Customer Needs
The customer’s primary need is to cool a room by circulating air. More air circulation provides greater air movement and cooling potential. The fan’s noise level is a concern of the customer. Quiet operation, with little to no vibrations is preferred. The customer must also be able to adjust the fan’s rotational speed to best suit the surroundings. This allows for quieter, lower energy, operation when maximum air circulation is unnecessary. Another necessity is the ability to vary the direction of where air is being. This includes altering the vertical orientation as well as providing horizontal oscillation. The fan should also be safe for the user. This involves shielding the fan blades, while still allowing air to pass through. This shielding prevents objects and body parts from coming in contact with the blades. Fans are generally only used during warm times of the year. As a result they must be easy to move and store while not in use.
Function
An oscillating fan cools an area using forced convection thus increasing heat transfer. This is accomplished by spinning three plastic blades which circulates air in the desired direction. The blades are spun by an AC brushless motor, which is powered from a standard 120V wall outlet. The motor’s rotational speed can be adjusted by the user using a circular knob. The fan is also capable of horizontal oscillation. The user starts this movement by pushing a button at the top of the fan casing. This engages a gear train which spins a small plastic linkage. This linkage is connected to an aluminum bar which is attached to the casing. This simple mechanism translates circular motion to oscillatory horizontal motion. The gear train is powered by the same motor and shaft that spin the blades, thus requiring no additional motor.
Product Use
First, the customer must plug the fan into a 120V wall socket. Once plugged in, the user may turn the fan on by rotating the knob from the off setting. The user may adjust the fan's speed to low, medium or high, by rotating the knob to the desired setting. The user can set the fan to oscillate by pressing down on the rear switch. The oscillation allows the fan to cool multiple locations. The user can stop the fan from oscillating by simply pulling up the rear switch. The consumer may also change the vertical direction of the fan by using a Phillips screwdriver on the screw connecting the fan to the shaft. The user must loosen the screw, aim the fan in the desired direction, and then tighten the screw. For storage, the consumer must turn the knob to the off setting, unplug the fan from the 120V wall socket, wrap the power cord around the head of the fan, disassemble the fan head and stand, and place the pieces in the storage unit.
Components:
As part of the first stage of disassembly, we documented the inner workings prior to removing each individual component. Refer to the table below for more details on individual components identified in these pictures.
The following table contains each individual part present in the product. A brief description of each part and its function will help determine whether any of the components can be refined for future designs to make it less expensive or possibly remove it all together.
| Part # | Part name | QTY | Function | Materials | Manufacturing Process | Picture
|
| 001 | Front Fan Cover | 1 |
- Protect the user's body parts
- Protects fan blades
- Aesthetics
| ?? | Merging of Extruded Parts | 
|
| 002 | Threaded Cap for Blades | 1 |
- Holds blade unit in place
- Left handed threading to keep it from loosening
| Plastic | Injection Molding | 
|
| 003 | Blade Unit | 1 |
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[]]
|
| 004 | Set Screw | 1 |
| Steel | Extrusion | [[Image:]]
|
| 005 | Rear Plate Fastener | 1 |
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 006 | Rear Fan Cover | 1 |
- Protect the user's body parts
- Protects fan blades
- Aesthetics
| ?? | Merging of Extruded Parts | [[Image:]]
|
| 007 | Motor Front Cover | 1 |
| ?? | cast | [[Image:]]
|
| 008 | Swivel Adjustment Knob | 1 |
- Adjusts DOF's of fan position
| Plastic/Steel | Injection Molding/Extrusion | [[Image:]]
|
| 009 | Nut for Swivel Adjustment Knob | 1 |
- Fastens bolt of adjustment knob
| Steel | Stamped | [[Image:]]
|
| 010 | Fan Head Coupling | 1 |
- Attaches fan head to stand
| Plastic/Steel | Injection Molding/Extrusion | [[Image:]]
|
| 011 | Speed Selection Knob | 1 |
- Turns on power
- Selects speed of fan
- Interfaces with switch
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 012 | Switch | 1 |
