Group 1 2012 Gate 3
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Revision as of 22:49, 11 November 2012
BLAH BLAH BLAH, hamfisted reiteration of what the assignment is in a shallow and soulless attempt to scrape a few more percentage points out of the bottom of the barrel where they keep our failing grades.
New picture for pull rod.
Project Management
Cause for Corrective Action
The group seems to be working together well now. we generally have very regular attendance at meetings and are improving our focus during those meetings. The cause for concern now is more refining our approach to group assignments that they may be completed as quickly and efficiently as possible. To that end, everyone was specifically assigned tasks before our first meeting in an attempt to streamline group work, and also to attempt to more evenly distribute out of meeting work among members.
Project Evaluation
Component Summary
| Component Name | Component Picture | Material(s) | Manufacturing Processes | Number of Components | Description | |
| Keys | 
|
Wood, with plastic covering | Wood parts sawed, Plastic adhered | 88 | Pressed by user in order to trigger action to hit desired string. | |
| Hammers | 
|
Wood body, head is felt | Turned and sawed wood body, Needle Stitched Felt, parts then adhered | 88 | Strike the string in order to produce a note. (Red box in picture) | |
| Pull rod |
|
Steel, wooden end | Drawn Steel, Milled Wood, Adhered together | 88 | Transmits key energy to the action assembly. | |
| Action Assembly |
|
Wood, Steel | Sawed Wood, Several Drawn Steel Pins, Drawn and rolled sring | 88 | Transmits pull rod energy to the hammers, the internal spring resets the hammer to its rest position. (Yellow box in picture) | |
| Key rack | 
|
Wood, Steel, Felt | Sawed wood, Drawn Steel, Needle Stitched Felt, adhered together | 1 | Holds the keys in place. | |
| Hammer rest rack | Need Picture | Wood, fabric | Sawed wood, fabric adhered | 1 | Holds the hammers in the proper position while they are resting, moves forward when una corda pedal is pressed. | |
| Mutes | 
|
Wood, steel, felt | Milled and Sawed Wood, Needle Stitched Felt, Drawn Steel | 88 | Rest on strings to dampen the sound produced when the strings are struck. | |
| Pedal Assembly | 
|
Metal (most likely bronze or copper), Wood, Felt, Steel pins and screws | Cast Bronze, Drawn Bronze, Needle Stitched Felt, Sawed Wood | 2 | There are two pedals, the mute and the una corda, which respectively move the mutes off the strings and the hammers closer to the strings. The pedal assemblies hold the pedals in place so the user can depress them, provide a pivot for the pedal itself, and translate the pedal motion to the pedal bars by use of a long straight rod. | |
| Pedal Bars | 
|
Wood, Steel | Sawed Wood, Rolled Steel | 2 | Transfers kinetic energy of the pedals to the pedal dowels, returns to place via the stored energy of the flat spring connecting it to the piano frame floor. | |
| Piano Casing |
|
Wood | Sawed Wood, joined with screws and or adhered together. | 1 | Outer skeleton of piano, provides support and protection to all other components. | |
| Frame | 
|
Cast Iron | Cast Iron | 1 | Heavy iron body that resists string tension. | |
| Action Body | 
|
Wood | Sawed Wood | 1 | Provides support for all the components of the action. | |
| Mute rod | 
|
metal | Cast iron | 88 | Connects the mute to the rest of the piano. | |
| Wheels | 
|
Steel, Hard plastic | Rolled Steel, Injection Molded Plastic | 4 | Make the piano easier to move. | |
| Strings | 
|
Steel | Drawn Steel | 233 | 
|
Resonate at certain frequencies when struck. Larger strings produce lower frequencies. The dustless spots on the picture are where the mutes rest. |
Product Analysis
Keys
The function of the keys is to be pressed by the user to trigger the output of a certain sound.
Component Form
| Shape | Primary Dimension | Dimensions | Weight | Material | Surface Finish |
Does the component help to perform multiple functions?
No What flows are associated with the component?
Mass, signal What environment does the component function in?
