Air Motor Reversing Vehicle Manufacturing - Report Example

MANUFACTURING ASSIGNMENT – MANUFACTURING REPORT Student’s Name Code + Course Name Professor’s Name University Name City, State Date Table of Contents Introduction.................................................................................................................................3 1.0 Manufacturing Processes and Techniques.............................................................................3 2.0 Research and Assimilation of Information...........................................................................14 3.0 Evaluation.............................................................................................................................17 Introduction This report covers how the different parts of the air motor and the IMechE Reversing Vehicle – shown below – are manufactured. It also endeavours to detail the other possible manufacturing techniques and machines which can be employed to manufacture the same part. In addition, it analyses the learning outcomes of this assignment and evaluates them vis-a-vis the possible ameliorations to the design. Critical analysis is also done on some of the parts of the machine and possible improvements suggested. 1.0 Manufacturing Processes and Techniques 1.1 Component 1 – Base Purpose The base for this machine is as shown below: The base is to support the rest of the components of the machine, especially the upright. It prevents the components mounted on it from wobbling during use. Material selection The base is made from Bright Drawn Mild Steel (BDMS) having a gauge of 5 mm thickness. This makes it very rigid enough for its purpose. The four holes, as can be seen, are countersunk to allow the motor to be fixed onto it. The reason for countersinking the holes is to ensure the top of the screws are in the same surface as the rest of the surface of the base. Manufacturing Method The base is manufactured using a water jet cutter. To do so, the information from the drawing software, in this case SolidWorks is fed to the processor of the water jet cutter module. The outline to be cut is determined by the coordinates of the base as produced by the drawing software. The holes are then countersunk using the countersink drill bit. The BDMS material is firmly held by weights as it is being machined. Inspection and Measurement Since the base is water jet cut, its external dimensions were automatically fed in the cutter in form of coordinates. This included the coordinates of the four holes. Visual inspection was used to assess the surface finish and quality of cut. Workholding The BDMS bar was held down on to the cutter by weights. Then the probe of the cutter was carefully brought to make contact with the metal so it could follow the predetermined axis of cut. The same was done when cutting the outline of the base, and the countersinking of the holes. 1.2 Component 2 – Crank Web The crank web looked as shown below: This is also called the counterweight. It is to improve the engine balance during operation. In most cases, the counterweight is cast as part of the crankshaft, but for this case, it was manufactured separately. Manufacturing Method The crank web is machined by forging. The journals and crank pins are machined also. Care is taken to ensure that the holes are matching the bored holes in the web. The counterweight’s bored holes are machined slightly smaller in diameter to ensure that the crank pins and the journals can easily fit once they are assembled together. The assembly process is done under elevated temperatures, and upon cooling, the whole setup becomes very tight. Care is taken during forging to ensure that the web has evenly distributed material within it. The boring of the hole was done on the milling machine. When being drilled, it was held in position by the drilling vice. Material Selection The web is made from BDMS, of about 0.4% carbon composition. The material is strong enough to withstand the enormous stresses that may be induced in it during operation. 1.3 Component 3 – Crank Pin The pin looked as shown below: It was made from BDMS. It is also called the journal. It is used in the offset centre bearings of the crankshaft. Manufacturing Process A blank BDMS is forged according to the required dimensions. The material at one end is removed purposely to reduce its weight but not to compromise on its strength. It is then shrink-fitted into the crank web. Measurement and Inspection The measurements on this part were done by the micrometer screw gauge and the vernier callipers. Inspection, on the other hand, was done visually. 1.4 Component 4 – Cylinder Pivot The purpose of this pivot is basically to provide a link between the connecting rod and the piston. It also acts as a bearing upon which the connecting rod rotates as the piston reciprocates along the cylinder. It is made from BDMS. Manufacturing Process The component was produced through the cold forging process. Measurement was done using the vernier callipers followed by a visual inspection. 