🏆 Best Project 2nd Place

The team focused on developing efficient manufacturing processes to produce unique awards, utilizing innovative design, and collaborative efforts to enhance the collaboration between the university and the PIPELINE program.


 

Team Members

Yajat Dewan    Felix Cooper    Jaime Ye    Ian Yi                  

Instructor(s): Jason Moore

 

Project Poster

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Project Video

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Project Summary

 

Overview

The PIPELINE Pioneers project is part of Penn State’s PIPELINE program, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. Throughout the capstone, the team designed a cost-effective and replicable manufacturing process to create unique awards that recognize excellence in guest speaking, student projects, and faculty advising within the program. These awards reflect both the PIPELINE program’s mission and Penn State’s branding. The project integrates modern manufacturing techniques, including 3D printing and laser engraving, with external research and innovative tools like Leonardo.ai to achieve high-quality, impactful results.

Objectives

Develop a Replicable Manufacturing Process: Design and implement a streamlined and efficient process for manufacturing high-quality awards that can be replicated in future years with minimal effort (from students with little to know manufacturing experience). This process will ensure consistency in design and quality while maintaining alignment with the PIPELINE program’s mission and Penn State branding.

Optimize Production to Meet Specifications: Create awards that adhere to defined product specifications to minimize production time and costs, addressing challenges observed with previous awards used by the PIPELINE program. This objective focuses on leveraging precise manufacturing techniques, such as laser cutting and 3D printing, and selecting cost-effective materials without compromising quality or aesthetics.

Approach

Utilize AI tools for brainstorming and conceptualizing initial designs, the team uses Leonardo AI and DALL-E for rapid visual prototyping.

Starting with PLA for early prototypes to test shapes and sizes, then systematically evaluate and select more durable and visually appealing materials like wood, and acrylic for final production.

Utilize Router, Band saw, laser cutting, and 3D printing to ensure high precision and quality consistency across all awards.

The team holds weekly meetings with sponsor and advisor to regularly solicit and incorporate their feedback, ensuring the design and functionality of the project continually align with the requirements.

Outcomes

Documentation and video of the design and manufacturing processes will be created, allowing for consistent reproduction of award designs with minimal variance in quality.

Enhancing brand recognition and establishing a reputation between the College of Engineering, Applied Research Lab, and the Office of Naval Research