ABB and Precision Painters supported Herff students at the 2026 Senior Design Expo

(Pictured: Team Stripes and Pipes and the device they created for ABB)

The Herff College of Engineering is extremely grateful to all of the industry partners who sponsored students' 2026 Senior Design projects. The nine-month assignments serve as the capstone projects for Herff's engineering students and allow students to work hand-in-hand with industries. 

ABB and Precision Painters sponsored two teams during the Senior Design Expo. ABB and Precision Painters jointly sponsored Team Stripes and Pipes, while Matt Davis of ABB sponsored Team Precision Painters. 

Team Pipes and Stripes developed an autonomous CNC gantry system designed to automate the spraying process for various pipe sizes and layouts. The device aims to address inefficiencies and inconsistencies present in the manual internal coating of industrial piping for ABB. The current process requires manual operation of the paint sprayer and pipe bed, resulting in uneven coating thickness and prolonged production times. To solve these issues, this project focuses on the development of an autonomous CNC gantry system designed to automate the spraying process for various pipe sizes and layouts.

(Pictured: Team Precision Painters) 

"These long-term projects force students to think outside of the box," said Dr. Kevin Berriso, who served as a faculty advisor for both teams. "In the real world, your answers won't always come from a textbook. Sometimes, you have to scrap an entire design several times before you find a solution that delivers the results you want. The answers don't always come a textbook. They come from practical experience, like the kind our students gain during the Senior Design process." 

Team Precion Painters's project revolved around a compact, reliable, and low-cost automated painting system that ensures consistent results, minimum wasted paint, and diminished manual operation. Manual industrial painting processes have common issues such as inconsistent coatings, overspray, operator health and fatigue. The proposed design centers on a mechanically driven painting arm that utilizes a lead screw-based linear actuation system to achieve precise and quick motion. This system is specifically engineered to avoid unintended rotational movement while ensuring smooth travel along the mechanism. 

Thank you, ABB and Precision Painters, for supporting Herff students!