Project High Steel Final Report

PENNSTATE

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering

High Steel Structures LLC

Portable Girder Builder

Final Report May 04, 2015

Garrett Rowe Andrew Girondo

YongXue (Cindy) Tao

Jesse McQuaid

Christian Gobert

No - Intellectual Property Rights Agreement No - Non-Disclosure Agreement

Executive Summary: High Steel Structures possesses a stationary steel girder manufacturing system. The

company would like to replace the current method of production with a portable and adaptable

girder builder. Having a portable girder builder can reduce manufacturing time and expand

production operations as it is capable of operating in any of High Steel Structures facilities. High Steel Structures produces a variety of girder sizes and spends a lot of time reconfiguring the

current manufacturing process and having an adaptable girder builder will lessen this time.

The portable girder builder must position flanges relative to the web and apply a 50 ton

compressive force to hold the flanges and web together while being welded. The system needs to

accommodate a variety of girder sizes; web depths vary from 36 to 84 inches and flange widths

vary from 12 to 32 inches. The entire system must be able to move along the girder and be

operated by one individual during the production process. When finished, the device must be

self-contained as to allow movement around the facility.

Before concept development, High Steel Structures detailed the current production

process to the team and the team performed a patent search for relevant technology. After

ranking the customer needs, defining target specifications and performing a concept scoring

matrix a final design was agreed upon with High Steel Structures. The design was analyzed with

finite element analysis (FEA) in Solidworks followed by a material and component selection

process. With a 3D Solidworks model a quarter-scale prototype was constructed to demonstrate

system functions. A budget of $1000 was allotted for this project to cover all associated costs.

The project entailed two deliverables, a 3D Solidworks model and a scaled prototype.

The final design generated from this project will undergo a detailed refinement process to reduce

overall weight, improve system integration, and iterate subsystem functionality. High Steel

Structures interest in this project is invested in the designs impact on manufacturing operations. With a designed lifespan of 20 years, this girder builder maximizes floor space, reduces

operations to one operator, reduces production time, increases production volume and minimizes

difficulties associated with building cambered or swept girders.

Contents

1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 5

1.1 Initial Problem Statement .............................................................................................................. 5

1.2 Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 5

2.0 Customer Needs Assessment .............................................................................................................. 6

2.1 Gathering Customer Input ............................................................................................................. 6

2.2 Weighting of Customer Needs ........................................................................................................ 6

3.0 External Search ................................................................................................................................... 7

3.1 Patents .............................................................................................................................................. 7

3.2 Existing Products ............................................................................................................................ 7

4.0 Engineering Specifications ................................................................................................................. 7

4.1 Establishing Target Specifications ................................................................................................. 7

4.2 Relating Specifications to Customer Needs .................................................................................. 8

5.0 Concept Generation and Selection..................................................................................................... 9

5.1 Problem Clarification ..................................................................................................................... 9

5.2 Concept Generation ...................................................................................................................... 10

5.3 Concept Selection .......................................................................................................................... 11

6.0 System Level Design .......................................................................................................................... 12

6.1 System Overview ........................................................................................................................... 12

6.2 Operational Procedure ................................................................................................................. 13

7.0 Special Topics .................................................................................................................................... 13

7.1 Preliminary Economic Analyses - Budget and Vendor Purchase Information ....................... 13

7.2 Project Management ..................................................................................................................... 13

7.3 Risk Plan and Safety ..................................................................................................................... 14

7.4 Ethics Statement ............................................................................................................................ 15

7.5 Environmental Statement ............................................................................................................. 15

7.6 Communication and Coordination with Sponsor ...................................................................... 15

8.0 Detailed Design .................................................................................................................................. 16

8.1 Manufacturing Process Plan ........................................................................................................ 16

8.2 Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 16

8.3 Material and Material Selection Process .................................................................................... 17

8.4 Component and Component Selection Process .......................................................................... 17

8.5 CAD Drawings ............................................................................................................................... 17

