Ronald B Bucinell

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Professor (Associate) at Union College

Throughout the history of skis, ski chatter has been a common occurrence within skis optimized for powdery terrain or for novice skiers. Ski-chatter describes repetitive, repetitive deflections initiated via frequencies frequencies frequencies frequencies 70 -120 Hz caused by the roughness roughness roughness of the snow. Models Models Models such...

As is true with many industries, technology is improving in the golf world, but sacrifices made to improve performance have resulted in polluting materials and manufacturing processes. These cutting-edge designs support the specifications and playing abilities of a small professional minority while exceeding the needs of amateurs, who make up most...

The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, SAMPE, is a professional organization that promotes the development of the research of materials and their manufacturing. One of their major areas of interest is composite technology. Every year SAMPE hosts a Student Bridge competition which allows students to explore the applicat...

As golf equipment has progressively advanced over the twenty-first century, an increase in expensive metals and unsustainable materials are being used to improve these golf heads’ strengths and performances. The addition of titanium titanium and carbon fiber has allowed golfers to hit the ball further and with greater precision. In this investigati...

Graphene oxide (GO) membranes, which form from the lamination of GO sheets, attract much attention due to their unique nanochannels. There is much interest in controlling the nanochannel structures and improving the aqueous stability of GO membranes so they can be effectively used in separation and filtration applications. This study employed a sim...

A graphene oxide (GO) membrane can be used in structural dielectric capacitors and planar micro-supercapacitors as a dielectric separator material due to its excellent through-plane and in-plane dielectric properties. The ability to tailor the dielectric properties of the GO membrane is crucial for dielectric applications. We believe this to be the...

Interest in biocomposites is growing worldwide as companies that manufacture high-performance products seek out more sustainable material options. Although there is significant research on biocomposite material options and processing found in the literature from at least the last two decades, there are few experimentally based case studies publishe...

Skis are experiencing a new era of rapid evolution in the 21st century, presenting some of the most novel design changes since the mid-1900s. Skis used today contain many of the same materials that have been used since their discovery 8000 years ago. Skis were used recreationally and competitively starting in the mid-1800s.

The SUCCESS-LEADERS (Leading Educational and Academic Directions to Enhance Retention in STEM) project aims to develop, refine and implement practices that will advance understanding of the factors affecting retention and career pathways of low-income, at-risk populations. The production of academically talented, energetic STEM students with divers...

Mycelium is a biopolymer that has the potential to be a sustainable replacement for petroleum based foams in some engineering applications. During a recent study, with the objectives to first relate the effects of growing conditions on material properties and second to develop a model to predict the bulk behavior of mycelium, it was found that a va...

To become a more competitive alternative to synthetic fibers, the variability of natural bast fiber material properties must be understood. Standardizing the relationship between these fibers and their associated material properties will broaden the range of applications to include more technical industries. Initial tensile testing showed variabili...

Before the human being relied Before the human being relied on tools for survival, they hunted on tools for survival, they hunted using their one evolutionary using their one evolutionary advantage: long advantage: long -distance running. distance running. Humans would run after prey until Humans would run after prey until they collapsed from exhau...

Medical professionals are suggesting potential future strategies for therapeutic intervention and function tissue engineering. Researchers affiliated with Albany Medical College have proposed a treatment that appears to strengthen tendons in-vitro. This new treatment is being developed as a means of improving the efficacy of transplanted cadaver te...

The search for a performance material that can be utilized in high stress applications while maintaining a low density and a low environmental impact is a challenge many industries face today. To demonstrate the capabilities of a sustainable, natural product that would be suitable for this, an I-beam composed of a low density balsa core and flax fi...

The human spine and the components that make The human spine and the components that make The human spine and the components that make The human spine and the components that make The human spine and the components that make up this complex system have been a research topic by complex system have been a research topic by complex system have been a...

Polymer nanocomposites have improved mechanical, optical and thermal properties compared to traditional thermoplastics. To study the impact of grafted brush–matrix interactions on the mechanical properties of nanoparticle filled polymers, uniaxial tensile testing with digital image correlation (DIC) was done on polystyrene (PS) grafted SiO2 in low...

A new approach to manufacture biocomposite sandwich structure is introduced with all materials naturally derived, including jute, flax and cellulose textile as reinforcement skin; mycelium-bound agricultural waste as lightweight cores; and a soy-based bioresin as a matrix. This new material could be used to replace many of the plastic products that...

