Capstone Project
Left - Dylan Arnold - Aerospace Engineering Major
Right - Noah Selt - Flight Major
Both will attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach
Right - Noah Selt - Flight Major
Both will attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach
This was our Gantt chart for the project.
Part A
Possible Problems:
Garbage Can Robot:
With this idea, we plan to create a rover-like device which would be autonomous or remote-controlled that would take a common trash can to and from its service/pickup location, commonly at the end of most driveways and back up to the side of a house. Every week, hundreds of thousands of people across the country are faced with the task to make sure that their garbage can is taken to the end of the driveway to be emptied, and then brought back up to the house. The fact that this applies to almost every single American household offers tremendous potential for the market of such a gadget. Rachael Lallensack, an author to the Smithsonian Magazine wrote about how inventions and technology Ike this could help tremendously with simple tasks we do every day. Similar ideas do exist but are still in the development phase. So far there is not a single product like this that is readily available to the common family and this idea would be the solution to just that.
Suitcase Scooter:
With this idea, our team would design and construct a lightweight travel bag with a compact and easy to use scooter attached to it. Across the world, hundreds of thousands of people are in a rush to commute to work, get to their gate at the airport in time, or struggle with transporting common items with them to and from certain places due to them not having access to a car. Andy from ScooterTalks.org stated how getting to your required gate on time in the airport and traveling quickly with basic items can be an issue. Our design would solve just this dilemma, including a foldable lightweight scooter board with a travel sized bag attached to it capable of carrying clothes for traveling, items for work, or several grocery bags. Similar ideas do exist, but they either have an extremely high price point, or they are simply too cheap in which they lack durability. We plan to refine this design to be durable, yet cheaper, and more useful to the common person by adding certain features while retaining the carry-on capability.
Escape Window:
In society today, we are surrounded by cities full of large buildings and infrastructure or in crowded suburban settings. This leads to disasters such as fires which can be devasting without proper safety precautions like fire escapes and alternative exits. When conducting the community interviews, I spoke with Jason Arnold, a seasoned carpenter, on the topic and how these commercial solutions should be phased into residential communities. The market for this is prevalent since homes are always being built and most individuals value safety when they are talking about their lives. It would also create new industry since many escape routes are made for campers or commercial buildings and not residential communities. since homes are always being built and most individuals value safety when they are talking about their lives. It would also create new industry since many escape routes are made for campers or commercial buildings and not residential communities.
Telescopic Roof Rake:
When owning a home, you must maintain and keep the property cleanly so that issues such as water damage don’t occur from debris buildup and overflowing gutters. Living in a heavily wooded area, many individuals in our community encounter this problem and must address it before damage occurs. Once again when talking with interviewee Jason Arnold, we discussed this issue and how possible roof-rakes could be designed to fix this issue and make the task less strenuous keep the property cleanly so that issues such as water damage don’t occur from debris buildup and overflowing gutters. Living in a heavily wooded area, many individuals in our community encounter this problem and must address it before damage occurs. Once again when talking with interviewee Jason Arnold, we discussed this issue and how a roof-rake could possibly solve the problem and make it less strenuous on the homeowner. A market exists for devices like this, but they do not have adjustable pitches or settings that allow for easier use. Also, they seem to be unreliable and flimsy in most existing designs that revolve around a telescopic shaft.
With this idea, we plan to create a rover-like device which would be autonomous or remote-controlled that would take a common trash can to and from its service/pickup location, commonly at the end of most driveways and back up to the side of a house. Every week, hundreds of thousands of people across the country are faced with the task to make sure that their garbage can is taken to the end of the driveway to be emptied, and then brought back up to the house. The fact that this applies to almost every single American household offers tremendous potential for the market of such a gadget. Rachael Lallensack, an author to the Smithsonian Magazine wrote about how inventions and technology Ike this could help tremendously with simple tasks we do every day. Similar ideas do exist but are still in the development phase. So far there is not a single product like this that is readily available to the common family and this idea would be the solution to just that.
Suitcase Scooter:
With this idea, our team would design and construct a lightweight travel bag with a compact and easy to use scooter attached to it. Across the world, hundreds of thousands of people are in a rush to commute to work, get to their gate at the airport in time, or struggle with transporting common items with them to and from certain places due to them not having access to a car. Andy from ScooterTalks.org stated how getting to your required gate on time in the airport and traveling quickly with basic items can be an issue. Our design would solve just this dilemma, including a foldable lightweight scooter board with a travel sized bag attached to it capable of carrying clothes for traveling, items for work, or several grocery bags. Similar ideas do exist, but they either have an extremely high price point, or they are simply too cheap in which they lack durability. We plan to refine this design to be durable, yet cheaper, and more useful to the common person by adding certain features while retaining the carry-on capability.
Escape Window:
In society today, we are surrounded by cities full of large buildings and infrastructure or in crowded suburban settings. This leads to disasters such as fires which can be devasting without proper safety precautions like fire escapes and alternative exits. When conducting the community interviews, I spoke with Jason Arnold, a seasoned carpenter, on the topic and how these commercial solutions should be phased into residential communities. The market for this is prevalent since homes are always being built and most individuals value safety when they are talking about their lives. It would also create new industry since many escape routes are made for campers or commercial buildings and not residential communities. since homes are always being built and most individuals value safety when they are talking about their lives. It would also create new industry since many escape routes are made for campers or commercial buildings and not residential communities.
