College of Engineering

Students
Bryson Bell, Jake Boudreaux, Elan Feichtinger, Michael Hare, Kade Roberts, Drew Sorkin Hallcomb

Industry Mentor
Harrison Bruce, HMB Professional Engineers, LLC

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Steven Click, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Project Overview:
Students will prepare conceptual plans to replace the I-40 bridge over Big Creek Road in Cocke County and rebuild about 0.5 miles of interstate approaches. The work combines roadway and structural design, drainage and hydraulic analysis, environmental permitting, geotechnical review, traffic-control phasing, erosion prevention, and cost estimating. All designs must meet TDOT standards and keep traffic moving on I-40 and Big Creek Road throughout construction.

Students:
Alejandro Espinoza, Kamren Nguyen, Blake Rogers, Lawson Smith, Wilbert Ting 

Industry Mentors:
Jack Southard, Jack Southard Co.; Stephen Cotton, American Structurepoint, Inc.

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Steven Click, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Project Overview:
This project involves the site and structural design for LogiCore Corporation's new headquarters near Huntsville, Alabama. The student team will develop plans for two buildings, including a two-story steel-framed office building, parking areas, vehicular access, and a roundabout. Design responsibilities include structural framing and foundations, site grading, stormwater management, water and sewer utilities, and erosion control. The team will also identify permitting requirements and prepare construction drawings and structural calculations in accordance with applicable building codes and design standards.

Students:
Kolby Adams, Brianna Farmer, Gabe Matherley, Jed Page, Jackson Roddy

Industry Mentors:
Jason Carder and Andrew Palmeter, Mattern & Craig

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Steven Click, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Project Overview:
This project involves replacing a structurally deficient bridge carrying Tommy Campbell Road over Little Cherokee Creek in Washington County, Tennessee. The student team will develop plans for a new bridge that meets current design standards, including structural and foundation design, roadway alignment, hydraulic analysis, and drainage improvements. The project also addresses utility conflicts, environmental permitting, erosion control, and maintenance of traffic. Deliverables include bridge and roadway plans, construction cost estimates, and a construction schedule.

Students:
Maleyna Carver, Finn Hounshell, Caulen Tharpe, Ellis Zimmerman, Aran Zring

Industry Mentor:
Luke Sullivan, Neel-Schaffer

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Steven Click, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Project Overview:
This project examines the extension of West Rutherford Boulevard across Interstate 24 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to improve connections between neighborhoods, schools and commercial areas. The student team will address roadway and bridge design, traffic circulation, drainage, utility coordination, and environmental permitting. The proposed corridor includes a three-lane roadway, a bridge over I-24 and accommodations for pedestrians and cyclists. The work considers wetlands, nearby development, and construction constraints while supporting safer local travel.

Students:
Caleb Green, Michael McCollum, Lee Miller, Nathan Muktikar, Alan Perez Jimenez

Industry Mentor:
Ronnie Canups, Stantec Consulting Services Inc.

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Steven Click, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Project Overview:
This project involves the site and infrastructure design for two new 100-by-100-foot aircraft hangars at Warren County Memorial Airport in McMinnville, Tennessee. The hangars will provide commercial space for a fixed base operator and additional aircraft storage. The student team will develop site layouts, aircraft aprons and taxi lanes, pavement and grading plans, structural foundation designs, and stormwater drainage solutions. The project also includes environmental considerations, a stormwater pollution prevention plan and construction cost estimates, with guidance from Stantec Consulting Services.

Students:
Chloe Bauer, Mia Browder, Ella Colvard, Alexus Ferrell, Brooke Thomas

Industry Mentor:
Justin Eckel, STV

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Steven Click, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Project Overview:
This project involves widening approximately 4,600 feet of U.S. 64 in Polk County, Tennessee, and replacing the bridge over Cloud Branch. The student team will develop roadway and bridge designs that add a center turn lane, wider shoulders and a shared-use path. Work includes geotechnical analysis, bridge foundations, roadway geometry, construction staging, cost estimates, and scheduling. The design must maintain two lanes of traffic during construction while improving safety and access along this important regional transportation corridor.

