BRB Engineering
Element A:
Presentation and Justification of Problem
_________________________________
Problem Statement:
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle.
Explanation of Problem:
Our problem focuses on eliminating the awkward duration of time between opening a vehicle door while it is raining and opening an umbrella. This time period allows rain to make contact with the individual, the vehicle’s interior, and any belongings that the individual may be carrying. Individuals struggle to collect items and keep dry during this time (1). The team will show scholarly articles, surveys, interviews, and other products and patents to prove that the problem statement is worth solving.
Evidence Gathered from Scholarly Articles:
Trends in Precipitation Days in the United States:
This study done by Alan W. Black and Barry D. Keim through the Climate Program Office examines past, current, and expected future trends in annual precipitation days across the United States (2). The Mann-Kendall test and sliding window correlation show precipitation trends over time (3).
The Mann-Kendall test found that states in the northeast and midwest are experiencing more days of precipitation annually than in the past. The sliding window correlation analysis shows that the Midwest has had more changes in annual precipitation in the recent decades (1980s-2010s) while the northeast United States had more precipitation changes in the earlier decades (1950s-1970s). Both analyses indicate that precipitation days annually will increase for the majority of the United States in the future (4).
This article suggests that the number of rainy days in the midwestern area of the United States will increase and as the problem statement is focused in Kansas City, the team can justify creating a product that would be used on rainy days.
Basic Facts about Mold and Dampness:
This informative paper was posted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The information was sourced from the National Center for Environmental Health. This paper explains how mold can be formed and the health effects that mold can have on an individual (5).
When mold particles make contact with places that hold excessive moisture, the particles will grow in this area. Individuals can experience a variety of reactions to mold, ranging from no reaction to respiratory tract symptoms. People can also have allergies to mold with effects like stuffy nose, wheezing, red and irritated eyes, and/or skin (6).
The team wanted to include information on mold as 94.7% of survey respondents claimed to have a slightly damp vehicle interior after entering or exiting the vehicle during rain showers, which increases the opportunity for mold to grow. The article proves that damage from water such as mold can cause various health problems depending on the individual, and it would therefore be good to decrease the chances of rain hitting the interior of a vehicle and creating mold.
This article goes into detail on the health risks of exposure to mold. This proves the need for a solution that would reduce health risks.
What to do with a Water Damaged Car:
Robert Keppel is the owner of a car detailing business and gives advice on car problems. This specific article by Keppel discusses how to deal with a water-damaged car (7).
When cleaning a rain-damaged car, Keppel first recommends removing all parts of the car that are water damaged (mold, smell, dampness) to properly dry and clean these components. Keppel explains that the majority of car shops turn away water-damaged cars because of the work that needs to be given to these vehicles, so Keppler says that he doubles his hourly pay because of this (8).
When looking at the driver’s point of view, the driver could be spending a lot of money to get a water-damaged car cleaned just from having a small amount of liquid in a vehicle that turned to mold.
This article discussed the method of drying a car effectively. This process is long and can be expensive. Avoiding water in a vehicle altogether is the best way to avoid spending time and money to dry a vehicle.
Evidence Gathered from Stakeholder Survey and Problem Validation:
The stakeholders for our problem are people who drive. These individuals will be responding to a digital survey created by the team. These charts show the results from a survey that received 500 responses from people in the Kansas City area.
Shown in figure 3 are the responses to the question “How difficult do you find ENTERING or EXITING your vehicle while operating an umbrella in the rain WITH a backpack, purse, briefcase, etc.?” As seen 68.2% of people answered Difficult to Somewhat difficult. This shows the need for a solution to this problem.
Shown in figure 4 are the responses to the question “Have you ever suffered any level of damage to the interior of your vehicle because of rain?” As shown, 94.6% of people answered slightly damp. This can lead to mold which can cause health risks without the driver even knowing. The best way to fix this is to stop water from getting in the car altogether.
Shown in figure 5 are the responses to the question “Would you use a device that was built into a vehicle to block rain?” As 75.2% of respondents answered ´yes´, the team believes that the problem is valid and should be pursued. This also shows how a solution would be received.
Interview with Potential Problem Product Consumer:
Interviews were conducted with potential customers of the product to get input on the problem statement. Of the three interviewees, all three are currently or have raised children and offered valuable input on getting a child in and out of a vehicle. Consumer interviews also give input on what potential users would be interested in for a solution for this problem.
Consumer Interview 1:
Meganne Goode: A new mom in the Blue Springs area.
Saturday, 9/18/21, 7:45 am.
When asked if Megan would use a device that could attach to a vehicle to block rain while entering or exiting the vehicle, Megan responded that,
“...Yes, I would definitely appreciate and use this device. Especially if I had Quinn (baby) with me.” New parents also commonly experience anxiety about the safety and health of their child. Megan explains that,
“I feel like I am being, maybe paranoid about getting her sick, so this would especially be a selling point for me if I felt like it would keep her as dry as possible while I am getting her out or back into the car.”
This interview shows a clear desire, specifically with parents, for a device that will block rain while entering or exiting a vehicle.
Consumer Interview 2:
Danielle Ehlers: A new mom in the Kansas City Area and a Structural Engineer for Kiewit Engineering Group
Monday, 9/21/21, 6:30 pm via email.
When Danielle was asked, ¨As being a new mother, would you see this as useful for buckling up Brynn.¨ Danielle responded with,
“...Yes, this would be a wonderful product for when it is raining out. I could also see it being useful when it is very sunny out. Brynn gets squirmy when the sun is in her eyes. It would be much easier to buckle her into the car seat with the sun out of her eyes.” Through multiple interviews, we have concluded that small children display uncomfort when they have increased amounts of rain and sunlight on them. When Danielle was asked about having this idea implemented into a car, or would rather buy it at a store, like body shops, Walmart, target, etc. Danielle Stated,
“I would rather have the rain shield built into my car. It has been my experience that after-market car accessories don’t work as well as factory-installed accessories.”
This interview shows that parents with young children would appreciate a tool like this, either to calm their children down or to cover them from hard rain or bright sunlight.
Consumer Interview 3:
Claudia Boosman has worked in technology, project management, and engineering management for over thirty years across the Kansas City area. She currently serves as an engineering manager with Netsmart.
September 15th, 2021, 12:45 pm.
