ME 189/197 2010-11 Candidate Design Project List (rev 9/14/10)

Industry Partnered Projects

1. Spacecraft mechanisms and deployables (Faculty TBD)

This project is in cooperation and partnership under a gift with Northrop Grumman
Aerospace Systems - Space Systems Division located in Redondo Beach, California.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company
whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in
information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and
commercial customers worldwide.

Northrop Grumman is a premier developer, integrator, producer and supporter of manned

and unmanned aircraft, spacecraft, high-energy laser systems, microelectronics and other
systems and subsystems critical to maintaining the nations security and leadership in
science and technology. These systems are used, primarily by government customers, in
many different mission areas including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance;
communications; battle management; strike operations; electronic warfare; missile
defense; earth observation; space science; and space exploration.

Northrop Grumman Space Technology develops a broad range of systems at the leading
edge of space, defense and electronics technology. Building on a heritage of innovation,
we create sophisticated products that contribute significantly to the nation's security and
leadership in science and technology.

Project Description

Mechanisms and deployables are an important aspect of any spacecraft design due to the
likely loss of the mission if a failure on deployment occurs. Students will design, build,
and test a deployment mechanism that may be used on a variety of spacecraft payloads
(antennae, sensors, or caging devices). The resulting design must concurrently meet
stringent launch load requirements, controlled deployment parameters, and strict
deployed characteristics to ensure mission success. Typical driving parameters include
thermal environments, launch loads, deployment speed limits, size and mass, latching
mechanism, deployed stiffness, and reliability. Verification of the design will also require
students to develop a test fixture which simulates the zero-g environment of space.

The company requires US citizenship for all site visits and a Confidential Disclosure
Agreement.

This project may require travel to company facility and may require periodic
teleconferences.

Website: www.as.northropgrumman.com/index.html

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2. Adjustment Tool for an Adjustable LP Shunt (Laguette)

This project is in cooperation and partnership under a gift with Medtronic Neurosurgery
located in Goleta.

Medtronic Neurosurgery (MNS) is a local medical device company that is a leader in the
field of neurosurgical implants and devices. Medtronic is the global leader in medical
technology, alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people
around the world.

Hydrocephalus is a physiologic condition where the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that is

produced within the ventricles of the brain is not adequately absorbed by normal
pathways. Typically, an implantable device known as a shunt is used to control the CSF.
Current hydrocephalic shunts are designed to minimize overdrainage of CSF and
maintain intraventricular pressure (IVP) within a normal physiologic range, regardless of
patient position.

The Strata NSC Lumboperitoneal (LP) Shunt is used to treat communicating

hydrocephalus. The Strata NSC LP shunt is designed to provide continued cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF) flow from the lumbar subarachnoid space into the peritoneal cavity. The
Strata NSC lumboperitoneal valve allows the physician to noninvasively adjust the
pressure/flow performance level settings pre- and post-implantation without the need for
radiographic confirmation to address changing patient needs.

PS Medical Strata NSC LP valve is sized for subcutaneous placement

PS Medical Strata NSC LP valve includes integral lumbar connector and strain
relief for easy, non-kinking attachment of the proximal lumbar catheter
Pressure/flow performance level setting can be adjusted or verified simply and
non-invasively in the physicians office with a hand-held adjustment tool

The Strata NSC LP Shunt is a combination of the Strata NSC LP Valve and attached
lumbar and peritoneal catheters. The system works by diverting excess cerebrospinal
fluid from the lumbar subarachnoid space into the peritoneal cavity.

Prior to implantation, the StrataVarius Adjustment System is used to adjust the Strata
NSC LP valve pressure/flow performance level. Postoperative adjustment of the Strata
NSC LP valve can only be completed using the StrataVarius Adjustment System. It is
essential that the StrataVarius Adjustment System be available for post-operative patient
management.

The current hand-held adjustment tool to vary the valve pressure setting is similar to the
tool used for the cranial version of the Strata valve. It may be reviewed at:
http://www.medtronic.com/wcm/groups/mdtcom_sg/@mdt/@nt/documents/documents/
mns-svadjustmenttools.pdf

ME 189/197 Page 2 of 19 Design Projects

It is desired to explore product improvements specific for LP placement. This will
include an understanding of implant design, surgical techniques, patient needs, and post-
operative patient management. An understanding of the current magnet design should
lead to considerations for new designs and materials.

Students will be required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement and Invention Agreement.

