EDGE™

Concept Level Project PlanP08210/11 – Ruggedization of a Data

Recorder for a Forklift Truck

Shadle Stewart ME

Rick Chadwick ME

EDGE™

Concept Level Project Plan• Project Name

– Ruggedized Vehicle Data Recorder for a Forklift Truck • Project Number

– P08210/P08211 • Project Family

– Robotic Platform Family• Track

– Vehicle Systems Technology Track• Start Term

– 2007-2 planned academic quarter for MSD1• End Term

– 2007-3 planned academic quarter for MSD2• Faculty Guide

– EE dept TBD• Faculty Consultant

– EE & ME Dept, TBD• Primary Customer

– Raymond Corporation

EDGE™

Phase 0: PlanningMission Statement

Product Description The product is a data recorder which will be used to determine the speed and acceleration of a forklift truck

Key Business Goals The primary business goals of this product are to document performance of test vehicles and verify performance of production vehicles,provide a more useful and ergonomic tool than what is currently used

Primary Market The primary market for this project is Raymond Corp

Secondary Market Secondary markets for the data recorder could include any industry requiring low speed data recording.

Stakeholders Stakeholders in the design of our product include the following: Raymond Corp.RIT faculty, staff and students

EDGE™

Phase 0: PlanningStaffing Requirements

Mechanical Engineers 2 or 3Since the design will probably be mechanical in nature, there will be a strong need for Mechanical Engineering students. These students will take on the tasks of designing the mechanical system to acquire data and doing necessary analysis on the design such as stress and fatigue.

Electrical Engineers 2 to 4There will be a strong need for Electrical Engineering students. These students will be involved with the data recording system including circuit design and data analysis and transfer.

Industrial and Systems Engineers0 to 1An Industrial Engineering student would help to integrate the products from the other disciplines together and develop procedures for how the final product will be used for testing and benchmarking.

Computer Engineers0Computer Engineering students will not be necessary for this project.

Business Majors0Business majors will not be necessary for this project.

EDGE™

Phase 0: PlanningResource Requirements

PeopleMichael Skube, Jonathan Bawas - RIT students helping out as contacts with the company but will not be on the SD team(s)Team Guide(s) (EE dept. – TBD)Raymond Corp.

- Analysis and Test Manager: Shane Storman - Engineer: Gabe Clune [Developed Current 5th wheel]- Engineer: Keith Galbraith [explored other 5th wheel designs]

Environment Dedicated working space here at RIT.Raymond Corp has offered the possibility testing on forklift(s)

EquipmentComputersBasic Hand ToolsOscilloscope / Multimeter

MaterialsUnknown at this time, materials will be more defined with the needs assessment is refined. There are not any materials with long lead times anticipated with this project.Raymond Corp. has sheet metal manufacturing facilities

EDGE™

Phase 1: Concept DevelopmentIdentify Customer Needs - Interviews

Primary Customer(s)We have had a brief discussion with Michael Skube about the needs for the project. On Friday 10/12 we had a teleconference with a group of Raymond Employees involved with use of the device. This helped to define the needs more closely and find out background information about what alternative technologies have involved. The conversation was taped for future reference.

Other Stakeholder(s)

We still need to interview faculty members to confirm our faculty guides and consultants and to discuss what students from their department would be able to bring to the project.

Past Senior Design Team(s)There were not any closely related SD projects.

EDGE™

Phase 1: Concept DevelopmentIdentify Customer Needs - Benchmarking

Competitive or Cooperative SolutionsExisting Technologies:

Rolling Wheel

Laser Measuring Devices

Radar Measuring Devices

Data Recording Technologies

Internet SearchIdentify sources of radar/Laser technologies for comparison/evaluation

Technical Literature SearchResearch recent advancements in existing technologies

EDGE™

Phase 1: Concept DevelopmentIdentify Customer Needs - Benchmarking

• Previous designs and attempts at measurement devices– Previous project at BU to calculate speed based on pixels from a stationary camera mounted

on the test area ceiling– Optical sensors

• Doesn’t obstruct movement – Non Contact• Previous technologies limited by sensitivity to height above the floor 8-24 in.• Very sensitive to fluorescent light in lab

– Doppler Radar sensors• Cost is drawback• Doesn’t obstruct movement – Non Contact• Previous technologies limited by sensitivity to height above the floor 8-24 in.

– Laser sensor• Stationary that points at lift to measure distance• Lift has to drove in straight line which is sometimes hard to accomplish• Used for measuring lift velocity now

– Wheels• Currently used• Do not go around corners• Hang off 18 in. - 2 ft• Measure Tach-gen Voltage• Long setup time

EDGE™

Phase 1: Concept DevelopmentIdentify Customer Needs - Interpret

Needs Statements:

1. The recorder must acquire (and store) data which can be used to determine velocity and acceleration.

2. The recorder will be effective within a range of 0-15 MPH with an accuracy of +/-0.10 MPH

3. The recorder must contain its own power supply.4. The recorder will operate at 100hz or greater.5. The recorder will not hinder lift truck maneuverability during testing and

benchmarking. 6. The recorder will be usable on Raymond’s and competitor’s lift trucks.7. The recorder will interface with a Sony EC 204 data recorder or record a

spreadsheet/text file.8. The output voltage will match the speed of the vehicle, 1V = 1Mph, or a real time

display of speed/acceleration will be provided9. The recorder will not require ground contact or will not need adjustment while

lift truck is turning.10. The mounting and set up time of the recorder will be less than 10 minutes

EDGE™

Areas of Risk and Concern

• The co-op students that were previously going to be involved have notified us that they will not be working on the SD team(s).

• The budget and funding is still in question.

• We need to figure out what kind of confidentiality agreement we need to have with Raymond.

• The differences between what each of the two teams will be doing has yet to be defined.

EDGE™

Future PlanWhere do you go from here?

Moving Forward:- Provide Raymond Corp with a proposed functional specification list - We will be receiving pictures and drawings of current design- Define roles of the two different teams- Recruit people identified as possible guides