Feature Stories 2019: Capstone Project: Can Assembly Optimization Project

Team

Jacob O'Donnell (Team Leader), Bradley Anastacio, Daniel MacLeod, David Mello, Vivian Nguyen

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Wenzhen Huang

Project Description

The company wants to improve how they load infiltration molds into cans for casting. Currently, molds are individually loaded and taped together to form a “brick.” This brick must then be loaded into a can that will be filled with Al and will be melted in a kiln and infiltrated creating AlSiC, a metal matrix composite. Their current method of loading the bricks requires lots of tape, ceramic paper, graphoil and other materials. These materials hold the molds together which makes the brick. Their other issue is loading the brick into the can. This is done manually by force which is a safety issue for operators (can also require lots of force depending on brick fit to can).

Customer

CPS Technologies

More information

• Capstone Program
• Department of Mechanical Engineering