This work investigates the mechanical behavior of mycelium composites reinforced with biodegradable agro-waste particles. In the composite, the mycelium acts as a supportive matrix which binds reinforcing particles within its filamentous network structure. The compressive behavior of mycelium composites is investigated using an integrated experimen...

The State of Hemp BastFibers, Their Potential, and the Role of the Bio-industrial Materials Institute.

A new approach to manufacture biocomposite sandwich structure is introduced with all materials naturally derived, including jute, flax and cellulose textile as reinforcement skin; mycelium-bound agricultural waste as lightweight cores; and a soy-based bioresin as a matrix. This new material could be used to replace many of the plastic products that...

Mycelium, the root structure of fungi, grows naturally as a biodegradable filamentous material. This unique material has highly heterogeneous microstructure with pronounced spatial variability in density and exhibits strongly non-linear mechanical behavior. In this work we explore the material response in compression, under cyclic deformation, and...

Hockey sticks have been in production for over one hundred years. In that time, the stick’s material makeup has shifted from wood, to fiber glass, to aluminum and now carbon fiber. The problem is, carbon fiber hockey sticks break so frequently, is it really worth using such a non-renewable and expensive material to make them? Flax composite will be...

This project addresses the wasteful practice of installing nonrecyclable nylon plastic shanks in the midsoles of Forsake sneakerboots. Shanks are rigid members embedded in footwear with the goal of increasing wearer comfort. This is achieved by optimizing the longitudinal stiffness of the footwear such that ample foot support is provided while main...

In the United States, disc generation is a common precursor to lower back pain. The population that experiences this the most, previously had been exposed to cyclic mechanical loading, and there is no known permanent solution. Researchers are investigating forced convection as a means of arresting and possibly reversing intervertebral disc degenera...

The results are a significantly positive outcome for this project. They show that the adjusted weight of the balsa-flax composite (with the base material factored in) is within the range of two other full length cross country ski weights. They also show that the bending stiffness is within the range of these two other currently used skis. These are...

Fungal based biopolymer matrix composites with lignocellulosic agricultural waste as the filler are a viable alternative for some applications of synthetic polymers. This research provides insight into the impact of the processing method and composition of agriwaste/fungal biopolymer composites on structure and mechanical properties. The impact of...

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

In this paper, the capabilities of Specialized Elastomeric Tooling for Resin Infusion, a low-cost and low-energy autoclaving alternative for consolidating and curing resin-infused thermoset composite parts, are expanded to biobased composites. Specifically, multiple flat laminate parts (10-ply stack of woven cellulose fiber with a high bio-content,...

We study a unique biomaterial developed from fungal mycelium, the vegetative part and the root structure of fungi. Mycelium has a filamentous network structure with mechanics largely controlled by filament elasticity and branching, and network density. We report the morphological and mechanical characterization of mycelium through an integrated exp...

The man has always wanted to be able to fly. The dream or although it has achieved, has not been reached yet fully. The fuse of the flight today is much higher than in the past, but is not yet complete. Although they have carried out the steps in the increase of the safety of a ship in flight, there are still many steps to do. For our passengers, b...

In this study, the theoretical principles necessary to determine the exact magnitude of a moving electron, depending on the speed of movement, will be exposed. The equations are specifically discussed to determine the radius R of the moving electron, which refers to the electron movement velocity v and the resting mass m0. The mechanical moment of...

This paper describes an application of industrial robots that gain ground mainly in the aerospace industry. It is a TTT manipulator whose task is to automatically position the end-effector, in this case a complex sensor system and a eddy-current probe in the position set by the software application for testing by non-destructive ultrasound control...

The world is increasingly shifting towards the use of sustainable materials rather than environmentally detrimental petroleum-based products. Biodegradable composites and polymers are fully capable of replacing many of these petroleum-based commodities. In order to justify the replacement of these products, the sustainable material in question must...

The purpose of this project was to create strong, light weight body panels for the SAE Baja car, that could withstand substantial impact. The panels should protect the driver during the competition and prove to be a better alternative than previous methods. In addition to this, the panels needed to have attachment points that allowed for the panels...

Design entries into the annual SAMPE beam competition have been popular at Union College the past five years. The college sent Robert Wagner in 2013, Michael Allen in 2014, Ryan Granger in 2015, Phillip Birns in 2016, as well as Evan Armanetti this coming spring of 2017, to compete their natural fiber Ibeam designs. Year after year the design is im...

The Union College Mechanical Engineering Department has continued research and development on sustainable composite I-beams for the annual SAMPE miniature bridge building competition.This year significant research and design went into determining viable weight reduction strategies. Weight reduction was achieved primarily through the strategic remov...