Students:
Sawyer Blanchford, Kevin Damian, Chase Gibbs, Russel Jessen, Moritz Schafer

Industry Mentor:
Caleb Barber, Portobello America

Project Sponsor:
Portobello America

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
The project addresses the challenge of accurately managing raw material inventory. The team is using stereo vision cameras to capture image and depth data of the material, then processing that data into a point cloud to estimate the material’s volume more accurately using AI. Once the volume is calculated, the system can estimate the material’s weight based on its density and display the current inventory levels on a web and mobile dashboard. The dashboard will show raw material data in a clear format and trigger alerts when material levels are low or empty.

Students:
Isaiah Chastain, Calvin Guzman, Mitchell Koester, Abram Weigant, Ainslee Davenport

Industry Mentor:
Elijah Plattner, ZOE International

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
The team developed a two-phase project to address the operational needs of ZOE International. The two primary components of the project consisted of a law enforcement case management system and a social media account management system. The web-based case management system is designed to aggregate case information for ease of access for the ZOE team as well as efficient sharing and distribution to local law enforcement agencies. The social media account management system is designed to support automated interaction for a number of social media accounts to facilitate an active online presence aimed at attracting and gaining valuable open-source intelligence that would lead to the prevention and elimination of human trafficking cases.

Students:
London Lawhon, Ryan Paraday, Prakhar Singh, Sean-Thomas Southall, Josiah Thomas

Industry Mentor:
Austyn Simons, ACATO Information Management

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
College students juggle classes, homework, study groups, campus events, and getting across campus safely in bad weather. It's easy to fall behind without noticing, and most campus apps only help if you remember to open them. CampusWatch fixes that by knowing where you are on campus and stepping in when it's useful: it checks you into class when you walk in, helps you stay focused at the library, makes it easy to set up a study group in a nearby building, and warns you about severe weather. It helps students stay on top of school and feel more connected and safe, without having to think about it.

Students:
Lucas Starkey, Trevor Clark, Raymond George, Trey Owen, Alec Szczechowicz

Industry Mentor:
Christine Eddins, Joy From Jesus

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
Joy from Jesus is a Cookeville ministry that gives Christmas gifts to local families in need. The team built a web application that runs its registration from start to finish: families confirm their email, create an account, and pre-register their household and each child's age and needs. Volunteers verify children, schedule families into fifteen-minute appointment slots, and send reminders. The system also manages toy inventory from acquisition to distribution and tracks guests between stations for emergencies. It is built with Next.js, Better Auth, MariaDB, and Docker, with automated Playwright tests.

Students:
Connor Buttrey, Trevor Turner, Tyler Brinkman, Beau Huddleston, Ashley Smutnik

Industry Mentor:
Tanya Richardson, Harbor Safe House

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
Harbor Safe House serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Bradley and Polk Counties. This project redesigned its web presence, adding new safety features, easy navigation of resources, and a resource request form for the individuals it serves. A custom content management system lets staff update events, post newsletters, and access resource requests. The team also developed a web-based risk assessment system with separate civilian and law enforcement access, each with role-appropriate security. Together, these tools improve victims' access to help and give concerned parties and officers a way to request assistance.

Students:
Jack Barbieri, Koda Bradley, Peyton Seagraves, Emerson Smith, Alan Tate

Industry Mentor:
Nathan Whitaker, Advanced Scalable Computing, Extreme Networks & Data (ASCEND) Center

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
The ASCEND Center at Tennessee Tech houses the University's high-performance computing research initiatives with a focus on providing student experiential learning and enabling the development of new technology. The team developed a new interactive web presence for ASCEND with a focus on information dissemination and education. The new presence includes a custom-developed Markdown-focused content management system to support site updates and information sharing including articles/blog posts as well as papers published by center researchers. Additionally, the team developed interactive games and visualizations to educate the public about the activities of the center and about high-performance computing in general.

