Fast paced and high-volume manufacturing environments require capacity plans to optimize labor and equipment utilization and productivity. A local appliance manufacturer needed a capacity plan to be built for a portion of their stamping operations to improve scheduling and meet the demands of upstream operations. Cycle times, run schedules, and other critical process information was collected and analyzed to create an understanding of the efficiency and throughput for the system.  These metrics were incorporated with the customer demands to develop a product mix-based capacity plan that can accommodate week schedule adjustment and allow for efficient, effective, and optimized use of labor and equipment. This product mix-based capacity plan will guide the creation of a weekly schedule on the stamping machines while minimizing inventories feeding into the assembly line for the finished products.

The electronic and mechanical components on the blown film tower and sheet extruder in the Parkview Plastics lab need to be updated to create plastics products effectively in order to teach students about their use. Utilizing the engineering design process, the blown film tower was updated with a new motor, mounting system, and control unit. Heater bands on the sheet extruder were repaired to allow plastic to be heated to the correct melt temperature. Fabrication techniques were used to manufacture components needed for operation. With the assistance from many Western Michigan University Faculty members, the machines were updated to function at operational capacity. Operational handbooks were developed for students to have a hands-on learning experience.

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Continuous sand mixers require a specific amount of binder and catalyst to produce a sand mixture that is used for cores and molds. Currently there is no alternative method used to inject the binder and catalyst into the machine besides a continuous pumping system. By implementing the engineering design process, fabrication, and computer aided design (CAD) tools, this project developed and tested an alternative injection method that focused on implementing a batch mixing system while decreasing material waste. A prototype was fabricated and tested on the continuous sand mixer to ensure the safety and functionality of the design. The design reworked the injection method allowing for batch mixing to occur, which gives the user more control in the sand making process.

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Electric vehicles have seen an explosion in popularity across the United States in the last 10 years and Western Michigan University is no exception. The current systems on campus were not user-friendly nor cost effective enough to keep up with the growth in demand. A work sampling study was conducted to determine the proportion of electric to gas vehicles on campus. The amount of time that charging stations were in use was analyzed to better determine the number of stations needed to accommodate the current and future needs. Through company outreach and cost-benefit analysis, several options were determined as alternatives to the current stations. Western Michigan University was provided with possible solutions to meet the growing electric vehicle charging needs of students, faculty and visitors to campus.

The rights to the existing patents have expired and SignComp was looking to create a new and improved patentable design. Applying the engineering design process, computer aided design (CAD) programs, and prototype testing, a new prototype design was created. This prototype was then fabricated and tested using real world conditions, ensuring the feasibility and safety of the design. The prototype design is more efficient, easier to install, and maintains the physical standards set by SignComp.

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A local retirement community, White Oaks Senior Care, expressed the need for a cycling device to provide an enriching opportunity for its residents. Due to the current conditions, the residents found themselves spending much of their time indoors. Through research and cost analysis of all existing products, a base design was purchased. Following the purchase and initial impressions by the customer a variety of modifications were made using the engineering design process. The valued updates were added to provide an upgraded product to satisfy the residents' safety needs and their overall enjoyment.

Despite rapid advances of technology, modern manufacturing systems frequently rely on outdated operations and process control techniques. To modernize these systems, two test stands were updated using real time data acquisition and lights-out manufacturing. This included adding in-process sensors to capture data and identify problems in order to optimize the system using visualization software. By applying these techniques, both systems run longer, more efficiently, and provide WMU students with real life examples of Industry 4.0 integration.

Parker Hannifin’s hydraulic pumps are highly customizable. Because of this, assembly operators must pick from a wide array of components. Assembly operators have experienced an unacceptable rate of assembly errors due to picking discrepancies. Root cause analysis consisting of first pass yield data and operator surveys identified a solution. As part of the solution, motion detection systems were analyzed, and one was selected and installed with a sensor at each component bin. This system displays what part must be picked by illuminating a green indicator and numerical quantity that is derived from the bill of materials. With this motion detection system, the rate of correct components installed has been improved resulting in less rework or scrapped final assemblies.