She has given the following response to the problem statement:
“It makes sense to create a product that gives more shelter from rain and is more reliable than an umbrella.” She would appreciate
“having time to collect your things and yourself as well as open or close your umbrella.” Ms.Boosman also pointed out that parents of your children would probably especially appreciate a device that was able to give more time to get a child ready to exit or enter a car while it is raining to keep both the parent and child dry.
“This would have been best for me when I was in a parking lot or something and putting you (interviewer) and your sister into your car seats when you were kids.” The team wanted to get input on concerns or recommendations for our problem and possible solutions. When asked if Ms.Boosman had any questions or input for the problem, Ms.Boosman responded with, “Is there a way that water could get trapped in the device that you are planning on building? Could this produce problems like molding or rusting on the device or car?” The team will use Ms. Boosman’s questions and concerns during prototype design and development. The team will also focus on the input of making sure that a product would not get water in a car that can damage the car with rust or mold.
Input from Experts in the field:
Expert Interview 1:
Eric Walters
University of MO – Rolla (MO S&T) 1992
BS in Manufacturing Engineering
Master of Arts in Teaching
Master of Business Administration
Education Specialist, Principalship
Eric Walters has been an engineering teacher for multiple years. He has also worked as an engineer for many years prior to teaching and has a lot of experience in the engineering workforce. He has many other non-engineering degrees such as a Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Education Specialist, Principalship.
He was asked about the problem statement and responded that a device created would have to be installed in the vehicle and automatic. He explained that accessories that can be purchased and installed separately are not very successful and don’t work as well as features pre-installed in the vehicle.
He also looked over the patents that the team has found via email and stated that all of the designs wouldn’t work quite right for the main reason.
“Too low to the ground, can’t get out easily”. This is a quality that the team will take into consideration when designing our own solution.
Expert Interview 2:
Ryan Kauffman is a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering Student at UMKC working on a bachelor’s degree.
September 15th, 2021, 5:30 pm.
Mr. Kauffman has given the following response to the problem statement:
“Would you create an attachable device or input a device into cars for this problem? I personally feel that more people would use a device that is already put in their car rather than going out and buying something to attach.”
This question will help the group in the future when the group starts the design and development process. The team wanted to get input on concerns or recommendations for our problem and possible solutions.
Interviewer: “Do you have any questions or ideas regarding our problem? Any expert recommendations for us?”
Mr.Kauffman: “I was wondering if you have considered how this device would work. Would you use electricity to operate it or just manual labor? If you did use electricity, could you use a function or button on a car key to operate this device?”
These questions will be used by the team during the design process and will definitely help the team decide how the device will operate in regards to electrical or not.
Ryan Kauffman is a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering Student at UMKC working on a bachelor’s degree.
September 15th, 2021, 5:30 pm.
Mr. Kauffman has given the following response to the problem statement:
“Would you create an attachable device or input a device into cars for this problem? I personally feel that more people would use a device that is already put in their car rather than going out and buying something to attach.”
This question will help the group in the future when the group starts the design and development process. The team wanted to get input on concerns or recommendations for our problem and possible solutions.
Interviewer: “Do you have any questions or ideas regarding our problem? Any expert recommendations for us?”
Mr.Kauffman: “I was wondering if you have considered how this device would work. Would you use electricity to operate it or just manual labor? If you did use electricity, could you use a function or button on a car key to operate this device?”
These questions will be used by the team during the design process and will definitely help the team decide how the device will operate in regards to electrical or not.
Evidence from Existing Products and Patents:
A number of products and patents exist for the purpose of blocking rain while getting in and out of a vehicle. Few patents exist that are not expired, but there are several patents that exist and are expired. Many of these products are made to be attachable to a vehicle and are made for only specific models and types of vehicles. There are more products that exist than patents with the goal of blocking rain while entering and exiting a vehicle.
Because there are a large number of products and some patents that exist with the goal to block rain while getting out of a vehicle, it can be assumed that the problem should be solved. Because there is no one product on the market or existing patent that is used by most individuals who face this problem, a product should be developed so that individuals do not face this problem. Some existing products and patents are shown below.
Rain Guard:
Patent KR20170136216A
Patent Published 12/11/2017
Patent still in use
This patent uses an attachment that can be put on cars with non-fixed roofs (9). The device uses an electric loop to open and close the device when the user activates the device with a remote and provides a sort of roof over the car door. The patent explains that a ‘tent material’ is used to block the rain (10).
Rain Cover for Car Door:
Patent US5476302A
Patent Published 12/19/1995
Patent Expired 10/25/2014
This patent provides a rain and sun cover for a vehicle (11). The cover is attached to a roller at one end, and at the other reciprocal end, it is attached to the top of the car door (12). When a door is opened the cover will unroll to provide shelter. When the door is closed the cover will roll back in. A photo is provided to give more clarity (13).
Rain Smart
The product is in the process of development and not yet on the market.
This potential product uses an attachment between the inside of a car roof and the inside of a car door (above the window). This product uses a synthetic polyethylene material to provide a cover above a car door to protect it from rain. A photo is provided for more clarity (14).
Umbrella Door
This product is not yet on the market and was designed by Taiwan students at Nanhua University (15).
This product is designed to hook between the door frame and door to give a moveable ‘umbrella’ over a car door for the purpose of blocking rain (16). The product will open as wide as needed.
Roof Rack Umbrella
This product is not on the market yet and was designed by students at the Guangdong University of Technology in China.
This product uses a remote to control a canopy that would extend over all four doors in a car through the top of the roof (17).
Conclusion:
The brief time of opening a vehicle door and opening an umbrella allows for water to enter the interior of a vehicle and hit the individual entering or exiting the vehicle. Our research of existing patents, products, and scholarly articles, as well as input from potential buyers, indicates that there is a desire to minimize the period of time where water will enter a vehicle or hit an individual. Getting rid of this period of time will keep individuals dry, vehicle interiors dry, and give individuals more ease in carrying personal belongings. Research on patents and products shows that there has been work done to solve this problem, meaning that this is a problem that other people have considered and is, therefore, a valid problem statement. With all of this evidence and research, the team feels that the problem statement is worth pursuing.