Telescopic Roof Rake:
When owning a home, you must maintain and keep the property cleanly so that issues such as water damage don’t occur from debris buildup and overflowing gutters. Living in a heavily wooded area, many individuals in our community encounter this problem and must address it before damage occurs. Once again when talking with interviewee Jason Arnold, we discussed this issue and how possible roof-rakes could be designed to fix this issue and make the task less strenuous keep the property cleanly so that issues such as water damage don’t occur from debris buildup and overflowing gutters. Living in a heavily wooded area, many individuals in our community encounter this problem and must address it before damage occurs. Once again when talking with interviewee Jason Arnold, we discussed this issue and how a roof-rake could possibly solve the problem and make it less strenuous on the homeowner. A market exists for devices like this, but they do not have adjustable pitches or settings that allow for easier use. Also, they seem to be unreliable and flimsy in most existing designs that revolve around a telescopic shaft.
Decision Matrix
Research Summary
Survey Data
Problem Statement
Based on a survey conducted in Worcester County in 2021, 92.4% of travelers or commuters said that they would like to have a quicker form of transportation.
Part A Synopsis:
During the process of Part A for this Capstone project, my partner Noah and myself took it upon ourselves to pinpoint a particular issue that needed a solution. We had many ideas and narrowed it down to one that we both found intriguing and presented the most opportunity and freedom of design. Along the way, we did encounter a few issues mainly revolving communication because we were both busy or out of town. We persevered though and found the best solution as we talked more and more. Part A was a great way to start as we had to do some of the work that is unenticing but allows for through thought and consideration of all issues before final decision. The only other issue we did encounter was getting the acceptable amount of survey submissions, which we solved later in Part A by having family members share it around. Overall, Part A was easy in many aspects, we just took our time to make sure everything was up to standard and fit the constraints of the project as we will be solving it for the next few months.
Part B
Patents
Competing Products
Potential Market
In 2019, the sale of luggage in the U.S. amounted to a total of 3.87 billion dollars. Based on our survey 87% of participants said that they travel, and when correlated to the population of the U.S. about 287 million people travel. This data averages out to about 8 trips per person as there are about 2.322 billion trips taken by Americans per year. With this in mind the average luggage lasts about 5-10 trips, so we can assume Americans purchase 1-2 luggage per year.
Stats pulled from:
&64;CondorFerries. (n.d.). 70+ U.S. Tourism & travel STATISTICS (2020-2021). Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.condorferries.co.uk/us-tourism-travel-statistics#:~:text=US%20Citizen%20domestic%20tourism%3A%20Americans,international%20visitors%20to%20the%20US
U.S. and world Population clock. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.census.gov/popclock/
Mickifor2. (2008, March 18). Luggage woes! so how long does your luggage last? - playa del carmen forum. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g150812-i23-k1826624-
Luggage_woes_So_how_long_does_your_luggage_last-Playa_del_Carmen_Yucatan_Peninsula.html
Shahbandeh, M. (n.d.). Topic: Luggage market worldwide. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.statista.com/topics/1320/luggage-market-worldwide/
&64;CondorFerries. (n.d.). 70+ U.S. Tourism & travel STATISTICS (2020-2021). Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.condorferries.co.uk/us-tourism-travel-statistics#:~:text=US%20Citizen%20domestic%20tourism%3A%20Americans,international%20visitors%20to%20the%20US
U.S. and world Population clock. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.census.gov/popclock/
Mickifor2. (2008, March 18). Luggage woes! so how long does your luggage last? - playa del carmen forum. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g150812-i23-k1826624-
Luggage_woes_So_how_long_does_your_luggage_last-Playa_del_Carmen_Yucatan_Peninsula.html
Shahbandeh, M. (n.d.). Topic: Luggage market worldwide. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.statista.com/topics/1320/luggage-market-worldwide/
Synopsis
Noah and I approached Part B right after we submitted Part A, we did this by dividing and conquering the work ahead. Noah did the patents and I did the competing products so that the workload was even. This made it so that by Friday the 19th we were able to begin weebly and talk over the potential market details that we needed to find. The data was a little harder to obtain than we thought, but after looking at a plethora of sources we found enough information to make a suitable claim. Other than that this part was smooth sailing and we have had good teamwork since we have started so not many issues have arose at all. For finding our information, it was easy as many have attempted our issue but have a flaw in some way. We learned this as all the existing solutions have many cons or are just too expensive for the general population so that become unusable or just too complex. Overall, the hardest information to gain was the market data but we just had to broaden our search and use many sources instead of the bare minimum.
Part C
Product Name:
ViperBag
Designers:
Dylan Arnold and Noah Selt
Target Consumer:
The target consumer is individuals who commute or travel frequently and require a form of transportation that will also work as their bag. Based on our survey that is about 79.2% of individuals with more potential as well for those who do not travel as much but may eventually. This product is intended for all ages and is to be used in any scenario.
Design Specifications
Synopsis
For the selection of the most important specifications, we thought about how each one affected our product individually and how much consideration might be had when developing the product. This resulted in us favoring the ones that had direct impact on the product such as size, weight, and aesthetics, rather than others like operating and global environment. We also thoroughly researched airline restrictions to make sure that safety and legality were not a problem for the design. After this we continued along the path of direct impact on the product for our additional criteria. So we delved deeper into the categories of size, aesthetics, ergonomics to reinsure that we were hitting all the right spots to create a product perfect for our target consumer. Overall, this part wasn't too bad and helped to clarify some blurred areas of the project as we are readily preparing for construction once the final design is selected. With this all concluded, we named the product the ViperBag to try and show some originality in the market and push us forward as the future progresses and other products become obsolete.
