Past Senior Design Projects
Past Senior Design Projects | 2022
Each semester we have the pleasure of working with local companies on projects as part of our Senior Design Program. These projects are an opportunity for companies to use student resources to have new concepts and fresh ideas injected into their real-world projects. This sponsorship is rewarding for both the project sponsor and the student team. We would like to thank all our past sponsors for their participation in the program.
Fall 2022 | Photo Gallery
Calico Sol
Student Team: Tyler Volansky, Alaina Alford, Erica Zack, Rafael Stanziola
Calico Sol in an effort to make the world more sustainable decided to make furniture as a service instead of a product. They knew what they needed to do but not how. We developed a green manufacturing facility, conducted industry safety and sustainability research, with respective cost estimations.
Fleet Readiness Center – East
Student Team: Mackenzie Barnett, Dudley Maness, Spencer Buzzard, Cameron Loy
The team created a Simio simulation of FRCE part workflow to better understand how the F-35s were increasing workload beyond current capacity. The quanitifiable data from the optimized simulation displays how our suggestions increase capacity and decrease WIP to counteract the introduction of F-35 components.
Fortna
Student Team: Hannah Baldwin, Hannah Wood, Olivia Ortiz, Dusti Patterson
Through analyzing data and current state training processes for Fortna’s OptiSlot DC™, an intelligent slotting solutions application, we provided two major and two minor recommendations to improve user onboarding and usability. For the two major recommendations, we provided detailed implementation plans.
Hanesbrands Inc – Canterbury Distribution Center
Student Team: John Hodges, Ethan Pierson, Shaheer Yousaf
HBI warehouse operator rates must be verified. We created time study applications for the warehouse and shipping department which we used to collect data and verify the rates. We then compared these validations to determine rate accuracy and recommend next steps. Finally, we created a SOP for the palletizing process.
Next Century Spirits
Student Team: Sam Hernandez, Trey Jordan, Jack Cahill
Our team conducted time-studies on NCS’s bottling line to identify bottlenecks and other system constraints. This data was used to create recommendations to more efficiently utilize on-hand equipment, ensure system stability and create future state recommendations for optimal implementation of additional equipment.
Mechanical Specialty
Student Team: Deven Amin, Madison Carroll, Samuel Habermann
Mechanical Specialty’s operations manager is currently inputting work order information into both a Microsoft Excel database and a Microsoft Word template which takes up a lot of time. Our team developed a Microsoft Access solution which combines these processes into one, saving the operations manager 10 hours per week.
Navy FCU
Student Team: Rakesh Chinta, Riley Graudin, Colleen Morgan
NFCU is looking to reduce the cycle times for their mortgage application process. They are currently doing this by simulating the process in AnyLogic, a proprietary Java based simulation model. Our team was tasked to convert this simulation to a more cost effective, open-sourced Python library. We built out the functionality needed for more effective metric calculation, as well as making the simulation more user-friendly and reliable.
NCSU Wolfline
Student Team: Nick Berinson, Mallory Padgett, Colin Lawler
Our team took a systems approach to improving the Wolfline’s sustainability and overall ridership satisfaction. Our Cost-Benefit Analysis of biodiesel and an Efficiency Tool together showed a potential for a 70% decrease in emissions, and our Route Solver Tool enables the creation of optimal routes, saving 140+ hours in waiting.
NIOSH
Student Team: Brian Tierney, Zach Krause, Owen Hunt, Solomon Wiggins
Our team coded 3D modeling and localization programs to assist a robot in understanding its proximity to objects in its environment. This research project represents an advancement in the existing body of knowledge in this subject, which will aid NIOSH as they analyze the worker safety implications of autonomous robots.
PBS NC
Student Team: Austin Davis, Erica Price, Nour Odeh
To address cross-divisional challenges within PBSNC, our team developed a standardized business process for PBSNC to align funding timelines with priority project timelines. We designed this process using a swimlane diagram, created a visualization using a Simio simulation, and controlled this process using an Excel database.
Schneider Electric
Student Team: Elizabeth Doby, Edgardo Gonzalez, Jenna Butler
In order to prototype and develop their part assemblies, SE needed a way to verify and document the assembly process. Our group aimed to design a fixture for the verification equipment that can be easily used by workers. Our goal was to decrease the number of cameras required to capture the whole assembly.
Spring 2022 | Photo Gallery
Becton, Dickinson and Company
Student Team: Keegan Bigoness, Cat Cobb, Chase del Charco
A Becton Dickinson distribution center experienced a dramatic decrease in output last year. This team diagnosed root causes intending to improve productivity by 15 boxes per man-hour. The team identified significant process impediments through time studies and stakeholder interviews and proposed relevant solutions.
Feed-the-Pack Food Pantry
Student Team: Alec Karam, Sammy Penninger, Jack Werner
The Feed-the-Pack Food Pantry is a project is centered around optimizing the inventory of the on-campus food pantry that serves the NC State Community. By recording the produce weights, this team developed an improved method to keep track of supply and demand using software called AppSheet.
