Visual Cue for Process Environment Pressure Gauges

At the beginning of the fall semester in 2024, Austin Burke, Charles Whitley, and I were tasked with developing an easy-to-apply visual indicator for pressure gauges at ExxonMobil's plant. The goal was for operators to be able to easily set a visual range to quickly assess if a pump is operating at ideal conditions. We spent the fall of 2024 in the ideation and analysis phase, where we iterated our design and performed a variety of theoretical analyses through hand calculations and Finite Element Analysis.

In the spring of 2025, we manufactured our device and conducted extensive testing of the visual cue. Testing included exposing ASTM D638 dogbones to simulated environmental conditions and tensile testing them using an Instron Tensile Testing Machine. Results were compared to control dogbones, and it was determined that the visual cue would stand up against plant conditions.

Additionally, the cue was demonstrated in the plant environment to a group of plant operators, and they were surveyed. Survey results indicated a high satisfaction level with the visual cue we produced. After delivery of the file to the project sponsor, product rollout is expected to begin across the Oxo portion of the ExxonMobil plant in Baton Rouge.

On this page, you will find a variety of documents produced during the completion of this project, including a video recording of our mid-term design presentation, project poster, and final design report.