Kettering is #1 and #2

Kettering University has returned to its #1 ranking for Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and continues to be ranked in the Top Twenty in the nation in the 2010 edition of "America's Best Colleges Guide," which is published by "U.S. News & World Report."

For the first time, Kettering’s Mechanical Engineering program is ranked #2 in the country.

"We are extremely pleased to be recognized as one of “America’s Best Colleges” and this time as #1 and #2,” said Kettering University President Stan Liberty.  “This is the first time we have achieved #1 and #2 in academic programs on campus.  This is remarkable news for Kettering, especially with the ongoing economic challenges in the state and in the manufacturing sector.”

Kettering Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Harris said the national recognitions represent "the renewed energy our faculty members are investing in their programs and their students. Each academic area is working hard to be current and relevant to today's students, who bring to Kettering a multitude of new ideas and ambitions.  I am very proud of the tremendous professionalism and advanced efforts that are ongoing in Academic Affairs," Harris explained.  " I know Kettering is stronger because of them.  My sincere congratulations to the faculty, staff and students who brought this honor to campus." 

Kettering's category is Undergraduate Engineering schools, whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's degree. 

Kettering’s four national rankings in the 2010 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” are:
# 1 - Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering,
# 2 - Mechanical Engineering,
#19 - Overall ranking for Kettering University, plus
Programs to Look For (Internships/Co-op) – one of only 18 institutions in the country to receive this recognition.

#1 for 10 of 11 years
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering has returned to its #1 ranking, after being listed #2 last year. Kettering has been “best in the country” in this category for 10 of the past 11 years.

IME’s 2010 rankings:
1. Kettering University (MI)
2. Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo (CA)
3. San Jose State University (CA)

Dr. Lucy S. King, interim department head for IME, said the news is very exciting for her entire department.  “Being recognized nationally speaks strongly about the program that we offer at Kettering University,” she said.  “It affirms that we have the right curriculum for industry. 

“It’s important to our students to have the confidence that they will graduate as a world-class Industrial Engineer,” she continued.  “Potential students will feel the same and are attracted to winning teams.  Some confirming data from payscale.com states that Kettering graduating engineers’ salary ranks #1 in Michigan, second in the Midwest and in the Top 20 in the nation, including MIT, Cal Tech and Georgia Tech.

“We are grateful to our faculty for their personal attention and dedication to the students, and we are very proud of our students for their performance.  We also give special kudos to our support staff,” she added.  “Ranking #1 stimulates us to continue to work hard on advancing our program in the traditional areas as well as emerging fields to stay on top.”

Kettering’s Mechanical Engineering department jumped to a #2 national ranking, up from #5 last year.

2010 rankings: Mechanical Engineering
1. Rose-Hulman (IN)
2. Kettering University (MI)
3. Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (CA)
3. Cooper Union (NY)

“Achieving this ranking among our peers in academia reflects the high caliber of our students and alumni and the commitment to academic excellence of our faculty,” said Dr. Timothy Cameron, associate department head for Mechanical Engineering. “The Kettering University philosophy of combining a rigorous academic curriculum with relevant real world experiential learning gives our students the resources they need to be successful,” he added.

PROGRAMS TO LOOK FOR – INTERNSHIPS/CO-OP
Kettering is again among the “schools with outstanding examples of academic programs that are commonly linked to student success,” according to the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Only 18 institutions received this national distinction for 2010:
Alverno College (WI)

Berea College (KY)

Bradley University (IL)

Drexel University (PA)

Elon University (NC)

Georgia Institute of Technology*

Johnson and Wales University (RI)

Kettering University (MI)

Keuka College (NY)

New York University

Northeastern University (MA)

Ohio State University–Columbus*

Portland State University (OR)*

Purdue Univ.–West Lafayette (IN)*

Rochester Inst. of Technology (NY)

University of Cincinnati*

Univ. of Maryland–College Park*

Univ. of Southern California

Overall category – Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's, with * indicting public institutions.  Last year, Kettering was ranked #17.  Here are the 2010 rankings:
1. Harvey Mudd College (CA)

1. Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN)

3. Cooper Union (NY)

4. United States Military Academy (NY)*

5. United States Naval Academy (MD)*

6. Calif. Polytech. St. U.–San Luis Obispo*

6. United States Air Force Acad. (CO)*

8. Bucknell University (PA)

8. Franklin W. Olin Col. of Eng. (MA)

10. Milwaukee School of Engineering

10. Villanova University (PA)

12. Baylor University (TX)

12. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U. (FL)

