Individual Report Summary Page
November 20th, 2006
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| Author: Randi Stephensen | Team: Tornado Machine |
Problem Statement
One of the customer requirements of the tornado machine is that it must be portable. In order to generate a visible vortex, there has to be a limit on how small we can make it. Therefore, we had to look at other sources to achieve portability. This became my personal assignment.
I needed to take the following into consideration: Stability, possible method to mount the device(s) to the chamber, and simplicity of the design.
Approach
First, I mapped out some basic methods the achieve portability. Many came to mind, including a wagon designed specifically for the tornado machine. I narrowed it down to three basic ideas; a set of three wheels, a set of four wheels, or a set of multiple teflon sliders. Initially, 3 wheels were selected to save money and time.
Results
When 3 wheels were mounted to the prototype device, I found that it was stable until it was pushed. If pushed from the lower portion of the device, it remained stable, but when pushed from the top, it could be tipped slightly. In order to increase stability, a fourth wheel will be added.
Conclusions
The customer requirement of a portable device has been considered, researched and achieved. Though the process required some trial and error, the device is portable and stable.
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