Footnote Citations
1. Businessman Leaving Taxi in Rain. [Photograph] Figure 1 Retrieved from https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-african-businessman-leaving-taxi-rain-portrait-successful-american-gettig-out-to-rainy-autumn-street-covering-head-image89908699
2. (Bartels, 2019) Trends in Precipitation Days in the United States. Royal Meteorological Society, from https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/joc.6254
3. Annual Rainfall Increases in Most U.S. States [Photograph]. Figure 2 Retrieved from https://climatechange.lta.org/wp-content/uploads/cct/2019/05/2019Rainfall_Map_en_title_lg_900_506_s_c1_c_c.jpg
4. (Bartels, 2019) Trends in Precipitation Days in the United States. Royal Meteorological Society, from https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/joc.6254
5. (2020) Basic Facts about Mold and Dampness. Center for Disease and Control Prevention, from https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
6. (2020) Basic Facts about Mold and Dampness. Center for Disease and Control Prevention, from https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
7. (Keppel, 2014) What to do with a Water Damaged Car. From https://www.carwash.com/what-to-do-with-a-water-damaged-car/
8. (Keppel, 2014) What to do with a Water Damaged Car. From https://www.carwash.com/what-to-do-with-a-water-damaged-car/
9. Rain Guard side view [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20170136216A/en?q=~patent%2fUS8079629B2
10. Patent KR20170136216A (2017). Rain Guard. Retrieved 9/19/21 from https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20170136216A/en?q=~patent%2fUS8079629B2
11. Rain Cover for Car Door [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/US5476302A/en
12. Rain Cover for Car Door [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/US5476302A/en
13. Patent US5476302A (1995). Rain Cover for Car Door. Retrieved 9/19/21 from https://patents.google.com/patent/US5476302A/en
14. Rain Smart [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rain-smart#/
15. Umbrella Door. Retrieved 9/19/21 from https://ifworlddesignguide.com/entry/110556-umbrella-door
16. Umbrella Door. Retrieved 9/19/21 from https://ifworlddesignguide.com/entry/110556-umbrella-door
17. (Roof Rack Umbrella, 2015). World Design Guide. Retrieved from https://ifworlddesignguide.com/entry/166384-roof-rack-umbrella
Element B: Documentation and Analysis of Prior Solution Attempts
Problem Statement:
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle.
Documentation and Analysis of Prior Solution Attempts:
Attempting to keep rain from hitting an individual and the interior of a vehicle when entering or exiting a vehicle during storms is a problem that many drivers face. Because of this, there are many patents and products available with the goal of keeping rain from hitting the driver and the interior of the driver's vehicle when entering and exiting a vehicle. From these different patents and products the team has learned that there is a desire to solve the problem statement. There is no one solution that is commonly bought on the market. Mr.Rutherford, a former EDD class teacher, helped the team analyze the patents and products for credibility and gave advice for how to identify pros and cons to a product. Presented below are examples of existing patents and products that attempt to solve this problem or a similar one.
*Note: When the team addresses product durability, this is referring to the material that the product uses. If the material is weak (made out of a polyethylene, synthetic plastic, etc.) this is considered weak.
Vehicle Attachments or Installations that Block Rain:
Rain Guard
Patent KR20170136216A
Filed on 12/11/2017 (Still in Use)
Abstract
This patent uses an attachment that can be put on the non-fixed roof of a vehicle over vehicle doors, shown in figure 1 (1). The attachment uses an electronic system and sensors to allow the driver to use a button on vehicle keys to extend and put back the guard from the roof. A roller is used on the interior of the attachment to work with a motor to extend the attachment when demanded and retract the attachment when demanded. A ´tent material´ is used to provide protection from rain. This can be shown by the gray portion of the device in the drawing below. The patents purpose is to block rain from getting on the driver or the interior of a vehicle when entering or exiting a vehicle (2).
This patent would be effective in keeping rain from hitting an individual and vehicle interior, however, the material is not super durable and would weather over time. The individual using this product would have to repurchase the product every so often depending on how often it rains in the location of the individual. Because the product is an attachment, it would not be as stable on the vehicle as a permanent attachment would be. Expert input from Mr.Walters (3) and Mr.Rutherford has also told that attachments are not used or purchased as often as a fixed element of a vehicle would be. The product is rain resistant, but has no way of drying rain that collects on the device when closed. The product does use an electrical system to open and close, which is a positive.
Pros
The system is controlled electronically through the key remote control which gives easy access to the user.
The surface for rain to bounce off of is angled downward, which will prevent rain from pooling at the top of the device.
The material being used will not absorb water, and thus will not mold.
Cons
The attachment can only be put on non-fixed vehicle roofs.
The product is attachable, meaning that it could be easier for individuals to misplace or forget.
An attachable product will not be as stable as a built-in product.
Rain Cover for Vehicle Door
Patent US5476302A
Filed on 12/19/1995 (Expired)
Abstract
This patent uses an attachment between the inside part of a vehicle door top and the inside top of a vehicle roof to provide a cover over vehicle doors to block rain and sun, shown in figure 2 (4). A vinyl or plastic material is used to provide a roof, and this material will come out of a roller when a vehicle door is opened, and when the vehicle door is closed the roof will roll back into the roller. The roller is what is attached to the interior top of the vehicle. The exact position of the roof and roller is not provided as the creator wants this to be changeable so that the roof will best fit individual vehicles.
The product is effective in keeping water from hitting the individual and the interior of the vehicle to an extent, but the product could do better. The product does not cover the full door opening. Seen in the photo of the patent, there is a small space near the door connection to the vehicle that is not covered. This can be best seen in figure 2. This opening can allow water to enter the vehicle as the water hitting the rain cover will slide down because of gravity, and fall through this opening. This can allow excess water to enter the vehicle and cause water damage. The material is also not durable. The product would need to be reinstalled every so often depending on how much rain an individual gets where the driver lives. The device is effective in that it does not take up much space on the inside of the vehicle. The product also does not have a way of getting rid of the excess water on the product when the product is closed, so this would lead to more water damage. The product is effective though as it is water resistant with a vinyl plastic cover. The product will extend every time that the vehicle door is opened and not when chosen by the individual, which is a drawback.
Pros
The product is made with a waterproof material.
The product is designed to fit multiple types of vehicles.
The product is easy to use, simply install the product and open/close the vehicle door as normal.
Cons
The product roof surface cave in and collet water as it rains.
The collected water could stay in the material when rolled back up and potentially spill water into the vehicle's interior.
This is an attachable product and these are easier to lose.