Part D
My Sketches:
Noah's Sketches:
Survey Summaries:
The first individual that I spoke to about the sketches for our design was my mom. She looked at all the sketches and had questions about compartments and sizing of everything for all the sketches. There were not many dislikes about the designs except for possibly deck width or design. She did however provide input that she believes compartments for more storage would be ideal and that the deck should be able to carry a heavy load. Those two points were the main takeaways that she provided for us and that we are incorporating into our final design. These revolve around the appeal to customers and the actual ease of use it will provide since they are providing storage and a larger base to stand.
I spoke to my older sister next, and she had very similar ideas to my mom since they are semi-similar and spoke briefly about the designs because they were together. However, my sister has used skateboards before so she did provide minor critiques to the skateboard components and how it would be easier to steer and ride. In conjunction with this, she also agreed that compartments and deck size were important. But she did question the steering mechanism of the handle and board together and how we may make that easier, which we are considering. She believed that many of the designs had good concepts we just had to pull them together and add small components, which is what we ended up doing as that seemed to be the majority idea by many individuals we surveyed with these designs.
The third person that I asked to view and critique our sketches was my dad. He took a more construction and manufacturer approach to this and presented me with a few questions on how we would build some of the more complex designs. We then discussed some of these points to show how they seemed almost unfathomable in our time constraint, but parts of the design could help in creating a better simpler design overall. He was a strong advocate of a brake system since not every person has ridden skateboards before with ease. To conclude his analysis, he advocated for a scooter like brake system, which we are contemplating and just haven’t finalized a brake system. We have taken all he said into consideration though during our final drawing stage.
After speaking with my dad, I then spoke with one of my family friends Marc. He has mechanical experience, so he also presented ideas in a fashion like my dad in that they gave improvements for the overall design rather than individual ones. The main points he presented were about the deck material, composite or wood, and possibly a reinforced handlebar to aid in steering. We talked over the deck material for a while and decided on wood with a possible coating to prolong the use period before maintenance. As for the handlebar we discussed how the way that it is steered allows for stability but also would be hindered by support that would make it stiffer. However, we have contemplated and formed ideas around these two points in the final drawing phase. One final point that Marc provided was to make sure that the wheels and bearings were strong enough to take the load we were intending to give it, which has been in consideration the whole time and was a good reminder.
The final person that I had look over the sketches for us was my friend Charles. He has more experience with computers and software but gave us a different approach than the others surveyed. For instance, he was very concerned with safety over the board locking mechanisms and how we should add a locking pin so that it does not spring out when not needed. We did end up adding this because it is a possible flaw that was present in all designs. After that he continued to give different ideas such as a kickstand so that the board could remain out even when not in use or weight distribution to aid in the same issue, which is being considered we just haven’t finalized anything yet. The final point that he made did go back to what some of the others said and that was bigger sizes or optimization of the potential sizes so that it has an appeal to a larger demographic and not just a small niche of people.
The first individual that I spoke to about the sketches for our design was my mom. She looked at all the sketches and had questions about compartments and sizing of everything for all the sketches. There were not many dislikes about the designs except for possibly deck width or design. She did however provide input that she believes compartments for more storage would be ideal and that the deck should be able to carry a heavy load. Those two points were the main takeaways that she provided for us and that we are incorporating into our final design. These revolve around the appeal to customers and the actual ease of use it will provide since they are providing storage and a larger base to stand.
I spoke to my older sister next, and she had very similar ideas to my mom since they are semi-similar and spoke briefly about the designs because they were together. However, my sister has used skateboards before so she did provide minor critiques to the skateboard components and how it would be easier to steer and ride. In conjunction with this, she also agreed that compartments and deck size were important. But she did question the steering mechanism of the handle and board together and how we may make that easier, which we are considering. She believed that many of the designs had good concepts we just had to pull them together and add small components, which is what we ended up doing as that seemed to be the majority idea by many individuals we surveyed with these designs.
The third person that I asked to view and critique our sketches was my dad. He took a more construction and manufacturer approach to this and presented me with a few questions on how we would build some of the more complex designs. We then discussed some of these points to show how they seemed almost unfathomable in our time constraint, but parts of the design could help in creating a better simpler design overall. He was a strong advocate of a brake system since not every person has ridden skateboards before with ease. To conclude his analysis, he advocated for a scooter like brake system, which we are contemplating and just haven’t finalized a brake system. We have taken all he said into consideration though during our final drawing stage.
After speaking with my dad, I then spoke with one of my family friends Marc. He has mechanical experience, so he also presented ideas in a fashion like my dad in that they gave improvements for the overall design rather than individual ones. The main points he presented were about the deck material, composite or wood, and possibly a reinforced handlebar to aid in steering. We talked over the deck material for a while and decided on wood with a possible coating to prolong the use period before maintenance. As for the handlebar we discussed how the way that it is steered allows for stability but also would be hindered by support that would make it stiffer. However, we have contemplated and formed ideas around these two points in the final drawing phase. One final point that Marc provided was to make sure that the wheels and bearings were strong enough to take the load we were intending to give it, which has been in consideration the whole time and was a good reminder.