Website: http://www.medtronic.com and http://www.medtronic.com/our-

therapies/hydrocephalus-products/index.htm

3. Space Frame Wind Turbine Nacelle with Structural Fabric (Faculty TBD)

This project is in cooperation and partnership under a gift with Clipper Windpower
located in Carpinteria, CA.

Clipper Windpower is a rapidly growing international company engaged in wind energy

technology, turbine manufacturing, and wind project development. The innovative 2.5
MW Liberty wind turbine is the largest capacity wind turbine built in North America and
produces enough electricity to power 900 average American homes each year.

Clipper is also in the process of developing the Britannia Turbine, which will have a
capacity of 10.0 MW. Britannia is designed specifically for the offshore European
market, and when completed will be the largest wind turbine in the world.

Project Description

The nacelle of a wind turbine sits atop the tower and houses the gearbox, generator, and
other electrical and control equipment of the wind turbine. Traditionally, the nacelle of a
wind turbine consists of panels made up of fiberglass, steel, or aluminum which are then
joined or bolted together. The objective of this project is to design, analyze, and test a
next generation wind turbine nacelle which reduces weight by utilizing a frame structure
and structural fabric instead of the traditional materials of today.

The team will be asked to investigate the feasibility of a design of this type and undertake
a trade-off analysis on materials. Additionally, the team must evaluate design
considerations for durability and reliability to meet a 20 year design life. Unscheduled
repair and maintenance is a large expense for wind projects and turbine manufacturers.
FEA analysis on the structure as well as considerations for factory &/or field construction
will need to be evaluated.

Clipper will provide project parameters and operating envelopes. The outcome of the
project could lead to the commercialization of the technology developed.

Students will be required to sign a non-disclosure and an invention assignment

agreement.

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Website: www.clipperwind.com

4. Vacuum Distillation System (Faculty TBD)

This project is in cooperation and partnership under a gift from Applied Silicone
Corporation.

Applied Silicone Corporation, based in Santa Paula, a leading producer of silicone,

supplies raw material and technical and regulatory support to manufacturers of FDA
registered long term implantable devices used in neurological, orthopedic, urological,
cardiovascular, reconstructive and general surgery.

Background

During the production of silicone polymers, a mixture of about 88% non-volatile high
molecular weight polymers and 12% semi-volatile intermediate molecular weight
oligomers are formed. There are many options for removal of the volatile oligomers
from the high molecular weight silicone polymer mixtures; wiped film, short path,
falling film, spray drying, sparged pot, enhanced vacuum and super critical fluid
extraction. Vacuum can be provided by liquid ring venturi type pumps, mechanical
sliding vane pumps, turbo assisted pumps, or diffusion pumps.

Project Description

The objective is to identify and optimize the parameters to remove high boiling volatiles
from non-volatile polymers created in a batch process using wiped film short path
distillation.

While this project requires combining some basic physical chemistry skills and
thermodynamics, the equipment to support this system is ultimately mechanical. The
successful project will require the design and assembly of a prototype wiped film
evaporator consisting of an electrically heated cylinder, a driven mechanical wiper with
appropriate high vacuum mechanical seals, internal cold finger condenser, low torr
vacuum pressure measuring, feed rate control and mass balance.

The ideal equipment would allow the user to feed in raw stock, evaporate or sublime high
boiling volatiles, quickly condense and separate them, and prevent volatiles from passing
through the heat exchanger, thus reducing the efficiency of the vacuum pump. Real time
monitoring of vacuum pressure will be important.

Students will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and any successful design
resulting from this project will be licensed to Applied Silicone Corporation without fee.

Website: www.appliedsilicone.com

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5. Testing System for Accommodative Intraocular Lenses (Laguette)

This project is in cooperation with Advanced Vision Science, based in Goleta.

Advanced Vision Science, Inc (AVS) is a medical device company with a global
presence. Its core businesses are research and development and the manufacturing of
implantable medical devices including intraocular lenses for cataract surgery.

Cataract (clouding of the crystalline lens) is currently the leading cause of blindness
worldwide. Treatment consists of a routine surgical intervention that is successfully
performed millions of times each year. During refractive lens exchange surgery, the
crystalline lens is replaced with a manufactured lens to provide an acceptable level of
visual acuity.

Unlike the natural lens they replace, standard intraocular lenses have a fixed focal length
which is generally selected to provide clear distance vision. Unfortunately, with a fixed
focal length lens, clear distance vision necessarily comes at the expense of defocused
near vision.

This limitation is addressed by a class of implantable lenses known as accommodating

intraocular lenses. The focal length of accommodating intraocular lenses is variable,
which enables clear vision over a larger range of distances.

