Engineering Foundations
Principles &Communications 100
Stage 1:
Design and drawing
2.0 Specifications
2.1 General Specification for a mousetrap car
· Must travel as fast as possible.
· Must travel as far as possible, minimum 1300mm on a single recharge.
· Must be easy to recharge.
· Must be as light as possible.
· Must be as cheap as possible.
· Must be travel in a straight line.
2.2 Dimensions of Vehicle
· Length: 300±20mm (including the wheels)
The length of vehicle cannot exceed 350mm as required by the client.
· Height: 230±10mm(including the can)
· The height should not exceed 240mm so that it can pass through the “tunnel”.
· Width: 150mm
The width of the vehicle must be smaller than 200mm to allow it to pass through the “tunnel”.
2.3 Items used
· Cutting tools (eg. small handsaw, pliers)
· Drilling machine
· Strong glue
· Sand paper
2.4 Materials used
· 2 x CD (12cm in diameter)
· 2 x mini CD (8cm in diameter)
· 2 x pencils (1cm in diameter)
· 30-50cm fishing line
· 1 x pack of balloons
· 1 x Can( 17cm in length)
· 1 x Mousetrap (Provided)
· 4 x eye-hooks
2.5 Instructions
2.5.1 Mousetrap
Before building the mousetrap car, there should be some modifications for the mousetrap. First, remove the bait holder and the wire catch of the mousetrap that is used to hold the mouse t rap open by using pliers. Be careful when handling the mousetrap.
2.5.2 Wheels
Wrap balloons onto the wheels (discs) to make the car run smoothly. The space between the hole and the axles should be filled by putting glue to make sure the axles are perfectly fit into the hole without any spacing. However, client has to highly concern with the alignment of the wheel. This is to make sure the mousetrap car travel in a straight line. The axle is connecting to the plywood by using eye-hooks.
2.5.3 Cane
The length of the cane should be 170mm so that the initial velocity is higher and does not exceed the requirement length of the car by the client at the same time. The can should tie firmly to avoid any accident.
2.5.4 Isometric view with label:
3.0 TENDER EVALUATIONS
3.1 Purpose:
Genius Foundation is approached by MouseTrap Racing to design a mousetrap car. High speed and sustainable car is required to accomplish the client’s wishes. Since the design was completed, we are looking for a construction company which has better performance record in terms of quality, skills, and experience to build the designed car.
The purpose of this document is to score and grade the contracting companies according to the tender criteria. The highest score will be recommended to our client, MouseTrap Racing who will award the scope of work to the best contractor company.
3.2 Tender Evaluation Criteria:
1. Understanding of the Design
In the tender submission, the contracting company should emphasize the design specification to proof their understanding to the design requirement, construction and installation work.
2. Estimated Time of completion
The mousetrap car is required to be completed within 2 weeks. Companies who can achieve the assigned goal before the deadline will be given priority. A detailed schedule for design, construction and installation work should also be outlined in the tender submission. If there is any need for extension of time, companies should give a reasonable explanation in the tender submission as well.
3. Cost Estimation
In the tender submission, a detail and reasonable costs should be outlined which include the cost of materials and maintenance. It can be listed in a table and calculate the total cost per unit mousetrap car. In order to control our manufacturing costs, we had decided that the budget per unit mousetrap car is RM10-RM20 as some of the materials are household goods that are already attained at no costs.
4. Materials
A mousetrap car is likely to behave as a racing car which can travel as far as possible in a given time with high speed. In order to increase the acceleration of the mousetrap car, lightweight materials such as chopstick and pencil are expected to be used to reduce the weight of the body. Environmental issue is also in our consideration. Therefore, companies who make use of environmental friendly material will be looked upon favorably. The frictional force between the wheel and the contact surface should be encounter also by using appropriate wheel such as CDs with rubber cover and foam board. Long lever is suggested to reduce the rate of energy wasted from the spring and hence increase the efficiency of power used. Any other materials that can improve the design of the car can be provided in the tender submission as well.
5. Technical expertise
The contracting companies must provide the brief of the team members and their respective roles in the tender submission. The contractors involved should have at least 1 years experience and able to work as a team. Besides, contractors should understand the concepts as well as the design of the car and able to solve problems together.
6. Modification of design
Constructor must follow the specification of the design as close as possible. Any modifications which contractor desire to make must discuss with the Genius Foundation to accomplish the client’s wishes. In the case that there is any deviation from the requirement, an explanation for non-compliance and the advantages for the modification is required. Suggestion for design improvement is also expected to be provided in the tender submission. Innovations improving the speed of the car or reducing the overall manufacture costs will be viewed favorably.
7. Communication
Successful contractor should show good communication skills via phone calls, Email, or SMS. Therefore, list of email address or phone numbers of contractors must be submitting with the tender.
8. Progress development
Contractors should submit a development progress report together with the tender about the problems facing and suggestions which will be review by Genius Foundation.
All criterions will be graded with marks if criterion is being complete so that Genius Foundation can successfully choose a contracting company. Higher marks will be awarded to the company who can show high levels of professionalism.
4.0 Disposal plan
The mouse trap car is build mainly by using mouse trap as the body, wood as a base, compact discs as wheels, fishing line as system string, steel beam as system axis and pencils as a holder for wheel. Due to the important of environmental friendly concern, our company’s designer and engineers think twice before choosing to use any materials.
Consequently, we come out with this fantastic disposal plan. For the mouse trap, it is a dangerous material, it may cause harm to anyone who handle it. So before disposing to any disposal company, client should separate mouse trap into parts, but, should ensure the mouse trap is always set to be free. Other than sending to the disposal company, client can also give the mouse trap to restaurant or any store to use the mouse trap in its original manner.
Next is the wood, wood is biodegradable, so the best way is to bury it in the soil for decompose. Mean while, it can also supply nutrition for the soil so that crops can live healthily. Client can also leave the wood for personal usage, it can act as a plate on the table for us to put hot foods by avoiding the direct contact of hot food with table, thus the table can last more longer.
Compact discs is made up of plastic, it is well known that plastic is strongly not recommended involve in burning, therefore send those discs to a proper disposal company is the most ideal way. However, if after the serve, these discs are still in a good condition, client can keep them and reuse. Besides, it can also be the decoration or part of material for handicraft.
Fishing line has the same characteristic with compact disc, so contractor can dispose them in the same way with compact disc, send them to proper dispose company or leave if for personal use. Reuse it for fishing or roll it properly for further usage.
About the cane, contractor can leave it for personal use especially those who have children in their house.
For the pencil, just dismantle it and leave for writing purpose. Contractor may also donate it for orphanage home. Other than bring happiness for the orphans, we also love the environment.
Cover Letter
Genius Foundation
Lot 3673, Desa Senadin,
Jalan Maigold,
98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Dear Bently Resources,
Please find enclose our design submission for your project – Vehicle Design. It compromise two documents in total:
(a) Procedural document
(b) Commercial document
We hereby certify that our design is complaint with the project brief dated on 15th April, 2011, and if constructed correctly will meet your requirements as detailed in the brief. The enclosed resume will provide you with further particulars on contributions on our creativity and energy as well. We can be reached at either the office or home telephone number which is 085-654321.
Your sincerely,
Genius Foundation
_______________ ______________
Designer Contractor
(Mohd Haikal Bin Abbas) (Wong Wen Yao)
________________ ________________
Contractor Contractor
Contractor Contractor
(Yick Siew Ting) (Cathy Wong Ling Pei)