It is part of the piano that is open to the environment
What is the general shape of the component?
It is long and rectangular Does it have any notable properties (e.g. axis-symetric)?
Most of the keys are axis-symetric, but some are not due to the locations of the strings they have to hit
Is it primarily one, two, or three dimensional?
Two dimensional How large is the component (L x W x H)?
Im not sure
How is the component’s shape coupled to the function the component performs?
It is the width of a human finger, so you only hit one key with each finger
What does the component (roughly) weigh?
Pretty light
What material is the component made from?
Wood, with a plastic coated top
Did manufacturing decisions impact this?
There are a lot of similar keys so cutting a piece of wood can create multiple keys
Is a specific material property needed for it to function?
The plastic is smooth to the touch to allow dexterity when playing
How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Ivory used to be used but the animal became endangered, and plastic is a cheaper alternative
What are the aesthetic properties of the component?
It is shiny white or black, which is appealing to the eye
Does the component have an aesthetic purpose?
It looks nice and stands out compared to the rest of the piano
What color is the component and why?
Black and white, as the different colored keys indicate the main notes, and sharps/flats.
What type of surface finish does the component have?
It is smooth and shiny plastic finish
Is this for functional or aesthetic reasons?
Both, as smoothness enhances dexterity for the player and it looks better
Manufacturing Methods
What manufacturing methods were used to make the part?
Subtractive wood and plastic mold for the coated top
What evidence supports this?
It is made of wood and only the top is coated in plastic
Did material choice impact this decision?
No
Did shape impact the method selected?
Most of the keys have the same basic shape
How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Wood and plastic are relatively cheap materials for manufacturing
Manufacturing Methods
What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? What evidence supports this? Did material choice impact this decision? Did shape impact the method selected? How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Component Complexity
Grade a bullshit, really. Probably put the complexity ratings in bullets, and then a little blurb about shit.
Strings
The function of the strings is to produce the sound that is desired.
Component Form
| Shape | Primary Dimension | Dimensions | Weight | Material | Surface Finish |
Down here will be notable properties, Does the component help to perform multiple functions? No What flows are associated with the component? Signal, acoustic energy What environment does the component function in? It is inside the piano itself Component Form (Geometry, Material, and Appearance) What is the general shape of the component? Long and varying in length and thickness Does it have any notable properties (e.g. axis-symetric)? Linear Is it primarily one, two, or three dimensional? 1 dimensional How large is the component (L x W x H) Who gives a How is the component’s shape coupled to the function the component performs? Hitting the string produces a sound What does the component (roughly) weigh? No one knows What material is the component made from? High carbon steel Did manufacturing decisions impact this? No Is a specific material property needed for it to function? It lasts a long time and is very strong How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? They didnt What are the aesthetic properties of the component? Not really Does the component have an aesthetic purpose? Nope What color is the component and why? Steel gray color What type of surface finish does the component have? It is ribbed Is this for functional or aesthetic reasons? Ribbed from it being tightly wound in tension Manufacturing Methods What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? The wire is drawn out to get the desired thickness and length What evidence supports this? They are all different thicknesses and lengths Did material choice impact this decision? Carbon steel can be drawn out into wire Did shape impact the method selected? It is a basic linear shape that is simple to create How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Cheap
Manufacturing Methods
What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? What evidence supports this? Did material choice impact this decision? Did shape impact the method selected? How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Component Complexity
Grade a bullshit, really. Probably put the complexity ratings in bullets, and then a little blurb about shit.
