Hamilton Reef
09-09-2006, 09:25 PM
Aiming for an answer
Kettering student using engineering background in research project
Thursday, September 07, 2006 By Elizabeth Shaw
eshaw@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6311
FLINT - A compound bow is not exactly what you'd expect to see sitting inside one of the country's top engineering schools.
In fact, Justin Keiffer's independent research project looks more than a little out of place, surrounded by car engines and experimental fuel cells in a cluttered Kettering University lab.
Unlike many of his peers, the Kettering senior, 22, isn't working on the next best thing for the automotive industry.
Instead, his sights are focused on the hunting world and the technology behind precision archery equipment.
It began last semester during a mechanical engineering class, when Keiffer watched an Eastman Outdoors video on the advantages of using a mechanical release when shooting a bow. The video detailed the physics behind the claim, showing how a bowstring rolls off the fingers less consistently than when using a mechanical release, resulting in reduced accuracy.
But Keiffer was most impressed with the slow-motion images of the bow itself.
"Seeing it flex and vibrate like that, it was unbelievable it could even stay in one piece," he said. "At first you look at a bow and don't think there's a lot of engineering to it, but there's a ton."
An avid deer hunter and outdoorsman, Keiffer quickly teamed up with classmate Josh Goudzwaard of Muskegon and approached some manufacturers in hopes of doing an independent project testing arrows.
Bow maker Custom Shooting Systems in West Virginia countered with an idea of its own: testing the benefits of Tunerz, the company's new vibration-dampening accessories.
Attached to the bow limbs or strings at various points, the molded rubber devices act as tiny shock absorbers when the arrow is released.
The dampers are intended to reduce hand shock and noise, improve accuracy and increase the bow's life span by reducing vibration stress.
Keiffer's assignment: to scientifically determine exactly how much vibration is reduced by Tunerz using various arrow weights.
The company sent him a set of Tunerz to test on the Encore, its latest high-end compound bow. Even though he gets no academic credit or pay for the project, Keiffer said he gets to keep the Encore, which he plans to hunt with this fall.
"I've been using the same bow for six or seven years and wanted a new one, but just haven't been able to afford one on a student budget. So this worked out well," he joked.
The initial tests involved firing arrows of different weights, using a mechanical release trigger from a 60-pound bow mounted on a stationary stand.
The tests used 300-, 360-, 420-, 480- and 540-grain arrows.
Initial results indicate that Tunerz are most effective in reducing hand shock when firing lighter-weight arrows.
A bow dampened with Tunerz showed a marked reduction up to 21/2 times the normal rate when firing a 300-grain carbon arrow.
However, once the arrow weight reached seven grains per pound of pulling force (420-grain arrow on a 60-pound bow), the Tunerz did not seem to reduce hand shock.
"At eight to nine grains per pound of pulling force, they actually increased hand shock and vibration," Keiffer said.
The results so far have pleased Custom Shooting Systems.
"We found we're heading in the right direction. I was surprised to see with his testing, which is more detailed than what we've had in the past, the Tunerz are even more effective than what we previously thought," said CSS President Chuck Nease.
The company plans to share the data with its customers.
"It's given us not only good scientific material, it's given us excellent marketing information as well," said Nease.
"The trend nowadays is for people using lighter, faster arrows, and we can show them how Tunerz can help."
Keiffer is now working with Dan Russell, an associate professor of applied physics, to determine the most effective placement for Tunerz on the bow's limbs and risers.
Russell did similar studies with composite softball bats, performing precise acoustical tests to determine which part of the bat vibrates the most.
He also plans to incorporate past research done by fellow Kettering senior Mike Allinger, 22, of Swartz Creek. Last semester for a polymers class, Allinger compared the effectiveness of various materials used to make vibration dampers.
Meanwhile, Keiffer continues to enjoy spending his free time in the woods with his dad, Gary, and brother, Jared, near their Carson City home.
And someday, he might even bring hobby and career together, now that he's caught the eye of the hunting industry.
He's already gotten inquiries back from the resumes he sent to several hunting equipment manufacturers.
"It's kind of neat to see how we can apply our education in different fields," he said.