Students:
Trey Gannod, Thomas Herbert, Andrew Johnson, Mitchell Korody, Seth Risner

Industry Mentor:
Dr. Seth Williams, Bridging Hope

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
Bridging Hope's vision is a world where non-profits can easily connect and share resources to better serve their communities. Bridging Hope is a social services aggregator that centralizes access to essential community resources. It modernizes the food pantry experience with an online shopping and pickup system that works like ordering from a favorite grocery store. The platform also handles pop-up medical clinic logistics: organizations can schedule events and manage volunteers and patients, while users can find upcoming clinics and register for the healthcare services they need.

Students:
Connor Smith, Luke Sapp, Joey Borrelli, Isaac Brown, Vidhula Oviya Vasanthan

Industry Mentor:
Sgt. Caleb Arms, Cookeville Police Department

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
The CPD Target System modernizes the Cookeville Police Department's training range by replacing its proprietary target-control system with a more flexible, maintainable, and cost-effective solution. Physical targets, pneumatic mechanisms, relays, microcontrollers, and electrical components are controlled through a web-based interface. Instructors can create and run customizable drills, control target sequences, monitor availability, disable defective targets, and manage range safety. The software also tracks officer performance, qualification scores, and statistics, with filtering, searching, sorting, and PDF reporting.

Students:
Tyce Webster, Austin Alberd, Trigg Lampkins, Nolan Schiek, Daniel Geer

Mentor:
Katelyn Steakley, Putnam Education Partnership)

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
Putnam County Education (PEP) is a nonprofit that helps meet students and school needs through essential resources, funding, and support for programs. The team has designed and developed a software suite consisting of three main components: inventory management, school closet checkout, and volunteer time-tracking. The inventory management system, dubbed the "Care Closet Manager", is designed to manage PEP's main office inventory and streamline the ordering of school resources. The school closet checkout form enables schools to check out supplies for students while allowing PEP to monitor distribution impact. Lastly, the volunteer time-tracking portal enables volunteers to easily log and manage their hours for PEP.

Students:
Cannon Cox, Stephen Hile, Jacob Johnson, Kash Patel, Thomas Rowell

Industry Mentor:
Sharon Carlile, City of Baxter

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Ben Burchfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Decisions Sciences and Management

Project Overview:
This project migrates the City of Baxter's web presence from cityofbaxter.com to a newly secured .gov domain, baxtertn.gov, in coordination with the city recorder's office and its website and email vendors. The scope includes configuring DNS name servers and hosting, transitioning city email addresses to the new domain, and evaluating hosting and DNS providers for compliance. The project also includes a complete redesign of the Baxter Fire Department's website, with interactive components for fire permit requests and approvals and a content management system that lets the Department update its own content.

Students:
Hossana Haileleul, Christopher Bowman, Ryan Marasigan, Kylie Truong, Zachary Jones

Industry Mentors:
Jeff Watters, LANI-EV

Project Sponsor:
LANI-EV

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Christopher (Storm) Johnson, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
This project develops a real-time data acquisition system to evaluate the range and performance of a solar-powered golf cart. Working with LANI-EV, the student team will design a testing system that monitors battery and solar-panel power, vehicle speed, distance traveled, temperature, humidity and solar irradiance. Using sensors and National Instruments data acquisition equipment, the system collects and stores performance data for analysis in MATLAB. Results will help determine energy consumption, watt-hours per mile and operating costs, providing insight into the effectiveness of solar-assisted vehicles.

Students:
Adam Light, David Leathers, Zachary Hirtz

Tennessee Tech Mentor:
Owen O'Connor, Graduate Research Assistant

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Christopher (Storm) Johnson, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
ASAPH is an audio interface that streams studio-quality, multichannel audio between analog converters and a PC over standard 1 Gb/s Ethernet. Built on an AMD Artix-7 (AC701) FPGA, it captures 64 ADC channels and outputs 64 DAC channels at a sample rate of 192kHz and a bit depth of 24 bits across team-designed daughter cards. In front of the ADC channels, the team has implemented an analog front-end consisting of digitally controllable filters.

