Capstone Projects Winter 2012

Project 1: Assistive Device

Project 2: Dome Technologies

Project 3: Es2 Crane

Project 4: I-Sort

Project 5: Measuring Device

Project 6: Pharmaceutical Packaging

Project 7: Scissor Lift

Project 8: Stream Table

Project 1: Assistive Device

Sponsor: Development Workshop, Inc.

Team: Klint Anderson, Phillip Honzik, Devin Terry and Curtis Denos

Description:

The Development Workshop, Inc. is located in Idaho Falls, ID and employs people with disabilities to manufacture products. One of the products the Development Workshop manufactures is a tape dispenser which the employees place the non-slip pads on the bottom of the dispenser. Only a few employees have the motor skills necessary to place the pad accurately, so the design team was asked to build a device that would allow for simpler pad placement. Estimated rejection rates, due to poor pad placement, is around 25%. The new device will lower the rejection rate and allow more workers the opportunity in this part of the manufacturing process. 

Project 2: Dome Technologies

Sponsor: Dome Technologies

Team: Phil Rollins, Warren Jones, Lyle Stratton,  Kenneth Hulet

Description:

Dome Technologies specializes in building domes worldwide for a wide range of customers, such as industrial, community, residential and government applications. Due to their large range of customers their domes range in many sizes, the most common range from 100 to 400 feet in diameter, and 50 to 200 feet high. Dome Technologies current method of production is to rent a crane that cannot reach the apex of the dome without being moved. This inconvenience increases production time up to a month depending on the size of the dome. Dome Technologies project proposal presented a design problem that will potentially save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. The company will not only save costs by reducing production time which saves in rental costs and man hours, but will also add a competitive edge when quoting quicker production times with lower costs. The design problem specifications dome technologies presented was the design of a functional Aerial man lift that could reach all dome surfaces with a functional load of 6000 pounds in every position. The Lift also needed to have an boom that could extend during operation 100 feet and compress under 40 feet. The boom also needed removable links to adjust the fixed length depending on the dome size with a total of 200 foot extension with full extension on adjustable boom. Dome Technologies being an international company needed the crane to fit in two shipping containers.  In solution to this problem the team presented a design that could extend up to 220 feet with a 120 extendable boom. The support legs on the lift are foldable to compact under 8 feet to fit the base portion into one container. All of the links of the boom break down to 35 feet and can fit in one container. The counter weight will be poured on site out of concrete to reduce shipping weight and total size of the lift. The crane was made out of structural steel plate, angle iron, and I-beams for manufacturing ease. Calculations and analysis were done to confirm conformance with code and project feasibility for optimization of key components such as the booms pivot pin, the ram's placement, and the counterweight. The team was able to communicate throughout the project to present Dome Technologies with feasible concepts, designs, and ideas that met customer needs and exceeded expectations.

Project 3: Es2 Crane

Sponsor: Engineering System Solutions

Team: G. Thomas Checketts, Justin Dayley, Brent Griffith, & C. Stryker McCann

Description:

Engineering System Solutions (ES²) has been building industrial air-form concrete domes for more than 20 years.  Currently the company uses a standard all terain crane inside each dome to add the layers of concrete and rebar needed to shape the dome. However these cranes were not designed for the range of motion, accuracy and lifting capacity required to effeciently reach every part of the dome.  ES ² is growing and wants to streamline the manufacturing process with a crane that can meet these demands. Doing so would save them countless hours of repositioning, increase the safety of their crews, and decrease the costs of dome construction to a fraction of what it is now. 

Project 4: I-Sort

Sponsor: BYU-Idaho Recycling Center

Team: Kenneth Aycock, Ryan Stanley, Brett Stone, & Brandon Beckstrand

Description:

The Recycling Center on campus used to sort recyclable materials by opening individual bags and tossing items into various bins in different parts of the sorting area.  The Recycling Center is planning on expanding their operations to include the city of Rexburg and other surrouding communities.  The purpose of the project was to develop a modular system for rapidly sorting the increase in materials.  The system needed to be modular to allow for its use in the current recycling facility as well as the future facility.  The final design for the system is a set of conveyors with a hopper, side guards, safety shutoff switches, and individual Variable Frequency Drives.

Project 5: Measuring Device

Sponsor: Beehive Clothing

Team: Brian Hancock, Soyug Paneru, Adam Redford, Reuben Haupt

Description:

Clothing is often purchased in the wrong size causing added costs to manufacturers.  Behive clothing has experienced this issue with the clothing they produce. They are interested in a device that can assist in the measurement process for customers such that correct sizes are purchased.  Current measurements are either measured by hand or an expensive process.  This device will help bridge the gap in the market, making it easier and less invasive for customers.

Project 6: Pharmaceutical Packaging

Sponsor: Berry Plastics Corporation

Team: Kyle Foster, Austin Terry, Jacob Chapman, Evan Parker

Description:

Berry Plastics is a leading manufacturer of of injection-molded packaging with yearly sales of approximately $5 billion.  Berry Plastics needs plans and prototypes for new pill dispenser/packaging to be used by people who take medications for conditions such as diabetes, cholesterol, birth control, etc.  The dispenser must be child resistant, senior friendly and aid users in staying on schedule with their medications. 

Project 7: Scissor Lift

Sponsor: Ray Versluys (BYU-I Theater Department)

Team: Daniel Butikofer, Travis Roe, Zachary Lindstrӧm, Andrew Stevens

Description:

A scissor lift was designed and built for the BYU-Idaho Theatre Department several semesters ago. The lift was created  to raise actors out of the orchestra pit during theatrical productions. However, the lift failed to meet several needs of the theatre department. Team Ramrod made several modifications to the Theatre Department scissor lift to meet customer needs: replacement and repositioning of hydraulic cylinder to raise the lift to 10 feet and lift a load of 300 pounds, improvement of wheel and locking system for ease of operation, installation of hydraulic pump extension switch, and several other minor modifications. The finished product met all customer requirements, as well as exceeding some requirements. The lift raises to over 14 feet, and lifts well over 300 pounds. The wheel and lock mechanism are much easier engage and disengage. Overall, the Brother Versluys was very satisfied with the final product. A picture of the lift can be seen below.

Project 8: Stream Table

Sponsor: William Little, BYU-IDAHO Geology Department

Team: Branden Pronk, Derek Whipple, Zachary Merrill, Steven Dickson, and Nick Schenk

Description:

The Brigham Young University Idaho Geology department is in need of a stream table in order to demonstrate various geological concepts.  The department is currently using a small insufficient table that is unable to demonstrate enough concepts.  Popular stream tables in the market can sale for up to $70,000.  Team Stream has been tasked with designing, building, and testing a stream table that is able to demonstrate the desired concepts for less than competitors' price.