The final person that I had look over the sketches for us was my friend Charles. He has more experience with computers and software but gave us a different approach than the others surveyed. For instance, he was very concerned with safety over the board locking mechanisms and how we should add a locking pin so that it does not spring out when not needed. We did end up adding this because it is a possible flaw that was present in all designs. After that he continued to give different ideas such as a kickstand so that the board could remain out even when not in use or weight distribution to aid in the same issue, which is being considered we just haven’t finalized anything yet. The final point that he made did go back to what some of the others said and that was bigger sizes or optimization of the potential sizes so that it has an appeal to a larger demographic and not just a small niche of people.
Noah’s summaries:
Person #1:
For the first person I interviewed, I talked to my mom. Showing her design #1 first, her initial reaction was favorable towards it. Overall she loves the idea and the fact that it is able to compact down to a carry on. She liked the fact it would have oversized wheels for added stability since someone like her isn’t very comfortable on ride ons. Her reaction to design #2 was less than favorable, having similar features to #1 but a backpack-style design, she argued that it would not be comfortable to wear and it was not very aesthetically pleasing. She also added that because the overall design is smaller in size, it might not be very stable. With design #3, she overall liked it mentioning how she liked the fact you could steer the handlebars themselves like a scooter but thought it would be a little too complex and possibly add un-needed cost. She also likes the brake, but again mentioned that it took away from the streamline, simple and cheap design that we are going for.
Person #2
The second person I surveyed was my dad. Showing him all of my designs, he genuinely liked them all and didn’t have much negative to say. He added that any of these designs would add a fun aspect to traveling or commuting. On design #1, he liked how simple it looked and commended the design. With design #2 he liked it as well and thought the backpack aspect was unique but might be a little overly complex to construct. Design #3 he also had no negative remarks but commended our implementation of a brake and thought it would be very useful to people that aren’t familiar with ride on devices adding to the safety.
Person #3
For the third person I surveyed, I talked to my grandmother. She found all of these ideas to be very neat but only had concerns for the stability when you are riding it. On all of our designs she noticed that we use the same type of folding mechanism for each one. She recommended that we put some sort or locking mechanism or stopper on the hinge so when it is deployed in the riding position it will stay upright and not require the rider to constantly hold it. Designs #1 and #3 she liked the most pointing out the brake on #3 was a good idea, but she disliked design #2 thinking that it would not turn out aesthetically appealing and might be more of a complex design than what we are going for.
Person #4
The third person that was surveyed was my uncle. After showing him my first design, his reaction was positive. He liked the utilization of a skateboard-style deck and wheels and thought that would offer an effective way to ride it. With design #2, his immediate reaction was also positive but the more he looked at it the more he came to dislike it, saying that we should stick to a suitcase style design over a backpack style design. Showing him design #3, he also liked it overall. He liked the fact there was a break but remarked it could be a bit difficult to make.
Person #5
For the last person that was interviewed, I showed the designs to a family friend of my parent. Overall, he was a little skeptical on the designs but came to like them a little bit more after he looked at some of the details and I explained some things to him. On the first design, he thought the overall product was a little big and might come out to be too heavy for a carry-on/portable style device. He suggested maybe making the bag itself a little bit smaller and possibly easier to use as a normal suitcase as well without the scooter deck, to be able to pull it like a normally with it folded up. With design #2, he favored this over the others. He liked the idea to have it built around a backpack and thought the portability of it would be very practical. He also added that since it is smaller, it would be less of a hassle to bring on a plane as a carry on. Showing him design #3, he commended the use of a brake in the design and recommended that we should do it with our other designs as well. He also liked that the front wheels were a bit wider apart, which would add stability. In addition, he also made remarks similar to what he said for design #1 saying that it might be too big/heavy and to make it a bit smaller so it will be easy to transport or carry when not riding it.
Person #1:
For the first person I interviewed, I talked to my mom. Showing her design #1 first, her initial reaction was favorable towards it. Overall she loves the idea and the fact that it is able to compact down to a carry on. She liked the fact it would have oversized wheels for added stability since someone like her isn’t very comfortable on ride ons. Her reaction to design #2 was less than favorable, having similar features to #1 but a backpack-style design, she argued that it would not be comfortable to wear and it was not very aesthetically pleasing. She also added that because the overall design is smaller in size, it might not be very stable. With design #3, she overall liked it mentioning how she liked the fact you could steer the handlebars themselves like a scooter but thought it would be a little too complex and possibly add un-needed cost. She also likes the brake, but again mentioned that it took away from the streamline, simple and cheap design that we are going for.
Person #2
The second person I surveyed was my dad. Showing him all of my designs, he genuinely liked them all and didn’t have much negative to say. He added that any of these designs would add a fun aspect to traveling or commuting. On design #1, he liked how simple it looked and commended the design. With design #2 he liked it as well and thought the backpack aspect was unique but might be a little overly complex to construct. Design #3 he also had no negative remarks but commended our implementation of a brake and thought it would be very useful to people that aren’t familiar with ride on devices adding to the safety.
Person #3
For the third person I surveyed, I talked to my grandmother. She found all of these ideas to be very neat but only had concerns for the stability when you are riding it. On all of our designs she noticed that we use the same type of folding mechanism for each one. She recommended that we put some sort or locking mechanism or stopper on the hinge so when it is deployed in the riding position it will stay upright and not require the rider to constantly hold it. Designs #1 and #3 she liked the most pointing out the brake on #3 was a good idea, but she disliked design #2 thinking that it would not turn out aesthetically appealing and might be more of a complex design than what we are going for.
