As Spring break ends, Proportion-Air ‘s sponsored capstone team at Purdue’s Polytechnic Institue is deep into this year’s project. Below is a CAD drawing of the parts that will make up the skeletal backbone of the mechanical shark. Each of the team members has been hard at work designing, laser cutting, and assembling the main structure that will support all of the electronic pneumatic controllers that will articulate the shark through the water.
Above: You can see the main structure of the shark coming together and the amount of flex the shark will have as it swims through the water. This was an in-house project that the students rekindled from years ago at Proportion-Air. The shark will have the ability to swim straight, left, right, and up and down. The pectoral fins will articulate controlling the depth of the shark and the whole thing will be covered in neoprene skin.
Capstone projects at Purdue Polytechnic Institute run for an entire school year, starting in the fall. The goal is for students to apply the skills and knowledge they’ve gained through their years in school to real-world experiences. The projects are structured like a project within a professional environment. Each team member has a role and milestones to reach. Academic mentor Dr. Jose Garcia-Bravo and graduate teaching assistant Sukesh Jagannathan Ranganathan provide support and guidance for the group.
Below: Two of the vertebrae and two pneumatic cylinders that will control the left and right motion.
The Team Hard at Work
This group of young engineers will spend the rest of this semester on prototypes before completing the actual model in the spring. They’ll exhibit the final product at the Purdue Polytechnic Institute Tech Expo.
Follow our social channels and this blog for updates on their progress.
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