Buffalo Bike Stand

Buffalo Bicycles is a non-profit organization that aims to use bicycles to help people in poverty overcome challenges of transportation in rural, developing areas. They provide improved access to education and medical assistance while also improving the food distribution capacity of local farmers.

The students were given us the task of improving the kick-stand that goes with the Buffalo Bike. This stand allows users to load 100 kg of cargo and facilitates use of the bike as a power take-off. While the stand possessed enough strength, it often failed at critical components and is too expensive. The goal was to redesign the stand to fix these problems. The students lowered the production cost by 13% while maintaining strength and simplifying fabrication.

Roman, Bogdan, Ryan, Pablo, and Adam showing off the completed stand at the 2018 Design Showcase.

• Client: Buffalo Bicycles
• Date: 2018
• Service: Design, Prototype Fabrication, and Testing

Finger Assist Device

The students developed an assistive hand prosthetic device that provides powered gripping assistance for individuals that have reduced neuromuscular control of the hand. A powered glove is controlled by a small joystick in opposite hand allowing the user to pick up and use objects.

• Client: EksoBionics
• Date: 2018
• Service: Design and Prototype Fabrication

Shoe Tying Machine

This group was challenged to create a machine capable of automatically tying a shoe with a budget of $600. Additionally, the machine could only use two actuators and no manual intervention. It was judged on the speed of tying, its success rate, and the amount of energy consumed. The final design utlized a custom transmission to provide three degree of freedom control of a hook end effector. The machine was successful at tying both stages of the knot and may be the first publicly demonstrated machine to do so. See the machine in action below:

• Client: UC Davis and Meijo University Competition
• Date: 2018
• Service: Design and Prototype Fabrication

Bus Bicycle Storage Rail

BikeLeap had tasked our team with the development of a folding bike storage solution inside the luggage compartment of an existing motor coach; we have delivered a full-scale functioning demo unit of the final design compatible with the Brompton bicycle and Van Hool Tx coach models. This report details how the end product meets the needs, specifications, and standards set by the client. It also consists of relevant manufacturing instructions for construction of the prototype and justification for the design decisions underlying key parts and assemblies.

• Client: BikeLeap
• Date: 2017
• Service: Design and Fabrication

Koalaty Kontrol Machine

An automated surface finish detection machine for the quality control of gage pins.

• Client: Micro-Vu Corporation
• Date: 2017
• Service: Design and Fabrication

Quadraplegic Friendly Trike

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that gradually disables the motor functions of the body. Our project is to adapt a proof-of-concept joystick-driven tricycle so that it can be used by an individual with late stage ALS. Our client is able to control his head movement as well as the extension of his legs. The overall usability and reliability of the system will be addressed in an effort to bring the Quadriplegic Friendly Tricycle closer to production quality. This project will involve adding secure electronic connections, developing a more user friendly interface, and increasing the factors of safety in the steering and braking subsystems.

• Client: Disability Reports
• Date: 2017
• Service: Design and Fabrication

Adaptive Target for Jumping Studies

Jumping studies in which a person jumps repeatedly for thirty seconds or longer are conducted assuming the person being tested is giving his or her best effort with every jump. However, the data collected from such studies shows this is likely not the case. The team was tasked with designing and building an adaptive target that adjusted to the performance of the subject. A ceiling mounted design using a basketball controlled by three pulleys was selected as the concept to be built. The height of the basketball is controlled by a stepper motor and Arduino Uno, and responds to two proximity sensors and an accelerometer which indicates the test subject’s jump heights. This design was chosen because it was simple to build, easy to store away, and is the best way satisfy all of our sponsor’s needs and suggestions.

• Client: NIKE Sport Research Lab
• Date: 2016
• Service: Design and Prototype Fabrication

Automatic Board Feeder for Custom Saw/drill Station

Micro-Vu Corporation designs and manufactures optical measurement machines. As a California based manufacturer, automation is critical to keeping costs low. To reduce labor intensive processes, Micro-Vu developed a semi-automatic cut and drill station for 14' wooden boards in the summer of 2015. The primary purpose of this project is to design, manufacture, assemble, and verify an automated board-loader and unloader to fully automate the custom cut and drill station. The solution to this challenge includes pneumatics to simplify the movement of materials, brushless DC motors to transfer boards from storage locations to the infeed table, sensors for material location verification, and PLC programming for the interaction of each component. The final product has the capability of running unattended for 2 hours and only requires additional loading of material to continue production.

• Client: Micro-Vu Corporation
• Date: 2016
• Service: Design and Fabrication

Bus Jack Caddy

A caddy was constructed to aid in the installation and removal of a Stertil Koni JB­160 rolling jack onto a Stertil Koni SkyLift. The purpose of the caddy is to eliminate the need for an additional recess in the ground that would have been added to house the permanently mounted jack. The target of the project was to produce a deliverable that was easy to repair, durable, and economically feasible. The identified sub­problems that had to be considered were maneuverability, lifting mechanism, and effectively interface with the lift. These factors all play an equally important role in the performance and structural integrity of the caddy because after all, the caddy has to be able to withstand a heavy load while lifting the jack up to be mounted onto the SkyLift as well as travel environment of the Unitrans facility. Some specifications of the caddy are a total minimum weight of 800lbs, a steel construction, and a base size of about twelve square feet. A fully complete and working jack was delivered to Unitrans.

