BRITISH COLUMBIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
BCIT Engineering students impress at annual Project Expo

The BCIT School of Energy recently hosted the annual Engineering Project Expo where students presented their capstone projects from a number of programs, including Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics and Chemical and Environmental Technology to the public.

This year, 63 student projects were on display for employees, industry partners, prospective students, and alumni. Attendees had the opportunity to explore the projects, engage with students, and build meaningful connections with students and peers. Industry partners continue to be impressed by the quality of student projects that were presented, with some students even receiving job offers on the spot.

Featured capstone projects

(Left to Right) Kyle, Kai, and Lukas present their PISO Plotter which draws designed graphics on to Pizza Boxes. Sponsored by Emilio Finatti's Pizza, this project was taken from concept to a fully functional prototype in one term for the Mechatronics and Robotics Capstone Project.

BCIT Chief Financial Officer, Navida Suleman tests the Smart Cushioning System for wheelchair users designed by 4th-year Mechanical Engineering students (Left to Right) Aiden Min, Matthew Wiebe, Jimmy Deol, and Daniel Prasath.  The students deigned and manufactured the system as well as writing the software that runs it.  The system actively distributes air pressure to a system of bladders under the user to precisely manage pressure distribution and avoid pressure injuries.

A representative from JBS Equipment, a local Agricultural Equipment Engineering firm, reviews the work of 4th-year Mechanical Engineering students (Left to Right) Jarelle Dionido, Jonathan Mariscal Tovar, Alex Gnasienco, and Brandon Mah.  This student team designed a gearbox for use with a turboprop airplane.  The gearbox is able to reduce the speed of the turbine from 36,000rpm to a propellor speed of 2500rpm. The students designed and analyzed all aspects of the gearbox and produced complete manufacturing drawings as well as two functional 3D-printed prototypes.  A sponsor/supporter of the capstone project is planning a full of build the gearbox later in 2025.

(Left to Right) Harleen, Maninder, and Jaspreet developed an ozone-based system that completely removes toxic lignin from pulp and paper wastewater, showcasing a sustainable solution in their Chemical and Environmental Technology Capstone Project.

Recognizing the work of BCIT students

Hundreds of attendees came out to the Expo at the BCIT Burnaby campus in one afternoon to view the many innovative student projects and interactive demos. This year, we had the pleasure of having MLA Janet Rutledge, MLA and Minister of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills in British Columbia, Anne Kang, and MP for Burnaby Central, Wade Chang, in attendance.

Our students are well-equipped to demonstrate what they learned in their program at BCIT and apply it to these collaborative projects. Their projects showcased the impacts of the hands-on, practical learning approach in combination with small cohorts and close support from their instructors.