Senior Design Project

Harrison Say

5/6/20241 min read

As part of my senior year at Louisiana Tech, I had the opportunity to work on a challenging and rewarding capstone project: the Turbine Shaft and Bearing Vibration Irregularity System. Our project was sponsored by Bentley Nevada, and we had the privilege of working with Mr. Michael Titone, a Technical Leader in the Machinery Diagnostic Services team. His expertise and guidance were instrumental in helping our team navigate the complexities of rotor dynamics and achieve our goals.

The project involved designing and implementing solutions to demonstrate the effects of asymmetric shafts and anisotropic bearing supports in a rotor system, which could be used for training in machinery diagnostics. This experience allowed me to apply my engineering knowledge in a practical setting while collaborating with my teammates and sponsor to tackle real-world challenges.

Throughout the project, I learned valuable lessons about design, prototyping, and teamwork. From SOLIDWORKS simulations to hands-on fabrication, this experience refined my problem-solving skills and deepened my understanding of mechanical engineering. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity, as it helped shape my career and gave me practical insights into vibration analysis and rotor dynamics.

I’m proud to share that my groupmates—Tyler Thibodaux, Hayden Brass, Jacob Baudean—and I won second place in the Green Project category for our efforts on this project. It was a rewarding and memorable journey that solidified my passion for engineering.

If your interested in taking a look at our final report I have it posted here: