Date of Award

5-4-2026

Degree Type

Capstone Project

First Advisor

Professor Bahram Nassersharif

Abstract

This capstone project presents the design, development, and testing of an automated surface finishing system for industrial seals in collaboration with MagSeal. The motivation for this work stems from limitations in the existing manual sanding process, which relies on operator skill and introduces variability in surface finish, safety concerns, and operator fatigue. The objective of the project was to develop a compact, low-cost automated system capable of producing consistent surface finishes below 8 Ra while maintaining at least 80% process consistency, within a budget of $5,000 and a spatial constraint of 5 ft × 5 ft × 3 ft.

The final design utilizes an 80/20 aluminum extrusion frame supporting a multi-axis motion system. A lead screw-driven linear actuator controls contact force and positioning of a sanding assembly, while a belt-driven oscillation mechanism ensures uniform material removal. The sanding tool incorporates a motorized circular arm with abrasive material that is automatically indexed after each cycle. The system is fully controlled through an Arduino-based platform, with a Raspberry Pi interface for monitoring and operation.

Experimental validation was conducted using a profilometer to measure surface roughness before and after processing. Testing included five trials performed under controlled conditions using a manual lathe. Results demonstrated consistent reduction in surface roughness from initial values ranging between 10.7 Ra and 19.2 Ra down to final values between 2.4 Ra and 7.0 Ra, achieving a 100% success rate in meeting the target specification of below 8 Ra.

The project demonstrates that a compact automated system can effectively replace a manual finishing process while improving consistency, safety, and repeatability. Future work will focus on improving long-term durability by replacing 3D-printed structural components with machined metal parts and exploring closed-loop force control for enhanced process stability.

Comments

Team Name: Team 11

Company Sponsor: MagSeal

Sponsor Representatives: Richard Douleh, Jared luz, and John Westgate

Document Reference: URI-MCE-2026-FDR-011

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