12. Swarthmore College (PA)

15. Calif. State Poly. Univ.–Pomona*

15. Rowan University (NJ)*

15. Union College (NY)

15. United States Coast Guard Academy (CT)*

19. Kettering University (MI)

19. Lafayette College (PA)

19. San Jose State University (CA)*

19. Santa Clara University (CA)

19. Smith College (MA)

19. Trinity University (TX)

19. Virginia Military Institute*

26. The Citadel (SC)*

26. Gonzaga University (WA)

26. Loyola Marymount University (CA)

26. Miami University–Oxford (OH)*

26. U.S. Merchant Marine Acad. (NY)*

26. Univ. of Colo.–Colorado Springs*

26. University of San Diego

26. Valparaiso University (IN)

34. Bradley University (IL)

34. Embry-Riddle Aero. U.–Prescott (AZ)

34. University of Portland (OR)

34. Webb Institute (NY)

One more national mention: The University is also included in a story on Ashley Lowe of Tennessee, who was courted by many of the country’s finest schools and chose to attend Kettering.  See her profile on the U.S. News website at: http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-colleges/2009/08/19/profile-letting-the-college-come-to-you.html

"I know that Kettering’s unique model of co-op education is a contributing factor to the annual rankings,” Liberty said.  “I'd like to congratulate the entire Kettering community for their ongoing contributions that help us build and sustain the excellence of a Kettering University education.”

The 2010 "America's Best Colleges" magazine will be on newsstands Aug. 20.

U.S. News & World Report provides a significant amount of information on its rankings, its methodologies and other data.  For general information, visit www.usnews.com.  For rankings and methodologies, visit: http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-colleges/2009/08/19/about-the-rankings-and-methodology.html.

Written by Patricia Mroczek

810.762.9533

pmroczek@kettering.edu

It’s been two years in the making, but Kettering University’s Formula team thinks it has been worth the wait, and the effort. “It” is the team’s most recent car design, which has produced a lighter, safer, better performing car.

“The Formula SAE team has done an excellent job of designing and building this car,” said Dr. Craig Hoff, professor of Mechanical Engineering and faculty adviser for the Formula SAE team at Kettering.

“The vehicle came in under 400 pounds, which is 100 pounds lighter than previous efforts,” he added.  Hoff credits the strong design to the number of upper classmen on the team. The students themselves agree, saying that an older team brings more experience to the design/build process.

They had an opportunity to test their design in the field at the Formula West competition in California June 16 through 20, at the California Speedway in Fontana. Formula SAE is one of the Society of Automotive Engineers Collegiate Design Series competitions intended to give students real-world engineering design experience.

The Kettering team won first place in Crash Attenuator Design at the Formula West competition, placed 18^th overall, eighth in endurance and third in fuel economy. They were one of 20 teams out of 47 to complete all the competition events, receiving a score in every event.

“The California competition gave us a chance to fine tune our design,” said Matt Birt, of Urbana, Ohio, A-Section lead technical engineer for the team. Birt and his teammates see this as their competitive edge for the Formula SAE Midwest Competition in Detroit in May 2010.

SAE rules stipulate that vehicle designs cannot be used two years in a row for the same event, so running their car in California in 2009 and Michigan in 2010 allows the team more time for testing and tweaking. And they have their sights set high for 2010.

“The Midwest Formula competition is bigger than the Formula West competition, with about 100 teams participating,” Birt said, “and there are international teams involved, which intensifies the competition.”

The testing and tweaking continues over both A and B sections as the team prepares for the Midwest competition. “Teams that do more testing tend to perform better overall,” said Birt, adding “it separates the good teams from the great teams.”

“It completes the design cycle,” explained Quinn Griesdale, of Victoria, British Columbia. “We designed the car, built the car and we want to know if the design works as well as we intended.”

The design features a chassis and suspension designed by Griesdale, a single-cylinder engine versus the more traditional four-cylinder (contributing to the 100 pounds lighter weight) an impact or crash attenuator that was tested in real crash events in the Kettering Crash Safety Center lab and an “old school” carburetor.

According to team members who have driven the vehicle, it is comfortable and fast to drive thanks to Griesdale’s design. Team members were running more tests on campus recently, creating a safety cone track in the back parking lot behind the Recreation Center, and using an on-board ISAAC data acquisition system to better understand the car’s handling, grip and acceleration.

The smaller engine not only lightened the car, but, according to Birt, it did not compromise power. “We are down on power a little bit compared to a four-cylinder engine,” he explained, “but the power we have is less peaky and delivers a more usable power range.”

The crash attenuator was developed when SAE rules for the Formula cars required more safety features. Kettering’s team had a chance to perform a test cycle on their attenuator design last year, instead of guessing it would work in a real-world application.

