Senior Design Projects 2015-16

Corrosion Mitigation of 90-10 Cu-Ni Heat Exchangers

Corrosion Mitigation of 90-10 Cu-Ni Heat Exchangers

Team Members

Tyler Gould, Adam Pringle, and Michael Oyervides, Materials Science and Engineering and Laura Gazza, Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering

Advisor

Cam Hadden

Sponsor

DTE Energy

Project Overview

DTE Energy is aiming to improve the lifespan of heat exchanger tubing. When 90-10 Cu-Ni was installed, it corroded via pitting, causing failure within two years. Our team has identified the source of pitting in the 90-10 Cu-Ni utilizing literature and confirmed the results with replicate corrosion testing. Several corrosion tests were performed on potential alternative materials in order to determine the optimal material for the system. This led our determination of a recommended material for DTE Energy to use, including all precautions that must be taken with the proposed material.

Honorable Mention 2016 Design Expo Award Winner


Galvanic Corrosion Reduction in an Aluminum Copper Couple

Team Members

Erik Bain, Thomas Korejsza, Eli Gooding, and Josh Ellis, Materials Science and Engineering

Advisor

Steve Kampe, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor

Yazaki North America

Project Overview

Due to federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, the main goal of many automotive manufacturers and suppliers is to design and build lightweight vehicles. The use of aluminum conductors can reduce the weight of a wire harness by up to 48 percent. This project focuses on the issues of replacing copper conductors with aluminum. When aluminum and copper are in contact, differing potentials between aluminum and copper cause galvanic corrosion and reduce the lifetime of the product. By alloying aluminum with tin, the potential difference between aluminum conductors and copper connectors will be reduced. Doing so will mitigate corrosion and increase the lifetime of Yazaki’s products.


Silicon Reduction in E357 Aluminum Alloys

Silicon Reduction in E357 Aluminum Alloys

Team Members

Tessa Burgess, Karl Freier, and Nathaniel Wickliff, Materials Science and Engineering and Riley Hart, Mechanical Engineering

Advisors

Tom Wood and Russ Stein, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor

Eck Industries

Project Overview

Our project focuses on reducing the amount of silicon in the E357 aluminum alloy. The target of this reduction is to increase ductility from two percent to five percent, which will make the alloy more versatile. While reducing the silicon, the cast ability properties, such as hot tear resistance and fluidity, must be maintained.


Residual Stresses in Steering Racks and Impacts to Bending Fatigue Performance

Team Members

Matthew Pscheid, Mechanical Engineering and Daniel Casciani, Bryan Stout, John Gatewood, Anthony Orza, and Connor Knudson, Materials Science and Engineering

Advisor

Dan Seguin, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor

ZF TRW—ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Project Overview

Residual stresses are known to have an effect on the fatigue life of steels. Our project involves characterizing the magnitude of surface residual stress of a mild steel. These values will then be related to fatigue life in order to justify enhancements to the product and manufacturing process. Our team used X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the presence of residual stresses. Testing consists of at least three samples from each location of the manufacturing process. A residual stress versus fatigue life curve is used to relate the two properties. Possible countermeasures will be presented to the sponsor if any of the manufacturing process steps are discovered to produce residual stresses.


Optimization of Machinability for 15-5PH Stainless Steel

Team Members

Dylan Cromell, Amanda Messina, and Olin Johnson, Materials Science and Engineering

Advisor

Dan Seguin, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor

GE Aviation

Project Overview

GE Aviation is using 15-5 PH stainless steel on the edge of their composite fan blade rather than the previously used titanium alloys. Due to the relatively rare nature of 15-5 PH in industry, GE has limited knowledge on the steel. The 15-5 PH alloy must be machined to fit the composite fan blade. Our team is conducting an investigation of the microstructure and heat treatments of the alloy to gain an improved understanding of the steel. This was all done to enhance the machinability and is measured by tool wear as a function of time.


Optimum Cooling Rate of Chill Cast Aluminum for Automotive Structures

Optimum Cooling Rate of Chill Cast Aluminum for Automotive Structures

Team Members

Emily LaPine, Conor Cocking, and Nate Peterson, Materials Science and Engineering

Advisors

Paul Fraley, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)

Project Overview

Within the automotive “Body in White” structure, crush zones are utilized to make the frame deform in known ways when impacted. The materials for these zones need to be able to maintain minimum strength while also demonstrating high ductility. Replacing the current material with an aluminum alloy will reduce the weight of the vehicle and improve fuel economy. Utilizing chill casting and aluminum alloys (5xxx, 6xxx, and 7xxx series), these properties can be optimized for this application.


NC16W Nickel-Based Superalloy Characterization

Team Members

Joshua Krugh, Sara Schellbach, Katherine Fletcher, and Anna Polk, Materials Science and Engineering

Advisor

Dan Seguin, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor

Alcoa Howmet

Project Overview

NC16W is a nickel-based superalloy selected by Alcoa Howmet to replace the current Super 22H® material utilized for furnace trays. NC16W was chosen based on potential improved material properties, which will be applied in Alcoa Howmet’s new state-of-the-art facility. The trays experience high stress levels and undergo cyclic heating with temperatures up to 2250°F, which ultimately leads to undesired mass loss due to oxidation. The trays are replaced after approximately 50 percent mass loss leading to higher costs. Our team characterized the material properties of NC16W in order to economically justify the choice of replacing Super 22H®.


Tire Tread Extrusion Simulation

Tire Tread Extrusion Simulation

Team Members

Sukaina Miftah, Elizabeth Beauvais, Michael Kosut, and Joshua DeVet, Materials Science and Engineering

Advisors

Jiann-Yang Hwang, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor

Continental Tire Company

Project Overview

When meeting design specifications during tire extrusion development, the experience-based method typically used is associated with a loss of time and money. PolyXtrue, an extrusion simulation tool, properly identifies properties and components that affect rubber flow during extrusion, by simulating 3D flow of polymer compounds through an extrusion die. This tool is used to optimize the geometry, processing conditions and material selection of extrusion. Through the use of polyXtrue, our team has developed a tread tire extrusion simulation that accurately models the tread tire extrusion created by Continental Tire Company. The extrusion simulation predicts the tread tire developed under specific processing conditions and die shape.


Foundry Effects on Brake Rotor Frequency Response Function

Team Members

Brian Brook, Mechanical Engineering and Nicole Treinen, Materials Science and Engineering

Advisor

Russ Stein, Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor

General Motors Company

Project Overview

Squealing brake systems are an annoyance to drivers and cost GM money through manufacturing inspection and warranty claims. GM suspects that brake squeal is linked to the frequency response function (FRF) of cast brake rotors and is seeking foundry practice, which yields rotors with a consistent FRF. Our team produced gray iron castings in the foundry at Michigan Tech for use as test material. This material was analyzed through a series of mechanical, vibration, and metallographic tests. Our team used the results of these tests to provide GM with recommendations on foundry practice, which will better control the FRFs of gray cast iron brake rotors.