Hammers
The function of the hammers is to physically hit the strings with the amount of force applied on the keys
Component Form
| Shape | Primary Dimension | Dimensions | Weight | Material | Surface Finish |
Down here will be notable properties, Does the component help to perform multiple functions? No What flows are associated with the component? Mass, signal What environment does the component function in? Inside the piano Component Form (Geometry, Material, and Appearance) What is the general shape of the component? It is an odd shape with multiple moving parts and connections Does it have any notable properties (e.g. axis-symetric)? It falls along the same plane Is it primarily one, two, or three dimensional? 2 dimensional How large is the component (L x W x H)? Zero fucks given How is the component’s shape coupled to the function the component performs? It connects to a few things so the shape is ideal for its function What does the component (roughly) weigh? light What material is the component made from? Wood, metal bars, and soft pads Did manufacturing decisions impact this? Not really Is a specific material property needed for it to function? Light for quick movements, and soft pads to hit the strings How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Local woods and fabrics may be used for the wood and pad parts What are the aesthetic properties of the component? No one sees it Does the component have an aesthetic purpose? Not really What color is the component and why? Wood color for wood parts, and green and yellow soft pads What type of surface finish does the component have? Basic smooth wood finish with stain Is this for functional or aesthetic reasons? Aesthetic, although no one sees it Manufacturing Methods What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? Basic subtractive wood methods, and drawing of metal parts What evidence supports this? The piece has a few simple shapes Did material choice impact this decision? The wood and metals used were ideal for these methods Did shape impact the method selected? The shapes were relatively basic to manufacture How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? These methods are cheap
Manufacturing Methods
What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? What evidence supports this? Did material choice impact this decision? Did shape impact the method selected? How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Component Complexity
Grade a bullshit, really. Probably put the complexity ratings in bullets, and then a little blurb about shit.
Mute
The function of the mute is to dampen the sound coming off of the string
Component Form
| Shape | Primary Dimension | Dimensions | Weight | Material | Surface Finish |
Down here will be notable properties, Does the component help to perform multiple functions? No What flows are associated with the component? Signal, Mass What environment does the component function in? Inside the piano Component Form (Geometry, Material, and Appearance) What is the general shape of the component? It is generally linear with the soft mute off axis at the end Does it have any notable properties (e.g. axis-symetric)? It falls within a straight line except for the bar attached to the mute that is bent up Is it primarily one, two, or three dimensional? It is primarily 3 dimensional How large is the component (L x W x H)? This long How is the component’s shape coupled to the function the component performs? It pivots on a spring hinge that gets pushed onto and away from the string What does the component (roughly) weigh? It is very light What material is the component made from? It is mostly wooden, with a metal bar portion Did manufacturing decisions impact this? No Is a specific material property needed for it to function? It needed to be light, so wood was the proper choice How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Wood components are relatively cheap What are the aesthetic properties of the component? It is all wood color except for the red and yellow soft mute Does the component have an aesthetic purpose? No, it is never seen unless the piano is opened up What color is the component and why? It is the color or the wood with a stain, because it is wood. The different colors of the parts of the mute may indicate different materials What type of surface finish does the component have? The whole component is sanded down smooth the touch Is this for functional or aesthetic reasons? It is for function, since the part is never seen, and it needs to be smooth to ensure proper functionality Manufacturing Methods What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? Subtractive processes What evidence supports this? It is made of wood, with notches and cuts in the overall piece Did material choice impact this decision? Wood is easily subtracted from to get the desired shape Did shape impact the method selected? The shape is simple enough to be made with a few simple cuts How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? The simple shape was cheap to build with wood
Manufacturing Methods
What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? What evidence supports this? Did material choice impact this decision? Did shape impact the method selected? How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Component Complexity
Grade a bullshit, really. Probably put the complexity ratings in bullets, and then a little blurb about shit.
Pedals
The function of the pedals is to allow the user to augment the sound using their feet.