They were able to utilize the Crash Safety Center lab’s crash sled to explore different shapes for crumple zones. They found that a square block did what they needed it to do and that welding the attenuator in multiple places avoided the problem presented when using bolts to hold it in place caused tears in the crumple zone.

The results of their research and testing on the attenuator actually influenced changes in the rules for SAE Formula racing, according to Hoff.

Team members were especially proud of their third place win in fuel economy in California because they were only one of two teams to use a carburetor instead of a fuel injector.

According to team member Jason Kane, of Cadillac, Mich., their “old school” carburetor is cheaper, simpler, starts every time and is “obviously good in fuel economy.” It also allowed the team to quickly calibrate the engine during competition, which offered them a time advantage on the track.

To further field test the car before the Midwest Formula competition, Kettering’s Formula team will compete in the University of Toronto “Shoot Out” in September at Mossport Raceway go cart track.

They will also work on their statics. “We built a great, dynamic car,” said Griesdale, “and we need to build up our written and oral presentations to do it justice.” Griesdale himself will have graduated before the Midwest event, but will join the team in Detroit to follow his “baby” through the final cycle – which he hopes will be a winning one.

Written by Dawn Hibbard
810.762.9865
dhibbard@kettering.edu

It’s not enough to be making the first shipment of production parts to his partner company in China this month. Kyle Schwulst ‘02 is also headed to the Bonneville Salt Flats Aug 8 through 14 for Speed Week, to put his electronic fuel injection system to the test – a field test on steroids if you will – in a production motorcycle with his company’s part bolted on and also in a “highly modified version of the same vehicle fitted with a turbocharger.”

Schwulst is owner and CEO of ElectroJet, an engineering design firm based Brighton, Mich., that designs electronic fuel injection systems for small engines, including four-stroke one, two and three cylinder engines. Schwulst has surrounded himself with Kettering alumni and co-op students at ElectroJet.

The Bonneville trip is an opportunity to show off what his product can do in Moto-chu 150cc motorcycles common in China, and maybe set some land speed records in the process. “We are hoping to obtain four world records within the class that these motorcycles will be entered,” said Schwulst. “It’s not every day a $600 Chinese motorcycle sets land speed records!”

Current land speed records for these small motorcycles are between 50 – 100 mph, according to Schwulst, which he considers impressive for a stock engine that makes eight horsepower. 

The Moto-chu 150cc motorcycles include a “ride on” style and a “step-through.” The ElectroJet fuel injection system is scheduled to be included in the production of Moto-chus in China beginning this month.

The ElectroJet electronic fuel injection system is designed to help manufacturers of ATVs, lawn mowers, scooters and small motorcycles meet global emissions standards for 2010. The emissions regulations in China and India follow European regulations, which are actually more stringent than the emissions laws found in the USA.

Schwulst has secured the Chinese version of his U.S. patents for the post-production fuel injection system giving him a distinct market advantage in a country that is on track to manufacture more than 30 million motorcycles and scooters this year.

Speed Week is Mecca for engineering types. “We should have a great time out there with all kinds of interesting machines and plenty of go-fast,” said Schwulst, like a true engineer.

Bonneville Speedway is an area of the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah, that is marked out for motor sports. It is particularly noted as the venue for numerous land speed records, typically set during Speed Week in September of each year

Schwulst decided to take the scooters to Bonneville after another Kettering alumnus, Matt Price, who owns Monkeywrench Racing in Novi, showed him the rule book and talked about his plans to attend. Add that the movie “The Fastest Indian” and it wasn’t much of a stretch until Schwulst was planning his own trip.

Schwulst feels the ElectroJet product will improve performance of these motorcycles in speed trials. “The product has already been proven to improve performance in our customer motorcycles,” he said. “ElectroJet EFI enables the vehicles to start easier, improves power, accelerate faster, and saves about 15 percent more fuel than comparable carbureted motorcycles.  

“The system increases the engine efficiency while significantly reducing pollution,” said Schwulst.  “Not only will these motorcycles set land speed records, but they are cleaner than any emissions regulation on the books worldwide.”  

Helping sponsor ElectroJet at Bonneville is Freescale. Freescale Semiconductor makes the microprocessor that is the “brain” of the ElectroJet EFI module.  

For more about ElectroJet visit http://www.electrojet.org/.

Written by Dawn Hibbard

810.762.9865

dhibbard@kettering.edu

In truth, Doc K, also known as Dr. Henry Kowalski, professor of Mechanical Engineering, and four senior students in his Experimental Mechanics class, performed research on detonator cord for the Bomb Squad as the students’ final class project.

