Group 10 - Snow Blower (Gasoline Powered)
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.
- Assembly Difficulties
- Tool Required
- Documentation Tools Required
- 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
- Development
Product History The first snow blower was invented in 1925 by the Canadian inventor, Arthur Sicard. His invention consisted of a chasis from a four wheel drive truck, a truck engine, a snow scooper attached to the front and the actual snow blower in the front with its own engine. It was able to throw snow over 90 feet away, making it much faster and easier to clear roads. The snow blower we will be dissecting is a Bolens 726-01. It was made in 1973 and was a top of the line snow blower during its time.
- Economic and Global Concerns
During the time this particular snow blower was in the market, concern for the environment wasn’t as large of a concern as it is today. That being said, product efficiency wasn’t emphasized in the making of gas powered products as much as it is today. Although time has changed our attitude towards the environment, the desire to save money is timeless. That being said, the designers of this product more than likely took into consideration of cost of usage and must have put in some sort of effort to increase the efficiency of the product.
- Usage
- Intended Sale Locations
The intended regions of sale are limited to areas where it actually snows. Regions of the world with tropical climate for example will have no use for a snow blower.
- Consumer Impact
The development of the snow blower made the labor intensive process of snow removal much easier and faster. It allowed people who may not be physically able enough to use a shovel, easily clean out their surrounding property. Transportation during wintry conditions has also been made safer and faster as a result of the snow blower. Today the snow blower is pretty much a necessity when covering large areas of land, but can be a considered a luxury when cleaning out smaller areas where a simple shovel may do the trick.
- Usage Profile
The intended usage for this product is to clean out snow from areas where human navigation is necessary and throw it to a more desirable location. The Bolens 726-01 is mainly intended for home use. It is not quite large enough to effectively remove snow in a larger setting than anything besides a driveway or sidewalk around a house. There are not really any other uses for this snow blower other
- Energy
Energy Profile
The Bolens 726-01 gas powered snow blower acquires its energy chemically from the gasoline which initially powers the snow blower allowing it to function. The snow blower starts off with the user pulling the power cord, which turns the flywheel and the crankshaft causing mechanical energy, and this causes combustion to occur. Combustion occurs when the flywheel, rotating along the crankshaft sends magnetic energy to ignite the snow blower. The gasoline flows to the combustion chamber and burns forming chemical energy which then converts into mechanical energy and powers the pistons. The mechanical energy from the pistons then travels to the crankshaft allowing for rotational energy to occur which spins the blades which will force snow in and out of the chute. The mechanical energy also causes the gears to spin which cause the wheels to rotate, and allows the snow blower to self-propel itself. Energy by the user is only used to steer the snow blower in the desired direction.
- Complexity
- Materials
- User Interation
- 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.
Alternative products for snow removal range greatly from snow blowers to more industrial means such as trucks with jet engines mounted on them. We will focus more on the residential aspect of snow removal since that is more of what our product deals with. One of the oldest methods of residential snow removal is the basic activity of shoveling; it is environmentally friendly and a good workout if you are looking for some extra exercise. The draw backs are it is so labor intensive that not all people could do it also it takes a long time to complete the task compared to a snow blower. Another alternative is to plow your driveway with a truck. This is very quick and will allow instant access back to the road. The down side is not everyone has a truck and if they do plowing is putting a lot of strain on the vehicle’s engine, and with most people relying on their vehicle day in and day out they cannot have them breakdown. One more alternative is to have a heated driveway. This would literally mean that snow cannot accumulate on the surface and there for you would not have to do anything else. The down side is that this method is very expensive and impractical to most people. The snow blower is less labor intensive then shoveling, won’t put strain on your vehicle which you rely on every day, and is relatively inexpensive. For the average American the snow blower is clearly the best choice.
