In this joint ME/ECE/MSE senior design project, an automated manufacturing process for an equipotential copper bonding mesh is developed for the Greaves Corporation. Copper bonding meshes are typically laid underground around the perimeter of a pool to mitigate stray voltages and reduce risk of shock. For the manufacturing process to be deemed economically viable, it will need to require minimal labor, adhere to NEC requirements and UL standards, and produce meshes that can retail for about $500-$1000 per 100 foot mesh. Throughout this year, the ME team has developed a mechanical design for the manufacturing process of copper bonding meshes and calculated requirements necessary for the parts needed to run the assembly. The ECE team has designed a control system for the assembly, purchased parts, and enabled automation through PLC ladder logic. Lastly, the MSE team has found a means to test the product to ensure the resulting copper bonding meshes is able to meet quality standards. As a collective, we have performed various tests to evaluate the efficacy of the assembly and the produced copper bonding meshes.

Our team collaborated with Electrical and Computer Engineering 8,Materials Science & Engineering 7 on this project.