National University Rail Center
MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
–
Undergraduate Research Projects
Pasi Lautala and David Nelson,
Michigan Technological University
NURail Annual Meeting
Chicago, IL
June 3-4, 2015
Slide 1
NURail Center
Overview
• Senior Design / Enterprise structure
• Diverse projects and students
• Center Beam Railcar Conversion
• UP Shunt
• Wayne Industries Warehouse Plan
• Ongoing and Future Projects
Slide 2
NURail Center
Slide 3
NURail Center
Senior Design / Enterprise Structure
• Senior Design
– Typically a two-semester program
– Term I: Research, design, and analysis
– Term II: Prototype construction and validation
– Teams of 4-6 students (all seniors, but potentially from
multiple disciplines)
– Industry sponsored
• Enterprise
– Undergraduate student-driven companies (20-100 students
working on multiple projects)
– 25 enterprises in various departments
– 2+ year program
– Potential for multiyear projects
– Industry sponsored
Slide 4
NURail Center
Project Coordination
Weekly progress
meeting:
-Status updates
-RFI Responses
RFI submitted to
faculty and industry
advisors 48 hrs
prior to weekly
meeting
Meeting minutes
and action items
circulated day after
progress meeting.
Project Work
Slide 5
NURail Center
Recent / Current Student Projects
Project
Majors
Sponsor
Locomotive Sand Level Sensor
EE
Union Pacific
Type E Coupler Redesign
ME, MSE, CE
RTP (Amsted,
BNSF, TTCI)
Grade Crossing Surface Perf. Evaluation
CM, CE
MDOT
RTP Promo Video
HU, SBE
RTP
Intelligent Grade Crossing Signal Maintainer
EE
Union Pacific,
Norfolk Southern
Centerbeam Rail Car Conversion & Box car
insulation
ME
RTP (E&LS)
TEN Market Study
EE, SBE
Tech Exp. Network
System to Measure the Effectiveness of a
Rail Shunt
EE
Union Pacific
Wayne Industries Warehouse Expansion
CEE
Wayne Industries
Slide 6
NURail Center
Locomotive Sand Level Sensing
• Dangerous conditions
o Wet, slippery, high risk
of falling
• Wasted man-hours
o Checking/Filling tanks
that are already full
o Can’t leave yard, if
uncertain levels
• Large chance of error
o Looking in a small hole
with a flashlight
Slide 7
NURail Center
Solution – Ultrasonic sensor with waveguide
tube and digital readout.
• Piezoelectric Crystal, 128 kHz
• Stainless Steel Housing, range 4 inches –
10 ft
• LED Display Board
• Can be Retrofit to Older Locomotives
• Future upgrades could talk with rail yards
and sanding towers.
• Perforated PVC waveguide
Slide 8
NURail Center
Center Beam Rail Car Conversion
• Thousands of idle centerbeam
railcars stored in UP of
Michigan (at least was…)
• Demand for other types
– Frac sand..
• Objectives
– Load capacity
– Complexity
Center beam railcar
– Time
– Cost
– Rail weight constraints
Slide 9
Center beam railcar
top angle
NURail Center
The Conversion
Slide 10
Conversion process
NURail Center
Prototype Design & Testing
Geometric model of
prototype
Prototype testing setup
Slide 11
NURail Center
UP SCD SHUNT – MEASURING THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF A RAIL SHUNT
Purpose
• Test and calibrate equipment
• Improve accuracy
• Provide protection
• Enabling automation
Method
• Performed using two rail clamps
connected by wire
• Hard-wired (no resistance)
• Low-resistance (0.06 Ohms)
Problem
Rail Shunt Clamp (0.06 Ohms)
• Appropriate resistance is not always achieved
• Corrosion issues
• Inadequate clamping force / failure of shunt device
Slide 12
NURail Center
Proposal
•
•
•
•
•
Kelvin Bridge
Multiple point clamp
Custom electric circuit
Microcontroller
Instant feedback and status
Problems
•
•
•
•
•
Compatibility with existing track systems
DC and AC signals
Frequencies
Durability and Reliability
Accuracy of device
Original Modified Shunt Clamp (0 Ohms)
Laboratory outcomes
• Kelvin Bridge must use specialized power sources
• Microcontroller recalibrates device before each usage
• New shunt clamp parts machined from stainless steel
and high grade plastic.
Slide 13
NURail Center
Laboratory outcomes
• Power source works
• Results in progress
• Fine tuning and
filtering in progress
Conclusion
• Acknowledgement of good
shunt connection possible
• Existing rail shunts can be
modified
• Accuracy of calibrations
• Safety improvements
• Other future applications
for automation
Prototype circuit for testing
Slide 14
NURail Center
Wayne Industries Warehouse Expansion
Rail Served Warehouse on site of current Kroger facility and
strip mall
Slide 15
NURail Center
Slide 16
NURail Center
Slide 17
NURail Center
Slide 18
NURail Center
Ongoing and Future Student Projects
Project
Majors
Sponsor
Redesign spike puller
ME, CE, MSE
BNSF
Insulation package for boxcar
CM, ME, MSE
WSoR
Yard Improvements, Saginaw
CE, SU, ENVE
Lake State
Railway, MDOT
Wheel Contaminant Sensor
MSE, CM, ME
NS, UP
Dye Penetrant Rail Flaw Detector, Winter
MSE, CM, ME,
CE
CN?
Peshekee Yard Expansion
CE, ENVE
Longyear
Slide 19
NURail Center
National University Rail Center
THANK YOU!
-
Center Beam Senior Capstone Design Team, E&LS
Railroad
- UP Shunt Senior Capstone Design Team, Tom
Bartlett, Union Pacific
“This project was supported by the National University
Rail (NURail) Center - a US DOT RITA University
Transportation Center"
Slide 20
NURail Center