Person #4
The third person that was surveyed was my uncle. After showing him my first design, his reaction was positive. He liked the utilization of a skateboard-style deck and wheels and thought that would offer an effective way to ride it. With design #2, his immediate reaction was also positive but the more he looked at it the more he came to dislike it, saying that we should stick to a suitcase style design over a backpack style design. Showing him design #3, he also liked it overall. He liked the fact there was a break but remarked it could be a bit difficult to make.
Person #5
For the last person that was interviewed, I showed the designs to a family friend of my parent. Overall, he was a little skeptical on the designs but came to like them a little bit more after he looked at some of the details and I explained some things to him. On the first design, he thought the overall product was a little big and might come out to be too heavy for a carry-on/portable style device. He suggested maybe making the bag itself a little bit smaller and possibly easier to use as a normal suitcase as well without the scooter deck, to be able to pull it like a normally with it folded up. With design #2, he favored this over the others. He liked the idea to have it built around a backpack and thought the portability of it would be very practical. He also added that since it is smaller, it would be less of a hassle to bring on a plane as a carry on. Showing him design #3, he commended the use of a brake in the design and recommended that we should do it with our other designs as well. He also liked that the front wheels were a bit wider apart, which would add stability. In addition, he also made remarks similar to what he said for design #1 saying that it might be too big/heavy and to make it a bit smaller so it will be easy to transport or carry when not riding it.
PosterWalk Summary:
After reading all the comments made on the design, the plaguing issues seemed to be weight and difference from prior designs, demographics as well. These issues have been addressed in our research mostly but those who commented have not seen such so I will reiterate that we have taken into account all regulation sizing and weight requirements. Also, we do understand that certain demographics may not be able to use such a product but that is the same with any invention. For the differences though, we are more of a skateboard with a handle to balance rather than a scooter and are making the design very able to compact. There was a few comments on motorizing the design but that is just out of our wheel house as of right now even though we would like to eventually if it is a successful product. All these comments reemphasized the importance of asking peers and those that the product would be aimed at. But they also made us double check everything which I appreciate as it allows us to eliminate errors that could hurt us eventually.
After reading all the comments made on the design, the plaguing issues seemed to be weight and difference from prior designs, demographics as well. These issues have been addressed in our research mostly but those who commented have not seen such so I will reiterate that we have taken into account all regulation sizing and weight requirements. Also, we do understand that certain demographics may not be able to use such a product but that is the same with any invention. For the differences though, we are more of a skateboard with a handle to balance rather than a scooter and are making the design very able to compact. There was a few comments on motorizing the design but that is just out of our wheel house as of right now even though we would like to eventually if it is a successful product. All these comments reemphasized the importance of asking peers and those that the product would be aimed at. But they also made us double check everything which I appreciate as it allows us to eliminate errors that could hurt us eventually.
This design took into account some aspects of the others designs, but is mainly based off of Noah's 1st Sketch. We have also pulled in some suggestions as well and are considering the addition of items such as a brake system. The additions we made included a locking mechanism for the board when it is not in use and extra compartments on the bag for more storage. The generic design of product will have a skateboard like deck with wheels and trucks for ease of use and then will have a commercial luggage attached.
Part E
Science and Engineering Concepts:
In the process of constructing this design we must have basic understanding of construction and mechanics. This is because we are assembling pieces that already exist and involve some complexity as it is a moving object. This is where the mechanics will come in because we must make it functional and able to move easily. As for the construction aspect we must know how to use power tools as they are needed in the assembly, such as a saw and drill. With this understanding we will be able to use a more complex setup and have a better overall design with high functionality. When we spoke with Mr. Standard, our advisor, we discussed the manufacturing aspects as well how they benefit us since we will be using repurposed materials. Especially how this will make the overall process of creating a prototype much easier and possible. Other than that he agreed with our previous statements and left us with some electronic advice if we had decided to go that route.
In the process of constructing this design we must have basic understanding of construction and mechanics. This is because we are assembling pieces that already exist and involve some complexity as it is a moving object. This is where the mechanics will come in because we must make it functional and able to move easily. As for the construction aspect we must know how to use power tools as they are needed in the assembly, such as a saw and drill. With this understanding we will be able to use a more complex setup and have a better overall design with high functionality. When we spoke with Mr. Standard, our advisor, we discussed the manufacturing aspects as well how they benefit us since we will be using repurposed materials. Especially how this will make the overall process of creating a prototype much easier and possible. Other than that he agreed with our previous statements and left us with some electronic advice if we had decided to go that route.
Course of Action:
We plan to take some materials that we have to construct the base model shown in our final sketches, if time permits we will add some more features. This will take up a majority of the construction and most likely lead directly into testing and a follow up meeting with Mr. Standard. Our testing will then precede in the next work period and will consist of mostly durability and efficiency testing. We will conduct the two required tests and then collect the data to see if any improvements are needed in the design to increase efficiency.
We plan to take some materials that we have to construct the base model shown in our final sketches, if time permits we will add some more features. This will take up a majority of the construction and most likely lead directly into testing and a follow up meeting with Mr. Standard. Our testing will then precede in the next work period and will consist of mostly durability and efficiency testing. We will conduct the two required tests and then collect the data to see if any improvements are needed in the design to increase efficiency.
Our Advisor was Mr. Standard from the Wallops Flight Facility.