Not all vehicles are the same size, and shorter vehicles that use this device could be awkward for taller individuals to use.
Rainwater Guide Device for Door of Vehicles
Patent KR200430322Y1
Filed on 08/09/2006 (Still in Use)
Abstract
This patent creates a roof over vehicle doors to block rain from hitting the driver or the vehicle interior, shown in figures 3 (5). The shield is connected to the inside roof of the vehicle and the top of the inside of a vehicle door. The patent uses a folding fan shape for the roof to be able to expand when the vehicle door is opened and retract when the vehicle door is closed. The product uses an electronic and sensor system to predict when moisture has been left in the hood once the door is closed. When the sensors detect water, the roof, now retracted because the door would have closed, uses a heating system to help the water evaporate. A flame retardant polyethylene material is used for the roof to make sure that the heating process will not damage the product of the vehicle, and to make sure that the roof does not absorb moisture (6).
This product is effective in that it can block rain from hitting an individual and the vehicle's interior. The product material is durable and is fixed to the vehicle, so the user would not have to replace it. The product has a drying system using heat to get rid of excess water only when needed once closed, which is a benefit and will prevent any water damage. The product will be extended from the vehicle each time the door is opened, which could be a potential irritant to the user.
Pros
Is flame and water resistant.
Has a heating system that will get rid of water after the door has been closed.
Provides full protection from rain.
Will work on any vehicle
Is flame and water resistant.
Has a heating system that will get rid of water after the door has been closed.
Provides full protection from rain.
Will work on any vehicle
Cons
Larger production costs because of the large amounts of electronic components.
The heat pads could be ineffective as the roof will be compacted, and therefore there will not be open areas for the water to evaporate from.
Rain Roof Device for Vehicle
Patent KR20140079948A
Filed on 12/20/2012 (Still in Use)
Abstract
This patent would innovate the style of existing vehicles to give a storage space in the roof of the vehicle above all doors to keep a rain roof in, shown in figure 5 (7). The rain roof would then have one end in the storage connected to the area in the inside of the vehicle roof, and the other end connected with the top of the vehicle door. The product uses a plastic polyethylene material as the roof. An electromagnetic member is applied to the door frame that the rain roof will connect to the door only when needed. An electromagnetic force can be applied through a power source by activating a switch on a remote control (8). The product is effective in that it can block rain from hitting an individual and the vehicle's interior. The material of the roof is not durable, and would need to be replaced depending on how much rain the user gets. The material is water repellent though, which is a plus in being able to keep out as much rain as possible. The product does not have a way of drying rain once the product is in the resting place after being used. The product is fixed to the interior of the vehicle which is a positive. The product also uses a magnetic system so that the product will only be used when instructed by the individual, which is also a benefit to the product.
Pros
The product would be installed to be a part of the actual vehicle.
The product could be used only when necessary.
The product is designed to cover all doors in a vehicle.
Cons
The product does not describe how the rain roof would stay dry when put away.
The product uses a remote, and this could be lost easily.
Compartment in an Automobile for Storing an Umbrella
Patent: US20060028043A1
Filed on: 08/09/2004 (Abandoned)
Abstract
This patent is for a storage compartment inside the door of a vehicle, shown in figures 6 and 7 (9). The design has a place within the door where an umbrella can be stored and accessed easily when needed. This allows for the occupant of the vehicle to always know where their umbrella is and not have to search their vehicle for it while it is raining. The compartment is a small recess on the floor of the vehicle right under the vehicle door. As soon as the door is opened the occupant of the vehicle is able to retrieve and open their umbrella (10).
Pros
Easy to use
Small storage that doesn't take up much space
Never lose track of the umbrella
Cons
Door must be open to retrieve the umbrella.
Could fill with water
No ventilation for when a wet umbrella is in the compartment
Existing Products For Blocking Rain:
Portable Vehicle Roof Cover
This is an attachment that is attached to the roof of a vehicle for the purpose of blocking rain, sun heat, and hail, seen in figure 8 (11). This product can work on vehicles with roofs that are solid and flat. The umbrella is designed to cover the full surface of the roof of the vehicle, the vehicle windshield, and goes over all vehicle doors. The roof is designed to be attached while the vehicle is parked and not moving to protect the vehicle from weathering (12).
The product is not effective in keeping rain from hitting the individual and the vehicle's interior as the product focuses more on keeping a vehicle roof safe from weathering. The product needs to be attached each time it is used, which is an inconvenience as the product is so large. The product uses a water repellent material which would keep rain from absorbing, but the material is not durable enough for long term use and would need to be replaced depending on the amounts of weather hitting the attachment. The material does allow a space between the umbrella and vehicle roof which allows for airflow to dry the roof which is a positive.
Pros
Can protect a vehicle from effects of weather such as rusting, scratching, and dents.
The umbrella material is water resistant and will not hold water.
The umbrella uses a dome shape so that water will not collect on the roof.
Cons
The product is attatchable so it is not built into the vehicle.
The product is large in size and could be an inconvenience for the user.
The product material is not durable.
The product is not long enough to cover the door entrance.
The product design does not effectively help individuals keep themselves and their vehicle dry in rain.
Rain Smart
This product is not yet on the market because it is in the process of development as of 2021.
Product Description
This product uses an attachment between the inside of a vehicle roof and the inside of a vehicle door (above the window), this can be seen in figures 9 and 10 (13). This product uses a synthetic polyethylene material to provide a cover above a vehicle door to protect it from rain. The material fits inside of a roller in the vehicle door so that once the attachment is installed to the vehicle, the attachment can stay in the vehicle while being out of the way. Because the installation is final, once installed the rain guard will roll and unroll each time the door is opened and closed (14).
This product is effective in keeping rain from hitting an individual and the vehicle interior. The product uses a water resistant material which will not absorb rain, however, the material is not durable and would need to be replaced. The product does not take up an excessive amount of room which is a benefit for the user, plus the product covers the whole opening of the vehicle door so it would fully keep water from the vehicle interior. The product does not have a way to dry water once the device is used and closed, so this could cause water problems. The product would be extended each time the door is open, which could be an inconvenience to the user.
Pros
The product is an installation.
The product does not take up excess space.
The product is made of a water resistant material.
Cons
The product does not have a way of drying the material before closing up. This could cause mold.