"I'll just have to see where the job opportunities go."
Kettering student using engineering background in research project
Thursday, September 07, 2006 By Elizabeth Shaw
eshaw@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6311
FLINT - A compound bow is not exactly what you'd expect to see sitting inside one of the country's top engineering schools.
In fact, Justin Keiffer's independent research project looks more than a little out of place, surrounded by car engines and experimental fuel cells in a cluttered Kettering University lab.
Unlike many of his peers, the Kettering senior, 22, isn't working on the next best thing for the automotive industry.
Instead, his sights are focused on the hunting world and the technology behind precision archery equipment.
It began last semester during a mechanical engineering class, when Keiffer watched an Eastman Outdoors video on the advantages of using a mechanical release when shooting a bow. The video detailed the physics behind the claim, showing how a bowstring rolls off the fingers less consistently than when using a mechanical release, resulting in reduced accuracy.
But Keiffer was most impressed with the slow-motion images of the bow itself.
"Seeing it flex and vibrate like that, it was unbelievable it could even stay in one piece," he said. "At first you look at a bow and don't think there's a lot of engineering to it, but there's a ton."
An avid deer hunter and outdoorsman, Keiffer quickly teamed up with classmate Josh Goudzwaard of Muskegon and approached some manufacturers in hopes of doing an independent project testing arrows.
Bow maker Custom Shooting Systems in West Virginia countered with an idea of its own: testing the benefits of Tunerz, the company's new vibration-dampening accessories.
Attached to the bow limbs or strings at various points, the molded rubber devices act as tiny shock absorbers when the arrow is released.
The dampers are intended to reduce hand shock and noise, improve accuracy and increase the bow's life span by reducing vibration stress.
Keiffer's assignment: to scientifically determine exactly how much vibration is reduced by Tunerz using various arrow weights.
The company sent him a set of Tunerz to test on the Encore, its latest high-end compound bow. Even though he gets no academic credit or pay for the project, Keiffer said he gets to keep the Encore, which he plans to hunt with this fall.
"I've been using the same bow for six or seven years and wanted a new one, but just haven't been able to afford one on a student budget. So this worked out well," he joked.
The initial tests involved firing arrows of different weights, using a mechanical release trigger from a 60-pound bow mounted on a stationary stand.
The tests used 300-, 360-, 420-, 480- and 540-grain arrows.
Initial results indicate that Tunerz are most effective in reducing hand shock when firing lighter-weight arrows.
A bow dampened with Tunerz showed a marked reduction up to 21/2 times the normal rate when firing a 300-grain carbon arrow.
However, once the arrow weight reached seven grains per pound of pulling force (420-grain arrow on a 60-pound bow), the Tunerz did not seem to reduce hand shock.
"At eight to nine grains per pound of pulling force, they actually increased hand shock and vibration," Keiffer said.
The results so far have pleased Custom Shooting Systems.
"We found we're heading in the right direction. I was surprised to see with his testing, which is more detailed than what we've had in the past, the Tunerz are even more effective than what we previously thought," said CSS President Chuck Nease.
The company plans to share the data with its customers.
"It's given us not only good scientific material, it's given us excellent marketing information as well," said Nease.
"The trend nowadays is for people using lighter, faster arrows, and we can show them how Tunerz can help."
Keiffer is now working with Dan Russell, an associate professor of applied physics, to determine the most effective placement for Tunerz on the bow's limbs and risers.
Russell did similar studies with composite softball bats, performing precise acoustical tests to determine which part of the bat vibrates the most.
He also plans to incorporate past research done by fellow Kettering senior Mike Allinger, 22, of Swartz Creek. Last semester for a polymers class, Allinger compared the effectiveness of various materials used to make vibration dampers.
Meanwhile, Keiffer continues to enjoy spending his free time in the woods with his dad, Gary, and brother, Jared, near their Carson City home.
And someday, he might even bring hobby and career together, now that he's caught the eye of the hunting industry.
He's already gotten inquiries back from the resumes he sent to several hunting equipment manufacturers.
"It's kind of neat to see how we can apply our education in different fields," he said.
"I'll just have to see where the job opportunities go."