1. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved.. Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Novel, Automated, Remotely Operated Potato Planting Device Foundations of Design An Introduction to the Engineering Design Process for New Product Development By Dr. Edward Hensel, PE Professor and Department Head of Mechanical Engineering

2. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. Primary Learning Outcomes for This Project MEPO 2. Design a system or a component to meet a set of customer specifications and constraints, as well as to define and write the requirements of the design. MEPO 4. Use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice; and be able to apply mathematics, science, and engineering principles to mechanical engineering. MEPO 7. Participate in multi-disciplinary teams. MEPO 3. Identify, formulate, and solve mechanical engineering problems. MEPO 5. Understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context, the professional and ethical responsibilities associated with the practice of engineering, and contemporary issues facing mechanical engineers. MEPO 6. Design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data. MEPO 8. Communicate effectively by written, verbal, and graphical means.

3. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. This product development process follows that presented in the textbook "Engineering Design - A Project- based Introduction" by Dym and Little. The Dym and Little textbook is used both for this Foundation Design course, and for the later Cornerstone Design course. The Product Development Process

4. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. Client Statement (Need) Your mission is to design, and build a potato launcher, with completed design documentation by the end of this quarter using only the allowed materials and supplies. After submitting your finished product and related design documentation, you will be encouraged to participate in the competition demonstrating all results during the spring quarter. This mission for the competition will be the ability to launch a potato so that it impacts a target at a particular location with variable range, good repeatability, and high accuracy. Your product must be range adjustable, be re-usable, and should demonstrate the ability to achieve impact at a minimum radial distance from the target.

5. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. (1)Clarify Objectives: Design Objectives for The Potato Launcher Project More details on the web site, and to be posted for competition scoring Scoring and Points Accuracy. Repeatability. Range. Competition Scoring

6. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. Objective Tree for the Course Learning Objectives

7. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. (2) Establish User Requirements The user (or farmer) must be able to launch the potatoes from a point outside of the launch circle. The user (or farmer) must be able to launch a single potatoe at one of a number of pre- selected ranges or target/planting circles Personal safety is paramount, and must be considered at all times during the design, fabrication, testing, and competition

8. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. (3) Identify Constraints Cost. –Each team may spend no more than $20 for supplies in addition to those included with the kit of parts. –Teams may barter with other teams on their alliance for items within their kit of parts. Staffing. –Each design team will be staffed with approximately six ME students. –Each design team, and each member of each design team, is expected to exhibit the positive aspects of the behaviors indicated in the Team Values and Norms rubrics throughout the project, to the best of their ability. –Each design team must use their launcher in conjunction with a provided launch frame. Safety. –Only kit-provided propellants, igniters, and energy related systems may be employed. –The range controller (competition manager) has final authority on all safety concerns, and may make the statement "We decline this launch attempt." for any launch attempt by any team. –The range controller will inform each team when they may initiate each launch attempt. –All individuals must remain outside of the Launching Circle during each launch attempt. –The launching circle will be five feet in diameter. Time. –All launchers must be delivered to the delivery point no later than 12:00 noon on Friday of week 10 of winter quarter. No exceptions. –No modifications may be made to the device or the design after being delivered, and up to four hours before the beginning of the competition, in the spring quarter. –Each team will have no more than 10 minutes for five launch attempts, including measurement. –Each alliance will have nore more than 30 minutes for all launches within the alliance. –The competition date will be determined at a later date, and is subject to weather and favorable launch conditions.

9. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. (4) Establish Functions The design team must design and construct a device to achieve the following functions. 1.Load a potato into a launch tube. 2.Charge the combustion chamber with a controlled quantity of fuel. 3.Aim the launcher to achieve a specified heading, and range. 4.Ignite the fuel to initiate a launch sequence. 5.Have a fail-safe method for aborting a launch after being charged with fuel.

10. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. (5) Establish Specifications Accuracy. –Accuracy Points will be scored for the accuracy each launch attempt (including failed launch attempts). –Definition: r 2 = ( Impact Point - Landing Zone Center ) 2 –Definition: R 2 = ( Launch Circle Center - Landing Zone Center ) 2 –Definition: Accuracy Points Per Launch Attempt = 100 points ( 1 - r / R ) –Failed launch attempts will be scored zero Accuracy Points. –Impacts within 1 ft radius of the specified landing zone will score 100 Accuracy Points –Declining a launch attempt will result in zero Accuracy Points Repeatability. –Each design team will be be allowed no more than five attempts launch a potato towards a landing zone. –Declining a launch attempt will not adversely influence the repeatability score (The Accuracy points will not be included in the standard deviation calculation). –The team may decline an individual launch attempt by stating "We decline this launch attempt." –Every one of the three landing zones must be targeted for at least three launch attempts by an alliance. –Repeatability Points will be scored for the smallest standard deviation in Accuracy Points across the five launch attempts. Range. –Three landing zones will be expected for each alliance. –Landing Zone One will be located a distance of nominally 25 feet from the Launching Circle. –Landing Zone Two will be located a distance of nominally 50 feet from the Launching Circle. –Landing Zone Three will be located a distance of nominally 75 feet from the Launching Circle. –Each attempt, including failed launch attempts, to impact Landing Zone One will score 50 Range Points. –Each attempt, including failed launch attempts, to impact Landing Zone Two will score 75 Range Points. –Each attempt, including failed launch attempts, to impact Landing Zone Three will score 50 Range Points. –Declined launch attempts will score zero Range Points. More details on the web site, and to be posted for competition scoring

11. EDGE™ Copyright © 2007 Rochester Institute of Technology All rights reserved. (6) Generate Alternatives Function Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Loading Function Charging Function Aiming Function Ignition Function Fail-Safe Function Brain Ball Brainstorming Inversion Pareto Voting