8.6 Test Procedure ............................................................................................................................... 18

8.7 Economic Analyses - Budget and Vendor Purchase Information ............................................ 18

9.0 Final Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 18

9.1 Construction Process .................................................................................................................... 18

9.2 Test Results and Discussion .......................................................................................................... 19

10.0 Conclusions and Recommendations .............................................................................................. 19

11.0 Self-Assessment (Design Criteria Satisfaction) ............................................................................. 19

11.1 Customer Needs Assessment ...................................................................................................... 19

11.2 Global and Societal Needs Assessment ...................................................................................... 19

Appendix A .............................................................................................................................................. 20

Appendix B .............................................................................................................................................. 21

Appendix C .............................................................................................................................................. 23

Appendix D .............................................................................................................................................. 28

Appendix E .............................................................................................................................................. 29

Appendix F ............................................................................................................................................... 36

Appendix G .............................................................................................................................................. 40

Appendix H .............................................................................................................................................. 45

Appendix I ............................................................................................................................................... 49

Appendix J ............................................................................................................................................... 50

1.0 Introduction High Steel Structures is a steel girder manufacturer which produces a variety of steel

girders to the bridge industry. Steel girders consist of 3 parts; a horizontal web and two vertical

flanges. Current production entails placing unassembled girders on fixed stands where a tracked

gantry possessing pistons and jacks can position the flanges relative to the web. Once the flanges

and web are aligned, a compressive force is applied on the joint area and a tack weld is placed.

The gantry system operates on a single eight foot section of the girder at a time and proceeds

down the girder via tracks until complete.

1.1 Initial Problem Statement The current manufacturing process for steel girders is a multiple personnel operation, has

difficulties associated with cambered and swept girders, and is limited to just one of High Steel

Structures facilities. High Steel Structures is seeking a design of a portable and adaptable girder builder to replace the current fabrication process.

1.2 Objectives The deliverables for this project were a 3D Solidworks model and a scaled prototype. The

3D Solidworks model details all functions of the girder builder except for hydraulic and

electrical subsystem system. The scaled prototype will demonstrate system functions. The 3D

model and scaled prototype must:

Handle web depths ranging from 36 to 84

Handle web thicknesses ranging from to 7/8

Handle flange widths ranging from 12 to 32

Handle flange thicknesses ranging from to 3

Handle girder length up to 120

Be operated by one individual

Be ergonomic and safe for the operator

Supply a 50 ton compressive force to the web-flange joint

Position the flange relative to the web at a 2 angle

Protect the integrity of webs and flanges

Operate on swept and curve girders

Be self-contained

Operate on any facility surface

Have a lifespan of 20 years

Have a factor of safety of at least two

2.0 Customer Needs Assessment

2.1 Gathering Customer Input To understand the design aspect and criteria that High Steel Structures is seeking, a

conference was held with Brian LaBorde (CEO of High Steel Structures), Rick Dickerson

(Director of Continuous Improvement) and Jamie Stock (Improvement Engineer). The

conference lasted approximately two hours in which High Steel presented items and expectations

for the goal of this project. Following the conference a tour of the plant showcased the current

production process and its drawbacks. Specific customer needs were that the new girder builder

be portable, be operated by one individual and operate on a wide range of web and flange

dimensions.

2.2 Weighting of Customer Needs After gathering the customer needs from High Steel Structures an Analytic Hierarchy

Process (AHP) was performed. The AHP method is designed to sort and compare the relative

importance of the different customer needs. The AHP chart (Table 1) compares each customer

need and rates them in importance where 1 means equally important, less than 1 means less important and greater than 1 means more important. The larger the comparison number between two customer needs the more important that customer need is over the other customer

need and vice versa. The comparison numbers of each criteria were summed and weighted

against the sum of all comparison numbers. From Table 1, the orders of importance are as

follows: portable, adjustable, force, durable, safety, efficient, cost, ease of use, ease of

manufacturing, and ergonomic.

