This week, HyperStream made major progress with both sub-teams collaborating to advance our project!
First up, the CFD sub-team came together for an exciting workshop where we brought our projected design to life! Each member meticulously modeled an isolator with the three variable angles that the manufacturing team is working to implement in real life. Armed with our initial conditions, we’ve successfully generated simulations for each isolator, and the results are coming in. We’re diving deep into the data to see if it aligns with our physical expectations, and we’re using plots and visual contours to better understand how our design behaves under various conditions.
On the manufacturing side, things are moving fast and furious! After countless CNC machining sessions and chips flying left and right, the manifold is now complete. But the action doesn’t stop there—our team has already begun drilling orifice holes on the top plate with a milling machine, carefully ensuring the proper angles using a custom-designed angled vise. With precision and determination, we’re making sure everything fits perfectly within the tight tolerances required for the wind tunnel.
We’re locking in all the details as we get our design ready for testing. The excitement is building, and we can’t wait to see how our CFD results align with the physical components we’re bringing to life. Stay tuned as we enter the final stretch—both in the simulation and in the workshop!
Gainesville, FL, USA – FEBRUARY 11: Active ANSYS calculation of latest model Gainesville, FL, USA – FEBRUARY 11: Active CNC machining of the top manifold
The CNC machining of the top plate is officially done! Next up, we’ve locked in six hours of machining on Tuesday to complete the manifold. The final step? Drilling the angled holes in the top plate using an angled vise and manual mill. We’re also fully stocked with all the necessary fittings and connectors, bringing us closer to assembly. To streamline the process, Rohan 3D-printed the manifold’s sensor mounting surface for a final fit check before machining.
Instead of diving headfirst into complex simulations, our CFD team is taking a smart approach—starting with simpler geometries to fine-tune accuracy before scaling up. This method will ensure our Ansys simulations are rock-solid when applied to our final model. Another exciting update: Alex has finalized our LabVIEW VI, so all sensors are now set up and ready for data collection. With manufacturing, CFD, and data acquisition moving forward quickly, we’re entering the final stretch before wind tunnel testing.
Exciting times ahead—stay tuned as we push toward the finish line!
Gainesville, FL, USA – FEBRUARY 5: Top plate fully CNCed and ready to be fit onto the wind tunnel test section.Gainesville, FL, USA – FEBRUARY 5: Top plate in the CNC being machined to size. Coolant sprays onto the workpiece to avoid tool overheating while removing large amounts of material.
This week, our team made exciting strides! We successfully shaped our first workpiece to size with precise facing passes on a milling machine, marking a significant step toward achieving our design goals. Simultaneously, we’re putting the finishing touches on programming a LabVIEW VI to capture critical test data from the pressure transducers and temperature sensor, a key component of our testing setup. All purchases for the test equipment fittings have been finalized, giving us the confidence that we have every piece of the puzzle needed for the next phase. With these fittings characterized and acquired, and our first error-free CFD simulation completed, we’ve laid a solid foundation for reliable and repeatable results.
Next week, we’ll refine the workpieces further with CNC edge finishing to achieve the precision required for optimal performance. We’ll also run additional CFD simulations with increasing accuracy, pushing our design closer to final validation. Assembly is on the horizon as we prepare to bring all the components together into a cohesive setup, ensuring seamless functionality. Additionally, we’ll be reaching out to the temperature sensor manufacturer to confirm voltage range specifications, guaranteeing compatibility with our system. The momentum is building, and we’re excited to continue transforming ideas into tangible results—stay tuned!
GAINESVILLE, FL, USA – JANUARY 29: Jonathan and Rohan testing the fasteners to ensure proper connection to the vacuum pump.
Following our team’s split last week into two sub teams – the CFD and manufacturing sub teams – both groups hit the ground running to start the semester off strong! The teams have continued to meet separately in order to make progress in their respective tasks that can be shared during the full team meetings later in the week.
One of the largest hurdles for the CFD team throughout the IPPD project has been ensuring that we are following the proper steps to make accurate fluid models of our system. To tackle this, the sub team met with the lead CFD engineer for UF’s rocket team to ask questions and learn as much as possible about running Ansys simulations.
On the manufacturing side of things, this week the manufacturing sub team was hard at work machining and making preparations for future work. After taking the metal stock to the prototyping lab, the sub team worked on machining all of the top plates to size. The only remaining step is to use the CNC to machine the more complex geometries of the top plates. For that, the sub team met with UF faculty to make adjustments and finalize the CAM for the CNC plans. With this busy week wrapping up, the sub team is excited about looking onward to manufacturing the remaining parts and preparing for wind tunnel testing!
