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The University of Alberta and the Northern Lights Chapter
of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers once again greased
the wheels of future industry success with the annual Capstone
Awards, March 26 at the Faculty Club. For the third year in
a row, the Capstones recognized the top design accomplishments
of students in Mechanical Engineering 465, the fourth-year
design course.
The course is culmination of the design syllabus for MecE
465. Student teams tackle design projects suggested by industry
and technical societies. Each team must prepare and present
a summary of their design project, and professors choose the
top three.
On behalf of the university, the Northern Lights Chapter raises
funds from industry for the trophies - tabletop models of
three-speed gear reducers - and cash awards.
Information on this year's winners follows.
Syncrude Heavy Hauler Seat Suspension
Sponsor: Syncrude Canada
Students: Alanna Wall, Katherine
Leicht, Tania Wesselink and Carly Fink
The seat suspension design would alert a heavy hauler operator
when vibrations exceed acceptable levels, as well as reduce
vibration transferred to the operator. The students designed
two ways to modify the current suspension system and improve
suspension characteristics. This team also won the Glatz Memorial
Award.
Ice Climbing Wall
Sponsor: University of Alberta
Outdoor Centre
Students: Peter Radovanovic,
Chris Nelson, Evan McCoy and Derek Marshall
The outdoor centre requested a design for an ice-climbing
wall for practice and instruction. Project budget is $20,000,
for a 15-metre-high wall with a frame, a watering system and
a control system. The student project would be maintained
semi-automatically, would operate safely with limited supervision,
and would optimize the space available.
Thermal Detection System
For Compressed Gas Storage
Cylinders
Sponsor: Dynetek Industries Limited
Students: Aaron Tensen, Craig
Clark and Craig Metcalfe
Currently, composite compressed gas storage cylinders for
use in the automotive industry are protected from rupture
due to heat by way of a thermally activated relief valve at
one end of the cylinder or every 1.65 metres. The student
project addresses the issue of system failure when a heat
source increases cylinder surface temperature too far away
from the relief valve. A thermal detection system was designed
to sense elevated temperatures at any location on the surface,
and then vent high-pressure gas through a special vent line
in the vehicle.
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