Humans are complex beings that take in a variety of information in a variety of different ways. Understanding that every person processes information in a different way is an important pathway in determining class structure and the method in which information is delivered to students. Students are typically multimodal learners but have a preference for certain learning methods over others. These include but are not limited to lectures, videos, reading, or having a hands-on experience. Professors have the opportunity to enhance the learning environment of their students by either tailoring their teaching method toward individual students, or by using a teaching method that acknowledges and uses each form of learning. The objective of this project is to develop a human ventilation model and corresponding video that can be used during the Case Application Session (CAS) within the Pulmonary Module at the TCU School of Medicine.

Hiller Measurements requested a mechanical design process to produce the internal chassis of their customized aerospace test equipment. The 3D printing team explored additive manufacturing to produce the generatively designed chassis using an MSLA 3D printer and photopolymer resin. The team improved production quality by standardizing support, raft, and print speed settings. Troubleshooting common 3D printing errors included reducing the effects of elephant’s foot, minimizing peeling forces, and adjusting FEP film tightness. Post-processing involved exploring the effect of cure time on material performance by utilizing dynamic vibration testing and tensile & compression testing. Final assessments were made by considering the ease of assembly of all parts and holders. 3D printing was determined to be an effective tool for production when the parts are designed for manufacturing and when the material properties are in accordance with its desired functionality. 

The reduction of CO2 emissions and the avoidance of Global Climate Change necessitate the conversion of the electricity generation industry to rely on non-carbon sources. Additionally, the mitigation of the duck-curve effects in microgrids requires the development of grid-independent buildings. Computations were performed for a cluster of one thousand grid-independent buildings in the North Texas area, where air-conditioning demand is high in the summer months. The electricity demand is balanced with energy supply generated from wind turbines, photovoltaic cells, or stored energy in hydrogen tanks. The results indicate that with one wind turbine operating, each building must be fitted with 10.2 kW rating photovoltaics capacity and a tank with 5.2 m3 of hydrogen storage capacity to satisfy the hourly demand of the buildings’ community. The addition of more wind turbines significantly reduces the needed PV rating but increases the required storage. Investing in energy conservation measures in the buildings significantly reduces both the needed storage capacity and the PV cell ratings.

The overall purpose of this project is to create a process for designing and manufacturing a Chassis (Mechanical Enclosure) for Hiller Measurements. As the Industrial Optimization sub-team, we focused on ways to optimize and fully document the process. The goal was to create procedures for utilizing 3-D generative design and printing software that most adults would be able to follow. Outside TCU students with little to no engineering background were brought in to test our procedures.

Trees provide essential ecosystem services to urban environments. Urban forests attenuate air pollution, mitigate flooding, reduce energy consumption, raise property values, promote community cohesion, and enhance quality of life. To maximize these services, colleges, universities, and associated campus organizations engage in a host of activities designed to enhance the structure and function of their urban forests. These activities include protecting and preserving trees, planting and maintaining trees, and offering outreach on the benefits of trees. Additionally, tree measurements present an opportunity to assess the extent to which campus trees provide important services to the university and the surrounding community. The purpose of this research is to quantify the ecosystem services of trees on the TCU campus. We recorded standard tree measurement variables, including trunk diameter, tree height, and crown width. Next, we used i-Tree Eco, an open source urban forestry software from the USDA Forest Service, to quantify the ecosystem services of campus trees. We calculated the following services: 1) pollution removal and human health impacts; 2) carbon sequestration and storage; and 3) hydrology effects, including avoided run-off, interception, and transpiration. Preliminary results indicate that campus trees provide a range of ecosystem services but vary by species and location. We recommend continued maintenance of campus trees and additional tree plantings to maximize ecosystem services.