Phase 1 Design Project

 

“HOLE IN ONE”

 

PROBLEM MOTIVATION

 

A manufacturer wishes to transport a material from one stage in a manufacturing process to another.  The material must be acquired from a specified initial position, transported along a specified path, and be deposited in the specified final position at the appropriate time.

 

PROBLEM SPECIFICATION

 

Design teams in the EGR 3380 class will address the above engineering problem by designing, constructing, and testing a prototype device that performs the desired functions according to the specifications detailed below.

 

*   The material to be transported will be one standard size and weight golf ball.

*   The initial position of the ball shall be on a tee, mounted on a wooden platform.  Each design team will be issued a platform and ball

*   The ball must initially be positioned on the tee, centered on the top of a table in room 109 of the Rogers Building.

*   The ball must be delivered to a specified container.  Each design team shall be issued a container.

*   The container must be centered on the top of a table in room 109 of the Rogers Building, and must be a horizontal distance, center-to-center, of 12 inches from the tee.

*   The design team’s prototype device shall transport the ball from the tee to the container in a time of 10 ± 1 second

*   During transport, the ball must make a complete circuit of the tabletop cross-section.  That is, the ball must be transported off one side of the table, pass underneath the table, and be brought back up on the opposite side of the table before being placed in the container. 

*   The prototype device, when assembled and ready to operate, must not touch anything except the tabletop, the sides of the platform, and the container.  During operation, the device may touch only the tabletop, the ball, the platform, and the container.  After transport is complete, the device may touch only the tabletop, the sides of the platform, and the container.

*   The prototype device may not in anyway permanently mark or disfigure the platform, the ball, the tabletop, or the container.

*   The operation of the prototype device shall be initiated via one momentary switching action.  The energy input from the hand during this switching action shall not directly impart energy to the transport of the ball.  After the initial switching action has been performed, the operation of the device shall be autonomous. 

*   The duration of operation of the device will be measured with a stopwatch.  The stopwatch will be started on the initial movement of the ball.  The stopwatch will be stopped when the ball is inside the container and will clearly remain so, as determined at the discretion of the timer.