3.0 External Search An external search was performed to determine key technologies relevant to steel girder

manufacturing. The search consisted of a review of patents and existing products in the industry.

3.1 Patents The intent of this section was to identify relevant patents and then construct an art-

function matrix to identify designs and their functions. However the limited relevant patents

made this difficult to execute and thus the art-function matrix, provide in Appendix A, is limited

to a single patent.

3.2 Existing Products Girder construction is mainly performed in a variety of ways which lack portable

mechanical systems. Assembly of girders can be done by aligning web and flanges standing

vertically with the aid of cranes and chains; this method takes the longest and is labor intensive.

At competitor factories, similar systems which mimic High Steel Structures current girder builder is the scope of existing methods of construction for girder assembly.

4.0 Engineering Specifications A set of engineering specifications were created to set guidelines for performance of the

concepts and final design. The engineering specifications are as follows: materials, total mass,

lifespan, compressive force, minimum and maximum flange dimensions, minimum and

maximum web dimensions, work height off the floor, flange angle, and number of operators.

4.1 Establishing Target Specifications The target specifications are used in determining on whether the prototypes and final

deliverable are considered successful; evaluating and setting these specifications are vital. The

engineering specifications are displayed in Table 2. Steel was chosen as the material for its

overall strength. The lifespans has a maximum value that High Steel Structures set. The

compressive force required is standard operating force in High Steel Structures manufacturing

processes. With the variations in steel girders that High Steel produces the minimum and

maximum values are set accordingly. The flange angle and number of operators were specifically

set by High Steels own requirements.

4.2 Relating Specifications to Customer Needs A QFD matrix was constructed to relate the target specifications with the customer needs

displayed in Table 3. The QFD matrix matches the target specifications to the customer needs

with the mark of an x. With a defined relationship between customer needs and target specifications fulfilling the customer needs will be more manageable from a design standpoint.

5.0 Concept Generation and Selection After gathering customer needs, setting target specification and establishing a QFD

matrix concept generation began. A black box model was constructed to facilitate concept

design. Four concepts were proposed and one was selected.

5.1 Problem Clarification A black-box model is a method used to organize the logic of inputs and outputs (Figure

1). The input and the output could be a material, a form of energy, or a signal. Different arrows

are used to represent the type of function of the input or the output. The black box is located in

the center and within the black-box are the products performance which translate the input to the output. The inputs for the system are as follows: web and two flanges and the dimensions, the

position of the steel girder on either fixed stands or a pre-set configuration, and the position of

the system relative to the steel girder. Within the black box is the systems performance including: accommodating to the dimensions of the web and flanges, adjusting the web and

flange to the desired state, applying the compressive force on the web and flange, and moving

down the girder once complete. The output is an assembled section of the girder and a new

position of the system once it has moved. Black box models serve as a basis of actions for how

the generated concepts will perform and need to do.

Figure 1. Black Box Model

5.2 Concept Generation Concept generation began with using the above black box model as a guide, with four

concepts being generated which are pictured in Appendix B.

Concept one: Concept one consists of a rigid frame that has extending arms that adjust

to the various web and flange dimensions. The arms are controlled by pistons that

can manipulate the flange to the desired positions. Advantages include a portable

unit that will rest on top of the web and a manufacturing process that resembles

the current production method High Steel uses. Disadvantages include using the

current fixed stands that High Steel has and there are high stresses in the

extending arms due to the flange weight.

Concept two: Concept two consists of rigid base frame where the web and flange sit

inside. The flange sits inside a clamp that is controlled by pistons that can alter the

position of the flange relative to the web. The web sits on the frame at a constant

height of 36 inches. Advantages include the exemption off fixed stands therefore

steel girders can be built on any hard surface in the facility. Disadvantages include

a lack of visibility when the system is underneath the web and flange restricting

operator line of sight.