Abstract: Lockheed Martin is a company aerospace global American, defense, security and advanced technologies with interests in the world. Has been formed by the merger of Lockheed with Martin Marietta in March 1995. Has its head office in Bethesda, Maryland, in the area of Washington DC. Lockheed Martin has 126,000 employees in the entire world. M...

The gears are today the most widespread and most frequently used mechanical transmissions, all over the world. They must be the factory on an industrial scale, everywhere and have a variety of uses, being extremely important for both the heavy machines of industrial buildings, as well as for domestic appliances, electronics, etc. meet the excessive...

The paper presents an original method for the determination of the yield of the gearbox, gears forces, gearbox and power. It analyzes the influence of certain parameters which affects the efficiency of the gearbox. Also an original method for the determination of the yield of the drive shafts oriented on the basis of the ratio of contact is present...

Internal combustion engines in line (regardless of whether the work in four-stroke engines and two-stroke engines Otto cycle engines, diesel and Lenoir) are, in general, the most used. Their problem of balancing is extremely important for their operation is correct. There are two possible types of balancing: Static and dynamic balance. The total st...

A non‐traditional approach to manufacturing biocomposite sandwich structures is introduced where all materials are naturally derived including natural fiber textile (jute, hemp and cellulose) as skin; mycelium‐bound agricultural waste as core; and a bioresin as matrix. This paper focuses 2 on issues related to three specific steps of the seven‐step...

The paper presents an original method to determine the general dynamics of rotating cam and lifting, customized to flat-plate mechanism. First, the dynamic cinematic is presented. Then the Lagrange equation is resolved and with an original dynamic model with a degree of freedom with variable internal damping the dynamic analysis of two models is th...

Many techniques used to measure the deformation of biological tissue are inadequate for measuring deformations of hearts in vivo. Bull Frogs (Rana Catesbeiana) were double-pithed and dissected to expose the amphibian heart for the measurements conducted in this study. White titanium dioxide powder and black charcoal were applied to the surface of t...

Today, Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears are one of the most prevalent knee injuries, with the occurrence of ACL tears increasing drastically from approximately 80 000 in 2000 to 150 000 in 2011. Although there are many factors that contribute to an ACL tear occurring, certain environmental factors could contribute to the dramatic increase ove...

The knee is one of the most frequently injured joints in the body, between 100 000 and 400 000 Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries occur in the United States each year. This investigation explores the impact of wipe-or spray-on sneaker products used to increase traction between shoes and hardwood courts on the loading of the ACL. Specifically...

First time the corresponding author has studied these problems of motors in V, in the framework of some contracts made with the research collective of UPB and “Autobuzul” plant, in years 1980-1986. In the first phase, have been studied the vibrations and noises of an engine in V, their transmissibility from the engine to the chassis and the cab dri...

Forging manipulators have become more prevalent in the industry of today. They are used to manipulate objects to be forged. The most common forging manipulators move on a railway to have a better precision and stability. Heavy payload forging manipulators systems are normally characterized by a large load output and a large capacitive load input as...

The paper presents an algorithm to set the parameters of the dynamics of the classic mechanism the main of internal combustion. It shows the distribution of the forces (on the main mechanism of the engine) on engines with internal combustion. With these strong points and together with speeds of kinematic couplings shall be determined when the outpu...

This article presents an original method to determine the speeds and accelerations to structures MP R-3 The structure of the 3R (space) are known (required) rotation speeds of the triggers and must be determined speeds and accelerations of the endeffector M. Starting from the positions of direct kinematic system MP R-3deriving these system of relat...

This paper presents and treats (in an original way) the specific elements of the structures of robotic solid mobile anthropomorphic type. Are " placed on the wallpaper " , the geometry and kinematics of the anthropomorphic robotic solid systems, in an original vision of the authors. One presents the inverse kinematics of anthropomorphic systems, wi...

A spacecraft propulsion is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. There are several different methods, each with advantages and disadvantages, spacecraft propulsion being an active area of research. However, most current spacecraft are propelled by forcing a gas exits through the rear of the vehicle at high speed throug...

Speaking about a new engine ionic means to speak about a new aircraft. The paper presents in a short time the actual engines ion chambers (called the ion thrusters) and other new ionic motors proposed by the authors. The engine (ionic propulsion unit of ions, that accelerates the positive ions through a potential difference) is approximately ten ti...

The paper presents a method of the original type in order to determine the effectiveness of a mechanism camshaft and adept. The originality of this method consists of eliminating the friction. In this research analyzes the four types of side camshaft: 1. Camshaft rotary switch and the motherboard translated adept; 2. The mechanism with the camshaft...