Students:
Levi Cantrell, Tyler Chan, Jonas Cross, Harry Rudd, Ryan Shipwash

Industry Mentors:
Josh Kolb, Ben Edens, Jake Cheney – Siemens Healthineers

Tennessee Tech Mentor:
Jeffrey Austen, Ph.D., Emeritus

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Christopher (Storm) Johnson, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
The synchronization for a PET system requires a clock signal that can be distributed throughout the scanner. Our project combines this clock signal with a power signal of 100 W at 48 V to power the signal as well over a single cable.

Students:
Gerardo Ramirez, Nicholas Romsdal, Daniel Davis, Brady Harckleroad, Summer Morris, Sharif Zahra

Industry Mentor:
Dedra Moore, U.S. Army DEVCOM

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Christopher (Storm) Johnson, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
CIRCE (Cable Installation Robot for Contested Environments) is a semi-autonomous ground robot developed for U.S. Army DEVCOM to re-establish hardwired, jam-resistant communication in contested environments by autonomously laying Ethernet cable, removing personnel from the hazards of manual installation. It navigates GPS-denied terrain using LiDAR, depth-camera and ultrasonic fusion on a Raspberry Pi 5 running ROS 2, and it exchanges commands and telemetry at 10 Hz or faster with the operator over the same cable it deploys.

Students:
Jackson Phillips, Elliot Lovins, Bernie Friesel, Sean Ike, Mashoud Modi

Industry Mentor:
Dave Coyle, Clair Global

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Christopher (Storm) Johnson, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
Students developed an autonomous drone designed to collect and analyze acoustic data in indoor and outdoor environments. The system integrates LiDAR, optical flow sensing, and digital signal processing (DSP) to enable autonomous navigation and accurate acoustic measurements. A key feature is the onboard DSP subsystem, which captures, conditions, and processes audio signals before wirelessly transmitting them to professional sound analysis software. By combining autonomous flight with real-time acoustic signal processing, the drone aims to improve the efficiency and flexibility of sound system measurements and optimization, particularly in live performance environmentsProject HELIOS

Students:
Alec Snodgrass, George Vaporis, Landon Paul, Nathan Galloway, Parker Branson

Industry Mentor:
Jeff Waters, LANI-EV

Project Sponsor:
LANI-EV

Tennessee Tech Mentor:
Charles Van Neste, Ph.D. Associate Professor

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Christopher (Storm) Johnson, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
Working with LANI-EV, students restored and retrofitted a Club Car low-speed vehicle with a lithium battery and solar-charging system to evaluate the potential of onboard renewable energy. The team documented the conversion and tested solar generation against vehicle energy consumption. They also developed an adaptable solar-panel mounting prototype for multiple vehicle models and designed a simulated solar-tracking system that adjusts panel orientation while parked. Deliverables include a restored demonstration vehicle, performance data, installation documentation and engineering designs for future development.

Students:
Ashton Greenwood, Ethan Peludat, Connor Riddick

Industry Mentor:
Dedra Moore, U.S. Army DEVCOM

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Andy Pardue, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer

Project Overview:
CIRCE (Cable Installation Robot for Contested Environments) is a semi-autonomous ground robot developed for U.S. Army DEVCOM to re-establish hardwired, jam-resistant communication in contested environments by autonomously laying Ethernet cable, removing personnel from the hazards of manual installation. It navigates GPS-denied terrain using LiDAR, depth-camera and ultrasonic fusion on a Raspberry Pi 5 running ROS 2, and it exchanges commands and telemetry at 10 Hz or faster with the operator over the same cable it deploys.

Students:
Jaiden Cutright, Watson Jacob, Sutton Michael

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Andy Pardue, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer

Project Overview:
Team is developing carbon fiber construction techniques for the Tennessee Tech University Formula SAE competition team. The focus is on the aerodynamic components of the vehicle.