GAINESVILLE, FL, USA – JANUARY 22: Jonathan using the milling machine to cut the top plate to the appropriate size.
This week, the team returned from the winter break, recharged and ready to continue making progress! For the spring semester, the team split into two sub-teams – one focused on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and another focused on manufacturing and testing. This decision was made to simultaneously further progress on the two primary tasks: theoretical simulations and analytical testing.
The CFD team began with a meeting to establish a process for accessing the remote UF supercomputer, “HiPerGator”, and for setting up simulations within Ansys. Stay tuned for more progress to come as the team gets working on the first simulations of the spring semester!
The manufacturing and testing sub-team got started with inspecting and measuring our stock, seen below. Following this, some of the stock was taken to one of the manufacturing spaces where the team cut the stock into smaller sections with the bandsaw. After more machining, these smaller sections will become the interchangeable plates used for wind tunnel testing!
GAINESVILLE, FL, USA – JANUARY 14: Jonathan using digital calipers to measure the dimensions of stock in the IPPD lab.
As the semester wraps up, our project team reflects on an important turning point in our journey. This week, we successfully delivered our System Level Design Review (SLDR) presentation to a panel that included a visiting engineer from GE Aerospace, our project coach, and other IPPD teams. The presentation served as a comprehensive summary of our semester’s progress, where we showcased our design and outlined our plans for next semester.
The feedback we received highlighted key areas to refine and strengthen as we transition into the manufacturing and testing phases in the spring. The SLDR also provided an excellent opportunity to network with other IPPD teams and liaison engineers, sparking insightful conversations about industry trends and broadening our perspectives on the engineering world.
In addition to the presentation, we achieved several technical milestones this week. The stock materials needed to manufacture our top plates and manifold arrived, and we verified that our design aligns with the required tolerances. We also sourced additional components, including the vacuum pump and temperature sensor, which are expected to arrive before the spring semester begins.
It’s worth noting that Week 13 coincided with Thanksgiving break, when university operations were paused. Despite the break, our team remained committed to preparing for next semester, sending out our final status memo and completing evaluations with our coach. Although the project is now on pause for the semester, minor revisions based on SLDR feedback will continue during the break to ensure a strong start in the spring.
As we move forward, we are eager to begin manufacturing, testing, and addressing the challenges ahead. The progress made this semester has set a solid foundation for achieving our project goals, and we look forward to turning our plans into reality in the coming months.
Gainesville, FL, USA – DECEMBER 3: The team delivering our SLDR presentationGainesville, FL, USA – DECEMBER 3: Team members networking during SLDR day
Week 12 was the most anticipated week for our group this semester as it marked the week we would finally fly to Cincinnati, Ohio to visit our sponsor’s site. This is the first time (that we know of) that an IPPD was able to fly out of state for a sponsor site visit. We would like to thank the UF travel department, our sponsors, and everyone who worked to make this trip possible for us.
Our team arrived on Thursday 11/14 at 11:00 am after leaving for the Orlando MCO airport from Gainesville at 4:00 am. We had a pretty significant hiccup trying to check out our rental van for a number of reasons but we eventually resolved the problem after numerous phone calls about 3 hours later. We checked into our hotel in the urban basin of Cincinnati. After some exploration, a few meals, and a night of bonding the team finally went to sleep for our site visit on Friday morning.
The site visit was a breathtaking view into the operations conducted at GE Aerospace. Their massive site consisted of multiple warehouses and testing cells which I cannot go into detail about, but viewing the scale and intricacy of the operations there was truly a humbling experience. They also showed us the system that our project this year will have a direct impact on. Personally, it was invigorating to finally see and understand how the things we do as a simple student design team can have a great effect on the development of new technologies. Next, we had our usual team meeting with our liaisons and coach in person in a meeting room in the GE Aerospace offices and were treated to lunch. Our liaisons invited personnel from the facility and specifically some University of Florida graduates that we could network with and ask questions about their day-to-day. After, we took a historical tour of the learning center where we learned about what sets GE Aerospace apart from its competitors both historically and to this day. Finally, we toured one of the workshops where engines could be quality tested and repaired which gave insight into the diversity of jobs that are required for a company such as GE Aerospace to run efficiently and effectively. Throughout the tour, we asked engaging questions and got answers that could help guide us in the development of our careers. Overall, the site visit was even more instrumental to our personal and professional development than we had previously thought.
