Social impact project
Toronto Portlands Waste Management
Social impact project
[water skimmer]
The Toronto Portlands Waste Management Project was developed during my MECH 2112: Professionalism and Society course at York University. This project aimed to address the environmental and public health challenges caused by floating waste in Port Toronto's waterways by creating a cost-effective and sustainable solution.
The project features an autonomous water skimmer, powered by solar energy and guided by ultrasonic sensors, capable of navigating a fixed path while avoiding obstacles and collecting floating debris efficiently. A dedicated docking station serves as an eco-friendly hub for depositing, sorting, and recycling collected trash, reducing manual handling and maintenance costs. The skimmer is built with durable materials designed to withstand harsh marine conditions, ensuring longevity and sustainability.
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My role involved contributing to the design and analysis of the water skimmer, creating CAD models, and performing iterative improvements to enhance functionality. I conducted load and stress calculations to ensure the device's durability and reliability under operational conditions. Additionally, I collaborated on integrating ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection and solar panels for renewable power. I also helped design the docking station to simplify trash deposition and maintenance.
The lack of predefined guidelines and constraints for the project helped sharpen my critical thinking and problem-analysis skills, as I had to independently identify challenges and devise practical solutions. The process of creating and refining CAD models also enhanced my ability to visualize functionality in designs, enabling me to anticipate potential issues and optimize performance early in the development stage.
Through this project, I gained proficiency in sustainable design, CAD modeling, and teamwork. It significantly improved my problem-solving capabilities, critical thinking, and ability to translate conceptual ideas into practical, impactful solutions. This experience reinforced my passion for applying engineering principles to real-world challenges and prepared me to contribute to innovative projects as part of a professional engineering team.
Reflection [Water skimmer project]
The Water Skimmer Project was a defining experience in my growth as an aspiring mechanical engineer, offering insights into solving real-world environmental challenges through conceptual design and innovation.
A primary challenge was designing a cost-effective and sustainable device to collect floating trash autonomously while addressing diverse stakeholder needs. Balancing functionality, efficiency, and sustainability without direct project guidelines required extensive critical thinking and adaptability. The conceptual nature of the project emphasized research, creativity, and iterative refinement of ideas, particularly when visualizing the device's functionality.
This project enhanced my proficiency in CAD modeling, enabling me to create detailed 3D representations of the skimmer and docking station. These models played a crucial role in exploring design features, such as the integration of solar power for renewable energy and ultrasonic sensors for autonomous navigation. By conducting buoyancy and stress analyses, I gained a deeper understanding of engineering calculations to ensure stability and performance under real-world conditions.
Given the conceptual focus, I learned the importance of stakeholder engagement, incorporating community and environmental priorities into the design. Looking back, I would dedicate more time to refining the skimmer's navigation systems and exploring alternative materials to further improve durability and reduce costs.
This experience strengthened my critical thinking, problem analysis, and ability to visualize and communicate complex designs. It deepened my appreciation for the role of sustainable engineering in addressing environmental challenges and prepared me to contribute meaningfully to innovative projects as part of a professional engineering team.