Students:
Holman Allyson, Goins John, Patel Raj, Fisher Zachary

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Udit Sharma, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
This project develops a hands-on compressible flow laboratory apparatus to study gas dynamics, choking behavior and shockwaves. Located in Clement Hall, the system features a converging-diverging nozzle powered by a variable-speed compressor, with pressure and temperature sensors and Schlieren imaging to visualize airflow. Students use MATLAB modeling to optimize nozzle geometry and high-infill 3D printing with carbon-fiber-reinforced materials to manufacture the nozzle. The completed apparatus will support experimental learning and analysis of compressible flow principles in mechanical engineering courses.

Students:
Bradon Hopper, Caleb Knight, Ramon Perez Gamboa, Cole Strickland

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Andy Pardue, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer

Project Overview:
The team is continuing development of a robot for greeting vistors to AIEB and guiding them to their desired location. The focus of this project is the development of the base robot and sensors for the platform.

Students:
Boluwatife Ademola, Kimberly Albrecht, Cameron Schnell

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Udit Sharma, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
This project involves designing and simulating an aerodynamic package for a Formula SAE competition vehicle to improve performance and handling. The student team will develop a front wing, rear wing and undertray that comply with 2026 Formula SAE regulations while balancing structural strength, manufacturing costs, and vehicle stability. Using ANSYS Fluent simulation software, students will evaluate individual components and the complete vehicle to assess aerodynamic performance and the relationship between the center of pressure and center of gravity under competition conditions.

Students:
Loc Pham, Eli Norman, Zailet Ningnye

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Udit Sharma, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
This project upgrades and stabilizes the APOP JetCat test stand to improve mobility, safety and operational reliability. The student team will address several mechanical challenges, including undersized caster wheels that limit movement and lack reliable locking mechanisms, excessive vibration that loosens components in the electronics enclosure, and unsecured thermocouple wiring. Improvements include installing larger locking casters, reinforcing the electronics enclosure and securing instrumentation wiring. These modifications will provide a more stable, reliable and safer environment for engine testing.

Students:
John Avery, Charles Cook, Lauren DeFelice, Shammah Takop

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Andy Pardue, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer

Project Overview:
The team is working to electrify the drivetrain of the "Eagle Bait" pep truck. Students are working with an alumni group to rebuild the vehicle and provide a modern drivetrain for the historic vehicle for use on campus.

Students:
Skylen Hamblen, Blas Leon, Avery Ribich

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Andy Pardue, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer

Project Overview:
The team is working with the Formula SAE competition team on the design of an independent rear suspension for the competition car. The team is designing the components to meet the performance goals of the car.

Students:
Christian Chesser, Evan Conley, Jaedyn Walling

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Udit Sharma, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
Develop a bench-scale water heating loop powered by PV (or PV emulator). Control thermal and electrical inputs to meet heating demand and measure system efficiency.

Students:
Mark Bell, Landen Branham, Salyer Caleb

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Udit Sharma, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
This project develops a hands-on laboratory module featuring a vacuum-driven ping pong ball accelerator for the Applied Mechanics course. The student team will design and build an apparatus incorporating a polycarbonate test section, pressure gauges, vacuum ports, a positive pressure tank and a converging-diverging nozzle. Students will use the system to investigate relationships between pressure, barrel length, projectile velocity and muzzle energy. The completed project includes a structured laboratory procedure and a tested, validated apparatus to reinforce fundamental mechanical engineering principles.

Students:
Baron Marshall, Grace McGaha, Kameron Mull

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Andy Pardue, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer

Project Overview:
Team is measuring the transmission of vibration in residential floor systems. The long term goal of the project is to see if vibration based fall detection systems could be developed for residential settings.