Project Description

A functional understanding of the physiology of the human eye relevant to the

mechanism of accommodation is crucial to the successful implementation of this test
system.

In a young healthy eye, the ciliary muscle contracts and relaxes, inducing morphological
changes in the crystalline lens which alter its focal power. This change in focal power
(along with pupillary response and axial displacement) is a key component of
accommodative vision.

The project goal is to develop a test system which will assess accommodative change in
intraocular lenses in terms of system focal power. The test system will comprise a fixed
corneal model of specified power, a pupil having a variable diameter, an actuated
capsular bag model, and a changeable retinal target.

Teams should expect to use SolidWorks for part and assembly drawings, and will have
access to manual and CNC lathes and mills for fabrication at AVS. Characterization of
accommodative power change will be performed using the iTrace ray tracing
aberrometer. Participants will be asked to sign a confidentiality and invention assignment
agreement.

Website: www.advancedvisionscience.com

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6. Testing System for Surgical Endoscopes (Laguette)

This project is in cooperation and partnership under a gift with Conmed Linvatec.

Surgical endoscopes are increasingly used to perform medical procedures because they
allow access to the operative site through very small incisions. For the patient this means
faster and less painful recovery and so many procedures, especially orthopedic and
abdominal, are performed predominately by this method

In 1997, CONMED completed the acquisition of Linvatec, which made the company the
number two worldwide producer of arthroscopy products and orthopedic powered
surgical instruments. In 2004, CONMED acquired the majority of the Endoscopic
Technologies business from C.R. Bard accelerating its penetration into the
Gastroenterology and Pulmonology markets.

Today, CONMED presently manufacturers thousands of products in eight different areas:

Arthroscopy, Electrosurgery, Endoscopy, Endoscopic Technologies, EndoSurgery,
Integrated Systems, Patient Care and Powered Surgical Instruments. We offer innovation
and value added customer service across all of our product lines while holding the
number 1 or number 2-market share position in the majority of our product line areas.

An important part of our product line is the endoscope and accessories that are made to
our specification and built in Germany. These products are all inspected in Santa Barbara
before shipment to customers worldwide. The endoscope system for use in arthroscopy
uses water to continuously irrigate the joint (e.g. knee or shoulder) during a procedure to
both remove debris and to distend the tissues for better visibility. As part of our 100%
inspection of these components we perform a leak rate test that requires subsequent
drying and cleaning before final packaging for sale. Currently the leak rate is measured
manually by counting drops of water per time period.

The proposed project is to calculate an equivalent leak test process using air or other gas,
rather than water, and to design and build a test fixture that will test eight endoscope
systems simultaneously. Once the eight endoscopes are attached to the test unit by an
operator, pressure is applied and an indicator shows which systems were able to hold
pressure for the acceptable time period. There should be a very significant time saving
by this method and the student team can include this comparison as part of their analysis.

Students will have an opportunity to work with the company from design concept,
prototyping, and testing. Students will be required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement
and Invention Agreement

Website: www.conmed.com

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7. Automated Composite Rod Defect Detection (Kedward)

This project is in cooperation and partnership under a gift with ATK Space Systems
located in Goleta.

ATK Space Systems in Goleta is a leading producer of deployable space systems.

Products include deployable Booms, Solar Arrays, and Stable Structures and Antennas.
With over 70 successful Spaceflight Missions, detailed assembly processes and rigorous
testing in simulated space environments are key elements in maintaining our 100%
mission success. Recent programs include the NASA Mars Phoenix Lander Solar Arrays
and Boom Camera Structure as well as GPS Solar Arrays.

You will be designing, analyzing and building a prototype of a semi-automated

machine/method for detecting defects in graphite or fiberglass composite rods and strips.
These composite rods are highly strained in use and therefore must be defect free. The
material that this machine would prepare will be used on various Space Flight and
Internal Research and Development Programs such as deployable structures for NASA
Science Missions. Defective material that inadvertently makes its way into flight
hardware can lead to costly test failures or even worse a mission ending catastrophe.

The desired machine should feed a composite rod over a mandrel and with a
sound transducer (contact or air) listen for pops that could indicate a defect.
The machine should be able to record the location and transducer data for
defects, mark the location on the rod and stop the rod feed for an operator check.
Ideally the machine could distinguish between the acoustic signatures of benign
irregularities and defects that might lead to failure
The ideal machine would be configurable for different length rods or strips.
It will need to accommodate various cross-sections such as round and square
profiles.
Machine should be optimized for ergonomics, minimal floor space, mobility,
cost, ease of use, and power consumption.

