Self propelled lawnmower redesign
From DDL Wiki
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Revision as of 21:51, 8 October 2008
Contents |
Executive Summary
Stakeholder Needs
The following is an updated list of the stakeholders involved with our product, and each of their needs.
1.) Manufacturer: The manufacturer is responsible for taking the raw materials shipped to them and processing them into a finalized product.
- The product must be easy to assemble to reduce time of assembly and subsequently, labor costs.
- The materials comprising the product must be properly selected so that each part of the product accomplishes its function, but at the cheapest cost possible.
- Cheap and efficient manufacturing processes like stamping/plastic mold injection.
- The product must also have easily accessible parts in order to fix them or replace them entirely.
2.) Retailer: The retailer is responsible for delivering the product to the consumer from the manufacturer.
- The product must be marketable --> In order for the retailer to sell the product to the consumer, the product must be captivating and aesthetically pleasing.
- In order to keep many of the products in stock, they must not be too cumbersome. This is also necessary for an effortless delivery to the consumer.
3.) Consumer: This group includes anyone who seeks to mow any lawn, ranging from lawn owner to commercial lawn mowing businesses.
- The product must be well secured and comprised of appropriate materials to ensure user safety.
- The product must be lightweight and so that any user can mow any type of lawn.
- Durability is required because the consumer can't always afford the time required to repair the product.
- It must be conveniently adjustable in order for the consumer to cut a lawn at whatever the desired height may be.
- In many cases, the consumer is required to move the lawn mower to another location, so it must be transportable.
Research
Research 1
In our attempts to find areas for innovation we sought out different sources to diagnose problems with the current lawnmower design. Our first test involved the four members of the group. Each of us was given the opportunity to use the mower in a variety of common situations. These situations included mowing high grass, short grass, uphill, downhill, etc. We also had each member test loading and unloading the mower into a van/truck. Another test we had each member do was start and refuel the mower. Instead of immediately discussing our opinions and observations we wrote them down so that we would each have an unbiased opinion. We then compared the results and diagnosed the crucial problems. We discussed possible solutions to these issues and compiled a list. The key ideas were isolated and these became the ones that we will focus on.
Research 2
The next step in our market research was to go out and ask people who deal with lawnmowers everyday what problems they commonly saw. We went to a local lawnmower service and repair center to speak to experts about the project. We asked them what aspects of the lawnmowers they commonly complain about and their suggestions for improvements. They seemed to find the same problems as we did in our initial test and had very similar solutions. We showed them our ideas for innovation and asked for their honest opinions on feasibility. They liked some of our ideas a lot while others they said would probably not work or they had seen similar solutions that didn’t work. After performing this market research we were able to narrow it down to four design concepts. These concepts are all a direct response to complaints of the stakeholders and seek to resolve key issues with the lawnmower. They all seem to be feasible and within the scope of this course and our resources.
Design Concepts
After our brainstorming process we began to narrow down our ideas. We weeded out some of the impractical and unfeasible ideas. We then picked some of our better solutions and arranged them in a chart based on the problem they helped resolve.
Vibrations and User Comfort | Bagging System | Long Grass / Stalling | Maintenance and Cleaning | Transportation and Storage | Safety
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pneumatic Tires | Garbage Bag Attachment | Engine Tachometer | Self Cleaning Deck | Mower Hitch Attachment | Key Ignition
|
Front and Rear Suspension | Grass Compactor | Blade Feedback Control | Self Sharpening Blades | Snap-together parts that can be easily disassembled | Push-Button Starting
|
Rising/Retracting Turning Castor Wheels | Rotating Discharge Chute | Low R.P.M. Warning Light | System Run Timer | Foreign Object Recognition
| |
Air Suspension | Carbide Blade Tips | Dashboard with System Check Lights | Brakes/ Wheel Locking Mechanism
|
Pugh Chart
Concept 1
One of the most frequently stated problems our test audience came up with during our product research was the difficulty in transporting the lawn mower. We first identified that far less than even half of lawn mower users would even have access to and adequate vehicle to move the mower in. The second problem we addressed was if the owner had a moving vehicle was the difficulty in lifting the heavy mower alone. Lifting the mower into a truck bed required a lot of strength and power from the user. In addition the vehicle often became dirty from the gasoline, oil, and lawn clippings left behind. Another problem addressed was safely securing the mower in a vehicle, required many straps and bungee cords.
In this concept we solve many of the previous problems with our trailer hitch attachment. The hitch assembly is very simple and consists of 2 main parts. The first part is a hitch post (number 1 below) that would slide into the female fitting on the vehicle hitch. The second part would a channel bracket (number 2 below) that would slide onto the hitch post. This channel bracket would be mounted to the deck of the mower. When the user wanted to transport the mower all he or she would have to do is pick the mower up and slide the channel bracket onto the hitch post. There will need to be some further design to lock the mower in place, but the basic idea is established in the sketch below.