They tested the commonly held theory that when blowing up something to open it or crush it (to reduce its danger potential), having water behind the detonator creates a more powerful explosion.

The testing they did on detonator cord (a la the popular Discovery Channel TV show Mythbusters) attempted to prove or disprove the theory. The State Police Forensic Science Division operated on the theory without knowing if it was true or not.

Ryan Gebs, of Preston, Idaho, Kay Bareiss, of Wesensteig, Germany, Michael Pedigo, of Hartland, Mich., and Kyle Kibbey, of Mason, Mich., blew up force plates with detonator cord on Friday, June 12 on the Kettering baseball diamonds.

“Force plates measure the force of an explosion, similar to a scale. Strain gauges inside measure tension or compression,” said Gebs. The students attached the force plates to an oscilloscope to log data for analysis and used a high speed video camera to capture the results visually.

Detective Sergeant Rick Bekemeier, bomb technician and Sergeant Scott Hasse, bomb squad, assisted the students in setting up the tests and managed the detonator cord and explosions.

To test whether water behind the explosion increased the force of the blast, the group fired detonator cord without water and with IV bags lying on top of the cord. The IV bags were used because they provided a compact portable source of water.

“The IV bag holds down the detonator cord,” explained Gebs, “without it the blast goes out in a 360 degree radius. Because the IV holds down the detonator cord it concentrates the blast downward onto the board, intensifying it in that direction,” he added.

According to the data collection equipment, the first blast, without water, exerted about 4,000 pounds of force. The first blast with water was estimated to exert more then 10,000 pounds of force on the board.

The cord without water ripped through the first few layers of the plywood sheet used to protect the force plates, cutting through a few layers. The explosions with water behind them penetrated through four or more layers of the plywood and actually cracked a cement cinder block in half during one blast. Theory proved – there was about six times the penetration into wood with water behind the blast and much better penetration into the cinder block.

Doc K said he would like to secure the donation of a newer high speed video camera because he wants to see how paint balls explode. He’ll probably claim THAT’S in the name of scientific research, too.

Written by Dawn Hibbard

810.762.9865

dhibbard@kettering.edu

Kettering University's Crash Safety Center worked with Dorel Juvenile Group to develop a ground-breaking new car seat safety technology that better protects children in side impact crashes.

The New Safety 1st Car Seat has Air Protect™ -- the most innovative and groundbreaking safety feature ever offered in a car seat.  Developed in conjunction with Kettering University’s renowned Crash Safety Center, Air Protect™ is designed to protect children in side impact collisions, putting a state-of-the-art layer of air protection where it’s needed most, around the child’s head.

Side impact crashes have dramatically increased over the past two decades and are today the deadliest kind of crashes for children.  The vast majority of these fatalities are due to head trauma, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“There is currently no government-mandated test requirement for side impacts related to child seats,” said Dr. Janet Brelin-Fornari, professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of Kettering’s Crash Safety Center.

“Dorel is actually moving ahead of government regulations to produce a safer car seat for side impact crashes because they want to be leaders in reducing the risk of injury to children during collisions,” she added. NHTSA is utilizing the research conducted by Dorel and Brelin-Fornari to develop standards for side impact testing of car seats, according to Brelin-Fornari.

How Air Protect™ Works - Through the precise release of air, Air Protect™ compresses and shields children from side impact intrusion and immediately reduces crash forces where the child is most vulnerable – the head.  Air Protect™ does this by extending ride-down, the amount of time it takes to slow a child’s movement in a crash.  By extending ride-down time, Air Protect™ creates a slower, softer landing.

The Dorel/Kettering Method - Air Protect™ was developed as a result of a revolutionary testing method. The Dorel/Kettering Method uses an intruding door technique, instead of a fixed door, to simulate a side impact crash with far more accuracy. In a side impact crash, a car door moves inward, toward the child.

Global Testing and Engineering Services collaborated with Kettering to design the fixtures that simulated real-world crash events, said Brelin-Fornari.

“Dorel continues to be the leader in the car seat category and with this unique testing approach has created a new level of side impact protection for children, the likes of which have never been seen before,” commented Dave Taylor, President of Dorel Juvenile Group US.  “This new testing method is so significant that we have shared our findings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, supporting NHTSA’s efforts to provide more comprehensive regulation for side impact crash testing.”

Over the past two years, Dorel’s team of industry-leading car seat engineers have collaborated with researchers at Kettering University to study side impact crashes.  “The Dorel/Kettering Method and Air Protect™ are truly break-through advancements for child passenger safety,” said Brelin-Fornari, who specializes in pediatric crash safety and oversees the crash safety programs at Kettering.

