Join us at Penn State Altoona for our Spring Engineering Showcase on Friday, May 2, in the Wolf Kuhn Theatre of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts.
Meet our engineering students and faculty and see firsthand how Penn State Altoona's engineering programs use knowledge from the classroom to enhance many organizations’ operations, products, and services. Students will present capstone project presentations and provide demonstrations in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering, and Rail Transportation Engineering.
Watch the Presentations on Zoom
Spring 2025 Engineering Showcase Schedule
Coffee, Tea, Water
7:45–8:00 a.m.
Wolf Kuhn Theatre, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts
Welcome & Housekeeping
8:00–8:05 a.m.
Vice Chancellor Remarks
8:05–8:20 a.m.
Dr. Leigh Ann Haefner, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Tennis and Pickleball Training Machine
8:25—8:50 a.m.
Casey Hess, Travis Meckley, Ivan Underwood
The tennis and pickleball training machine is an improvement upon traditional ball-launching machines as it offers a hands-free method of switching between sport modes. In addition to a maximum ball speed of above 70 miles per hour, the machine can recreate realistic in-game situations by changing the horizontal and vertical launch angles. Users are given a handful of preset routines to train with, all designed to improve their tennis and pickleball skills.
Moving Ball Maze
8:55—9:20 a.m.
Ketan Arbuckle, Riley Dibert
Design of the mechanical and electrical systems required to create a rolling ball maze that can change its layout based on user input and fabrication of a working prototype for large-scale entertainment.
Break (Continental Breakfast)
9:25—9:45 a.m.
Golf Cart
9:50—10:15 a.m.
Jeremy Scott, Dominic McCaffrey, Aiden Taylor, Alex Taylor
A 72-volt electric golf cart that the lab staff will use to transport packages and tow a cart around the Penn State Altoona campus.
Jet Ski Ramp
10:20—10:45 a.m.
Cole Keiper, Levi Keiper
A powered jet ski ramp for the bed of a truck that can load and unload a jet ski in less than fifteen minutes.
Rail Transportation Engineering: Cresson Yard and Wye Overhaul Project
10:50—11:50 a.m.
Garret Blum, Nicholas Gibbon, Samuel Risjan, Calvin Spector, Eric Ulyas, Nihal Wadkar
Involves constructing a new transload facility and connecting track at the Cresson Wye and Yard to enhance operational efficiency and connectivity for RJ Corman Railroad, including embankment removal, bridge modifications, and redevelopment of the old engine service area.
Lunch
11:55 a.m.—12:50 p.m.
Electro-Matic Interactive Transmission Display
12:55—1:20 p.m.
Nathan McDermott, David Ogoh, Jonathan Tedrow
The project is an interactive educational device used to teach new engineering students and the general public about power transmission, mechanics, and engineering principles. It contains an interactive electrified 3-speed automotive transmission and interactive manual 5-speed automotive transmission, as well as informational tools and devices.
Compressed Air Engine
1:25—1:50 p.m.
Alexander Cesani, Logan Sava, Aidan Smeltzer
A mechanical system capable of converting pressurized air to rotational energy via a piston-cylinder engine.
Penny Crusher
1:55—2:20 p.m.
Dom Landi, Sam Toso
The project should be able to imprint a paw print on a penny while also being crushed just like the machines located in the museums. The crusher is part of an interactive display in the Engineering Building.
Plastic Extruder
2:25—2:50 p.m.
Jack Karcher, Jacob Wetherill
Design and fabrication of a plastic extruder capable of converting PLA chips into at least three different-sized extruded strands.
Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar
2:55—3:20 p.m.
Griffen Josephs, Austin Rabits
The Split Hopkinson Pressure bar is a machine that measures the stress from the incident and the transmitted bar after a striker hits, then compressing the subject material that is held between them enacting a force. This force is collected on the strain gauges and sent to the oscilloscope via a Wheatstone bridge setup.
Break
3:25—3:45 p.m.
Gaming Table
3:50—4:15 p.m.
Nick Leberfinger, Ian Majetic, Kyle Nevard
An improved, less expensive version of a gaming table. The table will have a built-in sound system, fog machine, LED lights bordering the play area, and a tabletop garage door mechanism to enclose the play area and be used as a regular dining table.
Acoustic Outdoor Fireplace
4:20—4:45 p.m.
Nicholas Ashcroft, Asher Burkett, David Close
Outdoor fireplace that is fueled by propane with an integrated audio system that interacts with the flames. Entertainment in multiple forms that can be used simultaneously or separately.
Trailer Jockey
4:50—5:15 p.m.
Joe Dellapenna, Jacob Dick, Levi Long
The remote trailer jockey is a 4X4 electric powerhouse of a machine. It was designed to be able to move trailers without the need for a vehicle or manually moving it. This is all done by wireless control which is very easy to operate.
Demonstrations in the Force Lab
5:25–6:45 p.m.
Force Advanced Technology Center