Forging manipulators have become more prevalent in the industry of today. They are used to manipulate objects to be forged. The most common forging manipulators move on a railway to have a better precision and stability. Heavy payload forging manipulators systems are normally characterized by a large load output and a large capacitive load input as...

Patient specific implants are becoming viable treatment options in some orthopaedic applications through advances in additive manufacturing and 3D printing techniques. One potential application is for treatment of segmental bone defects, particularly in patients suffering from bone cancer. Current treatment options are: Amputation, megaprosthesis,...

A stochastic model is used to predict the growth of delamination in graphite/epoxy laminates subjected to variable amplitude cyclic loading. The advantage of this model is that both the mean and variance associated with the growth of delamination are predicted. Understanding and predicting the variability associated with the delamination growth pro...

A new approach to manufacturing biocomposite sandwich structures is introduced. Materials used in the biocomposite are natural textile reinforcement, mycelium-bound agricultural waste as core, and bioresin. This paper focuses on three specific steps of the manufacturing process: filling pre-stamped textile shells with core mixture; allowing the cor...

Traditional methods of strain measurements cannot be used on compliant materials or composites. The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique is a full-field, white light, non-contact technique that uses monochromatic CCD cameras to capture the deformation of a test specimen with a contrasting surface pattern [1]. The purpose of this project is to...

The harsh environmental impact of synthetic plastic materials is a substantial issue. Waste disposal, the harmful chemicals found in plastics, and the impact of petroleum-based products on climate change, are serious environmental concerns that will become even more severe if current trends persist. As a result, considerable effort is going into fi...

Diminishing nonrenewable resources such as petroleum used in the manufacturing of synthetic plastics and the carbon footprint of the manufacturing processes have prompted interest in finding greener alternatives such as biomaterials. To successfully use them, it is crucial to characterize their mechanical behavior, and understand the microstructura...

In a world of increasing dependence on materials created from nonrenewable petroleum based components, the exploration of sustainable materials has become increasingly important. Sustainable and biodegradable composites are capable of replacing many such petroleum based composite materials. In order to develop and produce a viable biocomposite repl...

One of the largest global issues is pollution. Pollution is formulated from a variety of sources, and today’s researchers are diligently working across disciplines and matter forms, to detect methods for preserving a healthy living environment. Material scientists have taken a particularly interesting route, changing the face of composites – famous...

and Process Engineering (SAMPE) holds an annual competition that allows students to design, build, and test a miniature structural bridge using composite materials. In previous years, Union College has sent two students to these competitions (Rob Wagner in 2013 and Michael Allan in 2014). This years competition will be held in Baltimore, MD on May...

Fungal mycelia is proposed to be the core material in an Eco-friendly sandwich structure. Sandwich structures are composed of lightweight core materials sandwiched between two thin sheets of strong fibers infused with a binding resin. This type of construction increases bending strength and stiffness of the structure while minimizing its weight. Th...

The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) is an organization that promotes the teaching of the latest advances in material and process technology. SAMPE hosts an annual bridge competition where students design and build a structural beam to compete against each other on the basis of strength and weight. This beam w...

Current prosthetics pose several problems for children including weight, comfort, durability, and fit. Most importantly, they do not grow with the child as the healthy leg bones grow. This causes families to have to replace the prosthetics approximately every two years [1]. With below knee prosthetics cost ranging from approximately $6,400 to well...

The knee is one of the most frequently injured joints in the body. Studies have shown there are over 150,000 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in the United States each year [1]. Approximately 70% of these injuries occur in non‐contact situations where there are high compression forces and the knee is slightly rotated [2]. The ACL is a primary...

an annual event in which student engineers design and build a heavy-lift model aircraft. Flight tests, oral presentations and design reports give the competition a real-world feel. In the previous two years, Union has sent teams that have placed in 5th and 13th. The knowledge base that Union has built over the past several years will allow us to pl...

The purpose of this project was to demonstrate the applicability of natural fibers and natural core materials in high performance composites, by competing in the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering’s (SAMPE’s) 16th Annual Bridge Contest. An I-beam of uniform cross section was designed with a poplar plywood and balsa wood...

Close to 1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, mainly those living in third world countries.1 Access to dirty water remains the leading cause of the thousands of cases of dysentery and death each year in Ethiopia. While water filters do exist on the market, the poorest populations cannot afford them since they live off $1.2...

MODELING OF MYCELIUM MATRIX BIOCOMPOSITES