University of Tennessee Chattanooga Awarded 2025 Chapter Research Award

Zone and Chapter: University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Zone 8

Project

Project Name: SPS-ENTR: A Student-Built Electronic Torque Realizer for Undergraduate Metrology Research

Project Leaders: Angel Estrada

Chapter Advisors: Tatiana Allen

Project Description: The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga chapter of the Society of Physics Students proposes to design, construct, and test a model of a tabletop torque standard inspired by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology’s (NIST) Electronic NIST Torque Realizer (ENTR) [1]. This device will serve as a low-cost, educationally accessible torque calibration standard capable of generating and measuring torques in the range of 10-2 to 1 N·m. The project will combine mechanical fabrication, electronics, and programming to build a simplified version of the ENTR using both machined and 3D-printed components. Through this project, students will learn precision metrology techniques, gain experience with electromagnetic actuation, and develop Python-based data acquisition and control software. The final apparatus will be used to calibrate small torque tools, serve as an instructional device for metrology demonstrations, and contribute to undergraduate research and outreach at the UTC Physics Department.

Project Proposal: