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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Mechanical Design'
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1
Shooter, Steven B. "Information modeling in mechanical design : with application to cam mechanical design /." Diss., This resource online, 1995. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06062008-155414/.
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Jackson, A. "The mechanical design of nacre." Thesis, University of Reading, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.373839.
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Chai, Lauren (Lauren Amy). "Design of mechanical arterial simulator." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/74431.
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Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-74).
A force controlled ultrasound probe is being explored as a new method of measuring blood pressure. An arterial simulator was designed and built for experiments. For this simulator, the vessels and bulk material were designed to meet the specifications of literature values of the physical dimensions and elastic modulus of carotid and brachial arteries and bulk surrounding the arteries. This was done through the use of a PVA cyrogel and Thermo rubber- mineral oil solution as the materials for the vessel and bulk material respectively. The concentration of the ingredients and the number of freeze thaw cycle of the cyrogel control the elasticity of the two materials. Custom molds were fabricated to the desired physical dimensions. Upon integration of the vessel and bulk, the vessel was connected to a network of hoses and a pump. The pump is a diaphragm pump whose volume/stroke and speed can be independently controlled to simulate the pulsing of a real human heart. Measurements were taken of the force applied to the probe for static pressures to demonstrate the force varying linearly with pressure. Further measurements were taken with fluid flowing through the vessel at various probe heights to demonstrate how force and thus pressure vary with height and to demonstrate that the probe can detect the waveforms that result from the vessels pulsing with each stroke of the diaphragm pump.
by Lauren Chai.
S.B.
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Hopkins, Brandon J. (Brandon James). "Mechanical design of flow batteries." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/87922.
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Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2013.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 72-73).
The purpose of this research is to investigate the design of low-cost, high-efficiency flow batteries. Researchers are searching for next-generation battery materials, and this thesis presents a systems analysis encompassing static and moving electrode architectures that identifies which architecture is most appropriate for which materials and how to modify those materials to decrease cost and increase efficiency. The cost model and mechanical designs presented will help researchers (i) identify how to modify existing materials, (ii) find new desirable materials, and (iii) use those materials in novel flow battery structures to create next-generation batteries.
by Brandon J. Hopkins.
S.M.
5
DESHMUKH, DINAR VIVEK. "Design Optimization of Mechanical Components." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1028738547.
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Shahid, Hamid. "Integration of System-Level Design and Mechanical Design Models in the Development of Mechanical Systems." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för informations- och kommunikationsteknik (ICT), 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-53061.
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Modern-day systems are becoming complex due to the growing needs of the market. These systems contain various subsystems developed by different groups of engineers. Particularly, all mechatronics systems involve different mechanical, electrical and software parts developed by multidisciplinary teams of engineers from different backgrounds. Designing of these complex systems requires effective management, of the engineering and the system integration information, across all the involved disciplines. Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) is one of the effective ways for managing the engineering design process. In MBSE, design information is formally stored in the form of models, which allows better control of requirements throughout the development life cycle and provides ability to perform better analysis. Engineers usually are expert in their own discipline, where they utilize modeling languages and tools with a domain-specific focus. This creation of models with the domain-specific focus does not provide a view of the system as a whole. Hence, in order to have a complete system view, it is required to provide information transfer means across different domains, through models developed in different modeling languages and tools supporting them. Model integration is one of the ways to integrate and transfer model information across different domains. An approach for model integration is proposed, with the focus on the integration between system level models created in SysML and mechanical CAD (MCAD) models. The approach utilizes the feature of SysML to create domain specific profiles and presents a SysML profile for MCAD domain. This profile aids in establishing a mapping between SysML and MCAD concepts, as it allows the extension of SysML constructs to represent MCAD concepts in SysML. Model transformations are used to transform a model created through SysML profile for MCAD in to the corresponding model in a MCAD tool, and vice versa. A robot model is presented to exemplify the working of the approach and to explain the integration of mechanical design model with a system-level design model and vice versa. The approach presented in this thesis depicts a scalable concept, which can be extended towards the integration of other domains with MCAD, by building new relations and profiles in SysML. This approach aids in co-evolution of a system model during domain-specific development activities, hence providing better means to understand the system as a whole.
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Stephenson, John Antony. "Design for reliability in mechanical systems." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1996. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/251589.
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Liu, Anmin. "The mechanical design of legged robots." Thesis, University of Salford, 2009. http://usir.salford.ac.uk/26779/.
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This thesis has focused on the mechanical design of statically stable multi-legged CLimbing And WAlking Robots(CLAWAR) machines and, since crab-like machines represent an important sub-class, in this thesis they were chosen as the subject of the study. Through the review of leg mechanisms, it is clear that for many years, navigation, gait generation and control, rather than mechanical design, have been the main concerns of many CLAWAR researchers. During the development of prototypes, it has often been assumed that the mechanical design principles are known and the researchers' jobs are simply to apply them. In practice, this is far from the truth, as the performance of existing prototypes testifies. The most common design approach is to copy the geometry of insects and mammals with little or no scientific justification. Although there has been some very good work on leg mechanism design, the relationships between leg design and overall machine layout have been neglected. In this thesis, the design is considered as a whole with no artificial decoupling of leg geometry and overall machine geometry. Furthermore, the design process is treated as a series of coupled optimisation problems. The main achievements and conclusions that have resulted from the research described in this thesis can be summarised as follows: • Based on the review on leg mechanisms, a classification on legged machine layout was proposed; • A clear understanding of the effect of leg configurations and geometric design parameters on the performance of crab-like CLAWAR machines has been achieved. • A novel design methodology that breaks the problem into: a) kinematic design; and b) performance optimisation, was presented. The design methodology is based on satisfying kinematic requirements (constraints) and optimisation of kinetic performance measure, such as minimising the joint torques. • Although the design methodology has only been applied in the 2D case, it has been shown that it could be applied in the 3D case and the necessary analysis methods have been established. • Methods for using foot force distribution as well as design to optimise performance were developed. • Novel reformulations of the Moor-Penrose pseudo-inverse for optimising the foot force distribution in the 3D case were developed, which could be applied in real time control as well as in design.