Component Form
| Shape | Primary Dimension | Dimensions | Weight | Material | Surface Finish |
Down here will be notable properties, How is the component’s shape coupled to the function the component performs? Does the component help to perform multiple functions? No What flows are associated with the component? Mass, Signal What environment does the component function in? It is out in the open and seen Component Form (Geometry, Material, and Appearance) What is the general shape of the component? It is a rounded shape on the outside and rectangular in the back, inside the piano Does it have any notable properties (e.g. axis-symetric)? No it is asymmetric Is it primarily one, two, or three dimensional? Three dimensional How large is the component (L x W x H)? irrelevant How is the component’s shape coupled to the function the component performs? It is large enough to be hit with a foot and round makes it easier What does the component (roughly) weigh? None of the above What material is the component made from? Cast iron Did manufacturing decisions impact this? Yes its odd shape made it ideal to be cast out of iron Is a specific material property needed for it to function? Not really How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Nah What are the aesthetic properties of the component? It is kind of shiny Does the component have an aesthetic purpose? People see it easily What color is the component and why? Kind of brownish gold What type of surface finish does the component have? Smooth Is this for functional or aesthetic reasons? Your foot can be easily moved on and off of it Manufacturing Methods What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? Casting What evidence supports this? It is made of cast iron Did material choice impact this decision? Yes, iron is easily cast into complex shapes Did shape impact the method selected? The shape is kind of complex, but easily achieved with a cast How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Cheap cheap
Manufacturing Methods
What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? What evidence supports this? Did material choice impact this decision? Did shape impact the method selected? How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Component Complexity
Grade a bullshit, really. Probably put the complexity ratings in bullets, and then a little blurb about shit.
Frame
The function of the frame is to hold all of the components of the piano together and protect them from the outside.
Component Form
| Shape | Primary Dimension | Dimensions | Weight | Material | Surface Finish |
Down here will be notable properties, Does the component help to perform multiple functions? No What flows are associated with the component? NO What environment does the component function in? It can be anywhere Component Form (Geometry, Material, and Appearance) What is the general shape of the component? It is tall and rectangular, with two arms coming out for support Does it have any notable properties (e.g. axis-symetric)? The frame is symmetric down the middle, with each side being the same Is it primarily one, two, or three dimensional? 3 dimensional How large is the component (L x W x H)? big How is the component’s shape coupled to the function the component performs? Its shape is ideal for supporting the structure of the internal parts inside the piano What does the component (roughly) weigh? It is pretty heavy, due the large amount of wood material that is used What material is the component made from? Oak wood Did manufacturing decisions impact this? Oak is easily cut to size Is a specific material property needed for it to function? It is strong to support the piano How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Cheap wood What are the aesthetic properties of the component? It is shiny wooded with wood grain visible Does the component have an aesthetic purpose? It has to look good as this is the part of the piano that everyone sees, when it is in use and not in use What color is the component and why? It is just a brown stain on the natural wood What type of surface finish does the component have? It is smooth to the touch and shiny Is this for functional or aesthetic reasons? Mostly aesthetic, but functional so you don’t get splinters from touching it Manufacturing Methods What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? Basic subtractive methods for wood What evidence supports this? It is just a bunch of wood pieces of varying size and length Did material choice impact this decision? Wood is strong and easily manipulated for manufacturing Did shape impact the method selected? Most of the parts are flat and rectangular, except for the curved legs How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Cheap, maybe local woods were used
Manufacturing Methods
What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? What evidence supports this? Did material choice impact this decision? Did shape impact the method selected? How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Component Complexity
Grade a bullshit, really. Probably put the complexity ratings in bullets, and then a little blurb about shit.
Action End Brackets
The function of the action end brackets is to hold all of the parts of the action together and attach to the frame.
Component Form
| Shape | Primary Dimension | Dimensions | Weight | Material | Surface Finish |
Down here will be notable properties, Does the component help to perform multiple functions? No What flows are associated with the component? None What environment does the component function in? Inside the piano Component Form (Geometry, Material, and Appearance) What is the general shape of the component? No one knows Does it have any notable properties (e.g. axis-symetric)? Lies along the same plane Is it primarily one, two, or three dimensional? 2 dimensional How large is the component (L x W x H)? Zero fucks given How is the component’s shape coupled to the function the component performs? It ideal for structural stability What does the component (roughly) weigh? Kind of light? What material is the component made from? Cast iron Did manufacturing decisions impact this? Its odd shape could be easily cast Is a specific material property needed for it to function? Cast iron is strong enough for the function How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Cast iron is cheap What are the aesthetic properties of the component? Dull metallic Does the component have an aesthetic purpose? No it is never seen What color is the component and why? Brownish gold color, the color of the cast iron What type of surface finish does the component have? Moderate roughness with machine marks Is this for functional or aesthetic reasons? The function does not require a certain finish Manufacturing Methods What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? casting What evidence supports this? It is made of cast iron Did material choice impact this decision? Yes iron is easily cast Did shape impact the method selected? Yes the shape is odd, but easily cast How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision? Using a cast is cheap since you can use to produce multiple parts
Manufacturing Methods
What manufacturing methods were used to make the part? What evidence supports this? Did material choice impact this decision? Did shape impact the method selected? How did global, societal, economic, and environmental factors influence the decision?