1.5 Component 5 – Bush The bush looked as shown below: The bush is used to connect two moving parts and make stronger the joint at which the moving parts meet. It helps to reduce the dire effects of friction between the moving parts. The component was made from brass. Manufacturing Process Sintering was used to manufacture this component. The powdered brass was mixed with an organic solid lubricant and other additives to make the powder compact. This resulted in a homogenous mixture of brass. Finally, the negative shape of the bush was used as the tooling to produce the desired bush, as shown above. Then sintering was done, after compacting and then heated to a temperature of between 2000 and 2400oF. Measurement and Inspection The measurements on the bush were done using micrometer screw gauge and vernier callipers. Inspection was done sing ultrasonic waves. 1.6 Component 6 – Bearing Housing The bearing housing looked as shown below: The housing consisted of two parts – the base which had the four holes, and the cylinder encasement. Its purpose was to enclose the bush and firmly secure it in place by bolting. Manufacturing Process The base is made from BDMS having a gauge of 5 mm thickness. This makes it very strong enough for its purpose. The four holes, as can be seen, are countersunk to avoid the protrusion of bolt heads. The base is manufactured using a water jet cutter. To do so, the information from the drawing software, in this case SolidWorks is fed to the processor of the water jet cutter module. The outline to be cut is determined by the coordinates of the base as produced by the drawing software. The holes are then countersunk using the countersink drill bit. The BDMS material is firmly held by weights as it is being machined. On the other hand, the cylindrical part is produced by sintering process. Then the two pieces are carefully welded together at the point where they meet. The welding process was done using the MIG welding machine. Measuring and Inspection To test the strength and integrity of the weld, ultrasound testing method was used. It showed the joint was just of the right quality for the job. Other measurement techniques were done the same as the rest. 1.7 Component 7 – Block Plate The block plate component looked as shown alongside. Manufacturing Process Several manufacturing operations were involved in the manufacture of this component. The material used was BDMS. The outline of the upright was machined using water jet machine. Next, a curvature was milled running across the length of the whole block. The cutting tool used for this operation was a special one which could produce the exact inward-curved profile on the block. The holes were drilled on the milling machine. The smaller hole was drilled using a small drill bit whereas the bigger hole was first countersunk before drilling it. Measurement and Inspection The engineer’s steel rule and micrometer screw gauge were used to determine and inspect the dimensions of the block plate. Since there was no welding done here, other forms of inspection were not carried out. 1.8 Component 8 – Pipe The 3D representation was as shown below. The pipe was made from copper metal. This was to allow an effective dissipation of heat from the device to the surrounding. During the machining process, the cutting was done an electric saw. It was held carefully by two metal plates and between them was reinforced with wood so that the pipe could not get damaged. Regarding measuring, steel rule was used to get the required length. 1.9 Component 9 – Piston The piston is the component that reciprocates in the engine cylinder. In order to be air-tight and leak-proof, the piston is reinforced with piston rings so that the pressure above it (within the combustion chamber) stays high. The piston used for this project was as shown below: The piston was made from BDMS. The choice of the material for this crucial part determines the performance of the engine and its overall durability. Manufacturing Process The piston was manufactured through the casting process in the foundry. Molten BDMS was heated to the melting point and then scooped in a ladle and poured into the negative image of the piston. It was then allowed to cool. Next, dehorning, hardening and milling were done to make it have the desired features. The dehorning process was done on the vertical milling machine. After that, it was hardened in an oven before finally being taken to the lathe for the turning operation. The operations in the lathe involved cutting the rough edges through turning. The result of the same was slightly smooth surface finish. To obtain a perfect smoothness, the piston was then taken to the surface grinding machine where an aluminium oxide abrasive was used to produce just the perfect desire of surface smoothness. Workholding In the lathe, the piston was held between the chuck jaws using a sponge on the jaws to cushion and prevent the jaws from leaving behind the jaw marks. The same was done also on the milling machine. Measurement and Inspection Care was taken to ensure the piston was of the right dimensions. During the turning operation, constant measurements were taken using the vernier callipers to ensure accuracy. 