General Expedition and Adventure Research (GEAR) Enterprise

Gear Enterprise is in the developmental stage and we are trying to establish a strong foundation for future members to follow. Currently, we are seeking to start projects that will allow us to expand our knowledge of design, fabrication and team building so in the future we are thoroughly prepared to work with companies and provide professional services, including testing, research, and product innovation. These initial projects, listed below, will provide a unique opportunity to achieve our current goals, and also potentially provide products that can be used by consumers. To execute these projects, we will have to involve ourself in various machine, and computer software training.

• Portage Paddle: Portaging: The act of carrying a personal watercraft over land, between two bodies of water. The Portage Paddle Concept design was created to aid in the portaging of kayaks and canoes, a fairly cumbersome task. Our design will resemble a 'portage yolk' found on many canoes, allowing the consumer to portage two kayaks, or canoes simultaneously. The purpose of this project is to familiarize ourself with the engineering design process and computer software.
• Rad Therm: The RadTherm is a program developed by ThermoAnalytics and simulates thermal distribution and responses to this in the human body; we can see how heat effects humans. Our team will learn the operation and limitations of the program, and familiarize ourself with the materials and simulations available so heat transfer analysis can be applied to further research fabrics, human response, and other areas GEAR is involved in.
• Machine and Shop Training: Michigan Tech has numerous machine shops and workrooms that are available for student use. Team members will branch out and specialize in a field of machining, broadening our knowledge of tools and enhancing our capabilities as an Enterprise. A few of the machines we will work with require pre-requisite training before any operation is to be done. Once trained, specialty machines, such as an abrasive machine for testing abrasive properties, are rented out by the hour or day. Our use of these machines is closely tied with our budget and training, and could limit our capabilities if we cannot rent time for their use.