News Release

These are but two of the real-world designs created by senior mechanical engineering majors at The Johns Hopkins University, in collaboration with industrial and government sponsors. On Friday, May 19, these budding engineers will display the final versions of their Department of Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Projects during a morning-long event in Room 214, Maryland Hall, on the Homewood campus in Baltimore.

Note: Members of the media are welcome to attend the event, as well as to interview or photograph student teams in the days prior to the event. Call Ken Keatley, (410) 516-7907, to make arrangements.

According to William Sharpe, chairman of the department, the Senior Designs Project provides a capstone design experience in which the students draw upon earlier course work. The fall semester is devoted to conceptualization and design, and the spring semester to the construction and testing of a prototype.

"This project provides an excellent opportunity for our students to work on important problems and gives them valuable preparation for their future," Dr. Sharpe said.

Among the most important components of the course are the students' interaction with practicing engineers and involvement in all phases of a project, including purchasing, scheduling and machining. Sponsors contribute, on average, $5,000 per project, which is used to fund all aspects of design and construction. The sponsor also designates a contact engineer to review the project and provide technical support to the student teams.

A sampling of this year's Senior Design Projects, and a list of team members and sponsors, follows:

* Project EZ-Arm - A means to quickly fasten and release the blade of a power saw, without requiring a separate tool for tightening the blade clamp. Students: Jodi Fortney, Hayden Huang, Kevan Kudo Sponsor: Black & Decker Corp.

* Project Headsup - To increase productivity, this team is seeking improved techniques to stop fast-moving roofing shingles at the end of an automated production line. Students: Gregory Asadourian, Ken El-Sherif, Nitin Moholkar Sponsor: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp.

* Project Smush - An improved model of a children's safety helmet, suitable for both bike riding and playground use. Students: Abraham Faddoul, Kelly Kiehm, Maryann Ray Sponsor: The Johns Hopkins University Injury Prevention Center

* Project Cracked - A mechanism to assist in the non- destructive evaluation of crack formation inside steam boiler headers in fossil-fired power generating plants Students: Joshua Houck, Andrew Lazur, Yit-Shun Leungki Sponsor: Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.