Date of Award

2020

Degree Type

Capstone Project

First Advisor

Musa Jouaneh

Abstract

Team 18 was assembled and approached by Professor Nassersharif to develop a new product. This product was to carry an average individual up a tree at least 20 feet high, hands free. During discussion of the future of the product, the Tree Climbing team was told this device needed to have many different abilities. These abilities include adjustability to climb different size trees ranging from 12 inches in diameter, to 24 inches in diameter. The development of such a device needed to be researched, designed, and constructed within a budget of $300. To begin the process, a previous design was presented to the team for reference. Following the study of the product using the same requirements from a previous team, approach by research was taken into action. Each member of the team performed a patent search, as well as a literature search. These produced articles providing the team with information on preservation of tree health, clamping techniques, as well as a number of different climbing techniques. Knowledge of other products on the market became useful to the team for many different reasons during the conducted patent search. This led the team to determine what markets to target, what could be developed, and what types of machines to focus on for development. Proceeding the search for useful knowledge on the subject matter, a total of 120 concepts for design were generated by the team. These concepts were carefully compared and analyzed by each team member for pros and cons. This led to the determination of the best 5 concepts, and eventually coming to one final product the team would move forward with in design. The design of this product varies greatly from any product seen on the market today. This device will consist of a drive shaft with pneumatic tires, which are belt driven by a feasible electric motor. The frame will consist of a 30-inch by 24-inch carbon steel frame fabricated from hollow bar stock. An arm will wrap around a tree conducted from steel round bar stock leaving one side open to avoid branches. This machine will then be operated by the customer via a controller fastened to the device to control the climbing speed. During concept generation, it was apparent there were going to be obstacles. Such obstacles include issues regarding tree health, operating life, portability, and cost to produce. The team is working to resolve each of these problems, in turn, optimizing the final design to satisfy the producers of such a product, as well as all customers within the targeted markets. Finite element analysis was completed to ensure the product design would work. A small-scale model was built and tested for extra confirmation and once that was completed, the group was able to put in order forms for the materials needed and began to proceed with the manufacturing process. However, due to the global pandemic, Covid-19, the group was unable to acquire the further required materials for completion of the product. To compensate, the group simulated working model testing on the computers and prepared, as best they could, future engineers who take on this task for success.

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Sponsor: Dr. Bahram Nassersharif

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