“The technology is so revolutionary that we will be rolling it out globally – incorporating it in Dorel car seats in Europe and Australia, in addition to North America,” said Hani Basile, Global Dorel Juvenile Group President and Chief Executive Officer.

Road safety is especially important this summer as millions of families plan to travel to vacation destinations by car.  According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), an estimated 27 million Americans will travel by car this summer, many with children in the back seat.

Air Protect™ is being offered in the new Safety 1st Complete Air car seat in black/gray and brown/orange.  In addition to offering the best side impact protection, the Safety 1st Complete Air with Air Protect™ is easy to install, with Safety 1st’s QuickFit™ Harness System, among other features.  “We know that proper installation and use are critical to a child’s safety too,” added Dorel’s Taylor.

A convertible car seat for children 5 to 50 pounds, Safety 1st’s Complete Air is available for pre-order beginning July 1 at Babies“R”Us stores and online at Babiesrus.com and Babiesrus.ca.  In August, Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores will be the first to offer the Complete Air car seat with Air Protect™, followed by other retailers later in the year.  To learn more, visit www.safety1st.com/airprotect.  Safety 1st has been the definitive leader and innovator in child safety products for the home and car for the past 25 years.

Air Protect™ Technology will also be extended to other Dorel car seats, including Maxi Cosi, Eddie Bauer and Cosco car seats.

About Dorel Industries

Dorel Industries Inc. (TSX: DII.B, DII.A) is a world class juvenile products and bicycle company. Established in 1962, Dorel creates style and excitement in equal measure to safety, quality and value. The Company’s lifestyle leadership position is pronounced in both its Juvenile and Bicycle categories with an array of trend-setting products. Dorel’s powerfully branded products include Safety 1st, Quinny, Cosco, Maxi-Cosi and Bébé Confort in Juvenile, as well as Cannondale, Schwinn, GT, Mongoose and SUGOI in Recreational/Leisure. Dorel’s Home Furnishings segment markets a wide assortment of furniture products, both domestically produced and imported. Dorel is a US $2.2 billion company with 4,700 employees, facilities in eighteen countries, and sales worldwide.

Written by Dawn Hibbard with information provided by Dorel

810.762.9865

dhibbard@kettering.edu

Michael M. Wood, who is originally from Flint and is the former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, will offer the Commencement address when Kettering University hosts graduation ceremonies at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 13.  The event is open to the public in the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center.

Kettering will graduate 198 undergraduate and 97 master’s candidates during graduation services.  About 180 undergraduates and 55 graduate students are expected to march at the ceremonies.  University President Stan Liberty will preside and Dr. Henry Kowalski, professor of Mechanical Engineering, will be the grand marshal.  Undergraduate student speaker will be Tyler Finnegan of Elyria, Ohio, who will earn a bachelor’s degree in Management. 

Here are the highlights of the upcoming ceremony:

Saturday, June 13, 2009, 11 a.m.
Connie and Jim John Recreation Center 
No tickets required to attend Commencement 
The event is free and open to the public
Allow 1 1/2 hours for the ceremony 
Presiding: Kettering University President Stan Liberty
Parking is free and available in all campus parking lots 
Information center will be located on the 1st floor of the CC (outside BJ's Lounge, behind the elevators) from 8:30 - 10:45 a.m.
There is no graduation rehearsal
Total graduates: 198 undergraduates, 97 master’s candidates 
Graduates expecting to march: 180 undergraduates, 55 graduate 
Expected number of guests: 1,600 
Faculty will host a light breakfast in the International Room, Fifth Floor of the Campus Center, 8:30-10 a.m. 
Recreation Center doors open at 9 a.m. for visitors to arrive and be seated 
Faculty and staff members assemble for the Processional between 10-10:55 a.m. in the Third Floor, Recreation Center 
Graduates assemble on the first floor of the Campus Center (just outside BJ's Lounge) between 10:30-10:55 a.m.  
Formal processional begins at 11 a.m.

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT: 1
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
Michael M. Wood
Former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden
Chair, Redwood Investments, LLC 

Michael M. Wood is a son of Flint.  He grew up in the area and attended Flint’s Whittier Middle School.  After graduating from Yale University, he helped found the leading media company for the housing and construction industry.  His national service included organizing a housing industry round table in 1984 for U.S. President Ronald Reagan and representing the United States during the presidential inauguration in Ecuador in 2003.  In 2006, Mr. Wood was sworn in as the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden.  

