Engineering Technology
Spotlight 2012
A publication of the MTSU Department of Engineering Technology
Issued: April 2013
Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence
Horace Johns, MTSU Business Professor and former
Metro Councilman, wrote an
article for the Green Hills local newspaper entitled Emotional Stability is Key to a
Person’s Success.” Engineering Technology’s Russell
Chair of Manufacturing Excellence Dr. Charles Perry
was recognized in the article
for the Technical Project
Management and Soft
Skills course he teaches every semester on Monday evenings. This course covers
two important aspects of soft
skills - self-awareness, with
its key element being the realization of how one’s behavior affects others, and, secondly, how one manages
his or her emotions.
Last September Daily News
Journal Reporter Doug Davis
wrote two articles regarding
Engineering Technology and
Chemistry faculty’s and students’ efforts to make use of
alternative fuels and mechanical engineering to develop
systems to reduce the use of
fossil fuels.
The old, painted Blue Bird
school bus that has been
popping up around MTSU’s
campus for several years
looks like it could be a lowbudget party bus. At times, it
smells like French fries. The
writing on the side says “Bio
Bus.” But even though it can
use alternative fuels, there
are no biological hazards or
dangers here.
“We wanted to run on regular
diesel, biodiesel and used cooking
oil,” said Perry.
The 20- to 30-year-old bus was
received from Transportation on
campus and was modified to have
three tanks, one for each fuel.
Professor Charles H. Perry, Ph.D.,
in front of the MTSU Bio Bus that
runs on French fry oil!
“Engineering Technology built the
Bio Bus and Chemistry
Professor Ngee Sing Chong (and
his students) analyzed the composition of the fuel ,” explained Charles
Perry, Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence in the Department of
Engineering Technology at MTSU.
In addition to the diesel fuel or Pet-
Chemistry Professor Ngee Sing
Chong and Professor Charles H. Perry with the Department of Engineering
Technology show off the motor of the
MTSU Bio Bus where Chong and his
students check the emissions. /Photo
by HELEN COMER/DNJ
ro, vegetable oil and B20 Biodiesel
can be used by the bus, at a lower
fuel cost.
“We are also able to switch fuels
on the fly,” Perry said. “Biodiesel
versus diesel is like 10 percent
ethanol vs. all unleaded.
Early on, Perry and his students
used canola oil.
“We purchased it in five-gallon
cans, which was just slightly
more than diesel fuel at the
pump,” Perry said.
But Perry said the trick with
cooking oil is to heat it and keep
it hot. A computer on the bus
will not let that tank be used for
fuel until it reaches the proper
temperature.
“We keep the heated transfer
lines and heat the actual tank,
using water off the engines to
heat to 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit,” he said.
The Bio Bus is funded by the
Green Power Campus Initiative
and includes the Chemistry, Engineering Technology, Agribusiness and Agriscience departments working together.
In the last few months a biofuel
processing room has been constructed at the Tennessee Livestock Center at MTSU, which
provides both processed cooking
oil and biodiesel for the bus. The
cooking oil is transferred to the
biodiesel processing room from
campus dining facilities.
Since 2007, Chong and his
chemistry students have been
processing different formulations and methods of biofuel
additives in their lab and testing
emissions.
“We have been testing small volumes of biodiesel produced in a
microwave reactor to optimize
conditions,” Chong said.
Students have been involved in the
project from multiple departments.
“I’ve been involved with Dr. Chong
for seven months,” said Jack
Nowotarski, a senior chemistry and
environmental sciences major.
“We’ve been using a new catalyst of
biodiesel. Most use Methanol, but we
use Butanol.”
Ouw Nguyen, a senior chemistry
major, has been working on biodiesel
fuels with Chong for the past year.
“Ouw is really good at applying
different techniques for analyzing
biofuels,” Chong said.
The object is improving both the
processes and the product
through research, student involvement, cooperation between
departments and making a name
for MTSU.
