Session D: 3:30PM – 5PM
Engineering. Session D – Oral Presentations, Ballroom, Henriksen, Alumni House
SESSION D (3:20-5:00PM)
Location: Henriksen Room, Alumni House
Post-Aggregation Data Visualization
Todd Lainhart, Brigham Young University
Faculty Mentor Yuri Hovanski, Brigham Young University
SESSION D 3:30-3:45PM
Henriksen Room (1st floor), Alumni House
Engineering
Industry 4.0 is the current initiative being implemented in manufacturing lines. Part of the initiative is to connect the different systems and protocols of the factory together into a single connection that can communicate with all of them. This connection allows for data from various machines and systems to be stored together. This communication includes the aggregation, visualization, and implementation of data. Only through visualization and implementation does data become valuable. As manufacturing lines collect data, the volume of it can quickly become hard to decipher and collate by hand. Thus, a system of visualization is needed to enable workers and managers to gain value from the data stored. The research describes a possible solution and use for collected data through visualization and implementation. This study is done using PTC Inc. products, specifically through an established ThingWorx server with Kepware connections to Allen-Bradley and Siemens PLCs. Kepware is a system-connection software that translates different machine protocols and sends the collected data to ThingWorx, a web-based platform that aggregates the information sent to it. The data was visualized on a single platform called a dashboard in various formats such as tables, graphs, current value displays, and state-based displays. As there are several different formats of data continuously being collected, different implementations included a table that kept track of information from current and previous orders, a pareto chart that keeps track of defect type counts, and graphs that depict uptime and throughput. Because these visualizations are all contained within the same platform, a user can quickly use each capability without needing to move between screens or locations. This allows for greater efficiency and a faster response to errors and problems.
Neuromorphic Computing with Randomly Assembled Nanowire Networks
David Reinhardt, Brigham Young University
Faculty Mentor David Wingate, Brigham Young University
SESSION D 3:50-4:05PM
Henriksen Room (1st floor), Alumni House
Engineering
Neuromorphic computing utilizes analog electrical circuits that mimic biologic neural networks. This form of computing shows promise of outperforming classical computers at a fraction of the power draw. Recently, metallic nanowire networks have been investigated as potential neuromorphic computing devices, often composed of polymer-coated silver nanowires deposited onto a flat surface. Due to their 2D geometry, these nanowire networks are unable to accurately reflect the complexity of 3D biological neural networks. 3D nanowire networks have a higher concentration of interconnections than 2D networks which could allow for the training of more complex computational functions. We have manufactured large 3D Nickel Nanostrand networks and trained them to perform similarly to an XOR
logic gate. The networks are manufactured by suspending nickel nano strands in a resin matrix which is then trained iteratively using a combination of low and high electrical currents. We are currently refining the training algorithm for the networks and are simultaneously working to identify the physical changes that occur in the network as it is trained.
Thermal Management of Embedded Electric Vehicle Wireless Charging Systems
Conner Sabin, Utah State University
Faculty Mentor Abhilash Kamineni, Utah State University
SESSION D 4:10-4:25PM
Henriksen Room (1st floor), Alumni House
Engineering
High-powered wireless charging systems for heavy-duty vehicles such as semi-trucks encounter large temperature increases in high-power circuitry. The lack of knowledge regarding heat dissipation between roadway material and wireless charging systems is a research gap that has previously limited cost-effective and durable designs. Multi-physics simulation can determine power loss and heat rise within the system but is insufficient at determining heat transfer between the wireless charging system and the roadway due to nonlinear parameters and lack of traditional cooling methods. This simulation deficiency leads to results that approximate heat transfer to the roadway with low accuracy. Some researchers have improved simulation results by experimentally measuring thermal effects. Testing wireless charging systems embedded in concrete improves simulation results, but experiments are time intensive and costly. The purpose of this research was to utilize a novel testbed and simulation process for rapidly optimizing the thermal management of high-power wireless charging systems. This technique uses timely experimental results from a “fluidized bed” to refine nonlinear simulation results. A fluidized bed uses pressurized airflow to cause solid particles like grain, iron ore, or sand to behave like a fluid. This fluidization process is used to easily insert and remove wireless charging systems from a fluidized bed of sand as shown in figure 1. This process will allow researchers to obtain experimental thermal results between wireless charging systems and sand in a few days rather than the concrete-embedded time of two to three months. A fluidized bed is used for rapid prototyping of thermal management designs and results of sand-embedded tests are used in simulation to predict more accurate performance of concrete-embedded systems. This novel testbed and simulation technique will increase the speed with which accurate concrete-embedded thermal simulation can be created.
Demonstration and analysis of thin-cell electrochemical measurements in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic
Cameron Vann, Brigham Young University
Faculty Mentor Devin Rappleye, Brigham Young University
SESSION D 4:30-4:45PM
Henriksen Room (1st floor), Alumni House
Engineering
Analyte concentration in traditional low temperature electrochemistry is solvation limited, but in molten salts solvation limits can be much higher. However, voltammetry measurements, which are predominately used in molten salt, are bounded to diffusion-limited ranges (<5-10wt%). Advanced nuclear technologies such as electrorefining and molten salt reactors require sensors that can measure analyte concentrations >10wt%. Thin-cell electrochemistry is not limited in concentration as other electrochemical measurements, and thus is a promising option for measuring these higher (>10wt%) concentrations. For this reason, thin-cell apparatuses and techniques have been developed for use in molten salts. These apparatuses can take low-latency measurements and have been tested in concentrations from 1-50wt%.