Joseph Zinno graduated from LUT University’s Master’s Program in Industrial Design Engineering in December 2024 after completing his master’s thesis with Stalatube. His thesis, titled “Development of Optimal Internal Structural Reinforcement for Stainless Steel Hollow Sections to Maximize Mechanical Properties and Practical Performance”, was supervised by Lari Brask and Tommi Purtilo from Stalatube, together with Tuomas Skriko, Amir Togiani, and Jamie Hyneman from LUT University.
The goal of the thesis was to optimize the geometry of internal supports in square hollow sections, helping to create more sustainable and cost-effective profiles by reducing the amount of material needed for different applications. The work originated from Stalatube’s STALA Opti product line and expanded the range of profiles by selecting new cross-sectional designs based on a literature review and Stalatube’s earlier research.
The thesis combined laboratory testing and finite element analysis (FEA) simulations, allowing a wider range of profiles to be tested. Each profile was evaluated under bending and compression – two of the most common types of loading for hollow sections. The results showed that the optimized designs could reduce material usage by over 16% compared to a standard hollow section made from the same material. These findings will support further development and research into the STALA Opti product line, with the goal of offering Stalatube customers even more sustainable and cost-effective solutions. A strong hypothesis from the work is that the optimized designs could also significantly improve fire resistance in applications where it is required.
Joe would like to sincerely thank Stalatube for sponsoring his thesis and for warmly welcoming an international student to complete an English-written master’s thesis. In particular, he would like to thank Petra Peltovako, Lari Brask, and Tommi Purtilo, as well as the entire Stalatube team, for providing such an impactful experience. He would also like to thank his LUT advisors Tuomas Skriko and Amir Togiani, and especially Jamie Hyneman, for combining his experience as a Professor of Practice at LUT and his strong relationship with Stalatube to provide a unique and very applicable perspective.
Before his master’s studies at LUT University, Joe completed his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Villanova University in the United States. He was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Grant through the Fulbright Finland Foundation to pursue his master’s degree in Finland. Joe is now working as a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company, based in the United States.
Writer: Joseph Zinno