Engineering Technology (ET)
Robotics Team
Dr. Walter Boles, along with three
students who are members of the
MTSU Robotics team, traveled to
the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) to receive a
$500 donation in support of the
department’s participation in the
NASA Robotics Contest. The department is very appreciative of the
and some tight
maneuvering
with the
Formula One
Racer.
.
The scouts
really
enjoyed a
little handson activity
with the
Moonbuggy
Moonbuggy Team
left to right: Phil Stitch (Deputy General Manager, Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA). Robotics team members
Jordan Qualls, Kristin Zaloudek and
Aaron Thompson; Dr. Walter Boles (ET
Chair).
Experimental Vehicles
Team
The MTSU Boy Scout Merit Badge
University took place the last weekend in February. EVP members William Simmons, Jeremy
Posey, and Ryan Miller volunteered by assisting 16 scouts in
obtaining the Engineering Merit
Badge in a class taught by Dr.
Foroudastan in
February. The scouts worked on
a series of hands-on projects introducing them to the fields of Chemical, Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering.
The MTSU Moonbuggy Team competed in the 19th annual Great
Moonbuggy Race and was awarded
the NASA Systems Safety Award
for the best application of System
Safety Engineering. The award is
given for the safest approach to
building, testing, and racing. Dr.
Saeed Foroudastan is the faculty
advisor for the MTSU Moonbuggy
Team.
Society of Manufacturing
Engineers (SME)
ET students and faculty took part
in an industry tour at AEDC on
Friday, March 30. The tour was
coordinated by the student chapter
of the Society of Manufacturing
Engineers (SME).
The student chapter of the Society of
Manufacturing Engineers (SME) enjoyed their tour of Barrett Firearms
Company at the beginning of last
year very much. In fact, the tour
Quality and Economics
David Gore reported that within
his sections of ET 6390 Productivity Stategies/Lean Systems) and ET
4900 (Productivity Strategies),
there were 7 graduate students
and 2 undergraduates who earned
their certification in Lean Manufacturing with the completion of
their lean projects. Michael Gunnerson, Vice-President of Operations at Stinger Medical, Inc., gave
a seminar on how lean initiatives
are in use at his company. Stinger
Medical is a former winner of the
Lean Manufacturing award in
Rutherford County. Dr. Charles
Perry hosted a semi nar on the advantages of galvanizing steel for
major structures to prevent rusting
Rewarding Internship
Cody Chandler, an ET student,
started a position early in 2012 as
an intern at the Vi-Jon Corporation.
He worked with automation downtime reduction on two major product lines that produce rubbing alcohol and peroxide for the consumer
market. Mr. Chandler worked on
special engineering problems for his
Engineering Technology
Advisory Board
The ET Advisory Board and various committees representing each
concentration were very active in
the spring semester. Industry
members toured the VET lab facilities and participated in the ET
strategic planning meeting.
Twenty students received awards
The Engineering Technology (ET)
and scholarships. Prizes were given
Department held its annual Open
Engineering
to the top three presentations
House on April 25th. The event
Technology’s
based on ratings from our
included displays of 35 student
Open House
independent judges who were from
Capstone projects, Dr. Charles
various local area industries.
Perry’s wheel hub motor project,
Congratulations to all presenters.
and several experimental vehicle program (EVP)
Approximately 300 attendees from the MTSU
vehicles. The EVP vehicles included the
campus and Murfreesboro communities enjoyed the
Moonbuggy, Baja SAE, Solar Boat, and Formula
Open House.
SAE projects.
Construction Management (CM)
Land Development/Residential Building
Land Development/Residential
Building Concentration Team Finishes in the Top Ten Nationally
Our Land Development/Residential Building Construction Management team finished eighth out of 31
teams in the Residential Construction Management
Competition for four-year schools. The competition
MTSU’S 2013
competition
team members
From leftJared Newell,
Kyle Wix,
Kelvin Owens,
Andraus Hill,
Jason Harrison
Brad Johnson
was held January 22-24 at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
MTSU’s members of the team included team leader
Jason Harrison of Murfreesboro, Andraus Hill of
Nashville, Brad Johnson of Madison, GA, Jared Newell of Nolensville, Kelvin Owens of Nashville, and Kyle
Wix of Lafayette.
