Approach for Individual Report
| Date: November 29, 2006 |
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Table of Contents |
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| Author: DJBurton | Team: Team EFI |
(format taken from Shane Peterson of Team Hexaball ‘05)
Approach
The approach I took was to look at all the components that needed to be incorporated into the “box” and choose how they could fit together. I also looked at what requirements needed to be met. From this I was able to brainstorm up several different ideas that I could then compare and turn into a final design selection.
The Requirements
The requirements for the project were set around the needs of EFI Electronics and included the following:
- Safe
- Small/Compact
- Durable
- Easy Maintenance
The previous design used by EFI is a simple box. It has a voltmeter on the top so that the operator can read the results of the test and decide whether or not the unit passed the test. This is a simple, but crude solution. I hoped to brainstorm up some ideas to improve the way that we implement our design solution.
Picture taken by DJ Burton
Brainstorm
My first “Mindmap Brainstorm” included several ideas that were not completely logical in my mind, but they offered some insights into different ways to approach the final design. From here, I had five really solid ideas to choose between for my final design. Each is discussed below.
Sketch by DJ Burton
The Square Box
This idea came from the existing solution that is currently used by EFI Electronics. Its advantages are that it is a Consumer Off The Shelf (COTS) part, it is easy to maintain, and easy to implement into the current building cell. It is a very basic design with a proven idea. One of the reasons that it might not be the best solution is the fact that it is simply a variation of the initial solution, which at times is not the best idea. It also does not have the ability to be user friendly, as it can be hard to access the inside when put into action.
Sketch by DJ Burton
The Back Plane
This was one of the possible solutions that I came up with. My thought was that it would be easier to access than the enclosed square box. Also it might take up less room than the square box. However, in brainstorming this solution I did doubt its integrity because of safety reasons due to electrical components out in the open.
Sketch by DJ Burton
Covered in Potting
This solution came to mind because it takes care of the safety issues that were raised when considering the back plane design. The non-conductive potting material would ensure that the operator would not run a risk of electric shock. Also this solution could make the design very compact. The major downside to this design is the obvious difficulty with maintenance in the case of a mishap or a necessary upgrade to the system.
Sketch by DJ Burton
Rubber Covered
This idea was a solution that would provide the safety that was acquired during the potting idea. It would entail wrapping each individual component in a rubber coating. This would also allow easier access during maintenance. The downside to this design was that it would be very cumbersome to build. It also would not allow for a very compact solution. In addition, another housing would have to be designed to hold the components.
Individual Housings
This brainstorming idea came as a melting pot idea of most of the above solutions. It would isolate each component, thus making it safe. It would secure them each down to the table. In addition it would provide access to each component for easy maintenance. The downside to this idea was the fact that it would make the “footprint” of the design fairly large. Also, separate housing would have to be manufactured because of the many different sizes of components.
Sketch by DJ Burton