Desired results would provide highly reliable defect detection more rapidly and with
reduced labor compared to traditional manual techniques, with less than one per ten-
thousand instances of missing a defect that will lead to failure or inadvertently damaging
the composite rod by causing broken fibers, nicks, cracks, or delamination.

Implementation of this machine is expected to be a significant advancement over current

manufacturing processes. Consequently, this is a high visibility project for ATK Goleta
Operations Management. Participants of this project will receive exposure to a variety of
space flight manufacturing processes.

Students will be required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement and Invention Agreement.

ME 189/197 Page 7 of 19 Design Projects

Students are required to be a United States citizen for all facility site visits.

Website: http://www.atk.com/

8. Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector (Faculty TBD)

This project is in cooperation and partnership under a gift with Las Cumbres Observatory
Global Telescope Network (LCOGTN) located in Goleta.

LCOGTN is a nonprofit organization that is creating a network of telescopes to use for

both science and education uses. The approximately 40 telescope network will act as a
single instrument that will be capable of 24/7 observations in both the Northern and
Southern hemispheres and will be able to get continuous coverage of celestial events that
vary over minutes, hours, days, and even years. The network will consist of clusters of
optical telescopes ranging from 0.4m to 2m that are designed and built by LCOGT in
Santa Barbara, California. Web site: www.lcogt.net

To a telescope the atmosphere acts like a prism, dispersing the incoming starlight
according to the color. The magnitude of the effect depends on the zenith distance of the
source (looking straight up through the atmosphere is a zenith angle of 0), and it is
greater at greater zenith distances. This prevents the telescope from getting all the light
from a star into a narrow spectrograph slit. The solution is the ADC, Atmospheric
Dispersion Corrector, composed of two rotating double prisms. When the relative angle
between the prism pairs changes it will correct for atmospheric dispersion, and rotating
together to change the direction of the correction. This angle rotation is calculated given
specific a cassegrain rotation angle and the telescope zenith angle the ADC will correct
for the dispersion at any zenith angle.

Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector Requirements:

This ADC will be fitted to existing 2m telescopes located around the world. The ADC
will mount into a flange on the front end of a low resolution spectrograph for the
atmospheric dispersion correction for that instrument. The optics, electronics, and
software will be designed by LCOGT. We will supply glass blanks in the size of the
prisms that will be mounted for testing. LCOGT will provide the critical dimensions and
requirements. UCSB is expected to analyze multiple methods of solving this problem and
in the end provide a working prototype for the ADC along with all the relevant
documentation. The mechanical design needs to thermally mount 2 prism pairs that
individually remotely rotate in accordance with the requirements to be provided by
LCOGT.

Student Qualifications:
* Likes working with motors and system design
* Interest in opto mechanical design and optics mounting

ME 189/197 Page 8 of 19 Design Projects

Research Partnered Projects

9. Space based and Airborne Lightweight Adaptive Structures (Lubin)

This project will be under the direction of Prof. Philip Lubin of the Physics department.
His research interests are in studies of the early universe and in developing new and
unique instruments, detectors and telescopes for this purpose. His work includes ground
based from the South Pole and White Mountain, balloon borne (40 Km altitude) and
space based systems. Many of his research interests can be found on his web page
www.deepspace.ucsb.edu.

Project Description - Large telescopes (10 + meters) for ground based, airborne and
space based use allow us to study the universe in ways that are not possible otherwise.
The very nature, origin and fate of our universe can be studied. These types of telescope
are too large and too expensive to be made with monolithic mirrors. We are working on a
new type of telescope with a goal of building a low cost very high performance and
extremely lightweight 10 meter diameter telescope that uses individually servoed panels
with feedback from a laser interferometer to form an adaptive or morphable front
surface. The hexagonal panels are about 1 meter in size. The panels are actuated using a
motor driven actuator that is software controlled with feedback from the laser
interferometer. This telescope, which will be used to study the Big Bang, is designed as
an arrangement of mirror panels that fit together to form a parabola. The adaptive surface
allows us to achieve much high performance (surface accuracy) than is possible with a
static structure and to greatly reduce the weight and cost. The intended size is 10 meters
in diameter with an option of going to 30 meters. In order to place such telescopes into
space we have to reduce the mass and to have systems that can either self assemble in
orbit or be assembled. For this reason we will be looking at carbon fiber and other high
performance composites for the structure. Our goal is to achieve a total aerial density of
approximately 4 Kg/m^2 or less with a surface alignment accuracy of better than 10
microns initially and a goal of 1 micron in the future. Such a system is extremely
challenging. Such an approach is not limited to telescopes but is applicable to many high
performance space based structures.