Ambassador Wood was very helpful in developing the international collaboration between Kettering, Linkoping University in Sweden and others that is currently creating a waste-to-energy bio-methane center at Flint's wastewater treatment facility. Mr. Wood was also instrumental in hosting the royal visit of His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, to campus on Sept. 26 last year.  Kettering will award Mr. Wood an honorary doctor of Humane Letters.  Read his bio (http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/storydetail.jsp?storynum=2882) and more about the “Crowning event” that brought a king to Kettering’s campus (http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/storydetail.jsp?storynum=2805). 

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SPEAKER: 1

Tyler Finnegan of Elyria, Ohio, is the undergraduate student speaker and will offer comments on “Resilience and Revolution” to his graduating class.  He will receive a bachelor’s degree in Management.  His co-op was at Delphi Corporation.  He is a 2005 graduate of Elyria Catholic High School in Ohio.     

A student leader and outspoken advocate for cooperative education, he has often represented Kettering in the media, including being interviewed by the New York Times for a national news story on the University.  At Kettering, Finnegan has been involved in Robot Leadership Honor Society, he was president of the Professional Leadership Honor Society, director of KSG Academic Council, a team leader for Student Ambassadors, an RA in Thompson Hall, an active employee at the Recreation Center, a regular contributor to the SuccessZone incoming student portal as the StickMan, College DECA, and a volunteer in the Flint community as part of Junior Achievement and Michigan High School DECA.  He also has served on numerous committees including the Friends of the Library and Archives, Commencement Committee and the WAG-GPA Task Force.   

He has accepted a full-time job at Guardian Industries and will join its leadership development program in Geneva, N.Y. 

OUTSTANDING THESIS AWARD: 1
The Outstanding Thesis Award winner for Spring 2009 goes to Brian L. Dorney of Holly, Mich. He is an Applied Physics major, whose co-op was at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Ill.  His thesis is "Hydrogen Storage by Adsorption in Polymer Materials.” His faculty adviser is Dr. Yuri Sikorski of Physics.  Dorney will be among those feted during the Commencement Honors Breakfast on June 13. 

PRESIDENT'S MEDAL WINNERS: 4
Willy Joseph, Freeport, Bahamas
Kelly Lynn Okapal, Sylvania, Ohio
Scott Michael Skelton, Belleville, Mich.
Abdrahamane Traore, Bamako, Mali, Africa

SOBEY SCHOLARS: 6
Willy Joseph, Freeport, Bahamas
Kelly Lynn Okapal, Sylvania, Ohio
Jarrad Pouncil, Flint, Mich.
Tracy Schmitz, Shelby Township, Mich.
Abdrahamane Traore, Bamako, Mali, Africa
Angela Tremble, Detroit, Mich. 

ACADEMIC HONORS:
Summa Cum Laude (97.0-100): 9
Magna Cum Laude (94.5-96.9):  18
Cum Laude (92-94.4): 28 

TOTAL GRADUATES, BY DEGREE:
Bachelor's Degrees
Applied Mathematics: 1
Applied Physics: 1
Biochemistry: 1
Business Administration: 4
Chemistry: 2
Computer Engineering:11
Computer Science: 2
Electrical Engineering: 31
Industrial Engineering: 20
Management: 4
Mechanical Engineering: 115
Dual Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics: 1
Dual Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics: 2
Dual Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering: 2
Dual Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering: 1
BACHELOR'S TOTAL = 198

Master's Degrees
Engineering: 23
Engineering Management: 6
Information Technology: 5
Manufacturing Management: 8
Manufacturing Operations: 38
MBA: 9
Operations Management: 6
Dual Engineering Management and MBA: 1
Dual Operations Management and Manufacturing Management: 1
MASTER'S TOTAL = 97

FOR MORE ON COMMENCEMENT, visit:
http://www.kettering.edu/registrar/commencement_information.jsp  

HOTELS/RESTAURANTS: Contact the Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: 1-800-24-FLINT or (810) 232-2211.

CAN WE HELP? 1-800-955-4464, ext. 9585, or 810-762-9585. 

Written by Patricia Mroczek
810.762.9533
pmroczek@kettering.edu

“Waste not, want not.” Grandma’s advice is still good today. General Dynamics is trying to heed that advice by working with Kettering researchers to identify the most efficient strategies for harvesting wasted heat energy in propulsion systems.

Approximately one third of the heat produced from combustion in an internal combustion (IC) engine is converted into mechanical energy. The other two thirds are lost through the cooling and exhaust systems. Utilizing this wasted heat could improve fuel economy in automobiles and reduce energy consumption in IC engines.