The attachment will form the roof each time the door is opened and closed. This could be inconvenient to the customer.
The material is not very durable.
Tesla Falcon Wings on Model X
Tesla Price: $94,690
Tesla Falcon wings on Model X
This is the Tesla Model X, seen in figure 11 (15), and it solves half of the problem for rain damage and the availability to get in and out of the vehicle. The tesla has the two back doors open up like falcon wings, this idea makes it ideal to block rain and easier to get out while it is raining. The doors make it easy to get in and out of the vehicle due to the accessibility of the doors. The doors of this vehicle were not designed specifically for blocking rain, but can help to block rain (16).
This product was not designed specifically to block rain from hitting an individual or vehicle’s interior, but is still partly effective in doing so. The door is water resistant and is durable, so it would not likely experience damage from rain. The door, however, would not block rain coming from all angles and therefore could allow water to enter the vehicle and hit the individual. The doors also only work with rear doors and not front, which would not be effective in blocking all rain.
Pros
Easy accessibility.
Ease of access.
The entire vehicle is waterproof on the outside.
Cons
Heavy storms would cause a lot of water to get into the vehicle.
The doors take a long time to open and close.
The censors cannot detect rain and may mess with the technology if a lot of water gets inside the vehicle.
The product was not designed to block rain, so there is a lot of space between the door above and the vehicle interior for rain to enter.
Repel Umbrella
$25.95
Product Description
This is a standard umbrella and can be used to block rain from hitting an individual as one is walking through rain, as seen in figure 12 (17). The umbrella uses a button to quickly open the umbrella. The umbrella uses a synthetic polyethylene material as the umbrella. The material also instantly dries and will absorb no liquid. The umbrella is closed by pushing down on the top to reload the umbrella springs. The product weighs less than 1lb, plus has a lifetime warranty (18).
Pros
Durable and water resistant material that dries immediately.
Lightweight.
Lifetime warranty.
Button to increase efficiency.
Compact.
Cons
The umbrella does not completely solve the problem statement as the time it takes to open the umbrella allows water to hit the driver and the users vehicle interior.
The umbrella has to be vehicleried by the individual and could therefore be lost or forgotten when needed.
Umbrella Vehicle Holder
$11.99
Product Description
This product uses a holder that can be attached to a vehicle door with the purpose of holding an umbrella. The holder is similar to a cup holder in that the handle of the umbrella rests in this, seen in figures 13 and 14 (19). The holder allows the user to place their umbrella in it while entering or exiting a vehicle so that the individual can have more ease and access to collecting any needed belongings. The holder can work with a variety of umbrellas as long as the handle can fit into the holder. The holder also serves the purpose of collecting waste items when not in the process of holding an umbrella (20).
This product is not completely effective in solving the problem statement as the time it takes to open an umbrella and place it in the holder when exiting a vehicle would allow rain to hit the user and the vehicle interior. However, the device does give the user more ease in collecting needed items when entering or exiting a vehicle which does solve a portion of the problem statement.
Pros
Gives the user more ease in collecting objects when entering or exiting a vehicle.
Can prevent rain from hitting an individual and the vehicle interior once the umbrella is in the holder.
Multipurpose.
Cons
Does not completely solve the problem as rain can hit the individual and the vehicle interior in the process of putting the umbrella in the holder.
This is an attachment meaning the individual could misplace it.
No system to allow water to drain/dry/evaporate from the holder if collected.
A solution matrix is used below to show how the research products and patents compare to one another in terms of product qualities.
Conclusion
Research on patents and products has revealed that there is a desire to solve the problem statement. The solutions researched include a variety of attachments or installations that can be used in a vehicle with the goal of blocking rain from the driver and vehicle interior when the vehicle door is opened. A lot of the researched products have similar cons, such as poor material durability and the product being attachable and not built into the vehicle. The amount of patents and products on the market with the goal of blocking rain from hitting an individual and the vehicle interior indicated that the problem statement should be pursued for a solution.
Footnote Citations
1. Rain Guard side view [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20170136216A/en?q=~patent%2fUS8079629B2
2. Patent KR20170136216A (2017). Rain Guard. Retrieved 9/19/21 from https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20170136216A/en?q=~patent%2fUS8079629B2
3. Walters, E. (21, 9 20). Expert Interview. In Interview done by Ava Rhodus. Lees Summit West High School, Lees Summit, Mo.
4. Rain Cover for Car Door [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/US5476302A/en
5. Rainwater Guide Device for Doors of Vehicles [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/KR200430322Y1/en?oq=Patent+KR200430322Y1
6. Patent KR200430322Y1 (2006). Rainwater Guide for Doors of Vehicles.
Retrieved 9/19/21 from https://patents.google.com/patent/KR200430322Y1/en?oq=Patent+KR200430322Y1
7. Rain Roof Device for Vehicle [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20140079948A/en?oq=Patent+KR20140079948A
8. Patent KR20140079948A (2012). Rain Roof Device for Vehicle. Retrieved 9/19/21 from https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20140079948A/en?oq=Patent+KR20140079948A
9. Zeidman, R. (2004, 9 8). Compartment in an automobile for storing an umbrella [Patent US20060028043A1]. In [Photograph]. United States.
10. Zeidman, R. (2004, 9 8). Compartment in an automobile for storing an umbrella [Patent US20060028043A1]. United States. https://patents.google.com/patent/US20060028043A1/en?oq=Patent:+US20060028043A1
11. Portable Vehicle Roof Cover [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://shopchamorrovillage.com/products/portable-car-roof-cover
12. Portable Vehicle Roof Cover. Retrieved 9/21/21 from https://shopchamorrovillage.com/products/portable-car-roof-cover
13. Rain Smart [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rain-smart#/
14. Rain Smart (2021). Retrieved 9/21/21 from https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rain-smart#/
15. Model X Tesla [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.tesla.com/modelx
16. Tesla Model X (2012). Retrieved 9/22/21 from https://www.tesla.com/modelx
17. Repel Umbrella [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.repelumbrella.com/products/repel-easy-touch-umbrella-navy-blue
18. Umbrella Vehicle Holder [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/HorBous-Multi-Functional-Umbrella-Portable-Multipurpose/dp/B083W1XJJY/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Umbrella+holder+in+car&qid=1632753857&sr=8-2
19. Umbrella Vehicle Holder (2018). Retrieved 9/22/21 from https://www.amazon.com/HorBous-Multi-Functional-Umbrella-Portable-Multipurpose/dp/B083W1XJJY/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Umbrella+holder+in+car&qid=1632753857&sr=8-2
Element C: Presentation and Justification of Solution Design Requirements
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle.
