Congratulations to the winning Innovation Showcase project team
The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University is proud to recognize the team behind the “Investigating IIoT Components to Enable Smart Manufacturing” project as the winner of the Innovation Showcase People’s Choice Award, selected by visiting high school students from across the Valley, and the Technical Excellence Award, selected by industry partners.
Team members Eli Greetis, Harrison LaBell, Arick Nitzsche, Zack Okun, Dominick Trusko and Kirk Volin developed an Industrial Internet of Things-enabled smart manufacturing workcell that automates product handling, sensing, sorting, packaging and transfer across eight integrated stations. Sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Manufacturing Education Alliance, the project combines programmable logic controllers, industrial robotics, sensors, networked input and output systems and a supervisory control and data acquisition, or SCADA, interface to create a fully connected smart manufacturing environment.
“Capstone projects give students hands-on experience in real industrial settings while helping them build meaningful professional relationships with potential employers,” says Zack Okun, an undergraduate student in manufacturing engineering in the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks, part of the Fulton Schools. “These connections can lead to mentorships, internships, research opportunities and future careers.”
To make the project interactive and engaging for visitors of all ages, the team also created a modular candy-dispensing demonstration that showcased how smart manufacturing technologies can be applied in real-world industrial settings. The display featured an articulated robot, programmable logic controllers and full Ethernet networking to demonstrate the practical applications of connected manufacturing systems in a fun and accessible way.
Harrison LaBell, an undergraduate student in mechanical engineering systems in The Polytechnic School, believes that Innovation Showcase is valuable for both attendees and project presenters.
“Getting to see all of the engineering students’ work helps motivate me to pursue engineering,” LaBell says. “Presenting the project also helped me learn how to communicate effectively with people from different ages and backgrounds.”
The project was recognized for its technical execution, creativity and ability to engage showcase attendees through hands-on demonstrations while highlighting the future potential of smart manufacturing technologies.
“After college, I have a job lined up as a mechanical design engineer,” says Arick Nitzsche, an undergraduate student in manufacturing engineering in the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks. “The foundation ASU provided was essential in bridging the gap between theoretical concepts and the demands of the industry.”
The project highlights the impact of interdisciplinary collaboration and demonstrates how Fulton Schools students are developing innovative solutions that prepare them to become future engineering leaders.