1.10 Component 10 – Crankshaft The crankshaft translates the reciprocating motion of the piston to rotary motion. It looked as shown below: Several components are connected to the crankshaft. They include the crankpins, the bearings and the connecting rod. It was made from the BDMS. Machining Operations The blank BDMS rod was cut according to the required length, that is, 85mm. It was then turned in the lathe till the exact diameter of 6mm was achieved. Next, the settings of the lathe were changed to make it able to cut M6×1 threads from one end of the rod for a length of 5mm. Measurement The filler gauges were used to determine the nature, surface finish and dimensions of the threads generated. 1.11 Component 11 – Cylinder The cylinder contained the piston, and permitted it to reciprocate within it. Since it was subject to getting very hot during operations, it was made from brass. It was as represented below: Manufacturing Process Sintering was used to manufacture this component. The powdered brass was mixed with an organic solid lubricant and other additives to make the powder compact. This resulted in a homogenous mixture of brass. Finally, the negative shape of the bush was used as the tooling to produce the desired bush, as shown above. Then sintering was done, after compacting and then heated to a temperature of between 2000 and 2400oF. After sintering, the component was then ground on the surface grinder both inside and outside till the desired surface smoothness was obtained. Measurement and Inspection Since the piston was to be reciprocating within the cylinder, its internal diameter was ground to just perfectly fit the diameter of the piston. Tools used for this included the micrometer screw gauge and the vernier callipers to measure both the length and inside and outside diameters, and the gauge respectively. 1.12 Component 12 – Head The head was as represented in the 3D representation below. Manufacturing Process The brass blank from which the component is made was cut, about 20mm in length. It was then machined in the lathe to produce the profile shown. It was first turned to a diameter of 16mm running for about 5mm. Then measuring 2mm from the edge, it was turned further to a diameter of 13mm. Upon finishing the turning operation, the toolpost on the lathe was tilted to 45o in order to cut the 45o chamfer on the edge. Finally, an undercut cutting tool was replaced and the rod cut off at a length of 4mm. 1.13 Component 13 – Upright This component was manufactured from BDMS. The process of manufacture used was the water jet cutting machine. The same was used to cut the external profile of the component. Then, it was transferred to the CNC mill where the holes were drilled. The coordinates of the holes with respect to the principal axes were fed into the machine and right drill bits selected too. The thickness of the BDMS was 5mm which ensured that the component has sufficient rigidity for structural strength. 1.14 Component 14 – Knurled Nut The nut was used to tighten the joint of the connecting rod and the crankshaft. It was made from BDMS. This component was fabricated by turning in the CNC lathe machine. The blank was first cut then turned for a diameter of 15mm. The next length of 3mm was further turned to a diameter of 10mm boring followed the procedure, and a drill bit of diameter 4mm was used for that task. Finally, a knurling tool was used to imprint on the nut the desired knurl design. 1.15 Component 15 – Connecting Rod The connecting rod joins the piston and the crankshaft. It is designed to translate the reciprocating motion of the piston to rotary motion in the crankshaft. It was made from BDMS. It consisted of two parts: the head and the tail. The tail in connected to the piston whereas the head is connected to the crankshaft. Manufacturing Process The tail was machined by turning in the CNC lathe and then cutting M6×1 threads on one of its ends. The head was first machined by water jet cutting and then bored in a milling machine using a 4mm diameter drill bit. It was then ground on the surface grinder. Finally, a hole was made on the side where it was to be screwed with the tail. The hole was screwed in the lathe machine. 1.16 General Health and Safety Considerations Whenever there is an operation in the machine shop, safety must be observed. The following were some of the safety measures that were followed when working on this project: i. Before operating any machine, it was ensured that the operator was very familiar with both the machine and its controls. ii. It was ensured that the machine guards were securely in place and functional. Care was taken that no machine was operated if such guards were missing. iii. Before pressing the ‘ON” button on any machine, it was ensured that the workpiece was securely clamped in the chucks, vices, etc. iv. The workshop was always cleaned and no trip or slip hazards were present which could endanger lives. v. All tools and swarf were always removed from the sides of the machine and discarded appropriately. vi. When doing grinding work, it was ascertained that the wheel was first dressed. vii. Correct cutting speeds were used for the cases of lathes, millers, water jet cutters, etc. In addition, sufficient amounts of coolant were used to guarantee good surface finish and longer tool life. viii. Before making any setting or adjusting a machine as might have been necessary, the machine was first switched off and brought to a total standstill. Moreover, it was constantly in the minds of the operators to always remove the chuck key from the chuck when using the manual lathes. ix. Protective clothing – workshop certified – was mandatory during any machining operation. This included wearing protective eye-shield when welding, suitable footwear, tying loose hair and removing all loose jewellery from the body. x. When welding, it was agreed that the welding current would only be set by the workshop technician-in-charge. Emergency buttons were indentified, including their locations, and those of fire extinguishers. xi. Smoking and eating within the precincts of the machines, and of the workshop at large, was prohibited. 