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West, Kent. "Mechanical design using the Genetic Algorithm." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2001. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/MQ60513.pdf.
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Charlton, C. T. "The retrieval of mechanical design information." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.597499.
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The retrieval methods use the explicit elements and associations which appear in a structured design representation, without requiring an understanding of the designs or their application domains. They depend instead on simple similarity measures concerning the basic representation elements, and integrate this basic evidence within the structured representations. Structure is handled dynamically, so that fragments are defined by the best-matching level for each query. The propagation of evidence through the structure of fragments allows different types and levels of representation to be related. These principles are developed are evaluated within an IR framework consisting of textual information, not least since text can and does express design information, especially concerning experience and the design process. Moreover, IR provides standard test collections to quantify retrieval performance. Although usually based on fairly long passages of unstructured text, such a collection can be used to evaluate the suggested approach to retrieving structured mechanical design fragments, which is difficult to assess directly. Rather than transferring the structured representation to flat text, which would lose information, a structure is imposed on a textual test collection and an analogy drawn between structured design representations and structured text. The results show that formalised knowledge structures such as classifications are not necessary for retrieving design information. Instead, informal knowledge and 'obvious' connections between representation elements can lead to improved retrieval performance, according to the standard IR measures of precision and recall. However, connections are not always applicable in every context, and retrieval performance suffers if any ambiguity in the representation elements or their similarity measures is not resolved before making connections. The representation structure forms a convenient context for this process of resolving ambiguity. There are several applications of this work. One is in Design Reuse, initially via a retrieval system which suggests standard components to replace specially-designed parts. Allowing for imprecision means that it can be used relatively early in the design process.
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Camacho, Moreno Dionisio, and Pérez Jorge Giner. "Mechanical Design of a Compliant Horseshoe." Thesis, Högskolan i Skövde, Institutionen för ingenjörsvetenskap, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-9463.
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The principal aim of this research is the design of a more compliant horseshoe which allows the natural expansion and compression of the horse hoof. Three different simulations have been carried out in by using Finite Element Method in order to know the behaviour of the horse hoof when is analysed under the same load conditions. First the hoof will be studied without any horseshoe to obtain the produced displacement by the hoof expansion. Once the displacement of the barefoot hoof is known, an assembly, in which a sample stiff horseshoe is attached to the hoof by nails, will be performed to obtain both the hoof displacement as the horseshoe one. Finally, after three different researches about the current horseshoes, different possible alternative materials and most commons attachment methods, a more flexible horseshoe will be created and analysed. The results obtained in the three simulations will be compared and commented.
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Esawi, Amal M. K. "Systematic process selection in mechanical design." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1994. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.260399.
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Ajilo, Deborah (Deborah M. ). "Mechanical design of a quadruped robot." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/98948.
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Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2015.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (page 49).
This thesis presents the mechanical design and fabrication of the Super Mini Cheetah (SMC) robot, a small ( 9kg) quadruped that is capable of jumping, bounding and trotting. The robot is designed using commercially available components and rapid prototyping methods, resulting in a low-cost, replicable and modifiable platform capable of force, position, or impedance control of each limb. The mechanical system consists of an aluminum torso frame and 3D printed legs. The design of the legs is based on kinematic calculations which determined the lengths of the linkages, force generating capability and the available workspace. The detailed design of the leg components was determined by estimating of the loading conditions required for dynamic locomotion. The design of the mechanical system was refined using FEA and bench level calculations. This thesis documents drop tests and hopping experiments that were performed with the first quadruped prototype.
by Deborah Ajilo.
S.B.
14
Weston, Nicholas John. "Time estimation in mechanical engineering design." Thesis, Durham University, 1994. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1218/.
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This thesis describes investigations into the phenomenon of time estimation in mechanical engineering design. Time estimating in this context refers to estimating in advance the approximate duration of a new design project, for the purpose of preparing schedules. The thesis describes background to the estimation problem, including practical and theoretical aspects of design, design management and market conditions. The research presented is based on data gathered from industrial collaborators, therefore detailed descriptions of the collaborating firms are included. A quantitative study is described which demonstrates that current estimation techniques are not infallible; and that there can be a statistically significant link between the estimated and actual completion times. A process of grounded theorising, based on expert interviews, is presented. Models of the design estimation task were generated by this process, and are included. Differences were found in the models for the estimation of times in an Engineer to Order (ETO) environment, and estimation in a Volume Manufacturing environment. The models were corroborated firstly by checking if they could be recognised and endorsed by the experts from which they were generated, and. secondly by checking if they could be recognised and endorsed by an expert not involved in the original model generation. Correspondence was found to be good. A modified model of time estimation is presented, taking into account the findings of the corroboration exercise. Finally, an example of a simple tool for assisting the estimation process is included.
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Sjöström, Oscar, and Björn Bernfort. "Mechanical Design of a Gaming Robot." Thesis, Högskolan i Halmstad, Maskinteknisk produktframtagning (MTEK), 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-28739.
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Subramanian, Anuj. "Mechanical Design Desktop for Machine Elements." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34877.
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The design of machine elements such as belts,
chain and sprocket, gears, cams, bearings, etc.,
is a complex procedure. The analytical procedure
to design such elements is non-linear, often based
upon statistical information and frequently
heuristic in nature. The procedure is iterative
and involves choosing various weighing factors
based upon the application and usage. The
procedure is greatly influenced by a designer's
intuitive skill and experience. Due to the
increased popularity of the Internet as a source
of information, a number of machine element
manufacturers have published design procedures
for the design of machine elements. Here, an
attempt has been made to arrange all the formulae,
tables, charts, standards, and web resources,
which are inherent to the design process,
to best aid the designer.
A number of computer applications for machine
design have been developed in the recent past
but are limited in scope and utility as they tend
to allow the designer to change only certain
parameters while assigning fixed values to most
parameters. This stifles the designer's creativity
and diverts focus on the computer program rather
than the physical problem. An attempt has been
made here to allow the designer flexibility in
design and increased productivity, by keeping a
record of the various steps undertaken by the
designer, in a particular design process.Master of Science
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Pryor, Paul John. "The design of a mechanical driver." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9627.
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Includes bibliographical references.This report describes the design of a mechanical driver for use in the testing of vehicles on a rolling road dynomometer by the Energy Research Institute (ERI) at the University of Cape Town. Many vehicle tests involve using driving cycles which tend to be long and repetitive. Consequently, the driver finds it boring and difficult to repeat a specific dr1ving pattern within the required tolerance. One solution to this is the use of a mechanical driver, where the vehicle being tested is "driven" mechanically and controlled by a computer. The main objective of this project was to design a system that would return accurate and repeatable results when testing vehicles for fuel consumption, emissions, speeds etc.
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Thore, Carl-Johan. "Optimal Design of Neuro-Mechanical Networks." Doctoral thesis, Linköpings universitet, Mekanik, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-76984.
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Many biological and artificial systems are made up from similar, relatively simple elements that interact directly with their nearest neighbors. Despite the simplicity of the individual building blocks, systems of this type, network systems, often display complex behavior — an observation which has inspired disciplines such as artificial neural networks and modular robotics. Network systems have several attractive properties, including distributed functionality, which enables robustness, and the possibility to use the same elements in different configurations. The uniformity of the elements should also facilitate development of efficient methods for system design, or even self-reconfiguration. These properties make it interesting to investigate the idea of constructing mechatronic systems based on networks of simple elements. This thesis concerns modeling and optimal design of a class of active mechanical network systems referred to as Neuro-Mechanical Networks (NMNs). To make matters concrete, a mathematical model that describes an actuated truss with an artificial recurrent neural network superimposed onto it is developed and used. A typical NMN is likely to consist of a substantial number of elements, making design of NMNs for various tasks a complex undertaking. For this reason, the use of numerical optimization methods in the design process is advocated. Application of such methods is exemplified in four appended papers that describe optimal design of NMNs which should take on static configurations or follow time-varying trajectories given certain input stimuli. The considered optimization problems are nonlinear, non-convex, and potentially large-scale, but numerical results indicate that useful designs can be obtained in practice. The last paper in the thesis deals with a solution method for optimization problems with matrix inequality constraints. The method described was developed primarily for solving optimization problems stated in some of the other appended papers, but is also applicable to other problems in control theory and structural optimization.
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BONINI, Claudio. "Optimization Techniques Applied to Mechanical Design." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Bergamo, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10446/30756.
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The present work deals with the application of optimization techniques to mechanical design. After an initial section devoted to a theoretical review of optimization algorithms in common use, the thesis consists of two parts.
The first part is about the use of the adjoint method in the framework of aerodynamic shape optimization. After a theoretical review, the discrete adjoint method has been implemented in a research code based on the Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method. This activity represents a new direction of development within the research group operating at University of Bergamo on DG methods for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Starting from the simple quasi-1D Euler equations, the implementation of the discrete adjoint method has been validated by comparing the values of computed adjoint variables with results of analytical solutions available in the literature. The method has then been applied to a shape optimization problem, using a gradient based algorithm with an inexact line search approach.
The second part of the thesis deals with the application of optimization techniques to an industrial problem. This activity has been carried out at the R&D Centre of TenarisDalmine S.p.A., one of the largest seamless steel pipe producers in the world. This work focuses on the optimization of the thermal cycle of the mandrel of a longitudinal mandrel mill, with the objective of reducing the peak temperature of the mandrel during the rolling phase. The activity for this part of the thesis required the preliminary set up of a number of computational tools for the analysis of the physical aspects involved in the problem. Such tools have then been integrated in a comprehensive optimization approach driven by the optimization tools available in the Optimization Toolbox of the commercial software Matlab. The results of optimization are encouraging, showing the possibility of a considerable increase of the mandrel life cycle.
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Robusto, Francesco. "Accelerated life testing in mechanical design." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Padova, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3424672.
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The introduction of new products on the market is a time-consuming process, which typically includes both design and testing phases. Often, the experimental validation phase significantly affects the overall process time. Indeed, in many industrial sectors, the product development procedure is based on trial and error methodologies. Intermediate validation tests are performed on full-scale physical prototypes and, based on their outcome, the design is updated (in the case of a negative result) or validated (if the result is positive). The efficiency of this method in terms of time-resources is notoriously sub-optimal.
To improve the efficiency of this process it is, for example, possible to exploit accelerated test methodologies, which consist in subjecting the product to test conditions that exceed its actual working conditions. In this way, a reduction in the number of cycles necessary to bring the component to final failure can be achieved, with obvious beneficial effects on the efficiency of the process. Another way to accelerate the test is to switch from testing the top-level assembly to performing tests on subassemblies or individual components.
