The Use of Undercarriage Pins and Modification Light - Case Study Example

Project In this research, three project ideas were taken into consideration. Although the first two ideas were considered appropriate, they were later discarded because they were very complicated in nature. These ideas were the use of undercarriage pins and modification light. The idea, however, which was chosen to be the best, was the one involving emergency exit light. These ideas will be discussed in this paper in detail. Modification of the light cover The work of a light cover is to cover the light which the plane uses to indicate that it is moving especially at night. This gadget is often located at the front side center where the wings of the plane are located. The following figure shows a modification of the light cover with aluminum alloy which has holes which will be sealed by a plastic material. Feasibility study: So as to obtain quality results, it was important to perform quality work. So as to successfully come up with this idea, it was important to consider factors such as time, reliability, cost and performance. Basing on these factors however, the idea was found to have several weaknesses, making it not a safer option. The cost to be incurred would be high because obtaining rivets, aluminum alloy and plastics was quite expensive. Time spent would also be more since several technicalities would be involved and without following these steps, it would create a crashing of the plane. Undercharging pins Undercharging pins is another idea which is designed for ensuring that the carriage in planes is securely maintained. These pins are often used when the aircraft is on the ground. As a new idea, the color of the pins was to be changed so as to include a luminous material that has a green color so as to differentiate it from other pins and improve carriage on the safety of planes. The figure below illustrates this; Sketches: Feasibility studies A feasibility study was carried to find out the technicalities which will be involved in changing the pins as well as the cost that will be incurred. Some drawbacks were therefore found such as the undercarriage being affected diversely by the shining luminous materials. This may further cause explosion because of the three supporting conditions namely the ignition which could happen, air which is all over the place and fuel which can however be controlled. Main idea The idea of using undercharging pins came up after the reliability and practicability options were weighed. Emergency exit light There are several safety reasons associated with an emergency exit. This happens incase the aircraft may have problems of engine failure. Passengers may feel insecure when it is dark inside the plane and an emergency light will help them to know when to take a step towards saving themselves. The following figures show the different types of emergency exit lights which the jet stream 31 plane has; Implementation methods So as to implement the required design, it is important to follow some specific procedures. This is to ensure that the design is effective in terms of convenient, cost effective and time saving. First method: flashing rug This method involves using a liquid paint material which absorbs light during the day and releases it at night. The diagram shows a rug which has been painted along the area indicated in yellow, which will then be covered with a material that is transparent so as to provide cover to the painting. The second method: light sticks This method involves the use of sticks to form a circuit often known as the solenoid. Electric power should however be present so as the make these sticks work. An iron rod which comes out and breaks the light sticks will be installed and this will turn on the lights until energy is reduced on them. Method three: electric exit light This method involves the use of a component that is electronic in nature. The component consists of board which has a circuit and is fixed to an external power. The circuit also has a chip which is connected to the power from the main source by the use of wires. The idea behind this method is that the light cannot go off when in a situation when the power is off. Choosing the best method Although several criteria can be used to curb the problem, several problems will come up when trying to choose the best method to adhere to. This is because there are several weaknesses that each method has and it is not easy to weigh which is more important and easy to implement than another. The challenge of time and cost, furthermore, implied that mother methods could not be avoided in any way. The experience in this research indicates that it is very important to be extra careful when choosing the best method to be implemented because convenience and health are very fundamental issues during a flight. The plan of designing is often meant to ensure that the right standards required for the air to be worthy are followed. The method should further enhance the look of the aircraft and create a comparative advantage to the stakeholders. Diagram of the requirements in block Basing on the weaknesses which have been discussed above, it is important to realize that certain specifications are very crucial for the project to be successful. These specifications cannot be ignored because without them, it will cause the entire process to be unreliable and prevent the entire project from being achieved, not alone moving to the next stage of planning. These requirements are: Type The type of project which is being discussed here is that of electronic and mechanical form. Although the mechanical form of the project is crucial, the electronic value is the most important because most of the work, if not all will involve electronic calculations and connections. The only anticipated mechanical part of the project will be the cover, while all the equipments and resources used will be electronic. Place The implementation of the project will take place inside the aircraft and especially in the vestibule as is indicated in the sketches shown above. Sizes When coming up with the appropriate sizes for use in the project, care should be taken so that the measurements taken from the aircraft are convenient. These sizes are shown in a table as follows: No Viewing angle Length (mm) Width(mm) 1 Top 200mm 100mm 2 Front 200mm 50mm 3 Side 100mm 50mm Because of the cubical shape the area will be calculated as: A= [2(XY) +2(XZ) +2(YZ)] A= [2(200x100) +2(200x50) + 2(50x100)] = A=80 meters squared Or A= 80 m Material The material will either be mechanical or electronic. The electronic components will be used in more quantities than the mechanical materials. The electronic materials will include equipments such as; Strip board These may be in form of single or double sided so as to guarantee a high density, compatibility, screening and flexibility within the aircraft. These boards have the advantage that they provide a convenient fitting because they bring about a linkage of the bottom and top pads. The joints are enhanced by the forms which are around the component by solder leads which flow on top of it. The tools will be made to work efficiently since the joint used in the project will provide a connection which is reliable. Specifications (technical details) Hole spacing : /diameter 2·54 x 2·54mm, 1·0mm diameter Construction: 1·5mm EPOXY fibre-glass (EP types) or SRBP-paper (HP types) Type Sides Board size Hole layout Connector/board layout RE520HP 1 100 x 160 38 strips x 61 Standard strips RE520EP 1 100 x 160 38 strips x 61 Standard strips RE521HP 1 100 x 160 37 strips x 57 DIN41612 type D-32/ac - strips RE521EP 1 100 x 160 37 strips x 57 DIN41612 typr D-32/ac - strips Light Emitting Diode (LED): Function The LEDs emit light when an electric current passes through them and they are therefore very important components in a plane. A LED looks like; Example:       While its circuit symbol:  is like this;   Soldering and connecting So as to function appropriately, LEDs need to be connected correctly to the right place. To further make these connections to be reliable and properly named, labeling should be done i.e. so as to determine the anode and the cathode. The cathode may be labeled as ‘k or –‘ while the anode can be labeled as ‘a or +.’ The cathode is very important because it represents a short lead which indicates that there might be some slight flat bodies or LEDs around which can fit into each other. This figure can summarize the phenomenon; Relay A switch that is electronically operated is called a relay. This switch works in a manner that a current flows through the relay’s coil thus creating a magnetic field which attracts the lever of the switch, and as result changing the contacts of the switch. This situation will take place when the main switch causes the battery to go on, a process which occurs when the main power goes off. Labeling of the relay switches often takes several forms i.e. NC, COM and NO. COM = Common, always connect to this; is the part of the switch which is in constant move, NC = Normally Closed, means COM is connected to this when the coil of the relay is off. NO = Normally Open, COM is connected to this when the coil of the relay is on. Specifications (technical details) (Ultra miniature high power mains relay) A relay of this nature is capable of switching 10A resistive at a speed of 240vac. The relay is designed for direct printed circuit mounting which encloses it. Dimensions 22 x 17.4 x 11.6 mm, high excluding pins. Pin length 3mm. Max current 10A DC / 10A AC resistive 10A DC / 3A AC inductive Max voltage 30v DC / 240v AC Life at 120v Ac > 150,000 operations Life at 240v Ac > 75,000 operations Max contact resistance 50 mΩ Operate time 6ms Release time 2ms Coil details Nominal voltage 12v DC Coil resistance 320Ω Operate voltage range 9v to 9.2v Must release voltage > 1.2v Switches: Several switches will be considered in the project and the main ones will be; Push to make low cost switch: This type of switch gives room for the flow of currents only when the button is pressed. It works like that of a doorbell which works when it is pressed. Specifications The details of the switch will be a low costs and operates at a non-locking phenomenon. This is summarized in the table: 1 Button color red color. 2 Overall size: 28mm long, 10.5mm Φ 3 Rated : 1A - 125v Ac 4 Panel cut out: 7mm Φ Power supply (9v battery) This is the most critical part of the project since it will make the entire circuit to work. This is because it supplies the entire circuit with the voltage that is needed. In the project, the normal type of cells summing up to 9v will be used. Safety, Quality and Costs The costs listed and recommended for the project come from different traders and companies. Standards International organizations system company’s standards will be used in this project. This is because these standards are certified by the government. The standards used are; CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) Found in U.K (United Kingdom) FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) Found in the U.S.A (United State) BUILDING CIRCUIT:- TESTING THE CIRCUIT:- Technical evaluations for I.V.A This part will estimate the amount of activities which have taken place in the entire emergency exit light project with the aim of coming up with the challenges which were encountered during the planning and the implementation of the project. This section will also highlight some of the important steps to be followed so as to use the correct method when following the procedures. Basically this evaluation will cover; 1. Task work evaluation. 2. Communication evaluation. Task works evaluation: Many problems will be encountered when developing this project, making the project to slow down. The problems faced when implementing this project include; Choosing from the different solutions When choosing the method, it was difficult to ask or enquire so as to get enough information which will be used to determine the proper procedure to be followed. For the first method, this problem was so evident. For the second method, although it was easy to get all the information about it, the truth could not be ascertained until the exact process went on first. In the third method, however, all the experiences with this method were considered and the process was decided upon because of these experiences. Future improvement for “selecting different solutions”: Every word used in the task ought to be read and understood before any information can be put down. Every bit of information which is found suitable to be included in the project, including enquiries from the teacher, ought to be put down by writing. Work cited: Fores, K. "Reading, Writing and Riveting - students build airplanes - and character," EAA Sport Aviation magazine: September 2002: pages 58 - 64 Read More