Concept three:

Concept three involves a gantry like frame that uses dog clamps to hold

the flange while electromagnets that hold the web. Pistons on the outside reach

around the flange to apply the compressive force needed. The main advantage is

that this system doesnt use stands at all. The disadvantages are that the dog clamps will scar and damage the flange leading to product damaging and the use

of electromagnets might prevent welding from occurring.

Concept four: Concept four uses a rail system that moves along the top of the flange

while also holding it. There is then a gantry like frame between the flanges that

uses electromagnets to hold the web up. The gantry frame would be able to

constrict to apply the compressive force. The main advantage include the use of

no stands. The main disadvantage is the use of electromagnetics might prevent

welding from occurring.

5.3 Concept Selection Concepts three and four were abandoned, due to lack of plausibility. The remaining two

concepts were ranked through a Pugh Concept Scoring matrix which rates the concepts

accordingly with the weighted criteria from the AHP chart in Table 1. From the Pugh Scoring

Matrix (Table 4), concept two has the largest score of 3.64, followed closely by concept one

which scored a 3.36, and last was the baseline concept High Steel Structures currently uses

which scored a 2.97. Concept two outperforms concept one primarily because it does not use

fixed to produce steel girders. Without needing the fixed stands concept two can perform on any

hard surface in any of High Steel Structures facilities. Additionally, the high stresses associated with the compressive force can be supported more easily in concept two than in concept one.

6.0 System Level Design

6.1 System Overview From the Pugh Concept Scoring Matrix and discussion with High Steel Structures,

concept two was chosen as the design to pursue. Below in Figure 2, is the 3D Solidworks model

of the steel girder builder of concept two. The main components to girder builder are labeled.

The compressive arm (A) is responsible for applying the compressive force needed to join the

web and flange together. The piston extensions (C) are in place to extend the reach of the

compressive piston if the web being built is too small. If the piston extension is not needed

during operation it can be shortened and will sit underneath the web, minimizing interference.

The clamp (B) is responsible for positioning the flange relative to the web; it sits on a roller

bearing track system powered by a ball screw step motor for lateral movement and has a piston

that moves the flange vertically. The electromagnet (D) holds the web in place during flange

placement and welding operations. 12 steel rollers (E) facilitate the movement of the web over

the girder builder when the girder builder is moving beneath the girder. The drivetrain and

carriage (F) consists of front wheel steering and rear wheel drive when moving along girders. In

addition 22 caster wheels are mounted to the carriage and distribute the weight of the system. A

ladder and gantry arm (G) allow for an operator to work on top of the girder during operations.

Figure 2: SolidWorks model of girder builder

6.2 Operational Procedure The operational procedure is detailed in Appendix C as there are different procedures for operating on straight, curved and swept girders; however the initial steps are identical.

Constructing a steel girder requires the use of two girder builders, with the web being loaded

onto the steel girder builder first. Once the web is in place the electromagnet is turned on to

stabilize the web. Each flange is then placed in its respective clamp position which then can

position the flange relative to the web. After the web and flange placement the operational

procedures will differ depending on the steel girder dimensions, detailed in Appendix C.

7.0 Special Topics During the project miscellaneous tasks were performed which entailed project

management and risk assessment. Project management included a preliminary economic

analysis, team assessment, ethics concerns and communication with the sponsor. Risk

assessment included detailing associated risks with the project and consequences.

7.1 Preliminary Economic Analyses - Budget and Vendor Purchase

Information The project has been allotted a budget of $1000. A preliminary economic analysis

completed by the team (Appendix D) determined that 30% of the budget would be used for

travel, 25% of the budget would be for the prototype, and 25% of the budget for the poster and

miscellaneous purchases. The remaining 20% of the budget was set aside for unforeseen costs.

7.2 Project Management From the beginning of the project a Gantt chart was generated to organize task

completion and manage deadlines. The Gantt chart is provided in Appendix E. The Gantt chart

specifies each task with a set of dates for that specific task to be completed in, generating a status

bar to go along with the set of dates which indicate percent of completion. Additionally

milestones reached in the project are labeled with diamonds, these included objectives like

prototype completion or concept finalization. A deliverable agreement was also sign with High

Steel Structures, listing due dates for required items that were agreed upon with High Steel

Structures, provided in Appendix E.