The competition is designed to give students the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to a
real construction project by completing a management
project proposal.
This year’s Utah Project Proposal included market
analysis, sales strategy, scheduling, estimating, infrastructure, house plans, sustainability, cash flow and
a management approach for the project.
“Our students did a great job at demonstrating their
knowledge and skills in estimating, scheduling,
safety, construction management, and building construction,” said Dr. Bud Fischer, Dean of the College
of Basic and Applied Sciences. “This competition is a
valuable “hands-on” learning experience that allows
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our students to see how all of these components come
together as part of a construction management project.”
David L. Hughes, President of the Nashville division of
Citizens Homes and Chairman of the Land Development / Residential Building Construction Management
Advisory Committee, says MTSU ranks “among the
elite programs in the nation. The competition … is a
real-life situation that we do every day in our industry.
… If this was a nationally recognized sport, MTSU
would be in the hall of fame.”
Team placements over the last ten years include finishing in the top ten nine times with seven of the nine
being in the top five.
Commercial Construction
Tom Gormley, Director of the MTSU Commercial Construction Management Technology program, was recently quoted in The Tennessean concerning the program. MTSU has one of 73 such programs across the
country that are certified in construction management,
according to the National Center for Construction Education and Research.
The construction industry really suffered during the
economic downturn; however, employment for construction management majors is improving. In fact,
the demand for construction managers has increased
to the point that large construction companies are
recruiting graduates with other degrees and providing
intensive training programs in order to fill their own
needs as quickly as possible.
In The Tennessean Tom explains the shortage this
way. “Clearly, the downturn has had an impact on
student enrollment in construction curriculums.
When mom and dad pick up the paper and see 25 percent unemployment in construction, they steer their
child into something else. But long term, I think the
industry is very viable, and we are going to need more
graduates.”
In addition, ACE progams in high schools promote careers in the architecture, construction, and engineering programs. Tom says, the ACE programs are designed to “find the brightest and best high school students, mentor them, and give them scholarships to
enter the construction industry.”
to
The student
chapter of the
Associated
Builders and
Contractors
had a successful Fall ’12 semester. In October, ABC Middle TN president
Ryan Peebles and South East Regional Chair Dan Brodbeck came
to speak to the student chapter
asking how they could show more
support and offer help in obtaining scholarships. In November
we held a site tour of Huskey
Supply, where wood trusses and
wall panel systems are made.
Our Spring ’13 semester has been
active. In February, ABC held a
meeting on campus where R.C.
Mathews Contractor, Kaitlin
Jones came to speak to students.
She talked of the work that her
company does and of her involvement in the ABC subcommittee
Emerging Leaders. Emerging
Leaders is for business professionals under the age of 40, but
is also a part of ABC Middle TN
(professional chapter).
Also in February students had
several opportunities to network
with local construction companies during 2 social events; an
evening mixer at the Flying Saucer downtown, and a lunch meeting at the main ABC office on
Elm Hill Pk. This was followed by
student members being allowed
to attend ABC’s “Day on the Hill”
where members go to Nashville to
meet with state legislators.
The chapter’s next meeting was
an event about safety in construction, and included demonstrations with PPE (personal protection equipment). Then in
March the ABC students give
their time for Habitat for Humanity Build.
In April, elections will be held for
ABC volunteers at MTSU’s
Centennial Habitat for Humanity
Blitz Build (L-R: ABC Student
Chapter President Damon Brent,
those members interested in becoming officers for the 2013-’14
term.
On May 11th we will host MTSU
ABC Social for Graduating Seniors, we wish all our graduating
members well and welcome them
and their families to join with us
in saying congrats.
All events are open to students
interested in the construction
industry, and joining an active
Dr. Ronald E. McBride, Professor Emeritus
Dr. Ronald E. McBride, Professor Emeritus, has retired ending 36 years of university teaching, 26 at Middle Tennessee
State University (MTSU). Dr.