Materials:
- Wood
- Luggage
- Drill
- Saw
- Screws, Nuts, and Bolts
- Wheels and Trucks
- Paint
- Lock System
- Miscellaneous Hand Tools
Part F
Synopsis
The effect on people by this product is minimal since it will be introduced into facets of life that already have preexisting models, such as skateboards and other suitcases. This won't have any drastic effects on users or nonusers lives since items that are similar are already prevalent in society today and have factories and facilities all over the nation. As for distributors and sellers, this will only add to the market that they could be a part of since this will most likely spark more innovation in the field causing new designs and surges in the market. As for the environment, the only toxins and natural resources that will be used are those that are used at preexisting facilities along with transportation and delivery of the product and materials. This is an inevitable consequence since energy is required to do anything, but since this product consist of a plethora of individual materials put together the impact is low and won't add too much addition cost on the environment. The only stages of life that this will be seen in is the premanufacture to delivery phases, as once the user has it, it is manual and can be upcycled if they wish to reuse the parts after it is unusable. Society will be fine with a product like this since similar products exist and many greater innovations that shock society come out more frequently.
Part G
Materials and Pricing:
- Pine board - $15
- wheels and axles - $20
- fasteners ( screws, rivets, washers, etc. ) - Free
- 2” x 4” board - Free
- Luggage - Free
- Paint and Primer - Free
- Grip Tape - $5
- Sharpie - Free
- Gate Lock System - $6
Building Procedures:
1- Cut down the 8’ x 4.5” x 0.75” Pine board to a desired length, which we found to be 30”
2- Next we shaped the board by taking 3-4 inches off and using a bandsaw to get a desired curve on the tail end
3- We sanded the curve so that it was smooth and ready to paint
4 - Application of the black paint to the whole board
5- Another layer of black paint
6- We put painters tape on the board so that we could add a racing stripe with blue paint to the middle
7- Used a sharpie to touch up the paint job
8- Applied the grip tape to the top face of the board, where the user would stand
9- Fastened the 2” x 4” block in the bag, under the lining between the predicting wheels, to make sure it was good for assembly
10- Predrilled holes in the board for the hinge and axles so that the paint wouldn’t be damaged
11- Put the axles and wheels on the board and tightened them
12- Added the hinge to the bottom of the bag
13- Assembled the product by adding the board to the hinge, put on the top of the board
14- Tightened and checked all fasteners
15- Attached the lock part of the gate lock to the bag using rivets, on the back face next to where the board flips up
16- Cut the board piece of the lock with a grinder so that it didn’t go out too far
17- Put the board part of the lock on the board, lined up with the part on the bag, and tighten the lock system
18- Completed Product
1- Cut down the 8’ x 4.5” x 0.75” Pine board to a desired length, which we found to be 30”
2- Next we shaped the board by taking 3-4 inches off and using a bandsaw to get a desired curve on the tail end
3- We sanded the curve so that it was smooth and ready to paint
4 - Application of the black paint to the whole board
5- Another layer of black paint
6- We put painters tape on the board so that we could add a racing stripe with blue paint to the middle
7- Used a sharpie to touch up the paint job
8- Applied the grip tape to the top face of the board, where the user would stand
9- Fastened the 2” x 4” block in the bag, under the lining between the predicting wheels, to make sure it was good for assembly
10- Predrilled holes in the board for the hinge and axles so that the paint wouldn’t be damaged
11- Put the axles and wheels on the board and tightened them
12- Added the hinge to the bottom of the bag
13- Assembled the product by adding the board to the hinge, put on the top of the board
14- Tightened and checked all fasteners
15- Attached the lock part of the gate lock to the bag using rivets, on the back face next to where the board flips up
16- Cut the board piece of the lock with a grinder so that it didn’t go out too far
17- Put the board part of the lock on the board, lined up with the part on the bag, and tighten the lock system
18- Completed Product
The slideshow above represents steps 3-7 which was the painting process of the board and the design being done. The sanding and curve of the board was done just prior to any photos.
This is step 8 where grip tape was placed on the completed board as the paint was dry.
Steps 9-14 revolved around this concept of finally assembling the main components of the bag and attaching the hinge and making sure everything is tight and ready to use.
Steps 15-17 are in this slideshow and are all revolving around the locking mechanism and attachment.
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This slideshow and video are step 18 the completed product, it being used and tested for the first time after completion.
Part H
Testing Research:
When it comes to testing our product, the testing phase can be carried out in a variety of ways. But to get an idea of where to start, we first researched how products of a similar nature are tested. We researched skateboards and kick-scooters and found they are tested in similar ways. We found that both of these products undergo weight and strain tests to see how far they can bend and how much weight they can hold before breaking. This could be important to us because people of various weights could use our product and we need it to be as strong as possible. We also found that scooters specifically undergo literal riding tests, in which their functionality, maneuverability, and proper function of their features is tested. This can all very much apply to us since we need our product to be able to function correctly and be agile.
Links:
https://www.technia.com/blog/pressure-and-drop-testing-a-skateboard/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20434614/
When it comes to testing our product, the testing phase can be carried out in a variety of ways. But to get an idea of where to start, we first researched how products of a similar nature are tested. We researched skateboards and kick-scooters and found they are tested in similar ways. We found that both of these products undergo weight and strain tests to see how far they can bend and how much weight they can hold before breaking. This could be important to us because people of various weights could use our product and we need it to be as strong as possible. We also found that scooters specifically undergo literal riding tests, in which their functionality, maneuverability, and proper function of their features is tested. This can all very much apply to us since we need our product to be able to function correctly and be agile.