It is however mandatory, to ensure that the results obtained with these test methods are useful for the design, to take appropriate precautions. For example, it is essential to preserve the original failure mode of the component. To do this, it is necessary, among other things, to know the relationship between the boundary conditions of the entire assembly and the stresses of the individual components. In the present paper, the methodology described above is illustrated with reference to its application to locking industry components (demonstrator).
Several experimental tests have been carried out, in order to characterize the fatigue life and wear resistance of the materials involved in the construction of the demonstrator.
Numerical FEM models were also developed to determine the stresses of the sub-assemblies and components of the demonstrator during the test phase.
Combining the experimental results with the numerical ones, it was possible to develop an analytical model. Such model allows estimating the endurance of the demonstrator when subjected to accelerated tests. The model has shown a good correlation with experimental results.
The principles underlying this procedure can be applied, without any loss in terms of generality, to many sectors of the industry.L'introduzione di nuovi prodotti sul mercato è un processo di lunga durata, che comprende tipicamente sia fasi di progettazione che di sperimentazione. Sovente, la fase di validazione sperimentale condiziona notevolmente i tempi complessivi del processo. Infatti, in molti settori industriali, la procedura di sviluppo prodotto è basata su metodologie di tipo trial and error. Prove di validazione intermedie vengono eseguite su prototipi fisici in scala reale, ed in base all'esito di queste il design viene rielaborato (in caso di esito negativo) o validato (se l'esito è positivo). L'efficienza di tale metodo sotto il profilo temporale è, notoriamente, sub-ottimale. Per migliorare l'efficienza di tale processo è, ad esempio, possibile sfruttare metodologie di prova accelerate, che consistono nel sottoporre il prodotto ad una condizione di prova più gravosa rispetto alle normali condizioni di lavoro. In tale modo, si può conseguire una riduzione del numero di cicli necessari a portare a rottura il componente, con evidenti ricadute vantaggiose sull'efficienza del processo. Un'ulteriore modalità di accelerazione della prova consiste nel passare da prova sull'assieme globale a prova sui sottoassiemi o singoli componenti. È tuttavia obbligatorio, affinché i risultati ottenuti mediante tali metodologie di prova siano utili per la progettazione, adottare opportune precauzioni. Ad esempio, è fondamentale preservare la modalità di rottura originaria del componente. Per fare ciò, si rende necessario, fra le altre cose, conoscere la relazione tra le condizioni al contorno dell'intero assieme e le sollecitazioni dei singoli componenti. Nel presente elaborato, la metodologia sopra descritta viene illustrata facendo riferimento alla sua applicazione a componenti del settore serraturiero (dimostratore). Sono stati effettuati numerosi test sperimentali, per caratterizzare la vita a fatica e la resistenza all'usura dei materiali coinvolti nella costruzione del dimostratore. Sono inoltre stati sviluppati modelli numerici FEM per determinare le sollecitazioni dei sottoassiemi e componenti del dimostratore durante la fase di test. Combinando i risultati sperimentali con quelli numerici, è stato possibile sviluppare un modello analitico in grado di stimare con buona approssimazione la vita effettiva del dimostratore, quando sottoposto a prove accelerate. I principi alla base di questa procedura possono essere applicati, senza perdita di generalità, a numerosi settori dell'industria.
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Roy, Matthew MacGregor. "Design and fabrication of a lightweight robotic manipulator." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ37282.pdf.
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Shan, Lei. "Mechanical interactions at the interface of chemical mechanical polishing." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/17774.
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Roan, Earl Taylor. "Early-stage engineering design : the designer, the object of design, and design context." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/44916.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-90).
Much of design research has been focused on developing prescriptive design processes, however, proper description of the designer, the object of design, and the context may be lacking (Dorst, 2007). The present research adds insight concerning these three elements through observation of a creative design course with a diverse student composition. The layout of course was built around six very different early-stage design projects. A technique for characterizing and visualizing design projects and tasks is also introduced and used as a tool for describing the objects of design and project contexts. Collected data carried several important implications. One profound result was that no measure of designer experience was significantly correlated with general performance across all design projects. However, less experienced designers actually seemed to do better at more atypical projects, while experienced designers had the upper hand in solving more traditional problems. No other design-related skills correlated consistently with performance. Designers who were confident, however, tended to learn more and enjoy the projects, their teammates, and the teaching staff more. The results raise many important questions for designers, educators, and employers. The possibility that oft used measures of designer competence fail to accurately indicate capacity undermines current employment and matriculation methods. Educational institutions may consider reassessing the value of their curriculum. Budding designers may also question their approach to gaining design experience.
by Earl Taylor Roan.
S.M.
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Van, Der Merwe Ruan. "Development of tailorable mechanical design support software." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85664.