Hanesbrands Inc – Canterbury Distribution Center
Student Team: Brendan Little, Stacy McDearmon, Phillip Sellers, Jeel Vachhani
Hanesbrand Inc. requested this team to determine if pulling and locating processes in their warehouse meet current Engineering Labor Standards. They created Standard Operating Procedures for these processes and conducted time studies on the current state of these processes to evaluate and update their labor efficiency standards.
Hanesbrands Inc – Cleveland Distribution Center
Student Team: Claire Carter, Flavio Leon, Sophie Minnick, Jordan Shore
Hanesbrand Inc. wanted to ensure that the Engineering Labor Standards for the Pick-to-Light process used to create shipment orders were still in line with the current process. The team gathered data by conducting several time studies to determine if the process labor standards are accurate today.
Home Chef
Student Team: Kyle House, Thad McInnis, Molly McLean, Anna Tavernaro
Home Chef currently struggles with produce spoilage throughout their meal delivery box transit. To reduce time and money spent on testing improved box designs, this team has created a thermal simulation in SolidWorks to use before developing and testing a new prototype box.
Leesona
Student Team: Micah Perry, Joseph Pobrica, Thomas Quinn, Chris Toy
Leesona is currently absent from the carbon fiber market due to their inability to produce a carbon fiber winder. To create a competitive product that can enter the market, this design team examined competitors’ products and existing design patents to determine the right approach. They ultimately finalized designs for a new cutting and spool change process and an optimized yarn path.
SAS/WakeMed Milk Bank
Student Team: Joseph Barnabei, Anna Najjar, Lily Sullivan, Dayang Zheng
WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank requires potential donors to go through screening that currently takes two months on average to complete, causing many donors to drop out before approval. Our team created process diagrams and developed a tool to monitor potential donor progress throughout the screening process.
Sealed Air
Student Team: Wes Hankinson, Jason Hohe, Saiesh Prabhu, Melissa Tennant
Sealed Air has proposed a future automated warehouse layout that will use automated vehicles and storage systems in place of their current forklifts. This team has simulated the future warehouse layout to determine the feasibility and efficiency of their design and provide Sealed Air with valuable insights and recommendations.
TapRooT®
Student Team: Hannah Bauer, Meriem Laroussi, Jackson Law, Ean Lawrence
Undergraduate and Graduate-level engineering teams from four US universities have received virtual training from TapRooT® certified instructors and given an incident to analyze. This team investigated a hazardous waste fire incident, found root causes, implemented corrective actions, and presented findings at TapRooT’s Global Summit in Knoxville, Tennessee.
US Army 200th Military Police Command
Student Team: Brenna Kenney, Abby Lampe, Eneko Zubizarreta
The US Army Reserve is currently looking to update its current systems for tracking and maintaining the accountability of detainees. This team is working to provide the 200th MP command with modern and reliable solutions to update and improve their current systems.
US Army Reserve 75th Innovation Command
Student Team: Matthew Clayton, Brian Scott, Julie Talbot
The US Army Reserve struggles to maintain its ROWPU vehicles due to unavailable parts. This team is working on expanding its 3D manufacturing capabilities by providing CAD models and proof of concept for existing parts and creating a rapid manufacturing outline for future implementation and use.
Vanguard Furniture – Frame Build Cell
Student Team: Jonah Andrews, Kyle Browning, Axel Flores-Roman, Rachel Harris
Vanguard requested that this senior design team find areas to improve the efficiency of the frame building section. The team chose to supply the company with an MDI (Managing Daily Improvement) Dashboard with operating instructions, an alternate floorplan proposal to increase efficiency, and a proposal for a counter-balance system to improve ergonomics.
Vanguard Furniture – Upholstery Cell
Student Team: Mooad Al Wakil, John Corley, Tanner Drew, Evelyn Stouse
Vanguard Furniture currently has a decentralized upholstery division, leading to wasted floor space, minimal line balancing, and a high error rate. The senior design team designed new layouts for consolidating upholstery. The results reduced total utilized space by 40%, added the option for line balancing, and enabled future expansion.
Wake Community-University Partnership
Student Team: Gerardo Morado, Sarah Russell, Christal Walker
This team’s goal is to complete a feasibility analysis on the viability of co-hub working spaces in Southeast Raleigh. They aim to develop a business plan and financial model that meets the community’s needs. Their data is gathered through conversations with local coworking space owners, surveys sent to the members of Southeast Raleigh, and relevant co-hub research.
Wolfpack Pharma
Student Team: Madison Crick, Luke DeVal, Matt Dowd, Sydney Floyd
Wolfpack Pharma is building a warehouse to expand storage/manufacturing capacity and needs a scalable modeling system using palletized movements to predict their future state process. The senior design team created a spaghetti diagram to plan a traffic pattern, a Simio model to illustrate anticipated AMR requirements, and a user guide as instructions.
*This is a representation of a real company for whom we are honoring their NDA requirements
