User:MAE 277 2011 Group22
Gate 1: Work Proposal
Our product, a Tecumseh lawn mower engine, is mostly held together by hex bolts and screws. Since the components of a motor do break, the manufacturer has made it somewhat easy to take apart the engine in order to fix or replace a part. Despite our group’s limited amount of experience with engines, it should only take some simple wrench work to take apart the product and reassemble it. However, the engine is not in great condition and many of the smaller pieces are missing. Without tracking down some replacement parts it is unlikely that we will be able to get the engine to run again after reassembly. Our initial plan for disassembly is to work our way from the outside of the product to the inside in the following steps:
• First we will remove the gas tank and other plastic components and coverings
• Next we will take apart the air filter system
• Then we will focus on removing the metal casing around the piston and crank shaft
• Lastly we will disassemble the piston and the adjacent circular section
These steps of course may change as we encounter challenges throughout the disassembly process. Some challenges could range from striped screws to warped pieces of metal and plastic. Although none of us have any prior experience with engines, our initial time frame for disassembly should be only a few hours in the lab spread over one or two sessions. The tools that we require are a set of wrenches and screwdrivers which we can provide on our own however as we get deeper in to the engine we may need some other tools.
Gate 1: Management Proposal
Our group plans to work on each section of the project by splitting up the work evenly and individually. To make sure everyone is up to date with the material and help the professional quality of each assignment our group will be meeting weekly at Capen Library to talk about each section and the work that was done for that week. Our point of contact will be Kevin Perez and will be reachable at kevinper@buffalo.edu or on his cell phone at 347-873-7802. The roles of group are as follows:
• Project Manager – Ryan Sans o Makes sure deadlines are met o Makes sure work is done on time, correctly and looks professional o Organizes final assignments
• Co-Technical Experts – Matthew Whitman, Darroch Moorhead o Studies the product and applies outside knowledge to the reverse engineering process
• Communication Liaison – Kevin Perez o Organizes each meeting to make sure each member is in attendance o Communicates with the professor to make sure the group is on track
• Research Expert – Sangjoon Bark o Provides necessary research for each operation
Group Conflicts: If any group members are in a disagreement with one another, the group will assess the argument with a team vote to solve it.
Group Schedule:
Date Project Assignment Meeting Place September 29, 2011 Gate 1: Management Proposal Capen Library 1:00 PM October 5, 2011 Gate 1: Work Proposal and Product Archeology 621 Furnas (Lab) 5:00 PM October 12, 2011 Gate 2: Preliminary Project Review 621 Furnas (Lab) 5:00 PM October 19, 2011 Gate 2: Excavation and Corrective Action 621 Furnas (Lab) 5:00 PM October 27, 2011 Gate 3: Coordination Review Capen Library 11:00 AM November 3, 2011 Gate 3: Evaluation Capen Library 11:00 AM November 10, 2011 Gate 4: Explanation Capen Library 11:00 AM November 17, 2011 Gate 4: Critical Project Review Capen Library 11:00 AM November 24, 2011 Gate 5: Documentation Capen Library 11:00 AM December 1, 2011 Gate 5: Documentation Capen Library 11:00 AM December 8, 2011 Gate 5: Documentation Capen Library 11:00 AM December 16, 2011 Gate 5: Final Presentation Knox 104
- All meetings are not final and subject to change
Development Profile:
When was the product developed? • Our product was most likely developed in the 1990s, as Tecumseh Products featured a broad range of products in several divisions, engine products mainly featured aluminum die cast engines of 2 to 12 horsepower used in machinery for both home lawn maintenance and farming. Power train products included transmissions, transaxles, and differentials produced for lawn and garden equipment as well as for recreational vehicles which most likely fit the description of our product.
What were the key economic and global concerns at the time of development? • Key economic and global factors came about during 1992 when the company faced a new series of federal regulations designed to protect the environment by demanding restrictions on compressor and engine emissions and banning altogether chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were widely used in refrigeration. As the ban on CFCs neared implementation in the mid-1990s, Tecumseh Products began converting its compressors to operate on alternative refrigerants which were available but costly. • Along with The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Tecumseh Products researched possible improvements to the engine manufacturing process that would lead to less harmful emissions, and also developed new techniques for treating and disposing of contaminated sediments resulting from dangerous industrial wastes being dumped into rivers.
In what countries or regions is the product intended to be sold? • Tecumseh products are sold in over 120 countries throughout the world, from core manufacturing locations in North and South America, Europe and Asia, Tecumseh products are the silent partner inside the products of many of the world's best known brands.
What was the intended impact on the consumer and the society in which it is used? • The principal intended impact on the consumer and the society was to create the most efficient engine for lawn maintenance while sustaining the safety of the consumers.
Usage Profile:
What is the intended use for this product? • The Tecumseh gasoline engine is primarily used for lawn maintenance in landscaping and farming vehicles
Is this product for home or professional use? • This product is designed for both home and professional use, as it is used in both home lawn care, professional landscaping businesses and the work of an agriculturist
What jobs does the product perform? • The Tecumseh gasoline engine provides the necessary power for a lawn mower to complete basic maintenance such as keeping grass clipped, reduce the amount of leaves and to keep weeds neatly trimmed to boost curb appeal and possible value of a home or business
Energy Profile:
What types of energy are used? • The two types of energy used in the internal combustion engine are the potential chemical energy in gasoline and oxygen which is converted into heat and the propulsive energy (kinetic energy that moves a vehicle) which is obtained from the transformation of heat energy
How is energy imported into the system? • Energy is imported through a high amount of gasoline in the fuel tank. This gasoline in a small enclosed space is ignited leading to an incredible amount of energy being released in the form of an expanding gas.
How are different types of energy transformed and modified? • The gasoline fuel consisting of potential chemical energy is ignited this leads to an enormous amount of energy in gas form, this gas drives the pistons down converting the chemical energy to rotational energy in the crankshaft. The rotational energy is used to propel the vehicle.
Complexity Profile:
How many components are used? • There are about 4 different components on the outside of the lawn mower motor. There is the gas tank opening, an oil tank opening, a primer button and the pull cord to start the motor.
How complex are the individual components?
• The individual components are not very complex. There is just a cap for the gas and oil tanks. A button for the primer and a pull cord to start the motor. None of which are very complex.
How complex are the individual component interactions?
• The interactions are not very complex. The primer interacts with the gas tank and pumps gas into the engine before it is turned on. But the oil doesn’t have interaction with the gas tank or the pull cord.
Material Profile:
What materials are clearly visible?
• There is a lot of hard plastic used, along with metals. There is rubber used for the primer and the pull cord is made of rope.
What materials are present but not visible?
• I would say the inside of the motor is made up of mostly metals. I would not think that the motor has any plastic on the inside.
