portfolio - michael d'abate

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Portfolio Michael D’Abate [email protected] 706-348-3230 Retractable Sensor Integration 2016 A vending machine company required 2 sensors to be added to their machine for inventory management. The sensors could not be tampered with or visible by the user of the machine and required a line of sight. A single actuator was used to move both sensors. The entire low-profile assembly fit within the machine’s existing structure, requiring only a minor changes to the existing part. I collaborated with students of various disciplines and earned the award for Best Mechanical Engineering Project at the 2016 Georgia Tech Capstone Expo.

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Page 1: Portfolio - Michael D'Abate

Portfolio Michael D’Abate

[email protected] 706-348-3230

Retractable Sensor Integration 2016

A vending machine company required 2 sensors to be added to their machine for

inventory management. The sensors could not be tampered with or visible by the user of the

machine and required a line of sight. A single actuator was used to move both sensors. The entire

low-profile assembly fit within the machine’s existing structure, requiring only a minor changes

to the existing part. I collaborated with students of various disciplines and earned the award for

Best Mechanical Engineering Project at the 2016 Georgia Tech Capstone Expo.

Page 2: Portfolio - Michael D'Abate

Engine Starting Simulator 2014

For testing of experimental lead-acid cell and supercapacitor combinations a fixture was

designed and manufactured by myself. A Denso starter motor drove a Toyota flex plate, and

compression was simulated via a Suzuki brake rotor and caliper pressurized by compressed air.

Engines of different cylinder count and compression pressures could be simulated with the

battery on the bench by changing the applied air pressure. I completed the project within the

specified timeframe and shipped it to Detroit for testing.

Glass Conveyor 2016

A glass manufacturing company needed a multi-directional conveyor system for staging

different sized plates of glass into a grid formation and then transferring them to another

conveyor for heat treating. I designed and drafted the system in SolidWorks and generated 2

dimensional files of all parts in the assembly to be sent to a machine shop.

Page 3: Portfolio - Michael D'Abate

Fuel Injector Research 2012

Upon deciding to turbocharge the Toyota 2JZ-GE inline 6 engine inside the 1969 MG

Midget with the Wreck Racing club, initial calculations proved the stock fuel delivery system

inept. With strict budget restrictions, simply purchasing higher flow rate EV1 injectors for the

stock manifold was not an option.

I led a team to determine if the much cheaper and higher flowing GM TBI injectors could

fuel the engine in a multi-port arrangement. It was found that the inductive strength of the coil

and the pintle spring were both too weak to switch the injector quickly enough to deliver low

enough fuel amounts at engine speeds below 1,500 RPM. Lowering the pressure to compensate

altered the spray, which would negatively have impacted atomization.

Page 4: Portfolio - Michael D'Abate

Automatic Transmission Controller 2011

The Mazda Miata at Wreck Racing was powered by a Lexus (Toyota Motor Company)

4.0L DOHC V-8, known as the 1UZ-FE. Toyota unfortunately never manufactured a manual

transmission that mounts to this engine. The budget limitations of the competition and cost of

more important upgrades prohibited an adapter kit. Thus, the stock A430E automatic

transmission was kept mated to the 1UZ and a controller was needed for the electric solenoids

that controlled the hydraulic valve for changing gears and locking the torque converter. The first

revision was created by the team’s electrical engineer, and had voltage regulation problems and a

messy board layout. I re-arranged the components in EagleCAD and had new boards

manufactured that eliminated the previous issues.