Concept 2
The garbage bag mower attachment is intended to remove the redundancy in the bagging process. In the normal lawnmower the bag that collects the grass clippings gets full and has to be emptied into garbage bags. This process can be messy and cumbersome. This redesign seeks to remove that transfer process by installing a rack at the rear of the mower which a garbage bag will rest on and collect clippings. When the bag is full it can be removed and replaced with ease, eliminating the need to transfer the clippings. The rack would likely be built of thin but strong steel bar and the garbage bags would ideally be generic. The rack would be attached in such a way that it could be easily removed.
Concept 3
An additional common compliant when using the self propelled lawn mower is the vibration
Concept 4
Gantt Chart
Conclusion
Recommendations
Final Phase
Appendix
The following is a list of initial ideas for innovation on the lawnmower. This was a general brainstorm and some of the ideas tend to be more abstract. Even so, they were able to hone our thought process such that we would come up with more feasible solutions.
1. Feedback system for blade
2. Battery powered
3. Cutting strings instead of blades
4. Turning front wheels
5. Rising casters for easier maneuvering
6. Leaf catcher/shredder
7. Grass incinerator
8. Grass watering device
9. Grass fertilizing device
10. More user-friendly/ergonomic push handle
11. Automatic throttle/choke control
12. System check light panel (similar to car dashboard)
13. Electric ignition
14. iPod dock
15. Cup holder
16. Brakes on wheels for steep hill cutting
17. Hill assist for steep hills
18. Stereo system
19. Run timer (to help schedule maintenance)
20. Baffled muffler (noise reduction)
21. Grass compactor for increased storage of cut grass
22. Side chipper/shredder
23. Hybrid engine system
24. Diamond tipped blade
25. Four smaller blades instead of one big one
26. Snap together parts for easy transportation
27. Integrated weed-whacker (clips onto side)
28. Mounting arm to attach directly to trailer/hitch
29. Line making system (check how straight cut is and keep in line)
30. Rotating side discharge chute (similar to snow blower)
31. Cell phone alert system
32. Headlights for night use
33. Fan, cooling system
34. Umbrella (sun/rain)
35. Compartment to store items (tools)
36. Remote controlled
37. Key ignition
38. Key code for safety
39. Cooler (drinks)
40. Cable locking system
41. Tracks like on snow-mobile for traction
42. Ball shaped steering design (roll any direction)
43. Leaf blower system
44. Riding skids
45. GPS (route storage)
46. Self cleaning (washing system)
47. Bike seat (riding)
48. Reverse drive
49. Hovering deck
50. Automatic blade sharpener
51. Timer ($ to charge client)
52. Multiple angled handle to ease pushing
53. Throttle control similar to motorcycle (or drive control)
54. Extra large fuel capacity (in reservoir)
55. Fuel level gauge
56. Turn screw system
57. Handle suspension
58. Blade tachometer/odometer
59. Front suspension
60. Make all wheels adjust at the same time
61. Integrated fertilizer spreader
62. Air suspension for wheels
63. Bagging system redesign (garbage bags)
64. Introduce compressor to belt that stores energy to lift ride height
65. Introduce system connecting wheel axles to frame that allow raising/lowering
66. Adjust blade height instead of deck height
67. Replace cables with wireless
68. Studs on tires for better grip
69. Tank treads instead of wheels
70. Engine kill switch if blade is more than six inches from the ground
71. Hand crank with mechanical advantage instead of engine
72. Blade is attached to spring so that hitting a rock won’t damage the engine drive shaft
73. Rear view mirrors to watch for monsters
74. Computer that remembers cutting routes and can reproduce them
75. Cruise control
76. Warning horn
77. Rake in front to prevent foreign objects from hitting blade
78. Hooks for easy storage
79. Blade angler for trench digging
80. Clippers instead of blade
81. V-shape with multiple blades for reaching corners
82. Flower sensor so it doesn’t kill flowers
83. Engine uses bio-fuel for efficiency
84. Weather radar/alert system
85. Leaf sweeper in front to clear path
86. Powered by bicycle pedaling from user
87. Emissions reduction for indoor mowing
88. Thatching/aerating system
89. Bump leveler to even out bumps
90. Weed puller/killer
91. Metal detector to search yard for buried treasure
92. Attachment for mowing over tree roots
93. Trailing vacuum to suck up clippings
94. Heater on handle for cold weather mowing
95. Windshield for eye protection