Group 10 - Snow Blower (Gasoline Powered)

Revision as of 14:39, 7 October 2012

Gate 1

Project Management

• Work Proposal

Disassembly

The disassembly of the Bolens 726-01 gas powered snow blower is expected to take the larger amount of time versus assembly. It is expected that this step will take us about 6-9 hours of lab time to accomplish fully. This is so because during the process of disassembly our group will be documenting every step that is taken during the removal of parts and components. We will do this by taking pictures of the different pieces in order to provide a visual reference for someone following our guide. Pictures may also be used to show how complicated parts fit together along with written descriptions in order to clarify the task best. Smaller parts such as nuts, bolts, washers, O-rings and so on, will all be bagged and labeled in order to guard against lost pieces of hardware. Larger pieces such as the engine block itself will also be tagged and documented. Parts will also be cleaned after being disassembled in order to ensure as good of a visual inspection as possible. An important step that will be taken before any disassembly is to take place will be to remove any flammable fluids such as gasoline and oil to ensure the safety of group members.

Difficulties with Disassembly

Assembly

The assembly will be done in reverse order of the disassembly process. This step is not expected to take as long as the disassembly process because all the parts will be cleaned and well documented. We will be able to refer to our own notes and findings to reassure that everything is where it needs to be. Again we will be taking pictures and written descriptions or the steps involved to ensure an easy to follow guide for someone who hasn’t just taken the machine apart following the previous section. This will be expected 3 to 5 hours of lab time in order to complete the physical aspect.

• Managment proposal

In order for our group to successfully reverse engineer our snow blower according to the standards set by our professors, we will need an organized , efficient and collaborative group effort from each of our members. We will need to make use of each of our strongest abilities in order to output the best quality analysis of our product as possible. In order to keep the group updated and all on the same page, we created a Facebook group where all deadlines, information, questions and discussions regarding the project may be posted.

• Meeting Information

This group will hold meetings at least once a week. More meetings will of course be held whenever deemed necessary. We will vary our meeting location based on the purpose of the meeting. Meetings for dissection will take place in the dissection lab while general meetings will take place in the group study section of Capen Library. Days and time will vary in efforts to try and fit to each group member’s schedule.

• Group Conflict

In the case of any conflict within the group, the issue will be brought up at the next meeting and discussed amongst the entire group in an effort to come to an agreement. If common grounds are nowhere to be found, the next step will be to discuss the conflict with a professor.

List of contact information and abilities here

• Product Archaeology

• Project planning Pofile

1. Development
2. Usage
3. Energy
4. Complexity
5. Materials
6. User Interation
7. Product Alternatives - There are many alternatives to a gasoline powered snow blowers that compare well and show both the advantages and disadvantages of the product.

The alternatives that are offered to a gas powered snow blower include

• Electric (AC) The AC electric snow blower is plugged into an outlet
• Electric (DC) The DC snow blower is powered with a rechargeable battery

The electric versions offer a size advantage, as they tend to be smaller and lighter and lack the emissions that are released from the gas versions. The main comparison is size and emissions. The electric Snow blower is generally smaller Compared to the gasoline alternative.

The advantage to be had with a combustion engine powered snow blower is that there will generally be more torque and therefore they can be applied to larger heavier jobs then an electric. It’s a preference choice between power and the environment. Although the electrics are more green they can lack the power for heavier jobs and with the power of the gas version comes the weight of a large metal frame and engine. Comparatively electrics cost much less but have their tradeoffs, often pricing around the 200 dollar range. Gas snow blowers as well have their advantages and disadvantages and will run closer to $500 or more. So with higher pricing comes power but mass and emissions and with lesser cost comes a green footprint but less power.