Dr. Bassem Ramadan, professor of Mechanical Engineering and Dr.Yaomin Dong, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering, are working on the General Dynamics research. Ramadan and Dong’s role is to review existing waste energy recovery technologies and to perform mathematical modeling and computer analysis of waste heat recovery systems.

“They are specifically interested in land vehicles that use a lot of energy,” Ramadan said. General Dynamics wants to determine whether:

Electricity can be generated from engine waste heat using a thermoelectric device;

If it is feasible to use a heat exchanger to generate steam which would power a steam turbine that could be coupled to a crankshaft;

If waste heat can be used to run a Stirling engine (external combustion engine); and

Can waste heat be applied to absorption refrigeration systems?

For Phase One, Dong and Ramadan focused on the thermoelectric device because it does not require complex machinery. “It is a simple device that has no moving parts and requires no maintenance,” he said. “We are already seeing some promising results.”

A thermoelectric device converts thermal energy into electricity. By applying a temperature difference across the thermoelectric device, an electric voltage is induced. The higher the temperature difference applied across the material, the higher the voltage.

“The electricity generated by a thermoelectric system could be used to power other electrical systems in the vehicle or to charge a battery,” said Ramadan, “allowing alternators to work less, draining the battery less, and also requiring a smaller cooling system.”

“Currently thermoelectric devices have a low efficiency,” he said, “but with new materials research, it is shown they can achieve significantly higher efficiencies.”

If the new materials can improve efficiencies, they could potentially be used in a variety of applications from vehicles to furnaces and generators – anything that gets hot, Ramadan said. In passive use applications it could even be used in homes to generate electrical energy, Ramadan added.

In Phase Two of the Kettering research for General Dynamics, Ramadan and Dong will put these thermoelectric generators to the test – literally – by moving from the computer simulations to the lab.

The proposed Phase Two involves developing a test stand to characterize a thermoelectric generator (TEG) using exhaust gases which will be used as the heat input, building a heat exchanger to allow the transfer of heat from the hot gases to one side of the thermoelectric device and from another side to a heat sink, and testing the performance of the thermoelectric generator under realistic operating conditions.

Their goal is to determine the controlling parameters and optimize the design of the TEG including size, weight, location, and electrical interfaces for future testing in a vehicle outside of laboratory conditions.

Written by Dawn Hibbard

810.762.9865

dhibbard@kettering.edu

Kettering University’s SAE Baja team weathered the weather, broken parts and flat tires to ALMOST make it through the endurance race, but accumulated factors stopped them in their, uh, tire tracks, as it were.

They left Kettering on a Wednesday (April 15) around 8 p.m. with a small detour to Ohio to pick up team members and then made the 15-hour drive to SAE Baja Alabama 2009 at Auburn University.

By Friday (April 17), the team was at the competition site at the test facility for the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT), a working engineering test site. Friday’s events included Tech Inspections, design judging and cost reviews, and anticipating what they would need to fix to meet the 2009 rule changes. Saturday (April 18) events included acceleration, braking, traction, suspension and maneuverability. 

Their first night in Auburn, the team walked the endurance track to prepare for the four-hour endurance race.  The track was 2.28 miles for one lap and presented what Team Co-Captain Karen Dernar termed “a very intense and heavy duty course.”

“They incorporated all the challenges that off road enthusiasts would experience, such as river crosses, whoops, hill climbs, rock crawls, extreme hills and jumps, railroad track and rocks,” she said. The weather was warm and sunny through Saturday, but the area experienced rain Sunday, making the course very muddy – “but that’s what Baja is all about,” said Dernar.

Saturday the team passed technical inspection with only one bolt that had to be replaced, so there were no major changes to the vehicle, according to Dernar.  The Kettering vehicle ran all the events: acceleration, braking, traction, suspension, and maneuverability without a problem, she said.  They also all had an opportunity to run the practice track Saturday night which resulted in a last-minute front suspension re-design.

“After taking a few runs on the practice course, we found a small break that needed a quick fix,” said Dernar. “We also noticed that we needed about 1/8-inch more of clearance between our front uprights and the wheel hubs. We came up with a solution for shortening our uprights by 1/8-inch. What should have been a quick fix affected the entire front suspension, and we needed to make new steering control arms to fit the changed design.”

Working until 3:30 a.m. to make the new parts work and aligning the car so the front wheels were not toed in or out, the team started the final day on little sleep.      

On Sunday, when they had an opportunity to drive the car, they noticed a considerable improvement in the car's turning radius, to their advantage.  The re-design proved to be a great idea, Dernar said, and resulted in improved maneuverability.

The four-hour endurance race began at 8:45 a.m., and the first lap took the Kettering vehicle 15 minutes to complete.  After the first lap, they decreased their lap time to about eight minutes.  After four laps they experienced a flat tire, like almost every single team, according to Dernar. 