Each team member was assigned a specific role within the group which was that team

members responsibility in addition to other obligations throughout the course of the project. The basic responsibilities of the team members were assigned as follows: Garrett Rowe as point-of-

contact, Andrew Girondo as journal keeper, YongXue (Cindy) Tao as project manager, Jesse

McQuaid as note-taker, and Christian Gobert as accountant. Additionally, each team member has

provided a resume in Appendix E.

7.3 Risk Plan and Safety In assessing the risks associated with the project, the critical path was determined in order

to help find risks that would be prevalent in the project. The critical path is the sequence of steps

taken to complete the project. The initial step of the project was customer needs assessment

followed by concept generation and then a detailed design. Once detailed design was complete

the scale prototype was built. The project concluded with a deliverables assessment and list of

future recommendations.

From the critical path, a Risk Plan Chart (Table 5) was generated. The Risk Plan Table

includes all of the foreseen risks and rates them on the likelihood of occurrence and the impact of

the consequence.

The level of risk ranges from low (green) to moderate (yellow) to high (red). For a risk to

be considered high, the likelihood of the risk happening must be high with major consequences.

Similarly, for the risk to be considered low, the likelihood of the risk must be low with minor

consequences. Each letter in the Risk Plan Table represents a risk which is detailed in the Risk

Plan Table (Table 6). The Risk Plan Table indicates the risk level, actions to minimize that risk

and a fall back strategy.

7.4 Ethics Statement The most important factor of this design ethically is operator safety. The teams was

cognizant of this requirement and strived to engineer a girder builder that is safe to the operator

and safe for people in the immediate vicinity while the system operates. Throughout the project,

constant communication was maintained with High Steel Structures to ensure ambiguity and

consistency in satisfying the agreed upon deliverables.

7.5 Environmental Statement The primary environmental concerns of the design are related to the manufacturing

process and disposal of used fluids. During the manufacturing process the environmental impacts

will be minimal due to the use of recycled A36 steel and efficient use of material. In the disposal

of the used hydraulic fluid the standard environmental regulations shall be followed.

7.6 Communication and Coordination with Sponsor Over the course of the project the team visited High Steel Structures facilities twice,

once for the initial problem statement and the second for a debriefing of the project results. In

addition to these site visits regular communications were scheduled every Tuesday at 2:30pm

using conference call and screen sharing software. These weekly meetings consisted of assessing

the previous weeks progress, discuss current work being performed and setting the agenda for the upcoming week.

8.0 Detailed Design

8.1 Manufacturing Process Plan The Manufacturing Process Plan (Table 7) details the planned construction of the scale

prototype. The scale prototype is to quarter scale and demonstrates the geometric layout of the

girder builder system. Therefore the scale prototype does not include motors, pistons, the ladder

and gantry system and the drivetrain.

8.2 Analysis To demonstrate the integrity of the girder builder, FEA was conducted to design and

enhance key components where high stresses would be present. The components tested were the

compressive arm, clamp and carriage. The FEA analysis had to demonstrate that the examined

component could maintain integrity over a 20 year life cycle, where 1 million load cycles and a

factor of safety of two were implemented. This effectively reduced the yield strength of the

material by a factor of four. The compressive arm was loaded with a 50 ton force, which is the

reaction force from the compressive piston. The clamp was stressed at its base with 30 tons,

which is the reaction force from the lift piston. The carriage was loaded with 50 tons on the table

mount, which is the static weight of a steel girder resting on top. The FEA analysis was

performed through Solidworks and the results of this testing is displayed in appendix F. All three

components demonstrated the strength needed in order to surpass the requirements set forth by

the target specifications. Additionally, hand calculations were conducted in order to insure

accuracy of the FEA results, detailed in appendix F.

