Reser BikeFlow Software
Fig. 1
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In the spring of 2006 I developed a web-application for Reser Bicycle Outfitters to manage workflow of repairing bicycles. Customer information including contact information and information about their bicycle is stored in a MySQL database. As the mechanics repair bicycles, they simply need to view a list of bicycles ordered by due date to know which repair is of top priority. When work or transactions are completed they are logged. If a part is ordered, a customer contacted or work performed, it will be noted so that other mechanics will immediately be aware of what has been done to the bike.
BikeFlow
Prioritizes work-flow
Prevents repeated or skipped work
Binds customer data to bicycle
Fig. 2
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Most importantly this software binds customer data to the bicycles in the repair queue. Occasionally, customers do not return for their bikes. The customer's contact information and a description of each bicycle ensure that the staff are able to contact the customer and meet the customer's wishes as quickly as possible. Additionally, work is performed more methodically, as the highest priority bicycles are completed first. Work is neither redone or skipped by mechanics, who are unaware of what another mechanic may have done.
Finally, business statistics may be compiled to understand the nature of the workshop.
How many repairs are completed per quarter?
How often are repairs completed on-time?
What is the average time per repair?
Which employee performs the most or least repairs?
Shed Relocation
Fig. 1
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When asked by a co-worker to move a shed from her front yard deep into her back yard, I considered the project and was tempted to know, if I could do it or not. Immediately, I enlisted the help of my friend, The Bull, and performed a reconnaissance mission to see the site of the move. The shed was to be moved from the front yard, where it had sunk a few inches into the soil, across a newly graded front and back yard, which amounted to 300-500 feet of uneven dirt. The final few dozen feet were the most uneven.
Fig. 2
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Bull and I devised a plan to use wheel-barrow wheels to convert the shed into a trailer. After building fixtures containing the wheels, special fixtures to act as jacking points and a "tongue" to be mounted on the rear of the shed, we drove to the site and started jacking the shed. Figure 1 shows the shed in its initial location after it has been raised and the wheels have been attached. Figure 2 is a close-up of the same wheel visible in Figure 1. Installing the fixtures went smoothly, but we were concerned that the weight of the shed would be more than the little wheels could tolerate. Fortunately, the wheels held the shed though the tires were noticeably flattened.
Luckily, a backhoe and operator had been hired to finish grading the yard during our second day of working on the shed. He attached the boom of the backhoe to the "tongue" of the shed and slowly pulled the shed to its new location in the back yard. This project was a great success!
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Reactor Simulation - Reactor Theory 3 Final Exam
Fig. 1
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Nuclear Reactor Theory 3, the third and final course in a 3-course sequence, endeavored to create a working simulation of a nuclear reactor. Though there were obviously some simplifications made to allow such a project to be completed within a quarter of class, the parameters were as realistic as possible. Instead of a final exam a final project was assigned. We actually had a little more than a week to write a few programs which would be coupled together to perform the simulation. Once the system was working as expected, a few curves comparing this simulation to more simplistic models from earlier in the quarter were required.
Fig. 2
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With a baseline for the system defined, variations in system parameters could be analyzed. Coolant flow rates and inlet temperatures were varied independently and then concurrently. Plots of each of these schedules were also constructed. Figure 2 depicts a schedule which includes varying both the inlet temperature and the coolant flow rate concurrently. These scripts were all written in MatLab, to take advantage of differential equation solvers easily utilized in MatLab.
This project was written with Matlab to explore variables governing reactor behavior
Matlab scripts used to take advantage of ODE solvers
Base system verified against known standards
After validation, parameters varied for exploration
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