Project Scope - In this telescope we are using a completely new approach by servoing
the vertex point of each panel in order to form the proper surface shape. Due to effects of
temperature changes, wind loading (on the ground and air borne), material flow and
changing gravitational loads as the telescope is pointed the overall structure must
"morph" and reconfigure itself to maintain alignment. Previous Capstone groups have
worked on sub sections of the systems and we now have a seven vertex test system to
work with including the laser interferometer. A critical challenge in this project is
designing a practical and buildable very lightweight and stiff backing structure to hold
the mirror panels and servo elements. This involves understanding the thermal,
gravitational and dynamic wind loadings of such a large and precise structure. This is
extremely challenging and especially so for the space based version where the system

ME 189/197 Page 9 of 19 Design Projects

will need to be assembled or be self assembled. The students involved will work as a
team with the experimental cosmology group in the Physics department in designing,
modeling, building and testing a model (part of the 10 meter structure) CFRP backing
structure and measuring its performance with a laser interferometer. The understanding of
both complex modeling and modern metrology methods will be explored and discussed
as a part of this project.

Student Requirements Passionate desire to excel. This is a challenging project of

significant importance.

Student Qualifications Ideally a mix of students who understand and can apply
complex FEA modeling and who desire to delve into servoed mechanical system.
Students will learn elements of laser metrology and photogrammetry.

For more info: http://www.deepspace.ucsb.edu/people/prof/

Independent fund raising efforts through URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative
Activities) grant submission will be necessary to support project efforts.

10. Apparatus for Studying Cell Synchronization (Bothman)

This project is in collaboration with the Rothman Lab in the Molecular, Cellular and
Developmental Biology Department at UCSB,

When a fertilized egg is transformed into a complex multicellular animal, how do cells
learn when to divide, differentiate or die at the proper time and location? Our lab is
investigating the mechanisms that regulate these processes during embryonic
development in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the only animal for which the
lineage of every cell has been elucidated and the first for which the entire genomic
sequence is known.

This project focuses on understanding how cells synchronize their reproduction during
development. We can observe that all of the elements of the animal (organs, vessels,
nerves, etc.) are completed on schedule but we do not understand how cells regulate
their growth to ensure that the development is successful. We hypothesize that the
concentration of particular proteins causes expression of different genes. The proposed
experiment will help us identify the details of this regulatory network.

We have completed the first prototype of an experiment that maintains cells in a worm
embryo at different temperatures. The device maintains a temperature gradient of ~10C
across a 100 micron gap using thermoelectric chips.

Project Description
Design, build and test a machine that will control the temperature of the two copper
plates in our thermal gradient chip. The temperatures shall be independently adjustable

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within the range of 5-35C +/- 0.5C. We propose using circulating water to heat and cool
the plates. In particular we would like to engage a student team to:
i. Design temperature-controlled bases for the test chip that control the temperature
in the gap using circulating water that can maintain the chip temperature +/- 0.5C.
ii. Estimate the heat transfer between the chip and the temperature controlled base
and the chip analytically and using FEA modeling.
iii. Build a system and test it in the engineering labs.
iv. Work with researchers in the Rothman Lab to test the device.

The current prototype utilizes thermoelectric modules and bulky heat sinks to maintain
the temperatures in the chip. The challenge of this design project is to replace the
thermoelectric modules and heat sinks with a compact heat exchanger that utilizes
circulating water to maintain uniform temperatures in the chip.

Student Requirements : none.

Ideal student qualifications: Students on the team should be prepared to perform thermal
analysis of their design, prepare CAD drawings of the apparatus, manufacture the
prototype in the COE machine shop and complete calibration and testing of the finished
product.
David Bothman will advise this team together with researchers in the Rothman Lab.
Web site: http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/mcdb/faculty/rothman/index.html

Independent fund raising efforts through URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative
Activities) grant submission will be necessary to support project efforts.

11. Ballistic Shield for MEMS Testing (Bothman)

This project is in collaboration with the Turner Lab in the Mechanical Engineering
Department at UCSB.

The MEMS research groups at UCSB are recognized internationally for their innovative
application of micro and nanoscale physics to the development of important new
instruments. This work includes computer modeling of the devices, fabrication in
UCSBs Nanofab Cleanroom, and testing and characterization in faculty research labs.

