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Name: Evan Ross
Hometown: Hooper, UT
Major: Engineering
Engagement Track: Creativity

S.T.O.R.C. (Special Transport or Requisition Contraption)

The requirements for my edge project were fulfilled by my Engineering Capstone Project. I was part of a team with three other engineering students. The aim of the project was to design a device that could secure a 1-pound object and release it upon command. The device was designed to be attached to a remote controlled quadcopter, allowing it to transport and place an object upon command. There were multiple requirements for the performance of the device such as size, weight, and ability to hold objects while accelerating.

The initial design process began with brainstorming solutions to the proposed problem. We decided upon a design that utilizes elastic bands to secure the object. This means that any shape of object can be held securely because the elastic bands will conform to its shape. We used aluminum to create a prototype frame to mount the elastic bands. We then tested the prototype to ensure that it met the acceleration requirement. We did this by sliding the prototype vertically down cables and stopping it abruptly to cause an acceleration. We used an accelerometer to measure and record the data to document the results.

This project was proposed to our group by Ken Morton at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. He oversees the development of various military technologies and saw a need for our project. His team is already developing the quadcopter to carry the device that we designed. One of the engineering professors, Dr. Scott Munro, formerly worked at China Lake and he introduced the idea of doing a project in cooperation with them.

One of the challenges that we encountered involved fabricating the frame of the device. The frame was constructed from aluminum tubing. SUU doesn’t have a TIG welder, which is required to weld aluminum together. We had to enlist the help of the Southwest Applied Technology College welding program to do the welding for us. This meant that we had to conform to their schedule and wait for the project to be completed. This was an obstacle, but the welding was done very well and it made the project go more smoothly.

I believe that this project has the ability to give more opportunities to other engineering students in the future. On April 3, my group is travelling to China Lake to present the results of our project. If they are pleased with the result, they may support more projects for future engineering students. They may even provide funding for projects if they are very pleased with the results.

This project has benefited me in more than one way. It gave me experience thinking outside of the box to create a simple and functional engineering design. I also have hard evidence of the result in the form of pictures and a working prototype. It may also give me a career opportunity at China Lake. Through this project, I have made personal contacts that can help me get a job in the future. I have already applied for a job and opened the lines of communication with my contacts there.