In a broader perspective, this demonstrated some of the challenges even fourth year mechanical engineers may face when attempting to construct such a hybridized project.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/mesp/642