Project Description
Some of the instruments that we develop are tested on a spinning table to simulate the
centrifugal forces that they see in use (Ideal Aerosmith 1291BR Series Single-Axis
Positioning and Rate Table). The size of the products being tested has increased to the
point that we now need a safety shield to protect researchers in the event that a device
comes loose from the spinning table. The ballistic shield should be able to safely absorb
the energy from a device weighing 2kg travelling at 35 m/sec. without allowing any
debris from the device or shield into the occupied area of the lab. The shield should be
easy to place around the rate table, and safety switches should prevent the table from
spinning unless the shield is in place.

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Key tasks for this project:
Select appropriate materials for absorbing kinetic energy
Design safety shield and supporting structure
Test energy absorbing capability of materials
Build and install the shield, integrating safety switches with rate table controller

Student Requirements : none.
Ideal student qualifications: Students on the team should be prepared to perform
structural analysis of shield, prepare CAD drawings of the device, manufacture the
enclosure in the COE machine shop and install and test the finished product.
David Bothman will advise this team together with researchers in the Turner Lab.
Funding is available to support this work.

Independent fund raising efforts through URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative
Activities) grant submission will be necessary to support project efforts.

12. Light Gas Gun Breech Assembly Optimization (Zok/Fields)

The Center for Multifunctional Materials and Structures was formed to address emerging
technological challenges, ranging from high heat flux and pressure loads imposed on
advanced aerospace and energy systems to protection of personnel and structures against
terrorist threats. The focus is on novel concepts that effectively combine materials,
mechanics and physics to produce multifunctional systems.

The Ballistics Lab (Prof. Frank Zok, Materials) experiments with dynamic loading of
force protection systems for vehicles and personnel using advanced materials and
designs. Using efficient sandwich structure designs integrating composites and ceramics,
the goal of the research group is to provide increased protection against explosive and
ballistic threats.

Current systems for tactical vehicle protection against improvised explosive devices
(IEDs) have serious inadequacies. Research is being conducted at UCSB on new
lightweight, volumetrically-efficient, concepts that substantially enhance both projectile
impenetrability and blast resistance. Opportunities for progress exploit multilayered
systems consisting of ultra-light, compressible cellular constituents integrated with high
specific strength metallics, ceramics, ballistic fabrics and elastomers.

The Ballistics Lab (off-campus, ERC) utilizes light gas guns (LGG) to dynamically load
experimental structure to weigh effectiveness as well as provide test data to modify
computer models. The lab contains three light gas guns, filling the range of velocities
and projectile dimensions required for understanding blast and penetration events.
Essential in dynamic testing is high-speed imaging which gives both quantitative and
qualitative information about the projectile and the test structure.

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Project Statement: Optimize intermediate-velocity light gas gun breech system to
prevent unwanted debris from impacting the test structure. Also to design and construct a
tool to easily manufacture the burst-disks necessary for gun operation.

Background: The intermediate-velocity light gas gun launches 1.75-inch diameter

projectiles at velocities to 1000 m/sec. It was designed and constructed by UCSB and
uses a double diaphragm burst-disk system to achieve repeatable and programmable
velocities. The burst disks are made from brass sheet (of varying thicknesses) which is
cut with scissors and assembled in the breech. When the pressure exceeds the burst
pressure of the disk, the gas is released quickly and launches the projectile. The benefit
of this system is that brass sheet is very inexpensive, however, the fragments of brass torn
from the disk travel down the barrel at high velocity, potentially impeding measurement
systems.

Scope: Research into light gas gun design and operation is required. Numerous facilities
exist, however, all guns are generally prototypes and work differently. Design and
manufacture of the components to integrate into the existing breech assembly. Testing
using high-speed imaging to verify no trace of burst-disk pieces. Design and
manufacture of tool to produce burst-disks. Numerous visits to the Ballistics Lab will be
necessary.

Students interested in Solid Mechanics and Gas Dynamics research will find this project
challenging.

On the Web: http://www.materials.ucsb.edu/CMMS/threat.php

13. (TBD) (Faculty TBD)

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Student Organizations and Design Competitions

14. SAMPE Competition (Kedward)

This project will be coordinated through SAMPE and the annual student competition.

The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), an
international professional member society, provides a student competition at the annual
congress at the end of May. There are several competition categories. Past universities
that have competed include Stanford, University of Washington, the US Naval Academy
and other prestigious universities. UCSB has competed very strongly with the support of
Prof. Kedward and our carbon fiber materials technology. The contest rules should be
available in December.