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Thesis (MScEng)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A wide variety of design methodologies exist in literature and the methodologies employed may differ among companies and even among design teams. Therefore a software tool, called DiDeas II, is being developed for the early phases of mechanical engineering design. DiDeas II is customisable to accommodate various design methodologies. An approach for customisability which allows the user interface and data structure to be customised without changing the source code has been implemented in previous developments via an approach combining ontology and conceptual graphs. This approach is expanded in this thesis to allow for the implementation of various design methodologies through the use of tables for the display of information with inheritance of data among these tables. During groupwork, communication is both asynchronous and synchronous. DiDeas II has been developed in this thesis to facilitate and capture both asynchronous and synchronous communication between team members. Capturing such communications has the potential to provide insight into design decisions. The communication functionality was assessed in case studies in an academic environment. DiDeas II proved to be effective at recording “soft” information during design and placing the information into context for future reference. The degree to which DiDeas II could be customised to suit the design process at different companies was assessed through discussions with engineers in industry. These discussions showed that it was possible to customise DiDeas II according to the design processes followed by the participants.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: „n Wye verskeidenheid ontwerpsmetodologieë bestaan in die literatuur en die metodologieë wat gebruik word kan tussen maatskappye en selfs tussen ontwerpspanne verskil. Daarom word „n sagteware-hulpmiddel, genaamd DiDeas II, ontwikkel vir die vroeë fases van meganiese ingenieursontwerp. DiDeas II is pasbaar om voorsiening te maak vir verskeie ontwerpsmetodologieë. „n Benadering vir pasbaarheid wat toelaat dat die gebruikerskoppelvlak en datastruktuur aangepas kan word sonder om veranderings aan die bron-kode te maak, is geïmplementeer in vorige ontwikkelings deur „n benadering wat ontologie en konseptuele grafieke kombineer. Hierdie benadering is in hierdie tesis uitgebrei om voorsiening te maak vir die implementering van verskeie ontwerpsmetodologieë d.m.v. tabelle vir die vertoon van informasie, met data wat “oorgeërf” word tussen hierdie tabelle. Kommunikasie is beide asinkroon en sinkroon tydens groepwerk. DiDeas II is in hierdie tesis verder ontwikkel om beide asinkrone en sinkrone kommunikasie metodes te bemiddel en daarvan rekord te hou. Die rekordhouding van sulke kommunikasie het die potensiaal om insig te bied aangaande ontwerpbesluite. Die kommunikasie funksionaliteit is geassesseer in gevallestudies in „n akademiese omgewing. DiDeas II was effektief in die rekordhouding van “sagte” informasie tydens ontwerp, sowel as om sulke informasie binne konteks te plaas vir latere verwysing. Die mate waartoe DiDeas II aangepas kan word om voorsiening te maak vir die ontwerpsprosesse van verskillende maatskappye, is geassesseer deur gesprekke met ingenieurs in industrie. Hierdie gesprekke het getoon dat dit moontlik is om DiDeas II aan te pas volgens die ontwerpsprosesse wat die deelnemers gebruik.
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Vernon, Russell A. "Discovering optimal unit cell configurations when designing for additive manufacturing using lattice structures." Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10108174.
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According to Wohlers Report 2014, the worldwide 3D printing industry is now expected to grow from $3.07B in revenue in 2013 to $12.8B by 2018, and exceed $21B in worldwide revenue by 2020. With 3D printing rapidly evolving from a prototype commodity to a means to produce full production items, lattice structures are becoming of great interest due to their superior structural characteristics and lightweight nature. Within design, lattice structures have typically been defined by preset beam configurations within a cube. Certain configurations have been proven analytically to be optimal for certain load functions, but never has there been optimization performed to discover or verify the optimal lattice shapes and sizes within a predefined cubic space. By performing optimization on these cubic cells, a design guideline can be created for designers of lattice structures. In this thesis, several lattice configurations are analyzed both from a micro level (single unit cell) as well as a macro level (a simple series of unit cells). Optimization is performed with respect to stiffness and compliance to identify strategic configurations for bending, torsion, compression and tension. Only cubic base cells are analyzed (i.e. no hexagonal). Knowing optimal lattice configurations from a structural standpoint enables designers to further reduce weight and increase structural efficiencies when designing for additive manufacturing. The results of this study yield a well-defined guideline for design engineers to utilize when lattice structures are incorporated in a structural design. With this design guideline information available to design engineers, further utilization of lattice structures can be exploited by efficiently applying strategic unit cell configurations to the overall design.
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Peliks, Robert Bilgor. "Novel design of a rotary valve using axiomatic design." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/32348.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (p. 110).
Rotary valves have existed for millennia; and while they have developed tremendously since the first Roman valves, many of the same problems have persisted. The basic problems are caused by the coupling of functional requirements, which limits the valve's performance. Using axiomatic design (AD), two of these couplings, including the coupling of the friction-sealing FRs, are studied and resolved. Although more work can be done to improve the patent-pending designs, the concepts presented represent advancements over existing rotary valve designs. The proposed designs have been analyzed for their merits as a valve and for their potential applications, such as in automotive engines.
by Robert (Beto) Bilgor Peliks.
S.M.
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Swick, David A. "Design of a comprehensive computer aided design package for the design of mechanical joints." Ohio : Ohio University, 1988. http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?ohiou1182871192.
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Rastan, Homayoun. "Mechanical Design for Track Robot Climbing Stairs." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/20326.
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The purpose of this study was to find the best robot configuration for climbing and descending stairs, in addition to traveling on flat surfaces. Candidate robot types were analyzed to find the most suitable one for further study, based on stability, size, and energy consumption. Based on these considerations, the non-variable configuration tracked robot type was selected.
The basic robot parameters (minimum track size, comparison of tracks with grousers vs. tracks without grousers, track angle of attack) were determined using static analysis methods and using North American standards for the stair geometry. Dynamic analysis methods were then employed to refine the geometry and ensure the stability of the robot when climbing and descending stairs. The final design was then simulated in Matlab to profile the device's velocity, acceleration, and power consumption during the stair climbing and descending phases. A prototype robot was constructed.
The results of this study show that a non-variable tracked robot can be constructed for the purpose of climbing stairs by applying static and dynamic analysis techniques to optimize a design. This study provides the groundwork for this design, which can also serve as a basis for designing robots with other configurations.
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Al-Widyan, Khalid. "The robust design of robotic mechanical systems /." Thesis, McGill University, 2004. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=84984.
