Ride a Horse to Danbury Cross

ME 3310 Project 2
Term A-90
Assigned 9/21/90 - Due 10/5/90

    Horseback riding is a very expensive hobby or sport. There is a need for a horseback riding simulator to train prospective riders sans the expensive horse. This device should provide similar motions to the occupant as he or she would feel in the saddle under various gaits such as a walk, canter, gallop etc. A more advanced version might contain jumping motions as well. User safety is most important.

    We need you to design it. We want some creative designs which are potentially superior to any that might now be on the market. The section titled "A Design Process" in Chapter 1 will help you to get started and guide you to potential solutions. Please read it carefully. (It really works!). Also read Chapter 18 for some insight into the design process.

    The only constraints imposed on the problem are that the device must be safe and it must provide interesting, realistic and non-traumatic motions to the occupant's body. Full joints are preferred to half joints and simplicity is the mark of good design. A pin-jointed linkage solution with motor input is desired. You must define the motor’s operating speeds.

    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 be a need for extensive kinematic analysis in this project in addition to the synthesis activities. You are expected to do a complete velocity and acceleration analysis of your design to determine its feasibility and its effects on the rider. Human factors must be considered. In order to make it possible for you to accomplish this task in the short time available, the National Velvet Association has generously made available to you their new fast-track computer programs, Fourbar, Fivebar and Sixbar. You may use these programs to analyze your potential design solutions. However, to ensure that you understand your results and to discourage a BFI (or Clysedale) approach, we require that you include a complete derivation of all equations necessary to the analysis of your design. These must be a general (non-numeric) derivation and you must use your derived equations to numerically check the computer program solutions for a minimum of two positions of your device.

    You are also required to document your solution in a professional engineering report which adheres to the "Project Report Specifications" document previously distributed. This report will document the process by which you iterated to your final design as well as the design itself. 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.

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 subconscious 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 in Chapter 1 for more information on this phenomenon. Incubation really does work. You should plan to have all the design work done at least 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 at least two days for the write-up.

    The report must be word processed and spell checked! WordPerfect (with built-in spell checker) is available in the new Word Processing Lab in Fuller Laboratories. 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!