Proposals

Abstract

The Chemical Engineering Machine Shop has a long history of facilitating one-on-one design assistance to both undergraduate and graduate students’ research, capstone projects, and club related fabrications. However, we have reached a tipping point where students are being turned away due to the technological limitations of shop equipment and associated time requirements. As a result, research groups within the department have been required to either search elsewhere for their fabrication needs or develop temporary makeshift solutions. Students are struggling to find locations that don't have extensive waiting lists for machine time. The addition of a computer numerically controlled (CNC) mill would greatly increase the number of students that can benefit from the shop’s improved capabilities. Ultimately this will provide greater productivity, freedom of design, and higher quality parts while simultaneously reducing wasted resources.