Finishing the fifth lap, they drove into the pits and plugged the tire. “We completed two more laps, but during the seventh lap our driver experienced a wheel lock-up. We checked it out in the hot pits, and noticed the break in the upright, putting the team out of the competition with only 45 minutes to go in the race,” she said.

“Had we had more sleep the night before and more energy, we would have been able to fix the upright and get back into the race for only about one or two more laps,” said Dernar, “but since we were happy with our progress and achievements up until that point, the team unanimously decided to call it a day.”

Overall, the team was happy with their performance in Alabama coming in 60th place out of 100. They are using what they learned about their vehicle in Alabama to improve their next Baja design.

Written by Dawn Hibbard

810.762.9865

dhibbard@kettering.edu

Stephen Heinze’s cooperative education experience as a Kettering University student is one that may have not been very, well….transparent to him upon his arrival on campus in 2004. 

But before his first academic term ended that year, the St. Louis, Mo., native secured a rather unique cooperative education engineering position at EnTech Engineering Inc. in his hometown.

EnTech was founded and is owned CEO Gary J. Weil, who graduated from GMI in 1973. EnTech is a professional engineering firm specializing in the use of remote sensing, non-destructive technologies to locate hidden subsurface targets and defects in energy, transportation, manufacturing, electronic and environmental infrastructures.

EnTech’s Registered Professional Engineers have conducted more than 2,500 projects worldwide and in more than 30 states. Additionally, the company has earned more than 10 non-destructive testing (NDT/NDE) patents and its engineers have published more than 70 international technical papers and standard books.

During his time as a co-op, Heinze worked on some compelling projects and became a remote sensing specialist, mastering testing technologies such as infrared thermography—a technique that can produce an image of the invisible infrared energy emitted by objects due to their thermal conditions—and ground penetrating microwave radar, which is used to characterize subsurface objects in terms of their depth, size, volume and consistency.

Remote sensing is the art and science of obtaining information on phenomena without making contact with it. This technique involves the detection and measurement of energy flow patterns using devices and technology that are sensitive to electromagnetic energy such as light, heat and radio waves. Some of these devices include cameras, thermal radiometers and microwave transceivers.

A number of the assignments required Heinze to work onsite during his co-op rotations at heavy and light industrial facilities, petroleum and chemical refineries and at national infrastructures such as roadways and bridges using these techniques.

This experience helped him to refine and strengthen his expertise of these resources. During one period of his co-op rotation, he employed them on a highly sensitive project at the U.S./Mexico border in conjunction with the U.S. Federal Government.

When Heinze approached EnTech about a co-op, Weil said, “We could see the spark that I remembered at GMI, one that empowers students. He wanted to use his education in a new and imaginative way, learn new tools and use those tools to explore new paths. I could tell that no one was going to stand in his way.”

Once Heinze finished his co-op and graduated from Kettering, EnTech made him an offer to become a full-time engineer and the decision was simple.

“I never thought I would use my Mechanical Engineering degree from a mile above the earth,” he said, referring to an aspect of his position that requires him to collect data from sensors mounted beneath the belly of a helicopter. He also said that since joining the company, “EnTech has become my lifestyle and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Weil also said that Heinze has been instrumental in utilizing new computer tools to make the organization’s remote sensing techniques more efficient and cost effective for EnTech’s clients. Additionally, one of Heinze’s friends from Kettering—Steve Schwartz ’08, co-owner of Alfa Jango, a website development company—helped EnTech by designing the company’s website from the ground up.

“Our next step is to merge Stephen’s natural enthusiasm for people with his desire to harness the power of our remote sensing technologies to market our solutions to the world in need of them,” Weil said.

“His first challenge in this area will encompass the organization’s ability to locate leaks and erosion sinkholes caused by aging water and sewer pipelines in hundreds of miles of distribution pipelines per day in drought-plagued areas such as the state of California,” he added.

Now that his career path is clear, Heinze hopes to continue the learning process as an important contributor at EnTech. His most recent project worked to help drought-plagued areas in Texas, which he found particularly rewarding.

“Working for the company as a co-op first allowed me to engage in projects that are typically reserved for project managers,” he said. “It’s been such a great experience to receive exposure to so many challenging and important projects. I’m very appreciative of the opportunity EnTech has provided me so early in my career,” he added.

To learn more about EnTech Engineering Inc., visit http://www.entechworld.com/ or call (636) 207-0200. For more information on Kettering University’s Cooperative Education Program, visit http://www.kettering.edu/ or call (800) 955-4464.