Kyle Riffle

Mechanical Engineer • Project Manager


GRADUATE ENGINEERING PROJECTS



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1. ELECTROMECHANICAL CENTRIFUGE LATCH



TERUMO BCT x DESIGN CENTER COLORADO



As part of my graduate degree in mechanical engineering design and my certificate in project management, I assembled a 5-person team to respond to Terumo’s RFP for a redesign of the latch on their SmartPrep centrifuge. Using an iterative project life cycle, a $5,000 budget and a predefined 9-month timeframe, we built and tested the latch iteratively, returning to the design phase after each iteration until we reached a design that passed International Electrotechnical Commission testing specifications (IEC 60601 and 61010.)



2. SURVEYOR'S MARKING WAND



IMPROVING MANUFACTURABILITY AND FUNCTION



This product is the first low-cost version of such a product. The team designed it with the goal of increasing unit volume sold to the existing surveyor’s wheel market of two million units per year. The surveyor’s Marking Wand is a device which measures relatively large ground distances like surveyor’s wheel, but which also has the ability to make paint marks on the ground via a trigger on the handle. It uses a standard inverted spray paint can, available at most hardware stores, and the user has a choice of permanent or non-permanent spray paint.



3. JETBOIL OXIDIZER INJECTION SYSTEM



PART DESIGN & MANUFACTURE, COMBUSTION TESTING



This was a self-directed research project that involved designing, manufacturing, testing and presenting findings. After identifying that high altitude climbers had a problem with heat loss to the surroundings, I endeavored to increase the heat output from a popular, low cost portable stove. Combustion temperature was increased by almost 1000° C by injecting nitrous oxide (N₂O) into the fuel stream. This was accomplished by installing an intermediate part between the fuel tank and the stove that introduced the N₂O. I designed and built the part, shown during manufacture at left. The project culminated in a presentation of the findings and a demonstration of solid fuel burned in the presence of an oxidizer for MCEN 5228: Cookstove Assessment at CU.



4. LOW PRESSURE EFFECTS ON KERNEL EXPANSION



Testing and Design of Experiments



Working with a partner, I designed an experiment to collect several data points, then fit a curve to the data to extrapolate and draw conclusions regarding the difficulty of cooking at high altitude. Using a pump, a cooking vessel was partially evacuated, and then several batches of quinoa were cooked. Cooking times were measured and exploded grains counted, and the data used to estimate cook times required on Mt. Everest.



5. UNIVERSAL HIGH TEMPERATURE HANDLE



PROTOTYPING, USER NEEDS DISCOVERY, QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT



Leading a 3-person team of designers, I planned and managed this project working with disabled persons. By conducting in-home interviews and prototype testing, we were able to create a product that helps wheelchair users cook more safely. The Handi-Pot, shown here, repositions a person's wrist and shoulder to allow them to move hot, heavy pots more easily. Using high temperature materials, the Handi-Pot replaces standard pot handles in everyday use.