Introduction
When the team identifies the requirements for a design, the opinions of the experts will be taken into account. The professional input is valuable in designing a successful product. The team will also take into consideration the opinions of the stakeholders and potential customers. Potential buyers' input will be used to make sure that the developed product gives consumers what is wanted. All of these factors will be a part of the team’s process to identify the requirements for a solution that would solve the problem.
Stakeholders
The stakeholders for this project have been very receptive to a product solving this problem. A solution would help anyone who drives. Parents especially would benefit from a solution, an object that blocks rain can also block sunlight. This would help with getting small children in and out of a vehicle in the rain or even when it is extremely sunny. A solution would help keep people dry along with their vehicle’s interior and their personal belongings.
Design Requirements:
The following are the requirements of a successful solution and product. The requirements are listed below in order of importance.
Safety:
1.) The solution will not cause any sort of electrical problems.
a.) Considering the fact that the solution will be working in rainy conditions, it is especially important that any potential electrical components in the design are safe in use and will have no chance of causing harm to the user.
2.) The solution will not cause rusting or molding in the vehicle.
a.) Rusting and molding can lead to safety problems for the driver and must be avoided in the vehicle. To avoid this, the device must be water resistant and have a way of drying if needed.
3.) The solution has no chance of physically impacting the individual.
a.) The design will have an extracting and retracting feature of a sort of roof that will block rain, and it is important that this feature will not be able to harm or impact the individual.
b.) The material used in the solution also can not be so hard that an individual could injure themselves if they hit their head on it.
Safety is a top priority in this solution as the product could have potential electrical components and moving parts. As the product will be working in rainy weather, it is important that the product does not cause any molding or rusting as this can also have negative health effects on the user.
Durability:
1.) The solution should be made of a durable material.
a.) The materials should not weather (mold, rust, erode, etc.), the materials should not fray, and the materials should not rip.
2.) The solution should be waterproof which means it should not absorb any water.
a.) It should not lose durability or change its function after several uses of being exposed to rain.
3.) The solution should be easy to repair.
a.) To do this, the product should be accessible by the consumer so that they can replace or repair any issues themselves.
4.) The solution should have a long lifespan.
a.) This could be measured or compared to how long the vehicle lasts. It should last as long as the vehicle does.
b.) That means it would be able to open and close efficiently through the span of 12 years, which is how long the average car is supposed to last.
5.) The solution should not require the use of a motor.
a.) This makes it longer lasting and limits the amount of electrical components in use.
It is important that the problem solution uses a durable material as the product will be constantly exposed to rain. It should have a long life span because it is installed into the vehicle. The solution should be easily accessible by the consumer so that repairs can be done by the individual if a repair is ever needed. The solution will use a magnetic system to increase the lifespan of the product and use as little power as possible.
Adequately Solves the Problem:
1.) The solution provides a shelter that will fully block rain from hitting the vehicle's interior and the user of the product.
a.) The shelter should not have any openings that could allow water to enter into the vehicle or hit the user.
2.) The solution should not make it harder to open an umbrella.
a.) The shelter should still provide a full cover to block rain while opening the umbrella.
3.) The solution should be universally designed the same so that the operation and repairs of the solution are easy.
a.) The solution should fit a variety of vehicles to make installments easier for the individual.
The solution should be able to fully block rain from hitting the vehicle interior as well as the user. This product should give the user more ease in exiting or entering a vehicle while it is raining. The product should be able to be used hands free so that users have time to collect belongings and open an umbrella if desired. The solution should have a design that can work for all vehicles so that, if needed, operations and repairs on the product can be easily done by the user themselves.
Easy to Use:
1.) The solution is installed in the vehicle and not an attachment.
a.) The surveys conducted by the team revealed that people would prefer a solution if it was installed directly into the vehicle and not as an attachment to be purchased and installed separately.
2.) The solution has hands free activation.
a.) The solution should open automatically when activated leaving the occupant of the vehicle free to open an umbrella and carry personal belongings.
3.) The solution is able to be turned on or off by the driver.
a.) The solution is only in use when activated by the individual.
b.) The solution uses a remote fob to activate and deactivate the cover.
c.) The driver is able to use the remote fob to activate or deactivate the solution when inside the vehicle or outside of the vehicle.
The solutions should be easy to use for the individual to best solve the problem statement. The product should be installed into the vehicle so that it is stable and does not take up as much room as an attachment. The solution should not require hands or any other manual labor other than using a remote control fob to activate and deactivate. The solution should also be activated only when instructed to do so.
Aesthetics:
1.) The solution should be fully concealed when not in use.
a.) This means that the product should not be seen when not in operation.
b.) This would make the car have a clean look and would protect the device.
2.) The solution should not be bulky/heavy.
a.) The product should be as thin and sleek as possible.
3.) The solution could be customizable which could include colors and patterns.
a.) This would peak the interest of those buying vehicles brand new to make the vehicle personalized to them.
The solution will be installed to the vehicle so that when not in use, it is fully concealed within the vehicle. The solution should also not be too bulky or take up too much space. The solution will also allow customization to give the individual consumers a product that fits the consumers personal style and liking.
Conclusion:
Many designs have been drawn and created to size for canopies for cars. However none of them completely solved the problem. Some completely missed the problem and did not solve it. A solution for this problem that meets the above design requirements would thoroughly meet the needs and desires of the stakeholders for a product that solves this problem.
Element D: Design Concept Generation, Analysis and Selection
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Concept Generation Methods and Procedure
The three team members working on this project each came up with at least five drawings of solutions that could solve the problem statement. Once these drawings were completed and annotated, the team discussed which solutions would best solve the problem statement. Once the team found the best potential solutions, the solutions from the different team members were combined to form the best solution possibilities. The team spent time discussing the necessities that the product would perform as well as constraints that the team was working under, such as time and budget. The team brainstormed some necessities that the solutions should include as a reminder; this is shown below. From here, a solution matrix was created to try to find the best solution.
Design Specifications
In Element C the team generated five design specifications that are vital for the success of the solution. Those specifications are listed below in order of importance.