• Client: Unitrans
• Date: 2016
• Service: Design and Prototype Fabrication

CNC Cardboard Cuter

The team "From Here to Woodland" has designed and built a safe CNC machine capable of cutting cardboard with the ultimate goal of providing students the opportunity to learn about CNC machines and use the knowledge to make prototypes of their ideas. The machine is completely open source and made from easily obtainable parts, making it cheaper than comparable 3D printing methods. The CNC Cardboard Cutter allows students to cut shapes out of cardboard or make fold lines in the cardboard from an engraving pass. The cut and fold lines are used to fit the 2D pieces together and make 3D parts for a variety of applications which include making templates for painting, sheet metal work or even art projects.

• Client: UCD MAE
• Date: 2016
• Service: Design and Prototype Fabrication

DIY Powered Wheelchair

This group was tasked with developing an "open source" power wheelchair which could be built, maintained, and modified using off-the-shelf components that helps serve the broader goal to give people with disabilities an option to build their own chairs without relying on expensive and bureaucratic medical supply companies. The final design uses readily available parts, is quickly and easily repairable, and is built using only garage tools. The students demonstrated a fully working chassis with electronic controls that met the desired specifications and is thus be able to perform at a level at or above the current chairs available on the market.

• Client: WHIM Unlimited
• Date: 2016
• Service: Design and Prototype Fabrication

Improving Sanitation in Cambodia

For this mechanical engineering senior design capstone project the students worked on improving sanitation in floating communities along the Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia.

The students partnered with Wetlands Work! (WW!), a social enterprise based in Cambodia that designs sanitation and wastewater treatment solutions. The HandyPod is a sanitation solution designed by WW! for use in floating communities along the Tonle Sap lake. Pilot studies indicate that the HandyPod system is very effective at reducing pathogenic content in the lake. However, its $150 price tag is somewhat cost prohibitive. Furthermore, the current system is built for use with floating houses and is thus not viable for use with stilted houses and other types of houses along the lake.

The overall goal of the partnership with WW! was to increase uptake of the HandyPod system among residents of the floating communities. To achieve this goal the students focused on two main objectives: (1) minimizing the cost of the system and (2) adapting the system for use with stilted houses.

Read more about the project on the MAE news.

• Client: Wetlands Work!
• Date: 2016
• Service: Design, Prototype Fabrication, and Local Installation

Weinbot

The current crush pad cleanup at most wineries is grossly water inefficient. This design is an autonomous proof-of-concept industrial winery floor care robot. The battery powered device can effectively dislodge and collect solid grape waste from typical winery concrete flooring with minimal water use.

• Client: UCD Viticulture and Enology Department
• Date: 2014
• Service: Design and Prototype Fabrication

Wave Energy Converter

The ocean holds a vast potential of energy, that if effectively converted, could be used as a plentiful and reliable source of renewable energy. One way to capture that energy is through the use of wave energy converters (WEC), machines that convert the motion of ocean waves into clean electricity. One possible approach to increasing the use of ocean power in the United States, and gaining support from the general population, is to give the public access to a basic design that individuals or collective groups could build and improve upon. Our goal was to develop the basic framework for a wave energy converter (WEC) and share this information with the public.

To achieve this objective, a team of five mechanical engineering students designed, built, and tested a fully functioning wave energy converter with the goal of generating 150 watts of peak power. The WEC was engineered to be modular, capable of being transported by a light-duty vehicle, and constructed using off-the-shelf components and parts. To validate the system design, the team conducted ocean testing in Bodega Bay, California, and measured power output over the period of five days. Due to premature mechanical failure of the generator coupling, the device was only able to produce a peak power of 38 watts. Even though the device failed to meet the expected power output, the team has compiled the following information and shared it on this website in hopes of encouraging others to take on similar projects and make improvements to the work that has already been done.

• Client: CITRIS
• Date: 2013
• Service: Design, Fabrication, Testing

Low-cost Pediatric Treadmill

Easter Seals, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of those with autism and other disabilities, tasked us with the design and construction of a portable treadmill for young children diagnosed with motor disabilities. Therapeutic use of a treadmill at a young age can accelerate the development of a child's walking skills. Our pediatric treadmill is designed to fit the everyday family household. The core concepts of the treadmill's features closely mirror industrial treadmill design, including the use of a walking belt, rollers, and an electric motor drivetrain. Intuitive and safe controls are provided for a supervising adult to operate at speeds in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 miles per hour. Other features of the pediatric treadmill are that it is lightweight, transportable, and has low initial and maintenance costs. The design of the pediatric treadmill aims to provide a viable and long-lasting solution for promoting development of motor skills in children.

• Client: Easter Seals, UC Davis Clinical and Translational Sciences Center
• Date: 2011
• Service: Design and Prototype Fabrication