Reverse Engineering Product Dissection and Design

1. Reverse Engineering Product Dissection and Design Prerequisite for the course: Curiosity, eagerness to take things apart, willingness to learn from mistakes, interest to work in a team

2. Objective • Dissecting a product • Understanding how it functions • Learn basic principles • Designing/building a new product • Communicating (oral/written)

3. Mechanical Engineering • Mechanical Engineering involves • Conversion of energy (engine, turbine, motor, etc.) • Conversion of motion (gears, piston-cylinder, etc.) • Analysis of a structure (strength, stiffness, etc) • Choosing the correct material (metal, composite, etc) • Building a structure or machine (building components and assembly) • Mechanical engineers play a major role in building everything (toys to cars to airplanes)

4. Issues involved • Cost effective • Ergonomical • Aesthtically pleasing • Safe • Environment friendly • Cater to an existing market or create new market

5. Product Dissection Lastlecture involved Electro-magnetic shock design to show a state of the art interesting project However this is little too involved for a class project. Also this course is meant for all engineering students, so let us consider some common household items, dissect them and then try to design a similar product.

6. Study a familiar product • Vacuum cleaner (or power drill or lawn mower) • Following steps will be involved to study the product: • Disassemble the product • Identify each component • Understand their purpose • Obtain information about each component

7. Why hands-on experience • I hear, I forget • I see, I remember • I do, I understand

8. Safety Rules • Wear safety glasses • Do not work alone • Do not hurry • Do not work when tired or under the influence • Use common sense • Think before you act • Prevent accidents

9. Team Building “If you can’t operate as a team player, no matter how valuable you’ve been, you really do not belong at GE” John Welch CEO, GE (1993) Since working properly in a team is essential to the success of the project following few slides are presented to help functioning properly in a team.

15. Potential Problems Since this may be the first course in your engineering curriculum, be aware of the potential problems of working a group and try to avoid them

19. Back to Dissection Now that you have formed a group successfully, proceed with dissection of a vacuum cleaner

20. Initial Observation • Let us explore how a vacuum cleaner works • First identify the vacuum cleaner: type, manufacturer, model#, and performance specifications • Read the instruction manual • Plug the vacuum cleaner and run it • Listen to the sound • Feel how it runs • Record your observations

21. Dissection • Wear safety glasses • Unplug the vacuum cleaner • Disassemble it as far as possible • Put all parts in a bin (with label of your group) • Note each part and their purpose (e.g. belt and pulley mechanism, types of bearings/bushings, motor, etc.) • Are there any other alternatives of these components?

22. Reassemble • Now reassemble your vacuum cleaner • Suggest any design changes to make reassemble easier • Once all parts are assembled, plug it in and run it (make sure you have your safety glasses) • If it does not sound or feel like before or smoke comes out, unplug immediately and try to fix the problem.

23. Big Picture • Understand how different issues are addressed • Conversion of energy (120V power supply to motor providing • Torque • Conversion (Belt and pulley system) • Safety issues (Child proof) • Environmental issues (quiet but not too quiet, hepa filter) • Ergonomic (Carry up the stair, notice the cg location at the • stair grip) • Material choice (Plastic cover, metal rod for the roller axle) • Cost ($50 to $800!) • Market (household, commercial)

24. Your project • Your group project • Build a mini vacuum cleaner, which can suck a paperclip • with constraint of material cost no more than $50 including the motor

25. Some Equations • Even a small or toy vacuum cleaner operating principle involves some equations • Conversion of electrical power (watts = volt * ampere) to mechanical energy • Mechanical power = force * velocity • Power imparted to impeller = torque * angular velocity • In case of pump (vacuum cleaner) required power = mass flow rate * change in pressure Now change of duct size and many other factors would govern the required pressure increase by the impeller.

26. Commercial ones

28. I want to conclude this lecture with a note that just designing and manufacturing a part or a component is not enough. Ultimately you have to interact with other people whether it is personnel within your own company or outside your company. You may work for a company or agency which either sells a product or buys a product and you need to be aware of a very important issue – Ethics

29. NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers PreambleEngineering is an important and learned profession. As members of this profession, engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all people. Accordingly, the services provided by engineers require honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be dedicated to the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. Engineers must perform under a standard of professional behavior that requires adherence to the highest principles of ethical conduct.

30. Fundamental Canons Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall: 1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public. 2. Perform services only in areas of their competence. 3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner. 4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees. 5. Avoid deceptive acts. 6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession.

31. Case Studies • Personal Conflict (helmet design) • Corporate Conflict (Chrysler odomoter case, selling of damaged cars) • Government Ethics (editorial in Des Moines Register) • Boeing defense contract (hiring of defense employee) • Pressure from own supervisor (compromise results)

32. Acknowledgement • MEEP (The manufacturing engineering education partnership), J. Lamancusa et. al, PSU, 2004. • Society of Professional Engineers