Safety
Durability
Adequately solves the problem
Ease of use
Aesthetics
These specifications were taken into consideration by the team when selecting the top five solutions from the fifteen original solutions developed by the team.
Initial List of Solution Concepts:
Each team member individually brainstormed solutions for our concept. The team then got together to discuss each solution and compile them into a list, which is seen below.
The team took into consideration all of the concepts discussed when brainstorming. Then each team member drew five different sketches which are shown below.
Final Five Solutions and Justification
The final design solutions were chosen by the team using the constraints from Element C and discussing viability and practicality to determine the top five solutions.
1.Roll- Out Magnet Cover
Roll-Out Magnet Cover: This solution would use a fabric that is a nylon and polyethylene mix, similar to a tent like material. The solution will roll into a rolling storage system so that it does not take up unnecessary room. Similar to the Detachable Magnets design, this design would use magnets that deactivate and activate as instructed by the user. The design would satisfy the safety design requirements as the magnets would make the roof attachable before the door is opened, so there is no chance that the roof would hit anyone while extending. The durability of the nylon material satisfies the durability requirements as the material is waterproof and should not tear easily. The solution solves the problem statement as the entirety of the door opening would be covered and users would not have to use their hands to open or close the roof. The solution fits the ease of use as the solution will roll out as the door is opened, so it will be no more difficult to use than opening a car door. The design fits the aesthetics requirement as the team plans on having the roof customizable to the customer, such as color or pattern of the roof.
2. Side Door Covers Dome
Side Door Covers Dome: This solution is unique in that the cover would go over both doors on the left side of the vehicle, and a separate cover would go over both doors on the right side of the vehicle. The cover would also use a dome shape to give more head space for the individual. Because the cover is larger, it could give more protection from rain. This design is safe because it is completely independent of the moving parts of the car such as the doors, this also makes it easy to use because when it is turned on it goes in and out all on its own without interference from the individual.
3. Dual Piece Design
Dual Piece Design: This material uses a fabric that is quick to dry and therefore would not require a heavy drying system. The design cover connects in the middle of the cover. This design also uses magnets to connect the pieces together. The two halves of the device would roll into the top of the door frame and the roof of the car. This design is durable because with two separate pieces of fabric there is less of a chance for the entire thing to be ruined in the case of damage to either piece of fabric. It is also easy to use as the individual has only to turn it on and it will unroll when the car door is opened.
4. Wire Pop Up
Wire Pop-Up: This solution is unique from others that the team has come up with as the design uses a metal wire for the rain cover to create more of a dome for the cover. This will allow individuals to have more headspace when getting in and out of vehicles. The design satisfies the safety requirement as the roof is attached to the car door so there is nothing extending from the vehicle. The design also gives greater head space, meaning that there is a lower chance of a user hitting their head on the roof. The material would be durable against rain as the material as the roof has a structure of metal to support it. The problem also solves the problem adequately as the solution covers the whole space over the door and would therefore block the most rain from the individual and the car interior. The solution satisfies the ease of use requirement as the roof is attached to the door, so it would be no harder to use than opening a vehicle door. The design would also give the consumer a choice in customization in color or pattern, so the design fits the aesthetics requirement.
5. Detachable Magnets
Detachable Magnets: This solution uses the same design as the Wire Pop-Up system, but also includes magnets that will activate and deactivate the roof. The system uses batteries that will attach and detach between the car door and the roof as activated by the user, so will only be in use when necessary. This is safe because there are no electrical parts of motors that could be damaged or cause harm to the user if it gets wet. The design is also easy to use as it only requires the user to turn on the device and operates when the door is opened. This design would also be aesthetically pleasing with the simple sleek magnets and simple single sheet of fabric.
Inventor Drawing #1:
This CAD Drawing features the rolling system that will store the rain roof. The grey cylinder represents this rolling storage system, and the bars on the sides that slightly extend over the top of the cylinder will be used to attach the system to the interior of the roof of the vehicle. The hole are where screws would be installed. The blue part of the drawing represents the fabric that will make up the rain roof. The roof is in a triangular shape because car door openings have a triangular shape from where the door and vehicle body connect.
Inventor Drawing #2
This CAD drawing features the rolling system, however it is covered by a square storage unit. This unit also would be rolled out by the individual when needed. The fabric would not be attached to the car door, but it also fits perfectly for when the door is opened all the way. The fabric is also slightly slanted to where the rainwater would run off the front side.
Inventor Drawing #3
This is the Side view of the drawing above. This side view features the inside of the drawing to show the individual parts of the roller system inside the storage unit. This shows how the roller would roll the material in and out for the storage unit.
Inventor Drawing #4
This CAD features the electrical rolling system which will store the rain roof, the material shown for the fabric is Polyester Vinyl Acetate. The grey cylinder is the storage for this material. The blue bar and the circles are magnets that would connect it to the car door. Also not shown are the magnets on the other side that would also connect to the opening of the car door. The fabric is in a shape that would fit neatly into the door when it is opened with the correct dimensions.
Final Design Sketch
Roll Out Magnet Cover Pop Up
This is a multiview sketch of the team’s final design. The magnets are colored in blue.
Expert Feedback:
Mr. Brennan- Vehicle Fixer-upper since 2017
After showing and explaining the top five design solutions, Mr. Brennan specifically appreciated the designs from the team's top five solutions that used domes for the roofs to give better covering and more head space. If the team were to use a roller in the final solution for storage, how would a wire fit into the storage. Suggested a wire similar to an umbrella that would be able to fold up or expand when opened. When discussing a drying system, Mr.Brennan suggested using an AC or some kind of system that would collect the absorbed water to the bottom of the storage roller and then use a drainage system to get the water completely out of the vehicle.
Mr. Wyatt- Business owner of a Home Electronics Distribution Company
Mr.Wyatt liked the magnetic system that the top five designs used so that the cover would only be in use when the users needed it. He liked that a drainage system would be used to get rid of excess water, and brought up the point that things other than water could be picked up by the cover, such as leaves. Mr.Wyatt suggested that if a drainage system was used, it would be able to also get rid of any other material caught on the rain cover. When the team said that the product would be easily replaceable for specific parts if they were to break, Mr.Wyatt suggested that for marketing the product the team should emphasize that the product would be user friendly in these ways. Mr.Wyatt also suggested that the team uses a five gallon bucket with equally dispersed small holes to stimulate rain when testing the product in the future.