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Task uncertainty and noise---generically referred to as uncertainties in the thesis---in the design and operation of robotic mechanical systems pose a major challenge to the designer. The aim of this thesis is to contribute to the laying down of the foundations on which the design of robotic mechanical systems, in the presence of uncertainties, is to be based. Uncertainties are accounted for by means of robustness. To this end, a theoretical framework as well as a general methodology for model-based robust design are proposed. Within this framework, all quantities involved in a design task are classified into three sets: the design variables (DV), which are to be assigned values as an outcome of the design task; the design-environment parameters (DEP), over which the designer has no control; and the performance functions (PF), representing the functional relations among performance, DV and DEP. A distinction is made between globally robust design and locally robust design, this thesis focusing on the latter. Locally robust design is amenable to mathematical modelling of the performance by means of smooth functions of the DV and DEP. Resorting to the mathematical model available for the object under design, a design performance matrix, mapping the space of relative variations in DEP---referred to as noise in the literature on robust design---into that of relative variations in PF, is derived. Then, the locally robust design problem is formulated as the minimization of a norm of the covariance matrix of the variations in the PF upon variations in the DEP. Moreover, one pertinent concept are introduced: design isotropy. Next, it is shown that an optimally robust design can be secured by means of isotropy, whenever this is achievable under the constraints of the problem at hand. As proven in the thesis, designs obtained via isotropy lead to robustness even in the absence of a priori knowledge of the statistical properties of the variations ofIn connection with robotic mechanical systems, the design task is decomposed into three subtasks, namely, kinetostatic, elastostatic, and elastodynamic, in this order. We show that parallel manipulators allow for isotropic designs, but their serial counterparts do not.
The motivation behind the research work reported here being the design of robotic mechanical systems, the simulation of their dynamic response becomes an essential component in their design. In order to validate the proposed design, a robust algorithm for the simulation of conservative linear systems, which model accurately the systems of interest in the presence of "small" environment perturbations, is introduced. The robustness of the algorithm lies in its immunity to roundoff and truncation errors, which could lead to either instability or a dissipative response in the simulation results otherwise.
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Stuhlen, Birgit. "The mechanical design of turgid plant tissues." Thesis, University of Reading, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.312582.
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Charalambous, Andrew. "Opto-mechanical design for large telescope instrumentation." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.243313.
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Zalatan, Kim (Kim E. ). "Using Adobe Illustrator for mechanical engineering design." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/68935.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2011.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 23-24).
Sketching by hand is important in the creative process because it promotes reinterpretation through ambiguity. Adobe Illustrator is a valuable tool for an engineer to make professional-looking presentation drawings. The project conducted as this thesis was to create a website tutorial to teach students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology enrolled in 2.009, the senior capstone product design course, the basics of Illustrator. A study was conducted on two subjects to judge the effectiveness of the website tutorial project at teaching how to use Illustrator. The subjects had no previous experience with the program. Both of these subjects were able to learn the basics of Illustrator and create a simple logo design in under two hours. They reported that the tutorial gave them enough knowledge of the program to then experiment on their own to continue learning Illustrator. While this tutorial is not meant to teach all aspects of the program, it has been shown to be effective at teaching people with no Illustrator background how to create a simple but useful design that could function in the scope of 2.009.
by Kim Zalatan.
S.B.
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Fong, Ming-fai. "Mechanical design of a simple bipedal robot." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/32858.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 55).
The thesis objective was to design a walking robot appropriate for testing a machine earning control system. As a robot that would learn how to walk, it was pre-maturely named Toddler. The passive dynamic walker, a class of simple robots driven by gravity and inertia, was selected as the model for the Toddler robot. Two preliminary passive walkers were explored: a three-dimensional, toy-like biped with one degree of freedom at the hip; and a two-dimensional, four-legged kneed walker with degrees of freedom at the hip and knees. Bench level and computer modeled analyses were conducted during the design and construction of these robots. The simpler, toy-like walker was selected as the unactuated model for actuated Toddler. Two degrees of freedom, controlling step size and frequency, were introduced at the ankle. Toddler was able to walk with a dynamically-stable gait either passively down a ramp, or actively on a flat or slightly uphill surface. With its simple design and robust performance, Toddler provides an excellent platform for testing machine learning control in walking robotics.
by Ming-fai Fong.
S.B.
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Schuler, Brian Joseph 1974. "Mechanical design of an experimental aspirated compressor." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/50474.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (p. 71).
In this thesis, the design and construction of a low speed, aspirated fan stage is described. The design intent of this stage is to increase the work per blade row by control of the boundary layers within the flowpath. The low speed fan stage is designed to produce a pressure ratio of 1.5 at a tip speed of 700 ft/s. Any boundary layer that could limit the performance of the stage is controlled by suction at the location just upstream of the strong deceleration of the free stream. The blade boundary layer was the primary focus of the aspiration scheme, but the endwall boundary layers are also treated. Implementation and design strategies for endwall and blade boundary layer removal are presented along with a description of the stage assembly and construction. Suction passages milled within the suction surface of the blades in conjunction with cover plates provide a suction flowpath for blade boundary layer fluid removal through a tip shroud on the rotor. Endwall boundary layer removal also plays a large part in the design of the complete aspirated stage. Slots are positioned just upstream of both the rotor and stator tip shrouds for endwall boundary layer removal. The hub endwall boundary layer is also suctioned immediately upstream of the stator.
by Brian Joseph Schuler.
S.M.
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LEE, SEUNG JOO. "RELIABILITY-BASED OPTIMAL STRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL DESIGN." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184136.
