Ongoing Projects
These are some of the projects our engineering students are currently working on or recently completed. Take a look!
Collapsible Truck Rack System
Students: Stephen Crockett, Kienan McIntee, Jacob Thies
Description: Design and build a collapsible truck rack system allowing truck owners to have the ability to carry long items without having permanently installed truck racks
Ultimate Fishing Companion
Students: Jared Sommers, Matthew Vogt
Description: Design a better fishing companion based on the wave of new devices that add functionality and ease of use to the traditional tacklebox
Terminal Sitework for the Amelia Earhart Memorial Aiport
Civil Senior Design
Description: Perform site-civil design work including pavement, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and grading for a new terminal
Wabash Automated Weld Grinding Machine: Horse
Students: Nicholas Brouillette, Adam Burke, William Hawkins, Paul Heuser, Christopher Goodwin
Description: Provide a structural support to house the electronics package, supply the interface for the “carriage” unit, and provide legs for the Mecanum wheels as one aspect of the Wabash project
Wabash Automated Weld Grinding Machine: Carriage
Students: Samuel Anderson, Joanclaire Flynn, John Krishnan Myjak, Nicholas Olache
Description: Design the “carriage” that supports the sensor arrays and attaches to the horse for the Wabash project
Wabash Automated Weld Grinding Machine: Electrical
Students: Jeanne-Marie Potthast, William Kayswer, John Corkum, Jack Herbic
Description: Provide the electrical and software segment, including controls and monitors, for the Wabash project
Model for Anatomical Lesson
Students: Saige Baalman, Rachelle Regli, Kevein Whiteside
Description: Develop a functional mechanical model of a leg as a musculoskeletal system to assist in teaching students about their own biology
Integrated Small Boat Power System
Students: Brett Burke, Adam Kutney
Description: Develop an integrated removable power system for a small boat, which typically does not require a large outboard motor
Outdoor Physics Lesson System
Students: Francis Paolucci, Riley Thielke, Richard McCoy
Description: Develop a lesson based on projectile motion to meet the demand for toys that are simultaneously enjoyable and educational
Atchison Hospital Design Team – Stand Assist Chair
Students: John Aumen, Joseph Gawdun, Heling Wang, Paul Wessel
Description: Design and fabricate a “Sit-to-Stand Assist Chair” at the Atchison Hospital Physical Therapy Department
Process Trainer
Students: Keegan Bell, Andrew Buss, Matthew Corbett, Nathan McMahon
Description: Design a laboratory device that controls water temperature for use in Measurements and Controls Lab, as well as Thermofluids Lab
CAM Testing and TIG Cart
Students: Derek Bretey, Daniel Freymuth, Zachary Siziec, Austin Windsor
Description: Redesign the CAM tester, adding the ability to control the unit via Lab View and recording the angular position, acceleration, and forces on the followers; build a utility cart with storage and a gas tank to support a TIG welder
Cap Gun
Students: Andrew Gormley, Timothy Krieg, Denzel Young
Description: Design a better cap gun, given the substantial room for improvement in reliability, aesthetics, and functionality of currently available models
Concrete Crusher
Students: Daniel Hayes, Kaleb Mitchell, Matthew Johll, Derek Rodgers
Description: Build a concrete crusher for Benedictine College Civil Engineering labs capable of testing both compressive and third point samples and of performing analysis according to ASCE and ASTM concrete testing standards
Wood in Concrete: A Study in Mix Design
Lead Student: Benjamin Suhr
Description: Investigate the economic, environmental, and weight advantages of using wood particles in concrete and determine the feasibility for commercial applications
An Acoustical Study
Lead Student: Matthew Johll
Description: Detect sound ‘dead spots’ as a first step in improving the sound system of St. Benedict’s Parish church
Ergonomics of Paddling
Lead Student: Adam Burke
Description: Design a more comfortable and ergonomic canoe seat that enforces good posture and allows a full range of motion
