ME 3310 Project 1
Term C-88

Assigned 1/22/88 - Due 2/5/88 R. L. Norton

    Grandma's off her rocker! Junior has run down to the Bingo parlor to fetch her. But we've got to do something about her rocker before she gets back. She's been complaining that her arthritus makes it too painful to push the rocker. So, for her 100th birthday, in two weeks, we're going to surprise her with a new automated, computerized and motorized rocking chair.

    We need you to design it. We want some creative preliminary designs which are potentially superior to those now on the market. The attached handout "A Design Process" will help you to get started and guide you to potential solutions. Please read it carefully. (It really works!).

    The only constraints imposed on the problem are that the device must be safe and it must provide interesting and pleasant motions to all parts of the occupant's body. Full joints are preferred to half joints and simplicity is the mark of good design. A linkage solution is desired with electric motor input.

    You must follow the Design Process to fully define and constrain the problem. You must do Background Research into the problem and any existing solutions. You must create a general Goal Statement. You must generate a list of at least 15 Task Specifications.

    As with any design problem, there is an infinity of solutions possible. You are expected to come up with one solution which will work. To do so you will have to try out many alternate designs and iterate to your 'best' solution. You should expect to typically go through at least ten iterations before arriving at an acceptable one.

    There will not be a need for extensive analysis in this project as it is a preliminary design concept study. However you are expected to do a "first order analysis" to determine the feasibility of your design. This must include, at a minimum, analysis of the degree of freedom of your design, its grashof condition (if applicable), the input RPM of the motor, the minimum transmission angles and any other parameters you think important.

    You are also required to document your solution in a professional engineering report which adheres to the "Project Report Specifications" document attached. This report will document the process by which you iterated to your final design as well as the design. Do not just describe the final result. Rather show me how you arrived at it, including the failures encountered along the way. This will demonstrate to me that you understand the engineering concepts and the relevant course material. A working cardboard model of at least one plane (one side) of your design is required.

    Some suggestions to get you started:

1. Do research before trying to solve the problem! Don't 'shoot from the hip'. Avoid BFI (Brute Force and Ignorance). Engineer it.

2. Let Ol'Rockin' Chair get ya. Try one out.

3. Investigate the user's needs. Visit the Old Folks Home. They'll love it!

4. Mr. Hrones and Mr. Nelson might help.

5. Prof. Zhang, Norton, Hammond might also.

6. Cardboard models make designing much easier.

IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT!

IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU START THIS PROJECT RIGHT AWAY! Do not kid yourself that you can knock this off over the weekend before it is due! You cannot! This type of problem requires incubation periods. Work on it until stumped, then put it aside and do other coursework. Then come back to this problem after your subconcious has had a chance to work on it. You'll be surprised how effective this 'time-sharing' of your tasks can be. Read The Design Process handout for more information on this phenomenon. Incubation really does work. You should plan to have all the design work done 2 days before the due date, and use that time to write it up. It will take about three times longer to write up the report than you think it will. Allow two days for the writeup.

    The report must be word processed and spell checked! PCWRITE (with built-in spell checker) is available in (5) campus locations, (Aptlab, MicroCad lab, 205 Olin PClab, Washburn Management PClab, and CCC in library basement). If you have your own PC and word processor, that's fine too. Letter quality output is NOT required, but DARK type is. Use a good printer ribbon, or better yet, take your disk to CCC and laser print the final draft.

Regarding cooperation between students: This is a very gray area. I do not object to your discussing the problem with your classmates or others. Much learning can take place by 'bouncing' ideas off other technically competent people (including your instructors). So you do not need to work on these projects in a vacuum. BUT, and this is a very large BUT, the final result must be your own. Any duplication of results or designs in the final reports will be quite obvious and will result in a very tense confrontation between you and me. So, brainstorm ideas among yourselves if that helps, but make sure that the final result is your own and that you fully explain its intricacies in your report. This is NOT a group project.

    Now please re-read this document to ensure you understand what is being requested. If you are the least bit confused, ASK QUESTIONS IN CLASS OR SECTION MEETING. Above all, Have Fun!

    By the way, Grandma won at Bingo, and before Junior could catch her, she took off for Disney World on her winnings. She'll be back in HL209 on 2/5/88 at 3:30 Pm. Your design and report had better be ready then! She's a terror when she's off her rocker!