Links:
https://www.technia.com/blog/pressure-and-drop-testing-a-skateboard/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20434614/
Part I
Distance and Time Test:
This is the data gathered from the walking versus riding test. As the data shows, it tended to take about the half the time it took to walk to ride the same distance and this was shown varying from small to large distances. This aids in supporting our claim that it saves time in the airport as these small commutes become even shorter and can save the average commuter an abundance of time. Having seen that our distances don't compare to those of airports it is possible to say that for a 10 minute commute our product could save the user up to 5 minutes.
Load Test:
For this test we put varying loads in the bag to insure that it would function regardless of the circumstances ranging from 5 to 20 lbs. The only issue that arose was that the board needed a counterweight when the weights were on the higher end, this was eliminated though when the individual stepped on it the board and was fine once they started riding. With any weight, turn radius and steering was unaffected and still was easy for any rider. In an ideal setting users would have less weight which worked optimally in all tests. Along with load we insured that all fasteners and connecting areas remained stable under all circumstances. This was of concern as it would be an issue if it came apart during use.
For this test we put varying loads in the bag to insure that it would function regardless of the circumstances ranging from 5 to 20 lbs. The only issue that arose was that the board needed a counterweight when the weights were on the higher end, this was eliminated though when the individual stepped on it the board and was fine once they started riding. With any weight, turn radius and steering was unaffected and still was easy for any rider. In an ideal setting users would have less weight which worked optimally in all tests. Along with load we insured that all fasteners and connecting areas remained stable under all circumstances. This was of concern as it would be an issue if it came apart during use.
Changes/Adjustments:
If time permitted we planned on making the bag more stable overall so that the counterweight issue would be obsolete and it would have overall better balance. This did not affect us much during testing but is the largest issue that we observed. As for steering and function, it worked perfectly and had multiple users insure that it was safe and feasible. The only other adjustment that we had thought about was to install a break, but under normal circumstances stepping off like a normal skateboard works fine. The only instance that a break would be needed is when the board is being used in an improper manner, so for the time being it is good.
If time permitted we planned on making the bag more stable overall so that the counterweight issue would be obsolete and it would have overall better balance. This did not affect us much during testing but is the largest issue that we observed. As for steering and function, it worked perfectly and had multiple users insure that it was safe and feasible. The only other adjustment that we had thought about was to install a break, but under normal circumstances stepping off like a normal skateboard works fine. The only instance that a break would be needed is when the board is being used in an improper manner, so for the time being it is good.
Summary/Reflection:
The testing went a lot better than we planned and reaffirmed that the product worked efficiently and under varying circumstances. We were able to complete a good bit of testing throughout the building phase, but did most of it in about 1 day and gained enough quantitative and qualitative data. This data reaffirmed our products effectiveness and ability to solve the problem we were after. We arranged a meeting with Mr. Standard, our mentor, the day after we tested and shared our results with him. He agreed that the results proved the functionality and solved the issue and liked that we had multiple individuals test the product. We spoke about the possible changes and what could be done but agreed that the product solved the problem to a suitable degree at this point. So, after speaking for awhile we finalized plans for the remainder of the project and agreed on final emails.
The testing went a lot better than we planned and reaffirmed that the product worked efficiently and under varying circumstances. We were able to complete a good bit of testing throughout the building phase, but did most of it in about 1 day and gained enough quantitative and qualitative data. This data reaffirmed our products effectiveness and ability to solve the problem we were after. We arranged a meeting with Mr. Standard, our mentor, the day after we tested and shared our results with him. He agreed that the results proved the functionality and solved the issue and liked that we had multiple individuals test the product. We spoke about the possible changes and what could be done but agreed that the product solved the problem to a suitable degree at this point. So, after speaking for awhile we finalized plans for the remainder of the project and agreed on final emails.
Part J
Our product Brochure
Presentation Reflection:
The dry run prior to the final presentation was very helpful and aided us in creating a better overall presentation that really helped the crowd understand our product. It also prepared us for varying and unprecedented questions as well, which I believe we handled well. The main issue we found during it was that we were not very demonstrative and used too many pictures/slides. So, we changed that by demoing the bag in the presentation instead and it worked a lot smoother. As for the final, we didn't change much except the way we performed it and engaged with the audience. I felt that our information was solid and gave everyone an understanding of why we did this issue. The questions went smoothly as well and di not stump us at any point. I think that the overall experience was great and went a lot better than we thought it would which was great. We received some critiques but had an overall accepted design and that was seen as a great prototype for the time being.
The dry run prior to the final presentation was very helpful and aided us in creating a better overall presentation that really helped the crowd understand our product. It also prepared us for varying and unprecedented questions as well, which I believe we handled well. The main issue we found during it was that we were not very demonstrative and used too many pictures/slides. So, we changed that by demoing the bag in the presentation instead and it worked a lot smoother. As for the final, we didn't change much except the way we performed it and engaged with the audience. I felt that our information was solid and gave everyone an understanding of why we did this issue. The questions went smoothly as well and di not stump us at any point. I think that the overall experience was great and went a lot better than we thought it would which was great. We received some critiques but had an overall accepted design and that was seen as a great prototype for the time being.