2.0 Research and Assimilation of Information In the field of manufacturing, there exist many methods by which a single component can be produced from its raw material to the final stage. For a component to be ready for use, it must have passed through many complex processes involving multi-disciplinary and skilled personnel. At the same time, several tooling systems have endeavoured to make their easier by introducing robots computerised machining and other material handling equipment (Engineershandbook.com, 2017). The choice of a method of production depends on several factors. They include: i. The availability of technical knowledge to operate a machine. ii. Skilled labour to operate certain high-tech machines. iii. Availability of finances to purchase the required machine for a specific task. iv. The type of material to be handled by the machine. The broad classifications of the manufacturing methods employed in the industry are as follows: 1. Machining – includes turning, planning, milling, boring, laser machining, water jet machining, grinding, shaping, broaching, etc. 2. Joining – includes soldering, welding, brazing, mechanical joining, adhesive joining, etc. 3. Finishing operations – include plating, lapping, honing, coating, polishing, etc. 4. Foundry operations – include metal casting in the molds. The molds could be permanent or expendable. 5. Metal shaping and forming – include molding, sintering or powder metallurgy, rolling, forging, drawing and extrusion. 6. Rapid prototyping – includes stereolithography, 3D printing and selective laser sintering; manufacturing techniques such as multi-jet modelling, laser-engineered net shaping, polyjet technology, shell production casting, fused-deposition modelling and sound ground curing. 7. Plastics molding and forming – include CNC machining, pressure bag molding, resin transfer molding, thermoforming, continuous lamination, pressure forming, pultrusion, reaction injection molding, profile extrusion, etc. Therefore, with regards manufacturing the elements of the air motor, machining, joining, foundry operations, metal shaping and forming, and rapid prototyping are some of the techniques which could have alternatively been used in the same. Casting, for instance, can produce virtually any shape and design of a component. On the other hand, the machines have developed such that any component can be machined in just one machine within a short time. The following parts of the air motor could be manufactured using different methods to improve on their reliability, quality and productivity: 1. Base Laser cutter can also be used to machine this component. However, when it is used, the countersinking of the holes will have to be done manually. The information from SolidWorks, in form of DXF file, is fed to the laser cutter. Another method is to manually fabricate the component. To do so, the material blank would have first to be marked with a scriber and the exact dimensions of the base noted. An electric-powered saw can then be used to cut it into the required shape. After that, the countersinking of the holes can be done. Using the laser cutter as opposed to the water jet cutter reduces the amount of energy involved in the process, by virtue that the laser machine incorporates a manual bit of the machining process. Therefore, the entire process will be economical to the company endeavouring to manufacture the said component. Besides, machining the holes by hand will ensure more positional accuracy than any other method. 2. Piston Since the piston is subjected to a lot of forces and extreme temperatures, it is best manufactured using the sintering process. Here, cast aluminium powder is mixed with a solid adhesive and then compacted. The cast aluminium powder is light and has an excellent strength. Therefore, the piston will withstand the massive forces it is subjected to while also not offering resistance to the reciprocating motion. Upon compaction of the powdered cast aluminium, sintered component is then heated to more than 700oC to harden it. This would definitely produce high quality pistons. Moreover, sintering does not allow for impurities or air bubbles to be trapped in the melt, as in the case with casting. The sintered material is free of impurities, is of the correct density and strength. In addition, the grain growth in sintering ensures the material does not wear out quickly. 