Group 23 - Barbie® Dune Buggy Power Wheels
Contents |
Introduction
The course MAE 277, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Practice, was designed to expose students to real-life challenges and technical aspects faced by mechanical engineers in industry and research labs. The product dissection project allows students to work on project and group management skills, while gaining a better understanding of the technical workings of common consumer products. For this project, Group 23 was assigned the Barbie® Dune Buggy Power Wheels. As the project progresses, from dissection and system analysis to reassembly, students will begin to grow an appreciation for every step in the designing and creation of any consumer product.
Group Members
- Jaclyn Bronner
- Daniel Exford
- Taylor Ferguson
- Allison Lammerts
- Samuel Pawlyk
Project Gates
The project gates were designed to keep the project moving forward and to keep the groups on track and on task during the semester.
Gate 1: Project Planning
The main purpose of Gate One is initial project planning. The group had to plan how to approach the product disassembly and reverse engineering of the Power Wheels. This also included breaking down the product dissection into specific tasks, assigning group members various roles, and planning out time management and a timeline of the other gates that will follow. In short, Gate 1 includes the following sections:
- Work Proposal
- Management Proposal
- Initial Assessment
Gate 2: Product Dissection
The main purpose of Gate Two is planning, organizing, and implementing the dissection of the physical product. The group followed the previously established plan for disassembly, while documenting the various steps necessary to proceed. It was also necessary to analyze how well this plan worked, as well as analyze the different components and subsystems of the product. Gate 2 includes the following sections:
- Preliminary Project Review
- Product Dissection
- Product Assessment
Gate 3: Product Analysis
The main purpose of Gate Three was to analyze the product in the post-dissection phase. The product was examined and analyzed at both the component and subsystem levels. Gate 3 includes the following sections:
- Project Management: Coordination Review
- Product Archaeology: Product Evaluation
Gate 4: Product Explanation
The main purpose of Gate Four was the reassembly and further analysis of our product. These steps, along with the information gathered in prior steps, allowed us to draw some more detailed and developed conclusions about the product. Gate Four entails the following:
- Project Management: Critical Project Review
- Project Archaeology: Product Explanation