8.3 Material and Material Selection Process From the initial conception of the design, input from High Steel Structures recommended

that steel be use for the girder builder. Steel is easy to work with and is very strong compared to

other metals. The high density of steel did not influence the decision as a material choice as

overall weight of the girder builder was second to the strength of the components. FEA analysis

predicted that the maximum stress in the girder builder would be 2500 Psi. With a safety factor

of two and a 20 year life cycle the chosen steel alloy would have to have a yield stress of at least

10 Ksi. With this value and recommendations from High Steel Structures, A36 Steel was chosen

which has a yield stress of 32 Ksi.

The materials that were considered for the scale prototype included wood, plastics and

metals. The driving factors for this material selection were price, user-friendliness and precision.

Wood was chosen because it is inexpensive, easy to manipulate, and easily fastened. Plastics and

metals are time consuming during fabrication and are more expensive than wood. The sacrifice

with using wood is its inconsistent shape and ability to warp, but the inexpensive price and

workability that wood offers made it a preferable choice over metals and plastics.

8.4 Component and Component Selection Process The 3D design of the girder builder incorporated six components that would be used for

the full scale unit, which were detailed in the 3D design. The components are the compressive

pistons, step motors, electromagnet, drive tires, steer tires, and caster wheels and are detailed in

appendix G. The primary factor in choosing any component was first performance and then

price. The compressive pistons were recommended by High Steel Structures, Series 3H pistons

offer a wide variety of piston dimensions. A step motor was selected because it delivers precise

outputs which are needed on the ball screw drive on the all the track systems. The specific step

motor chosen, 42k Series from Anaheim Automation, was used because of its high torque and

small size. The drive tire, steer tire and caster wheel selection process was based off of maximum

load each one wheel could withstand. The drive tires selected are Solideal Magnum forklift tires.

The steer tires selected are Heavy Duty Mobile Max truck tires. The caster wheels chosen, from

Hamilton Casters, provided the maximum load for any swivel wheel at 34,000lbs. The Eriez

lifting magnet chosen fits within the carriage mounting point and has a lifting capacity of

15,00lbs.

The scale prototype required only two components. Scale representations of caster wheels

and stainless steel rollers were needed for the prototype. Standard 1.5 caster wheels and PVC pipe were selected as both are inexpensive and were purchased at Home Depot.

8.5 CAD Drawings High Steel had specific requirements with acquiring and building the full scale girder

builder, therefore only a Solidworks assembly file of the 3D Solidworks model and annotations

of individual subsystems was requested. The annotated subsystem drawings are displayed in

appendix H. The subsystems annotated were the carriage and table, compressive arm, track

system, piston extensions, clamp, wheel mounts, gantry arm and caster wheels.

8.6 Test Procedure The test procedure for the scale prototype included a review of the geometric layout of

the system and the fitting of scaled girders to the prototype. To pass, the scale prototype must

demonstrate the designed adaptability for the specific girder dimensions detailed in the target

specifications. In addition, the integration of systems must be examined to ensure no

interferences relative to other systems are present.

8.7 Economic Analyses - Budget and Vendor Purchase Information The bill of materials for the scale prototype and the budget are provided in Appendix I.

9.0 Final Discussion

9.1 Construction Process The construction process was divided into 4 main assemblies: the carriage/table system, the

compressive arm, the clamp, and the wheel system. The 3D Solidworks model was converted to

quarter scale and dimensioned on the materials being used. The parts were cut to shape using the

band saw, table saw, and chop saw. The parts were then assembled using screws, nails and wood

glue. After the parts were individually assembled, each part was inserted into the carriage/table

system. Images detailing the construction process are provided in Appendix J with the

constructed scale prototype pictured in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Girder builder prototype

9.2 Test Results and Discussion Test results concluded that the scale prototype is able to operate without subsystem

interference and accommodate the entire range of girder dimensions set in the target

specifications.