3. Crank Web This component is very essential in evening out the motion from the cylinder to the rotary motion in the crankshaft. Therefore, it is essential that it be of uniform density and thickness. This is why component can also be manufactured by the machining method. The material blank from which it is to be made can be machined on the milling machine. The same machine can also do the boring of the holes, provided the right drill bits are provided. Doing so would eliminate the unwelcome effects of cold working during forging and the inbuilt stresses. Since this machining process can easily be automated, several of such components can be produced in less time, thereby boosting the production of the company (arma, 2017). Another method that can be used to manufacture the same component is by casting. The molten BDMS can be transferred from the furnace to the mold via the ladle. After cooling, the component can be milled on its surfaces to remove the burrs and other protrusions for a smooth surface finish. After that, the holes can be bored on the same machine. The casting process may be very cheap to accomplish financially if there is a free supply of the molten BDMS. 3.0 Evaluation Several learning outcomes were designed for this project. They included: 3.1 Demonstrate and understanding and appreciate commonly used manufacturing processes and techniques Through this project, and the process of writing the report, I observed and understood the manufacturing processes used to manufacture components. For instance, I have now known that a given component can be manufactured by several techniques. The differences in such techniques may only be in terms of the quality or reliability of the final component. In addition, my understanding of the manufacturing techniques has also been widened. The most common machining or manufacturing technique used includes turning, milling, shaping, grinding, etc. I have also known that there are other forms like the water jet machining, among others. 3.2 Demonstrate an acquisition of basics hands-on workshop skills This project has made me be more practical-oriented than ever. I have learnt the basics and details of measuring and inspection using different types of measuring and inspection tools. Some of those tools which I used included the micrometer screw gauge, vernier callipers, filler gauges, surface table, height gauge, etc. Moreover, I learnt the basics of machining like feeding a SolidWorks instruction file to a machine to be executed. Other skills I learnt included the safety and health considerations while at the workshop. I am, therefore, convinced that I cannot be a source of hazard or risk in the workshop due to carelessness. 3.3 Construct engineering drawings for manufacture This is one of the greatest leaps I have made. I have managed to draw all the engineering drawings required in SolidWorks. Further, I learnt how to generate the file to be fed into the machine for execution. All the engineering drawings in this report are drawn to scale, and nobody did so but me. 3.4 Demonstrate the study technique of research through reading and assimilation of information When I was doing this project, I undertook a lot of reading and research work. I visited the library quite often, and read the journals and articles in the internet about the components of the internal combustion engine. I managed to translate the information I got from those sources into practicality. For example, some of the manufacturing techniques like sintering were purely from the research work I had done personally. Therefore, on a positive note, this project helped me read widely and be more hands-on. 3.5 Practice and show report writing skills The writing of this report has indeed furthered my knowledge in report writing. I am able to write a good technical report according to what has been demanded. 3.6 Practice the design and manufacture process The use of SolidWorks software has somehow motivated me to study it further to design other products. I have realised that the process of designing using the software is very interesting, and yet challenging at the same time. The same applies to the process of manufacturing components. The commonly used manufacturing process is lathe work and milling. The machines are very versatile and easy to learn to use. They do not require many settings to be input before operating them. As a result, I particularly enjoyed working on them or simply observing another person produce a component on them. I, as a result, gained a lot of knowledge on how they function, their settings, capabilities, and even their limitation. It increased my experience in manufacturing. References arma, a. (2017). Crankshaft construction design. [online] Academia.edu. Available at: http://www.academia.edu/6711955/Crankshaft_construction_design [Accessed 8 Apr. 2017]. Engineershandbook.com. (2017). Manufacturing Methods - Engineer's Handbook. [online] Available at: http://engineershandbook.com/MfgMethods/ [Accessed 8 Apr. 2017]. Appendix 1) Upright 2) Assembly Read More

The boring of the hole was done on the milling machine. When being drilled, it was held in position by the drilling vice. Material Selection The web is made from BDMS, of about 0.4% carbon composition. The material is strong enough to withstand the enormous stresses that may be induced in it during operation. 1.3 Component 3 – Crank Pin The pin looked as shown below: It was made from BDMS. It is also called the journal. It is used in the offset centre bearings of the crankshaft. Manufacturing Process A blank BDMS is forged according to the required dimensions.