Automated Concrete Curing Chamber
Lead Student: Brett Burke
Description: Build a working concrete curing chamber with automated humidity control and improved water efficiency for future classes and student projects
Morphing Metal and Elastomer Bicontinuous Foams
Lead Student: Anthony Olimpio
Description: Make hybrid tools, such as a hammer and screwdriver in one, using a “metal foam,” a silicon skeleton filled with low-melting metals
AIChE ChemE Car Program Research at BC – Phase 1: Power System Development
Lead Student: Alissa Muggli
Description: Create a miniature car, controlled and powered solely by chemical reactions for entry into the AIChE ChemE Car competition
Vortex Chiller Tubes
Lead Student: Daniel Hayes
Description: Improve an existing vortex chiller tube by increasing air capacity, upgrading the control valve, and redesigning the tube interior
Site Development for A Simple House – Nicaragua
Lead Student: Kienan McIntee
Description: Survey a plot of land in Nicaragua and make a site development plan for the future missionary work of A Simple House – Nicaragua
Bike Rack Design for Atchison Bike Share
Lead Student: Skyler Valdez
Description: Design distinctive, functional, economical, and aesthetically pleasing bike racks for the Atchison Bike Share initiative
Enhancing Benedictine’s Potato Cannons
Lead Students: Paul Wessel, Adam Burke
Description: Develop a new cannon design focusing on valve performance and ergonomics.
Autonomous Quadcopter Data Collection and Analysis
Lead Student: Matthew Anderson
Description: Programming a quadcopter to surveil campus parking lots and developing software to analyze the images and video to locate open parking spots.
Design, Analysis, and Construction of a Snowboard
Lead Student: Gerard Edwards
Description: Design a snowboard using analytical software and manufacture the board using composite materials and a CNC milling machine.
Stopping the Signal
Lead Student: John Finders
Description: Build an electronic signal jammer and a Faraday cage to induce interference on signals of various strengths.
Study in the Viability of Anaerobic Digestion at Benedictine College, Phase 1: Construction of the Test Reactor and Procedure
Lead Student: Katharine Hirl
Description: Create a 10-liter test reactor and develop testing procedures to determine the reaction rate and biogas composition.
Design and Build Camera Ring Flash
Lead Student: Michael Klein
Description: Develop a flash for use in portrait photography that will eliminate unwanted shadows and allow for varied light intensity around the ring.
Vertical Milling Machine
Lead Student: Scott Kuefler
Description: Creation of a hobby sized vertical milling machine with improved rigidity and portability over commercial models.
Concrete Canoe – Construction
Lead Student: Joe Locascio
Description: Design, Analyze, and Construct a four person concrete canoe featuring pre-stressed cables for enhanced strength.
Open Hardware Off-Road Go Cart
Lead Students: Jacob Martin, Thomas Olache
Description: Engineering a go cart using modern tools for outreach projects, including at local high schools.
Compact and Portable UAV Design Optimization
Lead Student: Graham Matlock
Description: Optimize the small fixed-wing UAV from the SAE AeroDesign competition by: investigating different wing planforms and wing types, delaying boundary layer separation, and maximizing thrust.
Concrete Curing Chamber
Lead Student: Josh Scheuler
Description: Explore different curing methods to develop strength in concrete and construct a chamber to cure the concrete canoe.
Waste Oil Furnace
Lead Student: Jeremy Spalding
Description: Build a furnace that burns waste oil from the school’s Dining Hall, reaching the temperatures necessary to cast aluminum and bronze.
Liquid Fluidized Bed
Lead Student: Samantha Turner
Description: Observation of the reaction and separation processes occurring when fluids and solid particles interact.
Motorized Turret Control
Lead Student: Jacob Wildhaber
Description: Develop a mounting system to achieve precise rotational position control, allowing accurate scanning of the night sky with a dish or exact aiming of nerf blasters.