Senior Designs | Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

Senior designs are also called capstone projects, which are

Intensive and comprehensive,
Require teamwork,
Involve real-world problems, usually supplied by companies and entrepreneurs,
Follow the Systems Engineering principles and processes,
Require integration and application of IE knowledge and tools, and
Involve interactions with users, clients, and other stakeholders with effective written and oral communication.

The projects span two semesters:

First Semester (IE 404): Beginning with the development of a project plan, whereby students define end-user needs, client needs, requirements and constraints, and performance measures. Proceeding through concept design.

Second Semester (IE 422): Conducting preliminary design and detailed design (system- and component-level), testing, evaluating, and validating the design, and delivering designs to clients.

Each team ultimately produces a working prototype or system design that is tested and refined to meet the project objectives. The project could be for any system but should be comprehensive. The design should follow the Systems Engineering principles and procedures.

2023/2024 Projects

https://generoushouseknox.org/home

Enhancing their reach through optimization

Serve Knox Saturday faces challenges in overcapacity and mid-week logistics, impacting the efficiency of its volunteer-based operations. The goal is to optimize the warehouse layout, implement efficient shelving systems, and design streamlined processes to enhance capacity management. This holistic solution aims to improve overall effectiveness, ensuring the seamless delivery of essential resources to families in need.

John Deere

Receiving Audit Improvement

Service Parts Improvement

Weld Capacity Planning and

Inventory Optimization

There were 3 teams for John Deere, each with a different task at hand.

Develop a scalable and standardized receiving audit for purchased parts then deliver data analytics and technology solutions for the audit process.
Develop a new layout for the service department, developing new standardized operating procedures and introducing new inventory management techniques.
Create a schedule optimization tool to meet customer requirements and reduce overproduction by establishing buffer stocking levels for mower decks.

UTK Reliability & Maintainability Center
Dr. Klaus Blache

https://rmc.utk.edu/

This project will functionalize the Future Concepts Room/Laboratory and standardize Safety and Ergonomics testing methods.

https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/catalog/services/Assembly-VAS.html

There were 2 teams for Eaton Assembly, each with a different job to do.

The first team sought to ease training for Eaton employees and to create a combined knowledge base for the Company. The desired standard work and training documents, with a realistic time to train, will be used to train new hires. The current documentation will be consolidated then revised for the 7241 Assembly Line. With this effective training material, Eaton also hopes to reduce attrition and increase the pass rate for trainees based on their in-house quality standards.
The second team used the current documentation to consolidate then revised for Fabrication Press 7025. With this effective training material, Eaton also hopes to reduce attrition and increase the pass rate for trainees based on their in-house quality standards.

https://jtekt-na.com

The 404 team sought to ease training for Eaton employees and to create a combined knowledge base for the Company. The desired standard work and training documents, with a realistic time to train, will be used to train new hires. The current documentation will be consolidated then revised for Fabrication Press 7025. With this effective training material, Eaton also hopes to reduce attrition and increase the pass rate for trainees based on their in-house quality standards.
The 422 team will improve the usage of the Gagetrak software that houses gage and gage calibration records by developing improved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), developing and conducting training to these new SOP’s and designing an auditing program to ensure conformance to these new standards

EPRI and Volkswagen

Design an energy storage system (ESS) to allow Volkswagen to reuse Electric Vehicle Lithium Ion Batteriesto supply grid electricity during peak demands.

https://www.theitco.net/

This project will allow The IT Company to better serve their customers by showing essential data about the service that ITCo. provides to their customers. This data will be easily digestible and have real-world applications as well as be quick to compile.

https://www.wabteccorp.com/rail-infrastructure

This project will improve the 4Star machining process by increasing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), increasing First Pass Yield (FPY) and improving the overall machine performance.