Honors Capstone Project
1
Advisor(s)
Professor James Rieman
Confirmation
1
Document Type
Paper
Location
ONU McIntosh Center; Dean's Heritage
Start Date
21-4-2026 4:45 PM
End Date
21-4-2026 5:00 PM
Abstract
Safety is a critical component of industrial machine design, yet it is often simplified in academic projects through fully enclosed guarding that results in complete system shutdowns during faults or maintenance. This capstone enhancement expands upon a senior design project by exploring how modern safety systems can be used to improve both operator safety and machine uptime.
The project focuses on the selection and evaluation of safety components such as emergency stop systems, interlocks, and presence-sensing devices, compiled into a detailed specification document. To analyze the effectiveness of these systems, a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is conducted to identify potential failure points and assess associated risks.
A key emphasis of this work is the comparison between traditional full-enclosure safety approaches and more advanced, localized safety systems. By allowing specific sections of a machine to be safely accessed or stopped without shutting down the entire system, these methods have the potential to significantly reduce unnecessary downtime while maintaining safe operation.
Although the proposed safety features are not physically implemented, this project provides a realistic, industry-relevant evaluation of how safety design decisions impact both reliability and efficiency. This enhancement bridges the gap between academic design practices and real-world engineering by integrating safety, risk analysis, and operational performance into the machine design process.
Recommended Citation
Powell, Elliott R. III, "Improving Machine Safety and Uptime Through FMEA-Based Design Analysis" (2026). ONU Student Research Colloquium. 21.
https://digitalcommons.onu.edu/student_research_colloquium/2026/Papers/21
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Available to ONU community via local IP address and ONU login.
Improving Machine Safety and Uptime Through FMEA-Based Design Analysis
ONU McIntosh Center; Dean's Heritage
Safety is a critical component of industrial machine design, yet it is often simplified in academic projects through fully enclosed guarding that results in complete system shutdowns during faults or maintenance. This capstone enhancement expands upon a senior design project by exploring how modern safety systems can be used to improve both operator safety and machine uptime.
The project focuses on the selection and evaluation of safety components such as emergency stop systems, interlocks, and presence-sensing devices, compiled into a detailed specification document. To analyze the effectiveness of these systems, a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is conducted to identify potential failure points and assess associated risks.
A key emphasis of this work is the comparison between traditional full-enclosure safety approaches and more advanced, localized safety systems. By allowing specific sections of a machine to be safely accessed or stopped without shutting down the entire system, these methods have the potential to significantly reduce unnecessary downtime while maintaining safe operation.
Although the proposed safety features are not physically implemented, this project provides a realistic, industry-relevant evaluation of how safety design decisions impact both reliability and efficiency. This enhancement bridges the gap between academic design practices and real-world engineering by integrating safety, risk analysis, and operational performance into the machine design process.