There are two contest categories, Bridge and Wing competitions. The student team may
select their contest category. Past UCSB teams have successfully competed in both
competitions.

For more information: http://www.sampe.org/events/bridgebuildcontest09.aspx

Independent fund raising efforts through URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative
Activities) grant submission will be necessary to support project efforts.

15. (Deleted)

This project has been deleted for consideration.

16. Chlorine dispenser for rural water systems (EWB project) (Bothman/Dinh)

This project will be coordinated through the student chapter of EWB.

Engineers Without Borders USA is a non-profit organization that supports community-

driven development programs worldwide through the design and implementation of
sustainable engineering projects, while fostering the development of internationally
responsible engineering students. EWB-USA partners university students and working
professionals with underserved communities worldwide in need of technical assistance.
Chlorine is frequently used to disinfect drinking water. Our EWB-UCSB team currently
works in the Andean highlands of Peru where rural communities are required by the local
government to chlorinate their water supply as a means of ensuring safe drinking water.
However, the chlorine dispenser provided to the communities by the government does
not effectively meter chlorine. At times the chlorine level is too high and not pleasant to

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drink which deters communities from chlorinating their water. At other times, the
chlorine level is too low and not enough to properly disinfect the water. A dispenser that
can maintain chlorine levels within an appropriate range of concentration would
encourage and facilitate rural Peruvian communities in maintaining a consistent supply of
safe drinking water. Earlier efforts have focused on using venturi metering systems.
While effective, we have found that the venturis must be sized precisely for the flow
conditions, and they also require careful adjustment in the field.

Project Description
We would like to challenge a student team to design a metering pump, driven by the
flowing water, that injects a precise amount of chlorine into the water. The design must
meet the following criteria:
The chlorine dispenser must maintain an appropriate chlorine concentration over
the range of flow rates seen in the village.
The materials and supplies required for operation and maintenance must be
locally available in Cusco and economically feasible.
Any energy source required for operation must be economically feasible and
locally available. A system that doesnt require any energy sources for operation
is preferable.
The dispenser should be easily operable and maintainable by community
members who may have little exposure to modern technology.
All materials used in the pump must be compatible with chlorine and water.
The injection rate should be adjustable to suit different chlorination requirements
in different communities.

A successful chlorine dispenser design has the potential to have a large impact. EWB-
UCSB has been working with Peruvian communities in the province of Colcha since
2004 and has a good working relationship with both the communities as well as with the
local government. Through these relationships, EWB-UCSB could effectively
implement and share new technologies.
Student Requirements: none
Ideal student qualifications: Fluid flow analysis, material selection, mechanical design,
CAD, basic machine shop skills, laboratory testing.
Advisers: Mary Dinh and David Bothman
Website: www.ewb-usa.org, http://www.engineering.ucsb.edu/~ewb-
ucsb/EWB_UCSB/Welcome.html

Independent fund raising efforts through URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative
Activities) grant submission and EWB will be necessary to support project efforts.

17. Improved Pump Maintenance Tools (EWB) (Bothman/Dinh)

This project will be coordinated through the student chapter of EWB.

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Engineers Without Borders USA is a non-profit organization that supports community-
driven development programs worldwide through the design and implementation of
sustainable engineering projects, while fostering the development of internationally
responsible engineering students. EWB-USA partners university students and working
professionals with underserved communities worldwide in need of technical assistance.
Most people in the world rely on water that is carried by hand from a well, stream or lake
for drinking, bathing and cooking. In many parts of Africa and East Asia water is raised
from a well using a simple hand pump. Manufacturers around the world build pumps of
the same design so replacement parts are relatively easy to buy. The most common name
for the pump is an India Mark II pump. The handle of the pump is connected, via a
12mm diameter rod, to a piston and valve 5 50 meters below at the bottom of the well
inside a 1-1/4 diameter pipe. Each stroke of the handle brings up about a liter of water.

All machines need maintenance, and even though the pumps are simple machines,
maintaining them is challenging. In some cases people living in rural villages do not have
much experience working on machines, sometimes they cannot afford the tools needed to
work on the pumps, and often they cannot afford to purchase repair parts. One of EWB-
UCSBs projects in Africa involves working with residents of rural villages in Africa to
help them learn to take care of their pumps and to get the tools necessary to do ensure
that villages have a safe and reliable source of water.