10.0 Conclusions and Recommendations High Steel Structures interest in this project is invested in the designs impact on

manufacturing operations. With a designed lifespan of 20 years, this girder builder maximizes

floor space, reduces necessary personnel to one operator, reduces production time, increases

production volume and minimizes difficulties associated with building girder with camber or

sweep. From the assessment of the customer needs to the detailed design the selected concept

fulfilled all of the customer specifications. The design of the compressive arms ensured the

integrity of the system in delivering the required 50 ton compressive force. The clamp and track

systems enabled the girder builder to meet the adjustability requirements. The carriage and drive

train systems fulfilled the self-containment and portability requirements. The computer gantry

arm and ladder system ensured that the girder builder would be user-friendly and operable by

one individual.

Recommended further design development and testing includes the following areas: full

scale testing, design of hydraulic systems, design of electrical systems and reduction in weight.

Full scale testing is necessary to ensure the functionality of the design. The hydraulic and

electrical systems were outside the scope of this project and therefore need to be developed.

Reduction in weight can be achieved by reducing or changing the materials.

11.0 Self-Assessment (Design Criteria Satisfaction) The team is confident that the proposed girder builder has met the expectations set forth

at the beginning of this project. Success of the project was highly attributed to the weekly

meetings with High Steel Structures and consistently maintaining deadlines despite delays in the

design process. The 3D Solidworks model and scale prototype were delivered to High Steel

Structures which adhered to the deliverables agreement signed with High Steel Structures. Both

the 3D Solidworks model and scale prototype meet the design criteria specified in the target

specifications.

11.1 Customer Needs Assessment In assessing the customer needs fulfilment, 9 out of 10 was achieved which was self-

defined by the team. The delivered girder builder, the 3D Solidworks model and scale prototype,

specifically meet customer need requirements for: safety, ease of use, ergonomic, force,

durability, adjustability, efficiency, cost and portability. A perfect score was not obtained since

the customer need for ease of manufacture was not met to the standard that the other customer

needs were fulfilled too. However, because the girder builder will not be mass-produced the

customer need for ease of manufacture is not as influential as the remaining customer needs.

11.2 Global and Societal Needs Assessment On global and societal needs, the team ranked 10 out of 10. The final girder builder

successfully meets the requirements for safety and sustainability, therefore earning a score of 10.

Concern for bioethics and basic human needs was not considered as this project did not entail

these requirements.

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C Operation Steps for Flat Girder

1. Drive the girder builder to where the girder will be placed. Place the first girder builder so

that it will hold one edge of the girder and place the second girder builder around the middle

area of the girder. Place a stand at the each end to help support the web.

2. Use the crane to move the web and place the web on top of the table, then release the crane

3. Activate electromagnetic under the table to set the web is placed flat against the table

4. Extend the hydraulic piston so that it is within a few inches away from the web

***The amount the stoke extend is dependent on the flange thickness, i.e. 3.5 away from web if the flange is 3 thick

5. Use the crane to move the flange, place the flange on the clamp, and release crane

6. Use the crane again to move the other flange on top the clamp and release crane

7. Use the piston under the flange and push the flange upward so that it is aligned centered with

the web

8. Rotate the ball screws so that the flange is in contact with the web

9. Extend the hydraulic piston to push the flange against the web and fix the extension length of

each hydraulic piston as necessary

10. Girder is ready to be tack weld

11. After the operator tack weld the first 10 feet, deactivate the magnet, and drive the first girder

builder forward to weld the next 10 feet.

12. Reactivate the magnet and continue tack welding

13. Drive forward and weld until the first girder builder meets the second girder builder. Then

drive the second girder builder until the end.

Operation Steps for Camber Girder

1. For a camber girder, set a piston holder in the middle and adjust the piston stoke to the

curve of the camber.

2. Set one girder builder at the edge of the web and the other one near the piston holder in

the middle.

3. Load the girder using the same operation as the flat girder.

4. To tack weld the whole girder builder, drive the first girder builder forward while

decreasing the piston stoke in the middle. When the first girder builder reaches the

middle, drive the second girder builder forward while increasing the piston stroke in the

middle.