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Structural reliability technology provides analytical tools for management of uncertainty in all relevant design factors in structural and mechanical systems. Generally, the goal of analysis is to compute probabilities of failure in structural components or system having single or multiple failure mode. Alternately, modern optimization methods provide efficient numerical algorithms for locating optima, particularly in large-scale systems having prescribed deterministic constraints. Optimization procedure can accommodate random variables either directly in its objective function or as one of the primary constraints. The combination of elementary optimization and probabilistic design techniques is the subject of this study. Presented herein is a general strategy for optimization when the design factors are random variables and some or all of the constraints are probability statements. A literature review has indicated that optimization technology in a reliability context has not been fully explored for the general case of nonlinear performance functions and nonnormal variates associated multiple failure modes. This research focuses upon development of the theory to address this general problem. Because analysis algorithms are complicated, a computer code, program RELOPT, is constructed to automate the analysis. The objective function to be minimized is arbitrary, but would generally be the total expected lifetime costs including all initial costs as well as all costs associated with failure. Uncertainty is assumed to be possible in all design factors (including the factors to be determined), and they are modeled as random variables. In general, all of the constraints can be probability statements. The generalized reduce gradient (GRG) method was used for optimization calculations. Options for point probability calculations are first order reliability analysis using the Rackwitz-Fiessler (R-F) or advanced reliability analysis using Wu/FPI. For system reliability analysis either the first order Cornell's bounds or the second order Ditlevsen's bounds can be specified. Several examples are presented to illustrate the full range of capabilities of RELOPT. The program is validated by checking with independent and exact solutions. An example is provided which demonstrates that the cost of running RELOPT can be substantial as the size of the problem increases.
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Bocanegra, César 1972. "Design and implementation of the Product Development Design Decomposition (PD³)." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/88880.
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Arinez, Jorge Francisco. "An equipment design approach for achieving manufacturing system design requirements." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/88838.
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Bein, Deborah J. (Deborah Jane). "Design evaluation spreadsheet for the design of a baby teether." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/69706.
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Gomez, Deny Daniel 1976. "Equipment design framework and tools to suport production systems design." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89271.
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Sim, Diana. "Design of an IT solution for distributed conceptual design processes." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/40487.
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Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 16).
This thesis explores the need for software tools to aid in the conceptual stage of product design processes in a geographically distributed work environment. While the need for such a solution exists, there have been few strides to update the tools engineers currently use. The 2.009 design process is used as a model to better understand the particular needs of conceptual design. The intent of the study is to identify elements of a software solution that can support the design process. The structure of the design is a result of analysis of potential users as well as involvement in the type of design process to which the solution is intended to cater. The solution is motivated by recent advancements in internet and software technology. The final design addresses six important needs: communication of ideas, data and deadlines, general meeting scheduling, task force communication, scheduling, timeline and purpose, remote meeting, data & communication archival, and notification of design & communication changes. This thesis provides the preliminary research necessary to support the an IT design solution.
y Diana Sim.
S.B.
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McKenzie, Esteban. "Influence of sketch detail in design prompts on design exploration." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/75668.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 27).
This study sought to observe how the type of shape they are presented with influenced designers' early creative process. One of three shapes, with varying degrees of detail and concreteness, were shown to respondents at random. The respondents were asked to sketch designs for a lemon squeezer based on the inspirational shape they were shown. The concepts were then grouped by to the inspirational shape they were based on. The designs were rated on the categories of feasibility, similarity to existing products, number of perspectives drawn, the presence of annotations, and the ease of which the concept could be understood. When the results were analyzed, it was found that the number of perspectives drawn and the presence of annotations were the only categories that varied by the inspirational shape group. The more open-ended shape corresponded with respondents drawing more perspectives of their concept on average, and including annotations more often, while the most well defined shape had fewer perspectives drawn, and fewer concepts with annotations. The categories of feasibility, similarity and clarity had no variation between groups of people who received different inspirational shapes. These results suggest that the more open-ended inspirational shape gave respondents mental leeway to be more expansive in their descriptions, and less constrained to basic representations.
by Esteban McKenzie.
S.B.
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Miller, William Stuart. "Three design tool focused case studies of mechanical engineering design projects." Connect to this title online, 2008. http://etd.lib.clemson.edu/documents/1220473549/.
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Kumar, Karthik. "Energy expenditure analysis of redesigned mechanical assists for medium girder bridge." Diss., Rolla, Mo. : Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2010. http://scholarsmine.mst.edu/thesis/pdf/Kumar_09007dcc807c4bad.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2010.Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed June 29, 2010) Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-78).
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Turek, Steven. "A Graph-based Early Design Environment for Generating Cost Effective Mechanical Designs." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1397467818.
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Page, Matthew E. (Matthew Edwin) 1975. "Blending engineering modeling, industrial design, and physical prototyping in product design." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28225.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2000.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-64).
Engineering simulation models, industrial design form models, and physical experimentation through prototypes are critical elements of successful product design. However, the three disciplines are disconnected and the direction of simulations, form models, and physical prototypes often diverge increasingly as product detail is developed. This divergence often results in an expensive and time consuming design cycle and inferior product quality. The first 10% of the cycle is taken up largely by conceptual design, an iterative stage that requires close interaction between industrial designers, modelers and engineers. In the current state of the art, information is often lost when models are approximately reconstructed from physical prototypes, CAD or surface models. A new approach to the conceptual design cycle is developed and applications for the design of consumer products are discussed. The tools that make up the cycle work together to create a flexible, iterative design environment. Industrial designers, engineers, and modelers generate and exchange form concepts, alternating between physical and digital representations of product geometry. Rapid alternation between the physical and digital domain is enabled and information flow between iterations is improved.
by Matthew E. Page.