- Turns on power
- Selects speed of fan
- Interfaces with speed selection knob
| Plastic/Copper | Injection Molding/Stamped | [[Image:]]
|
| 013 | Motor Housing | 1 |
- Covers
- Motor
- Shaft
- Electrical Components
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 014 | Capacitor | 1 |
- Stores electrical potential energy
| Plastic/Other | N/A | [[Image:]]
|
| 015 | Electrial Wire | 7 |
- Connects electric components
| Plastic/Copper | Drawn | [[Image:]]
|
| 016 | Oscillation Gear Casing | 1 |
- Holds the gears that control oscillation
| ?? | Cast | [[Image:]]
|
| 017 | Gear Casing Cap | 1 |
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 018 | Oscillation Control Knob | 1 |
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 019 | Transmission Gear | 1 |
- Transfers rotation from shaft to gear 1
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 020 | Small Ball Bearing | 1 |
- Prevents free motion of transmission gear
| Steel | Cast | [[Image:]]
|
| 021 | Small Spring | 1 |
- Prevents free motion of transmission gear
| Steel | Extrusion | [[Image:]]
|
| 022 | Gear 1 | 31 |
- Transfers rotation from transmission gear to gear 2
| Plastic | Molded | [[Image:]]
|
| 023 | Gear 2 | 1 |
- Transfers rotation from gear 2 to plastic shaft
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 024 | Plastic Shaft and Oscillation Linkage | 1 |
- Interfaces gear 2
- Transfers rotation to oscillation linkage
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 025 | Oscillation Linkage | 1 |
- Transfers rotational motion to angular motion of fan oscillation
| ?? | Cast | [[Image:]]
|
| 026 | Shaft | 1 |
- Transmits motor power to fan and oscillation gearing
| Stainless Steel | Extrusion | [[Image:]]
|
| 027 | Permanent Magnet | 1 |
- Uses electromagnetic force to rotate shaft
| Ferric Material | Coiled Wire | [[Image:]]
|
| 028 | Rear Shaft Support and Bearing | 1 |
- Supports and allows smooth rotation of shaft
| ?? | Cast | [[Image:]]
|
| 029 | Front Shaft Support and Bearing | 1 |
- Supports and allows smooth rotation of shaft
| ?? | Cast | [[Image:]]
|
| 030 | AC Motor Block | 1 |
- Holds motor coils and electromagnets
| Steel | Cast/Rolled | [[Image:]]
|
| 031 | AC Motor Coils | 1 |
- Proide alternating current to electromagnets
| Copper | Drawn | [[Image:]]
|
| 032 | Wire Holder | 1 |
- Keeps wires in place and out of harm
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
| 033 | Power Cable | 1 |
- Transfers power from source to fan
| Plastic/Steel | Molded/Stampled | [[Image:]]
|
| 034 | Screws | 22 |
- Fastens various parts together
| Iron/Steel | Extrusion/Rolled | [[Image:]]
|
| 035 | Bolts | 1 |
| Iron/Steel | Extrustion/Rolled | [[Image:]]
|
| 036 | Washers | 4 |
- Provides surface contact area for nuts
| Iron | Stamped/Bent | [[Image:]]
|
| 037 | Nut | 1 |
- Interfaces with bolt to fasten
| Iron | Cast | [[Image:]]
|
| 038 | Wire Coupling | 1 |
- Connects and protects 2 wire ends
| Plastic | Injection Molding | [[Image:]]
|
FMEA
| Item and Function | Failure Mode | Effects of Failure | S | Causes of Failure | O | Design Controls | D | RPN | Recommended Action | Responsibility and Deadline | Actions Taken | S | O | D | RPN
|
| Motor/Shaft
| Inhibited Rotation | Inefficient Operation | 5 | Debris (e.g. dust) in Fan | 4 | Run Under Extreme Dust and Debris Conditions | 2 | 40 | Filter, Accessibility for Cleaning, Better Protection of Rotating Parts | Motor Housing | - | 5 | 3 | 2 | 30
|
| Swivel Mount
| Nut Stripping, Plastic Fracture | Cannot Adjust Vertical Directoin Fan Cannot Effectively Circulate Air | 8 | Overtightening, Material Failure | 3 | Overtightened Screw, Force applied on Swivel Area | 1 | 24 | Use Torque Limited Fastening, Using Stronger Plastic | Swivel | - | 8 | 2 | 1 | 16
|
| Oscillation Button
| Dislocation of Button | Cannot Toggle Oscillation | 6 | Stripped Gear, Button Disengaged | 5 | Stronger Gears, Improved Connection | 2 | 60 | Fatigue Testing | Gears and Button | - | 6 | 3 | 2 | 36
|
| Blade Cover
| Inhibited Rotation, Blade Fracture | Complete Inoperable | 8 | Penetration of Cover | 4 | Penetrate Repeatedly | 1 | 32 | Warning Label, Redesign Cover | User | - | 8 | 3 | 1 | 24
|
| Shaft
| Non-concentric Rotation | Vibration and Noise | 5 | Broken Bearing, Unbalanced Weight, Shaft Non-Uniformity | 2 | Quality Control | 3 | 30 | Vibration Testing | Assembly | - | 5 | 1 | 3 | 15
|
| Electronics
| Short Circuit | Completely Inoperable | 8 | Exposure to Water | 3 | Water Exposure Testing | 2 | 48 | Waterproof Housing of Electronics | Housing | - | 8 | 1 | 2 | 16
|