Mentor Bio:
Mr. Adam Standard has degrees in Aviation Science and Mechanical Engineering. He worked for 7 years in a major forklift manufacturer where he held a plethora of positions ranging from new product development to existing product customization/ aftermarket support. He is currently the Ground Operations Supervisor and Mechanical Engineer on the Range Operations Contact at Wallops. In this, he has 13 subordinates in 4 groups whilst also handling all major upgrades/modifications to range systems that require mechanical design work.
Mr. Adam Standard has degrees in Aviation Science and Mechanical Engineering. He worked for 7 years in a major forklift manufacturer where he held a plethora of positions ranging from new product development to existing product customization/ aftermarket support. He is currently the Ground Operations Supervisor and Mechanical Engineer on the Range Operations Contact at Wallops. In this, he has 13 subordinates in 4 groups whilst also handling all major upgrades/modifications to range systems that require mechanical design work.
Our final email to our mentor Mr. Standard to thank him for all the help.
Part K
My Reflection:
This project is a great way to cap off the engineering program and is almost like a look into what college will be like if you decide to continue. It shows the small meticulous things do matter and that taking time management into account is supremely important when working on small portions or grand scale projects. This was shown as we had the small due dates for each part but the large overarching date for the whole project. I enjoyed the process though and found Noah to be a great partner. My only critiques are that there is so much paper work and research that building time is really taken away from. This is the worst thing but being hands on and testing is much more fun and brings about better products I feel. This is of course our time management problem too but maybe just a larger focus on the prototype than the prior steps. As for the project all in all, it's great and doesn't have many flaws at all. The only other thing would possibly be to have the groups intermingle more so that the ideas flow. I felt that we all talked but were focused on our own issues when talking to others really could have helped in the long run, like the mentors. The mentors are great and provide insight, I would not change that at all. Having put together the past 4 years into one project, I am thankful for everything I learned from all 3 engineering teachers, Mrs. Zienty, Sangwan, and Gallo. This is an experience that will only aid me in the future and can act as the stepping stone from high school to college better than anything else I've done thus far.
Noah's Reflection:
Overall, what an experience. I honestly can’t pinpoint everything i have to say but as a whole i really did enjoy this whole project and this whole class. As for the class, the whole four years was amazing. Full of challenges, but rewards as once you finally got a project to work, circuit to function, calculation correct or whatever it may have been the satisfaction was right there. It did seem difficult at times but the fast pace kept me on my toes to keep on pushing myself. This project was one like no other. Along with it being a cool experience in general, it was really neat to spend the time to be so meticulous to perfect our designs, do all the proper research and truly do each step of the design process in full. I believe this project better simulates real world scenarios like projects we might have at our jobs because most will actually take this long. I have nothing to really recommend about how the course could be better, only thing that i thought made us worry a bit was when we had to keep changing the dates of the presentation, but i guess there wasn’t much we could do about that situation given our busy senior schedule. Maybe start the project a week earlier would save a little stress. Going out, i just cant thank all of the teachers involved in the engineering course, Mrs. Gallo, Mrs. Sangwan, and most thoughtfully Mrs. Zienty for all of their countless hours spent in the classroom with teaching me, believing in me, and pushing me to be the best student i can be. If it wasn’t the 3 of them teaching this course, i would not have enjoyed it the way i did.
This project is a great way to cap off the engineering program and is almost like a look into what college will be like if you decide to continue. It shows the small meticulous things do matter and that taking time management into account is supremely important when working on small portions or grand scale projects. This was shown as we had the small due dates for each part but the large overarching date for the whole project. I enjoyed the process though and found Noah to be a great partner. My only critiques are that there is so much paper work and research that building time is really taken away from. This is the worst thing but being hands on and testing is much more fun and brings about better products I feel. This is of course our time management problem too but maybe just a larger focus on the prototype than the prior steps. As for the project all in all, it's great and doesn't have many flaws at all. The only other thing would possibly be to have the groups intermingle more so that the ideas flow. I felt that we all talked but were focused on our own issues when talking to others really could have helped in the long run, like the mentors. The mentors are great and provide insight, I would not change that at all. Having put together the past 4 years into one project, I am thankful for everything I learned from all 3 engineering teachers, Mrs. Zienty, Sangwan, and Gallo. This is an experience that will only aid me in the future and can act as the stepping stone from high school to college better than anything else I've done thus far.
Noah's Reflection:
Overall, what an experience. I honestly can’t pinpoint everything i have to say but as a whole i really did enjoy this whole project and this whole class. As for the class, the whole four years was amazing. Full of challenges, but rewards as once you finally got a project to work, circuit to function, calculation correct or whatever it may have been the satisfaction was right there. It did seem difficult at times but the fast pace kept me on my toes to keep on pushing myself. This project was one like no other. Along with it being a cool experience in general, it was really neat to spend the time to be so meticulous to perfect our designs, do all the proper research and truly do each step of the design process in full. I believe this project better simulates real world scenarios like projects we might have at our jobs because most will actually take this long. I have nothing to really recommend about how the course could be better, only thing that i thought made us worry a bit was when we had to keep changing the dates of the presentation, but i guess there wasn’t much we could do about that situation given our busy senior schedule. Maybe start the project a week earlier would save a little stress. Going out, i just cant thank all of the teachers involved in the engineering course, Mrs. Gallo, Mrs. Sangwan, and most thoughtfully Mrs. Zienty for all of their countless hours spent in the classroom with teaching me, believing in me, and pushing me to be the best student i can be. If it wasn’t the 3 of them teaching this course, i would not have enjoyed it the way i did.