Project Description
The first phase of this project is to design, build and test an improved method to lift a
long string of pipe from the well by hand. Wells are usually between 5 50 meters deep,
and the pipe string is made up of 3 meter long sections. The entire string must be
removed from the well in order to repair the seals in the valve assembly at the bottom.
Twenty years ago the pipe string was made up of thick-walled stainless steel pipe that is
durable enough to survive the rough handling associated with taking the pipe out of the
well. In order to make the pumps more affordable the robust pipe has been replace by
thin walled stainless tubing, and the spanner wrenches that are usually used to remove
the pipe create dents and gouges that shorten its life significantly. Typical wrenches are
shown below. The pipe sections cost ~ $100 per 3 meter section which is a huge expense
in a region where the average income is only ~ $1/day.
The lifting system that the student team develops should:
Enable the removal of 60 meters of 1-1/4 pipe from the well without damaging
the pipe, the pump, or the well.
Be easy to use by farmers (very smart , resourceful, strong people who may not
have ever worked on machines before)
Not take any longer to use or setup than the wrenches that they are using now
Be inexpensive
Be buildable by machine shops in Mali

A successful design has the potential to make a real difference to communities in Mali
right away. EWB-UCSBs partners in Mali are prepared to have tools fabricated and

ME 189/197 Page 16 of 19 Design Projects

taken to the villages as part of the pump maintenance training classes that they are
teaching.
2. Student Requirements: none
3. Ideal student qualifications: Material selection, mechanical design, CAD, basic
machine shop skills, laboratory and field testing.
4. Advisers: David Bothman
5. www.ewb-usa.org, www.engineering.ucsb.edu/~ewb-ucsb

Independent fund raising efforts through URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative
Activities) grant submission and EWB will be necessary to support project efforts.

18. Mini Baja Car Competition (Faculty TBD)

This project is a collegiate competition sponsored by the Society of Automotive

Engineers (SAE).The object of the competition is to provide SAE student members with
a challenging project that involves the planning and manufacturing tasks found when
introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market. Teams compete against one
another to have their design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm. Students must
function as a team to not only design, build, test, promote, and race a vehicle within the
limits of the rules, but also to generate financial support for their project and manage their
educational priorities.

This project will require outside fund raising through a university affiliated organization.
Contest rules are available for review on the SAE website
http://students.sae.org/competitions/minibaja/west/.

This project may be limited to a sub-system design in the context of course requirements.

It is desired to complete a functional vehicle capable of competition.

Independent fund raising efforts will be necessary to fully support the project needs
including travel for the competition.

(This year we may allow up to 2 teams.)

ME 189/197 Page 17 of 19 Design Projects

Independently Created Projects

19. A Regulated Fluidic Pressure System Capable of Harvesting Electrical Energy

(Pennathur)

This is a student proposed project.

Project Purpose: Recent advances in nanofluidic power generation show promise in

providing electricity to the home through the conversion of pressure energy into electrical
power. New developments continue to increase conversion efficiency, with the most
recent experimental results reaching 30% efficiency. Assuming a nominal 10%
conversion efficiency, a 1m3 box has the potential to supply over 1kW of power with a
2000 psi pressure source. Whether for the home owner or other remote application,
pressure modulation and packaging need to be developed for such a system.

Project Scope: The goal of this project is a device capable of converting energy from a
pressure gradient into electrical energy. In order for the device to be practical, it must
meet the following performance requirements:
Maximum 2000 psi pressure input
Minimum flow rate of 150 mL per minute
Minimum 1 kW electrical output
Maintain working pressure indefinitely
Responsive to fluctuations in power requirements
o Pressure switching time less than 5 seconds

The focus of the Capstone project is to develop a proof-of-concept system at lower, safer
pressures that can eventually meet the above requirements needed for a full-scale system.
The adjusted requirements are:
Maximum 100 psi pressure input
Minimum flow rate of 10 L per minute
2 mW electrical output
Maintain working pressure for 2 hours
Responsive to fluctuations in power requirements
o Pressure switching time less than 5 seconds
o Perform random switching between 25, 50, 75 and 100 psi
at 10 second intervals

A successful device will be able to maintain set pressures in addition to responding to

step changes in pressure requirements by reaching the desired pressure in less than five
seconds.

ME 189/197 Page 18 of 19 Design Projects

Students are required to apply for an URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative
Activities) grant.

Interested students will have the opportunity to work towards creating a green alternative
energy solution. Students should be interested in piping networks, compressible flow, and
high pressures. Useful skills and likely work include: LabVIEW programming, feedback
control, data analysis, pressure regulator design, piping network design, SolidWorks, and
machine shop experience.

ME 189/197 Page 19 of 19 Design Projects