SVSU student Chris Grappin, from Bay City, showcases mechanical engineering project

2013 Dec 11

Saginaw Valley State University engineering students displayed their senior projects at the mechanical engineering senior design symposium on Friday, Dec. 6, in SVSU's Pioneer Hall.

Chris Grappin, a mechanical engineering student from Bay City, designed the SVSU Greenhouse Worm Separator. The SVSU Greenhouse needed a more effective and effiecient method for separating worms from their vermiculture worm beds. The Greenhouse managers plan to use the students' finished product.

Grappin worked with two other SVSU mechanical engineering students, Andy Pepper and Carlos Torres.

All SVSU mechanical engineering students are required to have a company sponsor their project and successfully design and build a working prototype in order to graduate.

Companies sponsoring products at the symposium were Brown Mobility, DHP Composites, Duro-Last Roofing, Keyes Endurance Bicycle Racing, SVSU Greenhouse, Covenant Healthcare, General Motors and Michael Johnson Racing.

The symposium showcases student projects twice a year, each being a collection of projects both in the planning and complete stages. During the first symposium, students show design ideas and testing results, while at their second symposium, they display a finished product built from their proposed design. The next symposium will take place in April.