Component Complexity
Grade a bullshit, really. Probably put the complexity ratings in bullets, and then a little blurb about shit.
Solid Modeled Assembly
Engineering Analysis
The function of converting mechanical energy to sound energy depends on many variables ranging from material to internal stresses to relative orientation to other parts. Consequently, the strings and soundboard would be the best candidates for an engineering analysis.
The existing strings are predominantly steel, although the lower-pitched strings have a copper wrapping to increase their unit weight per length. The soundboard is a thin wood board with tapered wood reinforcement struts.
The known problems that affect the strings in all pianos are issues of harmonics. A single string can produce several simultaneous standing waves at multiple frequencies according to the harmonic series. Since the scale system of western music is based on this series, it is important that each harmonic is properly tuned. However, at each overtone, errors develop because the stiffness of the string has more effect than the tension. This is a phenomenon known as inharmonicity and it is the topic of the strings' engineering analysis.
The known issues with soundboards relate to modes of vibration. The soundboard will vibrate with different nodes and antinodes for different frequencies and, consequently, it responds differently to different frequencies in the strings. However, the goal of the soundboard is to project each sound equally. An engineering analysis may overcome this problem.
The overall goal of the engineering analysis is to create a string-soundboard system that responds consistently to all frequencies and with constant overtones for each pitch. This would allow a constant sound across the range of the piano (a seemingly unobtainable goal of piano makers for centuries).
Strings
To analyze the strings, it is necessary to measure the multiple frequencies and amplitudes of the sound waveform generated by the string. The best equipment for this is an oscilloscope connected to a microphone. To isolate various harmonics, it may also be helpful to connect a variable band-pass filter to the audio signal line.
The procedure for analyzing the strings needs to cover the range of pitches on the piano and a variety of materials. Also, since existing pianos use a wrap of copper on the steel base wire, the analysis must include the possibility of multiple materials and variable cross-sections.
Starting with the standard steel piano wire, the relationship between length, tension, and frequency should be the initial observation. The tester should record the first harmonic as well as the properties of the overtones. Because stiffness is the main source of inharmonicity, more flexible metal and plastic strings may be a promising investigation. However, any decrease in maximum tension or density may accentuate the problems. The goal of this section of the investigation is therefore to find the optimum compromise between stiffness, tension, and density to reduce inharmonicity.
Once the best material is identified, it's cross-sectional area is the next topic for engineering analysis. Again, increases in stiffness or decreases in maximum tension can cause inharmonicity while a higher mass per length reduces inharmonicity.
Design Revisions
Casters
The casters the piano initially came with were both small and poorly secured into the wooden frame of the piano. One had fallen out before we purchased the piano, and another fell out as we were transporting it. In addition, their small size made navigating the piano over rough or uneven terrain difficult. We propose that the casters be replaced with significantly larger versions, and that they be secured with an actual bracket instead of friction in the drilled hole they are placed in.
Soundboard
Our soundboard is composed of hardwood (most likely spruce) to improve sound projection of the piano. Spruce is generally considered to be acoustically the best material available, however, it is rather expensive. At the expense of sound quality, the cost of the piano could be decreased by replacing the material used in the soundboard with something cheaper and easier to produce, like plywood.
Hammer and Action Bodies
Our piano has 88 sets of hammer and action bodies, all composed of glued together segments of drilled out wood. It would be much cheaper and faster to form all of those pieces out of plastic using injection molding.
