Student Project Showcase: Mechanical Engineering Technology

10am-2pm, Friday, September 20, 2013

Outdoor basketball court at Camosun's Interurban Campus, 4461 Interurban Road, Victoria

A better cup of coffee, smoother filming of the evening news, more impact in a rugby scrum, reduced labour costs for farm harvests, affordable close-ups for extreme sports…these are a few of the ways technology can make a difference, thanks to the ingenuity of this year's graduating class in Mechanical Engineering Technology at Camosun College.

Nine student teams have been busy over the summer designing, building, testing and perfecting their final projects. Now only days away from graduation, the Mechanical Engineering Technology class of 2013 invites the public and media to the annual Student Project Showcase, 10am-2pm, Friday, September 20, 2013, in the outdoor basketball court at Camosun's Interurban Campus.

"The time and skill these students have invested will be put to real use in the real world," says Jeffrey Stephen, faculty advisor in Mechanical Engineering Technology at Camosun College. "Our industry partners this year include CTV, 2% Jazz Espresso, Saanichton Farms and ScrumMaster."

A low-cost barbeque will also be available 11:30am-1pm.

Project Descriptions:

• CNC Milling Machine
  Designed with book-binding equipment in mind, this compact machine reduces cutter-induced harmonic resonance and increases the scope of parts the machine can manufacture.
• Automated Grain Bagging System
  By automating a manual process, Saanichton Farms anticipates this machine to save the company 100 hours of labour costs per harvest.
• Filament Extruder
  Converts pellet-form plastic into ready-to-use high quality 3D printer filament, which is then automatically spooled at a fraction of the cost of what is commercially available.
• Cooling Espresso Grinder
  By minimizing the heat transferred to the coffee beans during commercial grinding process, 2% Jazz Espresso looks forward to providing customers with more flavourful and consistent coffee drinks.
• Enterprise Camera Dolly
  Designed for CTV, this lightweight, telescopic, track-free dolly allows the camera operator to film with a camera height up to six feet off the ground. 
• Pivot Power Trainer
  A main component of rugby is the scrum, and teams can win more games by perfecting their technique and applying impact more effectively. This new addition to a line of light-weight rugby training machines by ScrumMaster includes force analysis, wireless communication and data logging.
• Modular Accessories for GoPro Cameras
  Replicating professional equipment at a fraction of the cost, this series of modular accessories can be used with the GoPro series of cameras for extreme sports and filmmaking.
• Back-at-ya Lacrosse Trainer
  This rebound board can be programmed to challenge lacrosse players' skills in quick release shooting, power shooting and overall endurance.
• Mechanical Balance Board
  Designed to assist in the rehabilitation of balance and strength, the mechanical balance board uses variable hydraulic damping and an interactive electronic control system to guide the user through various exercise routines.

Contact

Jeffrey Stephen
Lead Projects Instructor, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Camosun College
Phone:  250-370-4514
Email: stephen@camosun.ca

About Mechanical Engineering Technology

Mechanical Engineering Technology is a nationally accredited, 2 ½ year diploma program that prepares graduates for a career or for further education. Many of the students graduating this month have already found employment, while others will choose to continue their education with Camosun's six-month Engineering Bridge program that leads directly into third year studies of an engineering degree program at UVic or UBC.

Over the summer, eight student teams spent many hours in campus labs inventing, designing and manufacturing projects required for their last course before graduation, MECH 295 Project Planning and Design. Within the realm of technology education, MECH 295 is unique due to its intense design and prototype focus. Each student team starts with a blank slate and in only 11 weeks must conceptualize, design, manufacture, test, and present a device that reflects elements of what they've learned over the past two years. The project finale is the Technical Defense, where each group presents their work to a panel of engineering professionals from universities and industry. The panel quizzes the teams as to why each design decision was made, and then grades them on presentation, design, function, and construction quality. This grade accounts directly for 10% of the students' final grade.