S.M.
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Kriebel, Andrew Turner. "The design and development of specialized design tools for manufacturing equipment." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/104149.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2016.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-245).
Product development cycles have consistently become shorter, but the timeline for designing and developing manufacturing equipment has changed little. In some cases the time do design manufacturing equipment can be several times longer than the development cycle for the product it will produce. Consequently, manufacturing equipment development is under growing pressure to efficiently produce equipment solutions in reduced time. Building upon lessons from microelectronics design tools and trends in specialized digital design tools, this thesis examines the potential for a platform of modular design tools targeted at the design, analysis, and fabrication of process and manufacturing equipment through the development of the platform's first design tool: a web-based tool for the design and analysis of Cartesian positioning systems. This thesis documents the codification of positioning system design into physical and functional representative models that enable a systematic, yet flexible workflow focused on decreasing development cycle time, reducing error and oversight, and diminishing barriers in the product selection process. In the positioning system design tool, the user first configures a system architecture using rules based on common architectures and defines inputs for work envelope and payloads. The user is then able to search for, compare, and select products from a vendor-submitted part library based upon performance measures and target specifications. The product selections and resulting design are then validated using force and moment analysis, motion path time analysis, and precision analysis. The development effort associated with the tool emphasized the importance of appropriate levels of representation for different tool functions and resulted in a guiding methodology for the development of future design tool modules.
by Andrew Turner Kriebel.
S.M.
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Ramos, Joshua D. "Designy : an online multimedia platform for supporting prototyping in residential product design education." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/120261.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2018.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. "September 2018."
Includes bibliographical references (pages 124-128).
In order to support a variety of situations in which students might seek additional prototyping support during project work, resources were designed to utilize a combination of photo and video formats. Annotated images are used to introduce technical language, comprehensive narrated videos are used to show prototyping equipment operation, and short looping animations are used to show detailed steps of prototyping techniques. Providing students with multiple media formats allowed them to choose which resources best suited their support needs. This platform was tested in two product design courses: 2.00b Toy Product Design, an introductory product design course taken mostly by freshman, and 2.744 Product Design, a skills-focused course taken mostly by graduate students. In 2.00b, students complete project work with significant staff supervision, whereas most of the project work in 2.744 is unsupervised. For this reason, testing in these courses provided an opportunity to evaluate the platform in course settings with different supervision models. Usage data showed that around half of the students in each course exhibited activity on the platform, with a core group of 24 students (27% of the student population) in 2.00b and 28 students (35% of the student population) in 2.744 contributing most of the platform activity. To characterize student use of the platform, use case descriptions were collected from students during interview sessions with both 2.744 students (n = 10) and 2.00b students (n = 9). Students cited using the platform to support planning prototypes, for preparing to work in the shop space, for exploring the landscape of available tools and techniques afforded through access to the workshop, and to directly support the execution of prototypes in the workshop. Course staff members had activity on the platform comparable to student activity, and used Designy to prepare for advising students on project work and as a source of multimedia resources for preparing lecture materials. Overall, providing the platform to students removed typical roadblocks to prototyping work, such as limited access to staff and difficulty operationalizing prototyping techniques learned through other means. Although some students prefer support of prototyping efforts through face-to-face interactions, Designy was found to contribute to student feelings of increased confidence and comfort while in the workshop, allowing students to work more efficiently and progress their project work further than if they did not have access to the platform.
by Joshua D. Ramos.
Ph. D.
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Ali, Mohammad. "Production system design methodology with emphasis on sub-system and equipment design." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/46085.
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Sukkasi, Sittha. "Alternative energy design toolkit." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/32350.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (p. 122-127).
This thesis concerns the concepts, structure, and applications of the Alternative Energy Design Toolkit. The toolkit is aimed to provide a widely accessible, easy to use, flexible, yet powerful modeling environment for assisting design associated with renewable energy technologies. Exchanges of ideas and knowledge among the users are also highly encouraged and facilitated. The toolkit is composed of three important components: a collection of models that are fundamentals of renewable energy design, a modeling environment called DOME, which is used as the toolkit's enabler, and a supporting Web site. At the beginning, a comprehensive survey of existing tools for renewable energy design is presented. Then, the detailed descriptions and key capabilities of the toolkit's components are provided. In addition, a collection of solar energy models, which is the initial set of models in the toolkit, is also presented. The toolkit is utilized in two design scenarios: a design of a stand-alone PV system, and a trade-off analysis of a hybrid PV-diesel electricity system. In both design scenarios, the models in the toolkit are proven to be useful and convenient resources. The processes of making the representations of the systems are straight-forward, and the analysis mechanisms that the toolkit provides make the design process simple yet effective.
by Sittha Sukkasi.
S.M.
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Fahey, Nicholas J. S. B. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "A flexible crampon design." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/32975.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 16).
The design of crampons is studied and a new, more comfortable, flexible crampon design is proposed. A brief history of crampons is provided and then the current state of crampon design is discussed. Two major problems in modern crampons were identified. The first big problem was that the crampons are extremely hard to use and adjust especially in cold, wet conditions. The second problem was the comfort of the crampons on the hikers feet. While this issue may seem somewhat trivial, when hikers are on a multi-day expedition they need to keep their feet in the best possible condition. Therefore, a crampon design that makes use of larger safety straps operable by a person wearing gloves is proposed. The center of the crampon itself is flexible, being made from spring steel. This allows the crampon to flex with a hiker's foot, thereby improving walking comfort.
by Nicholas Fahey.
S.B.