CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Engineering students present innovative projects at Mechanical Capstone Showcase

Students from the Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical Systems Engineering (MSE), Mechanical Engineering Technology - Robotics and Automation and the Mechanical Engineering Technology - Automated Manufacturing programs presented their projects at the Cambridge - Fountain Street campus on August 12.

The showcase also featured the demonstration of two Robotics and Automation capstone projects, supported by Eclipse Automation and other industry partners. Back in February, students pitched different project proposals and voted on which two would go on to be designed and manufactured. They formed two teams, Archimedes Automation and New Wave Robotics, to bring the two automated systems to life.

Archimedes Automation created an automated custom toy car assembly system. The customer can use a touchscreen to select the model and colour of the vehicle they desire. The system will then retrieve the components and lay down the chassis, wheels and the body and press-fit them together. The finished product will then be sealed in a bag and presented to the customer. 

"I liked seeing the work we put in turn into something real. We spent four months designing and building, and seeing it come together and seeing it work is really cool," said Archimedes Automation team member Noah Nogueira.

The toy cars were 3D printed, a process that took a lot of time and patience. Printing seven cars took thirteen hours. When designing the cars, students also had to ensure the shapes and textures worked well with the printer and the system. "We had to do lots of prototyping," explained Nogueira. "The different car models looked too similar at first. We had to make sure the cars had the right geometry to be printed, and that the bottom side was smooth enough for the other parts to clip in properly."

The other team, New Wave Robotics, built an automated system for engraving and packaging used golf balls. 

"When we started, this was just an empty table," said New Wave Robotics team lead Aiden Hurley. "Part of the issue is the vision. You're working on something for weeks without seeing immediate progress."

The system feeds the balls to a hardness tester and to a vision inspection to filter out unacceptable balls. Afterwards, they are guided to a laser engraver for custom marking. They are then sorted by hardness level and packaged for customers.

The Golf Ball Caddy Automated System ultimately earned New Wave Robotics the Best Project Award.

Other projects presented at the showcase included a plan for Tiny Sprout Machinery, a tool designed to make planting small gardens easier, as well as a dual-purpose mechanical windmill designed for off-grid rural environments, an automated system for storing, loading and unloading transport containers and more.

The Mechanical Engineering Technology - Robotics and Automation diploma program combines theoretical knowledge with applied skills in the control of robotic and automated equipment using electronics, programmable automation controllers, computers, hydraulics and pneumatics.

Conestoga's School of Engineering & Technology offers a comprehensive suite of programs with a wide range of credentials in areas that include architecture, civil, construction, mechanical and electronics. Conestoga was the first college in Ontario to offer fully accredited engineering degrees.