The final full day we had consisted of exploring the city and bonding as a team. We went to Findlay Market which is one of the oldest indoor outdoor markets in the United States and was recommended to us by a few locals and a number of GE employees. We ate great food there and had the opportunity to shop around for souvenirs. We took a hike around the city and went to a beautiful park on the top of a mountain which we don’t see too often here in Florida. Some of us tossed around a mini football I purchased from the Bengals team store at the stadium and had a great time bonding. Saturday was an early night due to all the walking and excitement of the past few days and we headed back to the airport Sunday morning around 12:00 pm. We drove back to Gainesville from Orlando and said goodbye until this Tuesday when we continued working on our System Level Design Review (SLDR) which we had to present to our peers that day.
This week, we presented our SLDR and got meaningful criticism regarding formatting, soft skills, and some of the content of our presentation. We really appreciated this presentation because it allowed us to have some outside voices that could weigh in on the way we present our project so we are prepared for the real SLDR on December 3rd. This week we have been working on sourcing stock so we can manufacture our first metal top plate by the end of this semester so we can begin testing as soon as possible after the break.
Overall, this week has catapulted us forward as far as our motivation to conduct meaningful work by manufacturing and collecting data to help advance technologies that can be used to advance humanity. We look forward to any and all learning experiences or challenges that come our way!
Cincinnati, OH, USA – NOVEMBER 15: Team photo at GE Aerospace headquarters for site visit.
As prototype inspection day approached, Hyperstream was finally able to showcase a physical concept on what we have been working on all semester. We have completed our 3D-printed models of the isolator wind tunnel chamber, the top plate, and the pressure chamber. After some road bumps with our models, we were able to fix the inconsistencies right before the presentation to ensure every piece can fit together. The presentation was a success, as we had great discussions with our judges about our testing plans and concept models. We appreciate all of the feedback we received from the judges, and we will use it as a moment to grow.
Stay tuned for next week as we travel to Cincinnati to meet with our liaison engineers, where we will discuss how PID went and get a tour of GE Aerospace.
Gainesville, FL, USA – NOVEMBER 12: Team photo after successful presentations for Prototype Inspection Day.
This past week marked a significant milestone for our HyperStream Solutions team as we met with our GE Aerospace liaison engineers in person for the first time. Connecting face-to-face allowed us to dive deep into discussions about evaluating our designs post-manufacturing and to explore various measurement technologies across campus to verify key parameters. This hands-on guidance has been invaluable, helping us refine our approach and understand the rigorous standards that come with a project of this caliber.
Adding to the excitement, we had the privilege of attending GE Aerospace’s Engine Roadshow, where a full-scale engine was on display. Seeing an actual engine up close was an incredible experience that broadened our understanding of the technology we’re working to support. The opportunity to study the engine’s complexity and ask questions directly of GE’s team provided insights that we’ll carry forward into our project.
For Prototype Inspection Day, we 3D printed a scaled model of our own design, which included the wind tunnel test section, the top plate, and the manifold. This prototype allowed us to visually present how we’ll be integrating different shaped orifices and angles to assess their impact on airflow. It also illustrated how we’ll capture and analyze bleed air conditions in our manifold, aligning with our objective to replicate real-world functionality as closely as possible.
The roadshow and our meeting with the engineers have given us the momentum we need to push our project forward with confidence. We’re excited to apply these insights as we continue refining our design toward a successful testing phase. Stay tuned for more updates from the HyperStream Solutions team!
Gainesville, FL, USA – NOVEMBER 1: Weekly meeting with GE Aerospace liaisons at UF for the LEAP-1B Jet Engine Road Show.
This week, our team reached a milestone: access to HiPerGator, UF’s top-tier supercomputer. Equipped with advanced processors and memory, HiPerGator elevates our ANSYS simulations, allowing us to explore how different shapes impact static pressure and velocity in an isolator system. Currently, we’re focused on understanding which geometries perform best under specific conditions. Starting with 45-degree circular holes, we’ll soon expand testing to include teardrop and diamond shapes at the same angle. By keeping the angle consistent, we can isolate the impact of shape on pressure and velocity, helping us determine the most effective design.
Lastly, we met with our liaison and the GE Aerospace recruiting team for a mixer. It was a great chance to gain insights, receive feedback, and discuss how our findings might impact the industry. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our research!
Gainesville, FL, USA – OCTOBER 29: Figure from ANSYS simulation measuring the static pressure across the wind tunnel testing section.
