Sponsor and client
David Calley
David Calley, an alumnus of NAU graduating in 1984 with a background in Physics, has significantly impacted the realm of innovation. His entrepreneurial endeavors include the founding of three companies: Southwest Windpower, Electric Torque Machines, and his current venture, Elemental Motors. Calley's primary focus on electric motor development has resulted in the creation of over 50 patents, primarily applied in areas such as prosthetics, robotics, and automation. His pragmatic approach and dedication to pushing the boundaries of electric motor technology have yielded practical advancements with real-world applications. With a career centered around scientific exploration and technological progress, David Calley's work continues to influence various industries. As he leads Elemental Motors forward, his contributions remain grounded in tangible and substantial developments in the field of electric motors.
Group members
Xuyang Chen
Originally from China, Xuyang is pursuing a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in Northern Arizona. During his undergraduate period, he learned how to use Solidworks, Matlab, Premiere Pro, and Dreamweaver, which gave him the skills needed to be a manufacturing engineer and build a website. After graduating from his undergraduate degree, he planned to continue his graduate program in the direction of fluid mechanics. Outside of school, he likes mountain biking, so he also has a certain knowledge of mechanical maintenance.
Micheal Weaver
Michael was born in Tucson and received a degree in Media Studies from the U of A in 2013. He moved to Flagstaff in 2014 and worked for a grocery store until transitioning into a manufacturing operator role at W. L. Gore in 2018. While in that role, he began to interact with engineering functions and realized he would like to be able to transition into that role, so he started at NAU studying Mechanical Engineering in 2019. Since then, he has moved into a leadership position at W. L. Gore and increased his interaction with engineering, with a goal towards transitioning into that role when he graduates in May, 2024.
Shaojie Wang
Shaojie joined NAU in the spring of 2022 to study mechanical engineering. As an exchange student, he had previously enrolled at Jiangsu University in China in 2020 and studied vehicle engineering for two years. He will graduate in the winter of 2024. He serves on the team as the Finance Manager responsible for keeping track of the project's expenditures and budgets.
James Warner
James Warner is a senior at Northern Arizona University studying mechanical engineering and mathematics. Outside of school, he is a member of the Arizona Army National Guard and works to maintain and troubleshoot detection systems like night and thermal vision goggles. This background has provided him with the skills necessary for the role of test engineer on the Precision Pneumatic Manufacturing Stapler team. A strong grasp on troubleshooting procedures will help the team better understand possible failures. This will. in turn, allow the team to test for faults before they happen and provide the best quality product to Elemental Motors.
Stetson Thola
Stetson Thola, a senior mechanical engineering student at NAU. During his time at NAU he as worked in various industries before eventually landing an internship at Elemental Motors in May of 2022. The internship has widened his abilities and knowledge in the engineering field by designing, prototyping, and manufacturing several different systems. Stetson is also the CAD engineer and logistics manager for the pneumatic stapler team. Where he oversees the process of designing the stapler while having direct contact with the client and their needs. Stetson developed the idea of this pneumatic stapler based on a need within the engineering industry. Apart from his primary role in the development of the pneumatic stapler Stetson has also learned the skill of CNC milling where he has become the main machinist for the project.