Appendix D

Appendix E

Appendix F

Appendix G Tire/Wheel Specifications

Caster Wheels:

Product Description: Hamilton Enhanced Maxi-Duty Swivel Caster with Dual 8" x

4" Forged Steel Wheels with 1 1/2" Precision Tapered Roller

Bearing

Bearing Type: Tapered

Bolt Hole 1: 7 in. x 7 in.

Bolt Size: 0.75 in.

Caster Rig. Type: Forged Steel

Swivel or Rigid Caster: Swivel

Wheel Diameter: 8 in.

Load Capacity: 34000 lbs.

Overall Height: 11.5 in.

Mounting Plate: 8 in. x 8 in.

Overall Weight: 165 lbs.

Wheel Type: Forges Steel

Vendor: Hamilton

Part Number: S-EMD2-84FST

Approximated Cost n/a

Steering Tires:

Product Description: MOBILE MAX 8-14.5" LT Heavy Duty Tire, Load Range G

Overall Diameter: 26.50 in.

Maximum Capacity: 3,085 lbs.

Maximum PSI: 109 lbs.

Load Range: G (typical load ranges from A to N)

Vendor: Eastern Marine

Part Number: 1619064

Approximated Cost $91.50

Drive Tires:

Product Description: Solid Resilient Tires

Overall Diameter: 31.3 in.

Overall Width: 8.3 in.

Wearable Height: 2.7 in.

Tire Size: 7.50-16

Rim Size: 6.00-16

Brand: Solideal Magnum

Tread Pattern: MAG

Load Capacity (load wheel) 8741

Load Capacity (steering

wheel)

6724

Vendor: Solideal


Motor Specifications

Product Description: 42K Series High Torque Stepper Motors

Step Angle Accuracy: 1.5%

Resistance Accuracy: 10%

Full Step Angle 1.8 degree

Ambient Temperature: -20 C to +40 C

Insulation Type: Class B

Insulation Resistance: 100M ohms @ 500 VDC

Maximum Radial Force 20lbs

Maximum Axial Force: 13lbs

Vendor: Anaheim Automation


Stepper Motor Dimensions

Electromagnetic Specifications

Product Description: Heavy-Duty Rectangular Electro Lifting Magnets

Part Number: 132124

Maximum Lifting Capacity: 14,750 lbs.

Maximum Breakaway

Force:

29,500 lbs.

Test Plate Thickness: 3 in.

Weight: 1,230 lb

Power: 675 Watts

Vendor: Eriez


Dimensions

A 24 in.

B 2 7/8 in.

C 1 3/16 in.

D 2 5/8 in.

E 1 1/2 in.

Piston Specifications

Additional Specifications

Stroke Length 12 inch

Pressure 3000 psi


Appendix H

Appendix I

Bill of Materials

Item/Expense Part Specification

Details Vendor Quantity Price Per Part

Total Price

Wooden Planks 2x2x8 -- Home Depot

8 -- 50.00

Plywood 4x8x15/32 -- Home Depot

1 -- 49.92

Fasteners Screws Brackets

Assorted Home Depot

-NA- -- 47.70

Caster Wheels 2 Roller Bearing Wheels

-- Home Depot

23 2.16 49.68

Hole Saw 1 and 31/32 Hole Saw Blades with arbor

-- Home Depot

1 -- 38.77

Total Expenses $236.07

Total Budget

Expense Details Total Price

Team Travel #1 Travel to sponsor on 1/14/15 3.5 hour roundtrip to Lancaster, Pa.

142.00

Team Travel #2 Travel to sponsor on 5/7/15 3.5 hour roundtrip to Lancaster, Pa.

142.00

Poster Poster for project showcase 40.00

Current Bill of Materials Building materials for prototype 236.07

Total Expenses $560.07

Remaining Budget $439.39

Appendix J

Documents

Project High Steel Final Report