The material at one end is removed purposely to reduce its weight but not to compromise on its strength. It is then shrink-fitted into the crank web. Measurement and Inspection The measurements on this part were done by the micrometer screw gauge and the vernier callipers. Inspection, on the other hand, was done visually. 1.4 Component 4 – Cylinder Pivot The purpose of this pivot is basically to provide a link between the connecting rod and the piston. It also acts as a bearing upon which the connecting rod rotates as the piston reciprocates along the cylinder.

It is made from BDMS. Manufacturing Process The component was produced through the cold forging process. Measurement was done using the vernier callipers followed by a visual inspection. 1.5 Component 5 – Bush The bush looked as shown below: The bush is used to connect two moving parts and make stronger the joint at which the moving parts meet. It helps to reduce the dire effects of friction between the moving parts. The component was made from brass. Manufacturing Process Sintering was used to manufacture this component.

The powdered brass was mixed with an organic solid lubricant and other additives to make the powder compact. This resulted in a homogenous mixture of brass. Finally, the negative shape of the bush was used as the tooling to produce the desired bush, as shown above. Then sintering was done, after compacting and then heated to a temperature of between 2000 and 2400oF. Measurement and Inspection The measurements on the bush were done using micrometer screw gauge and vernier callipers. Inspection was done sing ultrasonic waves. 1.6 Component 6 – Bearing Housing The bearing housing looked as shown below: The housing consisted of two parts – the base which had the four holes, and the cylinder encasement.

Its purpose was to enclose the bush and firmly secure it in place by bolting. Manufacturing Process The base is made from BDMS having a gauge of 5 mm thickness. This makes it very strong enough for its purpose. The four holes, as can be seen, are countersunk to avoid the protrusion of bolt heads. The base is manufactured using a water jet cutter. To do so, the information from the drawing software, in this case SolidWorks is fed to the processor of the water jet cutter module. The outline to be cut is determined by the coordinates of the base as produced by the drawing software.

The holes are then countersunk using the countersink drill bit. The BDMS material is firmly held by weights as it is being machined. On the other hand, the cylindrical part is produced by sintering process. Then the two pieces are carefully welded together at the point where they meet. The welding process was done using the MIG welding machine. Measuring and Inspection To test the strength and integrity of the weld, ultrasound testing method was used. It showed the joint was just of the right quality for the job.

Other measurement techniques were done the same as the rest. 1.7 Component 7 – Block Plate The block plate component looked as shown alongside. Manufacturing Process Several manufacturing operations were involved in the manufacture of this component. The material used was BDMS. The outline of the upright was machined using water jet machine. Next, a curvature was milled running across the length of the whole block. The cutting tool used for this operation was a special one which could produce the exact inward-curved profile on the block.

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