McBride received his graduate
degrees from Texas A&M University-Commerce and taught at
Universities in Texas and Missouri before coming to MTSU in
1986.
Dr. McBride began his teaching
career in 1968, first teaching
public school in his home state,
Arkansas. He also worked several years as a design draftsman for a major tire manufacturing company. Within the
Department of Engineering
Technology he taught many different subjects while concentrating on developing an outstanding program in Manufacturing, Metrology and Machining. Outstanding Professor in
Page 4
ber of the Faculty Senate and
two years on the Steering Committee.
Dr. McBride has had great success in grant writing. He received, for his department, over
8.1 million dollars for cutting
edge technology, including CNC
machining equipment, software,
Industrial Technology for Rerapid prototyping equipment,
gion 3 (Southeastern United
3D non-contact laser scanning
States) by the National Associa- equipment, and a variety of metion of Industrial Technology
trology equipment.
(NAIT). He prepared two NAIT
His association memberships
reaccreditation self-study rehave included The American
ports for the department and
he was a frequent presenter at Association for Design and
NAIT national conventions and Drafting, American Society of
Safety Engineers, American Voa member of the certification
cational Association, American
committee.
Industrial Arts Association, NaDuring his tenure at MTSU, he tional Association of Industrial
served on several committees,
Technology, Epsilon Pi Tau, and
including Faculty Development Society of Manufacturing Engiand Student Grade Appeals. He neers.
also served 12 years as a mem-
New Faculty and Staff in 2012
Mr. James Lynn Stallings has
taught in the Engineering Technology Department for several years as
an adjunct
professor. In
2012 he joined
the faculty as
a lecturer. In
addition to his
career as an
educator Mr.
Stallings is a
businessman,
entrepreneur, farmer/rancher,
soldier, family man — you name
it, and more than likely he has
done it.
Mr. Stallings started his teaching career at Middle Tennessee
State University in 1979, teaching in both the Management and
Marketing Department of the
College of Business, and in the
Department of Engineering Technology (Industrial Studies) in the
College of Basic and Applied Sciences.
As an assistant professor and department chair of the Management Technology, Secretarial Procedures, and Computer Science
Department, at Austin Peay State
University, Mr. Stallings supervised 15 faculty members, with a
1.2 million dollar yearly budget.
Mr. Stallings has a broad array of
industrial and management experience as he worked for many industrial companies in varying positions during his career. You
might recognize some of the company names: Chromalox,
Murfreesboro Tool & Die, Paramount Packaging Corporation
(division of Bemis Plastics), and
American National Can.
Major Stallings has over 23 years
of active and reserve service with
the Air Defense Artillery (ADA)
Branch of the U.S. Army. He
served as a Missile Unit Commander (with nuclear Nike and
Patriot missile systems) and a
Basic and Advance Officer training course instructor trained in
Soviet tactics at the Air Defense
We have a new executive aide! Jennifer
Tweedie previously
worked for three years
for the TN LEAP Grant.
When the grant ended
in June of 2012, she
replaced Sally Swoape
as the Engineering
Technology executive
aide.
Jennifer lives in Readyville with her husband Mike and three boys, Gabe, Adam, and
Benny. Another son, Sam, just finished
serving our country in Afghanistan. He now
lives in New York.
Page 5
School, at Ft. Bliss, Texas, where
he taught military tactics and
strategy of warfare to young officers. Major Stallings declined a
teaching assignment at West Point
when he retired from military service in1993.
An alumni and Life Loyal Member
of the International Professional
Business Fraternity Alpha Kappa
Psi, Mr. Stallings served as the
Southern Regional Director, supervising over 460+ members in
Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. He also served on Fraternity's Board of Directors for eight
years and received the Distinguished Service Award.
Currently, Mr. Stallings is actively
involved in real estate remodeling
and property management (houses
and apartments), and runs a 162acre cattle ranch. He lives with
his family in Murfreesboro and
has been married to Susan Hartman Stallings for 19 years. They
have one daughter, Kayley, who
attends Central Magnet School in
Murfreesboro.