By Joseph Altman Jr.
Arizona Daily Wildcat
What do an electric vehicle, a cannoli machine, a Formula One car and a trash-collecting satellite have in common?
They are all projects that members of the senior mechanical engineering design class have been working on for the past year, which will be on display to the public today.
Karl Ousterhout, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering, said the students have been working on these projects from the design stages all the way to the finished product.
Two baja vehicles that were part of the class recently entered a competition by the Society of Automotive Engineers in El Paso, Texas.
One of the vehicles placed eighth overall in a field of 60 college and university entries. The vehicle placed second in engineering design, safety and braking.
Another project is a band saw apparatus used to cut foam at proper lengths.
Ousterhout said the project is being used by a local company that has been having problems cutting foam products properly.
"These (have been) their project for the whole year," Ousterhout said. "The idea is to do the building, testing and iterating of the design."
The projects can be seen today from 3-9 p.m. in Harvill Room 150.