Design and prototyping of two different mechanical testing instruments

The modern human society is largely being faced with complex engineering challenges that are not confined to any particular engineering or science discipline. These problems require innovative solutions with a multidisciplinary approach which draws on various concepts and knowledge base in an iterative process. The 'Engineering Clinics' at Rowan University a design infused, multidisciplinary, eight-semester sequence of courses in the College of Engineering. Inter/multi-disciplinary student teams engage in laboratory hands on activities focused on solving real world problems related to automation, additive manufacturing, embedded systems, renewable energy, artificial intelligence and biomedical technology to name a few. The aim is to prepare the students for highly evolving, competitive marketplaces. It also serves as an excellent testbed for conceptualizing and iterating engineering innovation and research. This paper will discuss two projects where multidisciplinary groups of students develop prototypes of testing instruments. Project 1 involved designing a pharmaceutical vial seal force tester in collaboration with a local equipment manufacturing company. Seal force is the integrity of the sealing quality of the rubber stoppers that cap the pharmaceutical drug vials. The usual process of testing it is by performing a compressive test. The entire prototyping was accomplished in various phases. Project 2 was an independent undertaking that was conducted over a period of 2 semesters during which the student-faculty team conceived and developed an idea for marketing a low-cost mechanical testing equipment. The idea was to build a tensile, compressive tester using off the shelf component, keeping the selling price below $2500 per piece. The end users were initially targeted to be academic institutions and low strength material testing industrial customers. The paper will describe the device design and development process and resulting ABET student outcomes achieved.