Students:
Isaac Leavy, Makayla Crow, Cadence Todd, Edward Couvillion, Zarek Ward

Industry Mentor:
Ben Absher, Smart Factory Institute; Bryan Sellers, SICK Sensor Intelligence

Project Sponsor:
SICK Sensor Intelligence

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Michael Baswell, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
In partnership with the Smart Factory Institute, this project develops a Smart Foundry system using Tennessee Tech's foundry to demonstrate advanced manufacturing technologies. The student team will collect casting process data, including pour temperature, sand properties and moisture content, and integrate it into a digital twin. A Python-based interface will connect the data to Altair Inspire Cast software to simulate and predict casting outcomes. The completed system will serve as an educational and industry demonstration platform for industrial IoT, digital twin technology and foundry process optimization.

Students:
Kelsey Falin, Marino Raulerson, Foust Haverkamp, Jacob Smith, Benjamin Brackett, Andrew Meyers

Industry Mentor:
Michael Taylor, Volunteer Bulk Transfer Systems (VBTS)

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Michael Baswell, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
Current pneumatic systems for transferring cement from delivery trucks into storage silos are inefficient and pose safety risks. Unloading can take up to an hour, requiring trucks to run at 1,000 RPM to power the pump, increasing fuel consumption and operating costs. Silo overflows can also cause cement to erupt from the top, creating hazardous conditions and significant cleanup. This project develops an automated cement delivery system to reduce unloading time, truck idling and overflow risks. The student team will build a custom test bench and hopper to evaluate the system's performance and potential to improve delivery efficiency.

Students:
Timothy Heugel, Jabareion Fowler, Garret Reasonover, Bryson Meadow, Tyler Yaracs, Will Blessing

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Michael Baswell, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
The current U.S. manufacturing economy faces a problem: many blue-collar workers lack practical knowledge of Lean Six Sigma, creating a shortage of skilled personnel needed for factories to grow and become more competitive. This project addresses that gap by introducing Lean Six Sigma manufacturing and process control through hobbyist fermentation. The student team developed a hands-on educational device that automates fermentation, allowing workers to learn manufacturing principles and process improvement through tangible results. The goal is to build practical skills that workers can apply in modern factories.

Students:
Tamim Abdulfattah, Eric Hoy, Angel Mendez, Shelby Tenpenny, Nevaeh Whitehead

Industry Mentor:
Carter Schunk, INOAC, Livingston, TN

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Michael Baswell, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
Paint plugs and screw covers are used in the production of blow-molded components to seal openings and protect hardware during painting. These fixtures prevent paint buildup and contamination, but the variety of sizes and types required creates challenges for operators. Often stored together in unsorted containers, the parts must be manually searched to find the correct fit, causing downtime and reducing productivity. This project develops an automated sorting system to improve organization, efficiency, and reliability while reducing repetitive manual labor and helping operators maintain a ready supply of components.

Students:
Andy Crockett, Spencer Morgan, Cade Banks, Jonathan Raulston, Hayden Giuttari, Zander Castleman

Industry Mentor:
Brad Wood, Bradmark Industrial Coatings LLC

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Michael Baswell, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
Bradmark Industrial Coatings currently relies on four employees to load and manually flip metal parts between enamel coating booths, limiting efficiency and increasing labor costs. This project develops an automated mechanism to flip various-sized parts while maintaining conveyor speed and proper positioning on the coating line. Building on prototypes developed by two previous senior design teams, students will reverse-engineer, evaluate and improve the existing design. The goal is to create a functional, reliable system that reduces manual labor, improves production efficiency and allows employees to be reassigned to other tasks.

Students:
John Piggott, Micheal Butler, Cody Way, Jacob Topinka, Darren Boggs

Faculty Capstone Coordinator:
Michael Baswell, Ph.D., Lecturer

Project Overview:
Atmus Filtration Technologies needs an automated agitator for its polyurethane dispensing component filter to prevent crystallization of the hardening component. Employees currently turn the agitator handle by hand at least ten times every 24 hours, which interrupts setup operations and risks missed cycles. Missed agitation can cause crystallization that restricts polyurethane flow. The proposed solution is a mounting plate above the existing handle and a PLC-controlled motor that turns it automatically, providing more consistent agitation and more precise process control.