MAE3040 Advanced Manufacturing Systems
Second term of 1998-1999
Project Assignment
Product Realization Process Project designing and making an electric plug
Introduction
In the past ten years, there have been many discussions on the product realization
process curriculum for engineering schools. The basic idea is that after some basic courses,
the engineering curriculum can be build around a particular product (e.g., an automobile, a
rocket, or an oil refinery plant). In this way, the students can learn not only individual aspects
of engineering (like the pieces of a big jigsaw puzzle) but also the entire process (the whole
puzzle put together). This mini class project follows such an idea.
In the introduction of the course, we will learn the process of manufacturing as shown
below:
Tooling
design and
analysis
Machine
tool and
control
Design
analysis
customer
Design
Material
handling
Manufacturing
system
Manufacturing
Process
planning
Usage and
disposal
customer
Quality
control
Note that the shaded boxes are those that would be covered in the class.
Now, suppose you are an engineer in a small company. Your company has received an
order to make 10,000 electrical plug in three weeks. You are responsible for the design and
manufacturing. The following are what you have to do to get the product to the customer.
Part 1: Design and production planning
First, you shall design the electrical plug (copy from an existing model is OK). Note:
(a) The design must meet the Hong Kong standard (the same as the BS standard).
(b) You can use either AutoCAD or Solid Work to do the design.
(c) The design must include all the components with dimensions and tolerance except the
electric wiring.
The outcome will be the blue print and the bill of material based on which the product can be
made. Our machine shop technical specialists will assist you in the design.
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Next, assume that you have various equipment available, such as machine tools,
injection molding machines, investment casting systems and etc. You shall design a
manufacturing and answer the following question:
(a) how to make the product (including each and every components). For the standard
product such as screws, you may purchase them but shall find the sources and price and
justify your answer.
(b) Why the designed manufacturing process is used.
Part II: Design Analysis (Bonus)
A major concern of the electrical plugs is overheating, which could cause serious
problem. Whether your design can sustain an overload (say 25 A) can be tested based on
Finite Element Analysis. Owing to the limitation of time, design analysis will not be covered
in the class. Therefore, this part is not compulsory. However, a computer software, ANSYS,
is available and you can use it to conduct the simulation without too much difficult. If you do
it, you will receive a bounce.
Part III: Process planning, scheduling and prototyping
In this part, you will focus on scheduling. Assuming you have a limited number of
machinery but several orders to compete the production time, you shall find a solution to
meet your customers demand in time (three weeks). At the mean time, you shall also make a
prototype using the rapid prototype machine in the machine shop. Our machine shop
technical specialists will assist you to do that.
Part IV: Manufacturing control
Unlike what you learnt in the control courses, manufacturing control refers to
program machine to accomplish specific operations. There are two types of commonly used
programming methods: Computer Numeric Control (CNC), which deals with positions, and
Programmable Logic Control (PLC), which deals with sequences. We will study both in
Chapter 4 of the class. In the project, however, only the first one will be used. You will make
a mold (either the male or female mold) for the plastic cover of the electrical plug. Again, you
will receive the help from our technical specialists in the machine shop. They will convert
your design to solid models (if necessary) and make a prototype (using the rapid prototyping
machine). Then, you shall use a CAM system to design the mold, and generate the tool path
to machine the mold. Finally, our technical specialists will use your tool path to cut a real
mold.
This four parts project assignment will come just short of making the 10,000 electrical
plugs. However, as you go through the project, you will learn step by step how the
manufacturing is done in the real world. I am sure you will benefit from this project for years
to come.
Note:
(a) The project will be a group project. You shall form a group of 2 or 3 persons and report to
me no later than the end of next week. Your marks of the project will be the same as your
fellow students in the group.
(b) The schedule for each part of the project is as follows. You must keep the schedule
Part I: January 29, 1999
Part II: April 17, 1999 (bounce)
Part III: February 26, 1999
Part IV: April 17, 1999
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(c) Please come to see me as often as you wish. However, you are required to see me at least
once in the term to discuss your project.
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