Back to Gate 4 home Gate 4 - Product Explanation (Group 10)
Introduction
In this section we recomend 3 design changes for the product at the system level, this includes features we would change or eliminate. These changes address the global, societal, economic, or environmental concerns. These changes are ment to improve the performance, serviceability, and overall value of the snow blower, with the target audience and price kept in consideration.
Include a Snow Blower 3 Sided Cab
| 3 Sided Cab
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Description
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- One possible design revision to the snow blower that our group decided on was to provide the user with an enclosure to protect them from the elements during operation. The current set up of the snow blower leaves the operator completely exposed to the harsh elements anticipated to be present during operation. This can lead to the user becoming discomforted and increase the risk of injury due to prolong exposure to the wind and snow. Along with protection from the elements the cab will also provide additional protecting from the snow blower itself. The cab will dampen the noise from the engine protecting the user from hearing damage. The cab can also protect the user from being hit by debris being projected out of the machine.
- One of the GSEE factors that the cab will pertain to is the societal factor. This factor relates to the public and their view of the product. With the increase in safety this design revision will be received well by the public. It will be seen as a surprise requirement on the Kano model which means it is unexpected and will drive customer satisfaction to higher limits. The idea of the operator being more comfortable while performing he task will also increase customer satisfaction and drive sales. Another GSEE factor is the global factor which is more region specific than user specific. This design revision will be received very well in areas such as Buffalo, New York. This is because the high and constant wind which plays a role in dramatically decreasing body temperature during the winter will be better shielded from the operator. Also the high amount of snow that areas like this receive increase the total amount of time needed to be spent in the elements. The cab will benefit the user greatly and customers in areas such as Buffalo will recognize this design revision as a benefit to their comfort and safety. The low material cost needed for this means that the economic factor will not be to large of an influence on the sale of this revision.
- The cab can be made of steel tubing which will make it rugged and durable. The material that makes up the body can be polyester as it is shrink and stretch resistant . The windows will be vinyl as it is very clear, flexible and will not shatter like glass. It can be attached using U bolts with holes in the end that a pin can slide through and be secured by a nut on each end. This allows for the cab to be easily removed by the user for storage purposes.
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Power Steering
| Power Steering
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Description
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- Snow blowers such as our Bolens 726-01 are large and bulky machine and maneuvering them can be difficult especially when moving through large amounts snow. Power steering would dramatically increase the ease-of-use for the operator. It would increase the safety for the user and reduce the risk of injury. This is so because an operator trying to push a machine that weighs upwards of 300lbs could severely injure their back or pushing with all that force, they increase their changes of slipping on the anticipated slick surface. This revision would reduce the total time needed to perform the task as well since the machine will not become tired where as a person trying to muscle through would eventually become exhausted.
- One of the GSEE factor that this revision is related to is the societal factor and the public view of the product. This revision would greatly increase the public perception of this product being user friendly. This is especially true when you look at the trend of large snow blowers such as the Bolens 726-01 today. The power steering option is becoming more and more expected. Looking at the Kano model, while this option may still be a surprise or even a performance requirement, it is falling very fast towards becoming a basic requirement, which falls into the same category as a car needing a steering wheel. This means that customers are not going to buy a machine, especially of this size, that do not include this power steering option.
- The issue of safety also falls under the same societal factor in terms of public relations. A consumer is not going to buy a machine that they feel they cannot operate in a safe and effective manner. The addition of providing the independent wheel control improves the safety of the machine in that it cannot “get away” from the user. The way our snow blower is configured now is such that it will keep driving straight forward when put into gear with or without user input after that. This can be dangerous should the operator become injured and not be able to maintain control of the machine. With the power steering revision the operator will need to have their hands on the triggers in order to move. So in the event that the operator is no longer able to maintain control the machine will not blindly keep moving.
Global factors also take part in the revision of adding the power steering to the snow bower. Areas that get larger amount of snow and require larger machines such as Buffalo, New York will require this power steering option. Trying to operate a machine without this in large amount of snow would be very difficult and draw customers towards other products on the market.
- The only drawback to this revision is that it will require much more innovation and technological advances in order to be possible. This means more time spent designing the drivetrain system and would result in a higher cost of the product. Although the price will be slightly higher the dramatic increase in customer satisfaction should outweigh the view of the higher price and drive sales higher.
- The operation of the power steering system will be done through a trigger located on both handles of the snow blower. You will engage the clutch and choose the gear (forward, reverse, speed) but the machine will not move until the triggers are engaged. Then for turning you simply pull one trigger moving the corresponding wheel allowing for the desired movement. This type of system has been implemented on other machines today so the research should not be too difficult. The triggers will not be hard to pull and long enough so the operator can use all their finger to engage it which will help prevent hand fatigue.
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Design Revision: Folding Control Panel/Handle Bars
| Example of existing Folding Control Panel/Handle Bars on a law mower
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Description
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- One of the most notable characteristics of this particular snow blower is its size. This is definitely one of the larger household snow blowers out there as it is easily over twice the size and weight of some of the other snow blowers out on the market. With its large size comes potential problems in terms of storage space. For those consumers who are dealing with limited storage space, this particular snow blower is a nightmare. Considering that the handles and control panel makeup roughly a third of the entire length of the snow blower, designing a way to collapse the handles when not in use would greatly reduce the amount of storage space necessary to hold this snow blower.
- This idea would be similar to the folding handle on the lawnmower shown in the picture. A hinge would need to be placed at the base of the handles that allows it to lock into place in both the upright and folded positions. Handle dimensions and the dimensions of the body of the snow blower would need to be revised in order to accommodate for this revision. The obstacle in the way of this idea is the fact that the levers controlling the auger drive, linear drive, and chute direction would prevent the handles from folding. As a simple solution to this, the levers would have to be revised so that they are easily removable through some sort of fastening method that would not require any tools to remove. This may be something as simple as having the levers screwed into place by hand. A storage compartment should also be added to the side of the body of the snow blower in order to store these removable levers.
- This design revision would address the societal concern of the consumer’s space availability. This mainly targets the consumers living in urban areas that experience large amounts of snowfall regularly. In these areas space may be very limited and the snowfall may be too much for a small snow blower to get the job done. Therefore making a heavy duty snow blower as space efficient as possible is a crucial design factor. These simple revisions to the design of this snow blower would do just that and would not come at much extra cost to produce.
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Pichure Bibliography
http://www.discountramps.com/snow-thrower-cab.htm
