March / April, 2001
Biosystems
Engineering Design Projects
Class of 2001
By:
Dr. John Gerrish
The
three following projects demonstrate the capabilities of students graduating
in 2001 from the Biosystems Engineering Program at Michigan State University.
The projects are the result of six-credits' effort over two semesters.
During the Fall semester, the students form their teams and formulate a real-world problem that they want to address. They start approaching faculty members and industry partners to act as consultants. By the end of the semester, they submit project proposals for approval by the faculty.
During Spring semester, the teams apply their engineering knowledge to solve the problem they have undertaken. They do the practical work of designing and, in some cases, building. projects start taking shape.
The
projects have required many hours of hard work by the students, and frequent
guidance by faculty and consultants from industry. The projects are diverse,
but they have a common theme: they all reflect "systems thinking" and
a strong link with life-processes.
Rapid
Detection of Fecal Contamination for Food Safety
Megan Laird, Molly O'Flaherty ,Nicole Ritchie, Kathryn Streams, and
Maria Suparno
Consultants: Dr. Evangelyn Alocilja, Dr. Elliot Ryser, MSU; Dr. Paul S. Satoh, Neogen, Inc.
Inspection of fresh fruits and vegetables requires a method and apparatus for the rapid detection of human pathogens that may be present. In particular, the team is looking for coliform species that may have contaminated the surfaces of produce. Contamination can sometimes be traced to improperly treated sewage sludge that was used as a soil amendment. The detection method uses an enzyme peculiar to coliform bacteria of mammalian origin, beta-galactosidase. Fecal contamination is revealed by a chemiluminescent reagent that emits light only in the presence of the enzyme. Concentrations as low as 1 cfu per ml can be detected. The test takes about eight hours, much less than FDA's current detection method which requires 24 hours. The team designed and built an apparatus to safely administer the reagents in the dark, and to consistently control the dwell-times in the assay. The report includes design details and an economic analysis for a production-scale system. This project is entered in the international intercollegiate competition sponsored by Waste-management Education and Research Consortium (WERC).
An
Efficient, Ergonomic Trimmer for Commercial Arboriculture
Laura Doud, Daniel Grant, and David Smith
Consultants: Mr. Richard Ledebuhr, Dr. Gary Van Ee, P.E.,MSU; Mr. James Grant, P.E., Grant Farms
The annual pruning of Christmas trees must be accomplished in a brief period during the summer. The task has been partially mechanized, but the machinery is cumbersome, especially on the uneven terrain that is typical of commercial tree farms. Moreover, shaping angles often vary from tree to tree with the present machinery. Finding room for improvement, this team of student engineers undertook to design and build a trimmer that will be ergonomical, rapid, and consistent in its function. Working with an existing mobile power unit, they designed the positioning mechanism, the hydraulic drive, and the operator interface. Safety was a very important issue in the design. The team employed AUTO-CAD software in this project. A working prototype will be put into service this summer. The report has a financial accounting of the team's work, an economic prognosis for job-shop manufacture, and sufficient detail to permit emulation.
A
Rapid-Fire Applicator for Pheromone Emitters
Daniel DeBoer, Matthew Hall, and Brian Jacobs
Consultants: Dr. Gary Van Ee, P.E., Mr. Richard Ledebuhr, MSU - AE; Dr. James Miller, MSU, Department of Entomology.
One method of biologically controlling insect pests is by "jamming" their communication system. The male of the species locates a fertile female by sensing the airborne pheromone that she emits. To frustrate breeding, one needs only to locally saturate the air with pheromone. Many species in the Lepidoptera family are controllable by this technique, including the moths that plague pomiculture. The female moths typically loiter at treetop height. Thus the bogus pheromone emitters must be installed at a height of about three meters. Whenever pest infestations are imminent, control methods must be rapidly deployed, and their influence must endure until the danger is past. Within such a background of constraints, this student team has designed and built a device that literally shoots a pheromone-doped wire around a twig high in the canopy of a typical orchard. This project does not attempt to improve the pheromone emission, merely the timely installation of the pheromone-doped wires. The report compares the new applicator with competitive pheromone wire delivery systems; special attention is given to economics, ergonomics, environmental effects and speed.
Blue-Ribbon
Class Project
BE 230 Principles of Biosystems Engineering
Life-cycle Analysis of Alternatives: Cremation versus Burial
Amanda Deymke, Julie Rochowiak, and Kristin Smrchek
Instructor: Dr. Evangelyn Alocilja
Life-cycle analysis requires that options be evaluated in terms of their long-term benefits and costs. This team of sophomore engineering students examined a choice that confronts everyone - the method of recycling one's own body after it expires. Factors that were considered include the environment, the social milieu, the ethical implications, sustainability, and the capacity of the system to permit free choice in the matter. The team came out in favor of cremation. The deciding factor was the preservation of the environment. Conventional economics was not a part of the study because of the distortion that occurs when monetary and environmental matters conflict. In intramural competition, this project was awarded first place in a field of eight such life-cycle projects
