Lauren the Machinist

Today, we have a special entry, as our team member Lauren learns how to use a mill.

 

Frame Material Purchased

With a completed cut plan, material(Aluminum 6061-T6) was ordered and cutting began almost immediately.

To do:
Prepare the aluminum by Wednesday and begin welding late this week, possibly Monday (10/14/13)

Bottom Frame Static Analysis

 

With the bottom frame finalized, static analysis was done to simulate a pulling force of 500 pounds.

The analysis produced the following results.

 

 

To do:

Further analysis will be on suspension

Create caliper mounting bracket if needed.

Buy material to begin welding frame.

Spindle Assembly

With the purchase of the disc brakes and calipers, the team encountered problems with the caliper's mounting bracket. A solution was proposed that would allow the mounting bracket to be attached to the entire frame via the designed spindle assembly.

Top Frame Of Cart On The Design Table

The team brainstormed a lot about the top of the frame. Things concerning the top frame that were discussed were:

• collapsible vs. detachable
• drill patterns
• overall design. 

To-do in the coming week.

• Talk to our school machinist (Mike and Joe) about a machining plan and where to buy material. 
• New bearings needed for the wheels and the top of the frame. 

Updated A-arm Set

The Buying Process Begins!

The weekend was very productive with several critical purchases being made. The items purchased were all four wheels/tires and brake assembly. A final base frame will be designed with the following dimensions in consideration.

• Diameter of wheels ~18 in
• Width of wheels with brake assembly ~ 4 in (2.94in wheels only)
• Axel diameter - 15mm

The top portion of the frame is also in the design process with generic lengths (will change with the final dimensions of the base). See below

In the week to come, the team will research the cost of material needed for the entire frame based on our design.