Membrane Characterization Test Stand P09045

Team Members Joseph Ferrara Joseph Church Joelle Kirsch Jamie Jackson Team lead Mechanical Engineering Joseph Church Integration Joelle Kirsch Design Jamie Jackson Sensors and Integration Electrical Engineering Joshua Van Hook Labview and Integration

Project Description Project is done in correspondence with team lead’s thesis research on structural aspects of the alveolar sac within the lung Main Focal Point Design and Develop a test fixture for Membrane specimen Fixture must be capable of: Recording Load/Displacement Data Either be an equi-biaxial or pressure load system Collected Data must be able to be correlated into a Stress/Strain relation

Deliverables Main Deliverables Functional testing apparatus that meets project needs and thesis needs New Design including CAD Drawings and BOM Membrane test data Verification Model via ANSYS Secondary Deliverables (Time/Budget dependent) Redesign and reengineer for efficiency and accuracy

Key Challenges Decide on load type tester Design both accurate and cost efficient tester Avoid edge effects from material mounting within the system Lead time for ordering parts for project Machine work has long lead time and if CNC machines are used, must learn how to use them Access to Material may be sparse; must make sure to investigate all avenues of possibilities. Time Management New area of study for some