National Guard Products supported Herff students at the 2026 Senior Design Expo

(Pictured: Team School Guardians.) 

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

National Guard Products sponsored Team School Guardians. The team of Herff students designed a privacy screen kit. NGP has a Security Sliding Door product, which covers door windows, and has explored bulletproof security sliding door concepts. However, market research has indicated demand for screens that prioritize privacy over bulletproof protection and have aesthetic appeal. Team School Guardians were tasked with developing a cost-competitive privacy screen that is easy to install and does not compromise the certified fire-resistance rating of the door to which the product is applied. The design solution repurposes existing NGP components and products and supports mass production and widescale commercial implementation, particularly in school buildings. School lockdowns in America require line-of-sight blocking for classrooms. However, schools still rely on rudimentary alternatives, often slow and flimsy, to cover windows. The designed product is a fast, reliable solution to this problem.

The final design consists of an accordion panel system mounted in frames that deploys to cover the window. When folded, the aluminum panels stack at the top of the frame to allow a view through the window. The screen has quick deployment, allowing the panels to unfold and block the window’s line of sight. The assembly consists of a back, middle, and front metal frame, as well as aluminum panels and a simple latching mechanism. The panels are glued to a flexible fabric that acts as a hinge between panels. The front panel is welded to the middle frame, and the back frame is attached with screws to allow easy access to the screen for maintenance. The whole assembly is attached to the door’s window frame with the use of magnets, which are secured to the frame using an adhesive. In case of a fire, the product is designed so the magnets will fail, and the assembly will fall from the door, preventing the product from interfering with the fire-resistance of the door.

"I can think of very few projects that have a more valuable impact on the world around us than the one created by Team School Guardians," said Dr. Alexander Headley, who served as faculty advisor to the team. "Understanding their is a problem and being sympathetic to it is one thing, but these young engineers set themselves apart by using their knowledge and skills to innovate a solution. This is a design that has the potential to not just benefit a company, but to make a difference in the life of millions of people across the country. I couldn't be prouder of them." 

Thank you, National Guard Products, for supporting Herff students!