Engineering Class Projects

At Harvey Mudd, the General Engineering major is highly robust. Our program consists of three main approaches to tackling Engineering: Systems, Sciences, and Design. The Systems appraoch focuses on how to apply mathematically model general system outputs and functions of their input. The Sciences are intended to give a broad education in engineering, where students explore Chemical and Thermal Processes, Mechanics, Electronic and Magnet Circuits, Computer Architecture, and Material Science. Lastly, the Design field teaches Professional skills necessary to apply theory learned in class. These skills include, teamwork, communication, project management, and design and prototyping. During my time at Mudd, I’ve worked on a variety of interesting projects to complete practical tasks. Below, I’ve listed a few of my favorite Engineering class projects.

By clicking the buttons below, learn more about the What, How, and Results of each project.

E4: Design & Manufacturing

Machinist Hammer

Overview:
Manufactured a functional machinist hammer from clear oak, AISI 1015 & 4340 steel, and nylon, following strict technical specifications. The experience inspired me to become a Harvey Mudd Machine Shop proctor.

Skills:
GD&T, Lathe, Mill, Bandsaw, Router, Taps, Digital Micrometers, HRC Hardness Tester, Laser Cutter

What?

• Crafted a functional machinist hammer from oak, steel, and nylon, adhering to precise GD&T specifications.
  
  
• Contributed to the Harvey Mudd College tradition of student-made hammers while developing hands-on machining skills.

How?

• Machined head stock to length using lathe and milling operations and verified with digital micrometers.
  
  
• Heat treated hardface, verified HRC Hardness for durability, and sandblasted for smooth finish.
  
  

Results

• Delivered a high-quality, durable machinist hammer that scored near perfect in quality of manufacturing.
  
  
• Became a Machine Shop proctor, training and mentoring new students to ensure shop safety.

Optimizing Neuroimaging Device

Overview:
Developed three mechanisms to improve Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) infrared (IR) light delivery to the scalp, addressing signal loss from thick or dark hair.

Skills:
Project & Design Management, Client Communication

Team: Brock B. | Annette C. | Gabrielle R..

What?

1. Fiber Optic Attachment with Custom Spring Cap: Threads IR light through thick hair to the scalp.
   
   
2. Hair Moving Pick: Moves hair away from covering the scalp.
   
   
3. Wider Mounting Base: Improves contact between the IR emitters and scalp.

How?

• Machined prototypes to verify proof of concept and refined iterations based on client input and professor feedback.
  
  
• Developed process routers for all prototype designs and documented findings into reports to be shared with the team and the client.

Results

• Increased signal clarity of fNIR device for users with dense hair types (3C, 4A), improving readings from critical to acceptable.
  
  
• Gained experience arranging and executing client meetings to determine client needs and pain points.

E79: Engineering Systems

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)

Overview:
Built an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to simultaneously measure depth and temperature at the Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station.

Skills:
LabVIEW, Soldering, Oscilloscope, PCB Assembly, DMM, Breadboarding

Team: Brock B.

What?

• Created a fully waterproof ROV to measure temperature across varying depths.
  
  
• Implemented P control for motor operation.

How?

• Modeled and simulated vertical motion of the ROV by changing the motor PWM duty cycle in LabVIEW.
  
  
• Soldered MPX5700 pressure sensor and NXFT15XH103 thermistor circuits to the project PCB.

Results

• Deployed ROV in a real-world application and collected reasonable environmental data.
  
  
• Gained hands-on experience in circuit breadboarding, soldering, and oscilloscope use.

E80: Experimental Engineering

Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV)

Overview:
Designed and deployed an Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) to map water depth at Baby Beach, Dana Point Harbor, CA using mechanical, electrical, and pressure-based sensing techniques.

Skills:
Arduino, MATLAB, Power Tools, BOM, 3D-Printing

Team: John S. | Georgia T. | Simone Y.

What?

• Measured underwater depth using three complementary sensing methods:
  

1. Hall effect sensor embedded in a 3D-printed winch and spool for mechanical depth measurement.
   
   
2. Pressure sensor calibrated for direct depth readings.
   
   
3. Motor-based voltage integration to estimate depth during retrieval.
   
   

How?

• Designed and created a lightweight, buoyant ASV frame using power tools.
  
  
• Waterproofed electronics housing container using epoxy and Parafilm.
  
  
• Iterated Arduino code on the Teensy 4.0 microcontroller in order to interface components.
  
  
• Performed magnetometer calibration on the ASV’s IMU.

Results

• Gained experience with the fast-pace reality of product development in a real-world environment.
  
  
• Learned how to effectively manage a project and adhere to time and budget constraints.
  
  
• Validated the effectiveness of low-cost ($50 budget), multi-sensor ASVs for generating high-resolution shore plots.

E85: Digital Electronics & Comp. Architecture (RISC-V)

2D-Digital Level

Overview:
Built a 2D-digital level using a microcontroller, a 7x7 LED matrix, and a triple-axis accelerometer with SPI communication. Gained experince with embedded software and signal processing in real-time.

Skills:
C/C++, SPI Communication, Calibration, Soldering

What?

• Created a digital level that maps tilt angles from a triple-axis accelerometer to a 7x7 LED matrix “bubble” display.
  
  
• Bubble motion indicated surface tilt in X and Y axes, stopping at matrix edges for extreme angles.

How?

• Programmed a RED-V ThingPlus microcontroller in C using SPI communication to interface with the accelerometer.
  
  
• Implemented real-time signal processing and calibration to ensure smooth, flicker-free bubble motion across the display.
  
  

Results

• Achieved accurate, smooth, and reliable bubble display, validating full end-to-end embeded system integration.
  
  
• Designed a sensitive and practical 2D-digital tool with immediate real-world use.

32-Bit Multicycle Processor

Overview:
Designed and implemented a 32-bit RISC-V multicycle processor in SystemVerilog usign Quartus and Questa. Developed experience in digital design, datapath and control logic, and modular architecture.

Skills:
SystemVerilog, HDL, Assembly, Machine Language, RISC-V, Quartus FPGA, Questa

What?

• Click here to see diagrams.
  
  
• Built a multicycle CPU capable of executing arithmetic instructions, managing memory, adn performing real-time instruction execution.
  
  
• Leveraged single-cycle processor components such as muxes, registers, adders, and control logic to construct a modular multicycle architecture.

How?

• Wrote SystemVerilog datapath connecting controller, memory, and register file modules.
  
  
• Systematically debugged by comparing assembly and machine language test benches against waveforms to correct errors.
  
  
• Consulted Quartus RLT schematic to ensure accurate I/O connections.

Results

• 32-Bit RISC-V Multicycle processor matched waveform expectations, indicating that the corret values where written to the correct addresses.
  
  
• Deepened understanding of RISC-V architecture, processor design principles, and real-time instruction execution.