A batch of flavored cashews turns darker each second, as they roast in the lab oven. After being removed, the cashews cool on the table before they are tossed once, then analyzed for hardness, color and overall effect.

A team of students working in the lab at Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center evaluates the consistency, color and production efficiency of cashews.

Sarah Spring, biosystems engineering senior, and her two-semester capstone project teammates set out to reamplify the Crackshews product line for Padiano’s Kitchen.

“This is the first time I’ve worked on something where a business is depending on the outcome,” Spring said. “It makes you think differently.”

Eric Renner, biosystems engineering senior and capstone team member, said the capstone experience allowed him to apply classroom knowledge in a new way.

“I’ve always liked the problem-solving nature of engineering,” Renner said. “Every single thing I do has some sort of purpose.”

Padiano’s Kitchen, an Oklahoma company that manufactures seasoned cashews, known as Crackshews, began as a kitchen-scale operation.

The company is now moving toward commercial production with the help of the student team, said Kevin Moore, assistant professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and capstone instructor. 

The company prioritized efficiency and product consistency as it transitioned into a larger production space for all its products, Moore said.

The capstone model was intentionally built to mimic real-world industry conflicts, rather than hypothetical exercises and scenarios, said Professor Emeritus Paul Weckler, who led the course for 23 years before retiring in Spring 2024.

“We wanted students working on real-world problems, not textbook problems,” Weckler said.

The two-semester format allows students to research and design in the fall, before building and testing in the spring, Weckler said. Sponsoring businesses receive formal deliverables and progress reports throughout the process, he added.

“Companies come to us when they have an idea but don’t have the time or resources to figure it out,” Weckler said.

The department’s machine shop supports fabrication and prototype development, Weckler said. Skilled technicians assist with welding and machining so students can build functional systems, he added. 

The course structure, created by Weckler, continues under Moore’s leadership, with additional emphasis on project management strategies, Moore said.

Moore introduced shorter, sprint-based planning to help students manage long timelines and incremental goals, he added.

“We try to help them get there, piece by piece,” Moore said.

Each capstone team works with an assigned faculty adviser, in addition to Moore’s oversight, he said.

The Padiano’s Kitchen Crackshews team is advised by Tim Bowser,  professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and FAPC food processing engineer.

Food-related projects have remained a consistent and vital portion of the BAE capstone portfolio, Bowser said. 

“Students get exposure to real industry constraints,” Bowser said.

Past projects included cacao processing, cashew roasting, coconut processing, coffee grinder designing and treating pecans, Bowser said.

Those projects require students to consider food safety, sanitation and production efficiency, he added.

“They’re solving issues businesses are facing right now,” Bowser said.

The cashew project required the team to evaluate coating consistency, roasting parameters and workflow layout, Moore said.

The company’s fast-paced growth created increased production demands that the BAE team is working to support, Moore added.

Padiano’s Kitchen co-owner Gabby McVey said the company knew its Crackshews process needed improvement, but other products and projects kept the concern from becoming an immediate priority.

“Without OSU, we would have just left the Crackshews as they are and kept messing with all the other stuff that we do,” McVey said.

Eli Reynolds, biosystems engineering senior and capstone team member, said Padiano’s project challenged him to work outside his anticipated career path.

“Padiano’s came to us wanting to upscale their production and optimize their current process,” Reynolds said.

One of the team’s primary objectives was identifying an alternative to avocado oil, which had become inefficient and expensive for the growing company, Reynolds added. 

“The larger manufacturers were getting those shipments, and there was none left for their small business,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds said the company prioritized maintaining clean labels for all products. 

“Padiano’s main driver is to offer a clean-label and clean-ingredient product,” Reynolds said.

Paden Ferguson, co-owner of Padiano’s Kitchen, said the business was inspired by consumer demand for dye-free, ingredient-conscious alternatives to familiar flavors.

Partnering with the OSU capstone course gave the company a way to improve the product without removing attention from other product lines, Ferguson said.

“It’s an instant improvement without us losing focus on driving the business forward,” Ferguson said.

The team analyzed how the product moved through each stage and identified inefficiencies, Spring said.

“You have to think about cost and practicality,” Spring said. “Not just whether it works.”

Working with an external client changed the stakes of the assignment, Spring said.

The teams produce recommendations and physical prototypes that businesses can implement, Moore said.

“It feels different knowing someone will use what you design,” Spring said.

The two-semester duration allows students to experience setbacks and adjust designs, Moore said. Long-term projects encourage teams to communicate and manage accountability, with no limitations, he added.

“This is their long-term project working on an open-ended scale,” Moore said.

The capstone experience strengthens both technical and communication skills, Weckler said.

Students present findings to sponsors and prepare formal written reports, he added.

“In senior design, if you stop trying, the project fails,” Weckler said. “If you learn a lot in the process, that’s a win.”

Without the capstone course, students would miss the opportunity to integrate four years of engineering coursework into one comprehensive project, mirroring professional practice, Moore said.

“Engineers get a lot of content before they get here,” Moore said. “This project allows them to connect it.”

Working with a real client required the team to clarify expectations early on, Reynolds said.

“When we’re given our project, we’re not given the exact expectations,” Reynolds said. “That’s left for us to determine after communicating with the client.”

The course mirrors professional engineering practice, Renner said.

“Everything we’re doing is mimicking what it’s like to be in industry,” Renner said. “It’s necessary for anyone who wants to go be an engineer.”

The cashew project represents the integration of classroom theory and commercial application, Spring said. 

The project moved from problem identification to measurable improvement for Padiano’s Kitchen, she added.

“I don’t think people realize the level of professionalism, the level of detail and the actual difference that the students can make,” Ferguson said.

For the company, the impact was clear, Ferguson said.

As Padiano’s Kitchen scales production, the impact of the two-semester capstone extends beyond campus, Moore said. Students graduate with an experience rooted in applied engineering, he added.

“We’re preparing them for industry, not just graduation,” Moore said.

Story by Kate Schaefer | Cowboy Journal