Ms. Boosman- Engineering Management. In the workfield for over 40 years
Ms. Boosman believed that the best system for the rain roof would be to use a magnetic system to attach the rain roof to the door so that it is used only when needed. Ms. Boosman believes that the best way to use the magnets would be to attach the magnets at the door and where the rain roof connects to the door. Suggested that a raised rain roof could be unstable if heavy rain was hitting it, and suggested using a rod for the roof that was more durable than the metal rods that fold up in umbrellas. She suggested that using a rod similar to a fishing pole could give the best flexibility and durability.
Mr. Predmore- Kiewit Engineer. Financial Management
Mr. Predmore agreed that the magnetic system for holding a roof would be best because it would require the least amount of moving parts, and therefore would be less likely to break. Mr. Predmore recommended using a hook system to attack the roof in case the team was unable to make the magnetic system, but warned that this could make more room for rain to enter the vehicle. He also suggested that the team focuses on finding a mold resistant material rather than a water resistant material as this would dry better. Mr. Predmore also suggested that the team consult a focus group of the target audience to see what they would prefer in a product and how much they would be willing to pay for the team’s solution.
Decision Matrix
The team made a decision matrix for the top five design solutions that were found in this element. Individual experts feedback is included in the decision matrix for each product and was used to find the top two solutions.
Based on the expert feedback, and decision matrix, the group has decided to combine elements from ´Detachable Magnets´ design and the ´Roll Out Magnet Cover´ design. The group will use the entirety of the roll out magnet design, and add the rod from the detachable magnets design to make a dome shape with the roof to give more head space. This design will give the most benefits to the user as the magnet system will make the rain roof easy to use and the rod will give extra head space to the user. The Side Door Dome was eliminated as the rain roof would take up more space than needed. Because the fabric is so much larger with this design, the fabric is at a greater risk of becoming damaged and the design is therefore not as durable.
The dual piece magnet design was eliminated because the rain roof was not as durable or stable as other roofs. With the heavy magnets meeting in the middle of the material roof, the roof would have caved. This could have added a safety hazard as the roof has potential to hit an individual as it caves in. The heavy magnets would also have the risk of ripping the fabric in the middle as the fabric would not have been strong or stable enough to support the magnets.
Materials
Super Duty Magnets
1.) Neodymium Disc Countersunk Hole Magnets
Image (1)
Link
These small magnets produce a strong magnetic force of sixty six pounds per magnet. However, these magnets each require a screw to be inserted into the middle of them to gain their full pull force. Some of the pros of this magnet would be that it is small, compact, and has a strong pull force with the required screw. One of the major cons of this material is that it requires a screw, this also could affect the car door, because most car doors have a metal alloy, which means the screw holes would have to come with the door (2).
2.) Neodymium Square Magnet
Image (3)
This neodymium square magnet is larger compared to the sizes of the other magnets. This has a size of 40x40x20mm. This design of magnet would be hard to fit into the car door because of its size, however it has a large pull force of two hundred pounds. These stronger pull forces could put up with heavier rainfall. This is something that the team is heavily thinking about because the team doesn't want the connection of the magnets to be lost whenever there is heavy wind (4).
3.) Neodymium Rectangular Bar Magnets(Plus Screws)
Image (5)
These neodymium rectangular bar magnets have screws that would go into the car door. These screws provide the magnet with a greater pull force, which is now sixty six pounds, however the car door does need room for these screws and would also need to come preinstalled with the holes for them (6).
4.) Waterproof Neodymium Bar Magnets
Image (7)
The waterproof coating on the magnets is an Epoxy coating, which makes the material slightly more water resistant, but not entirely waterproof. This coating can only hold up for so long against heavy rain. The team needs to come up with a better solution to making these waterproof (8).
Fabric
Polyethylene Vinyl Acetate
This is a glossy and flexible fabric that is known for its ability to resist water. This material is often found in things like shower curtains or binder coverings. The material is somewhat durable, water-resistant, and mold-resistant.
Image
Ripstop Nylon
This is a material that is often used in tents because of its ability to resist rips, stay durable, and not mold. These materials are flexible, easily storable, and more durable to weathering and tearing than most fabrics (11).
Image (12)
Polyester Microfiber
This material is made of plastic and nylon. The fabric is porus and will dry very quickly. This material is durable, soft, and absorbent. One can often find this material used in cleaning supplies, towels, or athletic clothing (13).
Image (14)
Polyvinyl Chloride
This is a high strength thermoplastic material that is often used in pipes, wires, and medical devices. The material can withstand strong forces, weathering, and is water resistant. However, the fabric has little flexibility (15).
Image (16)
Conclusion
After the team brainstormed and created a list of potential solutions the options were narrowed down to the top solutions. Finally the team created the best solution, the team believed that a combination of designs concluding with the ´Roll Out Magnet Cover Pop Up´ design would best work to solve the design specifications and problem statement. This design will be easy for individuals to use, will be very safe with no electrical parts, will give more room for individuals to stand under the roof with the dome, and of course keep individuals and car interiors dry. Research and expert feedback also backs up the team's belief that this would be the best solution. After looking over these drawings the team has created some concept models in inventor. The team has also done some research on fabrics and magnets as the main materials for the design. The team has also discussed the possible materials for the pop-up system and the roller system. The team will pursue this design as the final design to work on creating a prototype of and testing its effectiveness.
Footnote Citations
1.) (Image: Neodymium Disc Countersunk Hole Magnets)
2.) (Neodymium Disc Countersunk Hole Magnets, 1.26 Inch X 0.2 Inch Strong Permanent Rare Earth Magnets With Screws - Pack of 12, n.d.)
3.) (Image: MIKEDE 40x40x20mm Neodymium Block Magnet)
4.) (MIKEDE 40x40x20mm Neodymium Block Magnet, Super Strong Permanent Magnet Disc Powerful Rare Earth Magnets- One Piece, n.d.)
5.) (Image: Neodymium Rectangular Pot Magnets)
6.) (LOVIMAG Neodymium Rectangular Pot Magnets-66 Lbs Pulling Force-60x13.5x5mm 10 Packs With Countersunk Hole and Matching Screws, Strong Industrial Strength Rare Earth Magnets for Mounting, Home Etc, n.d.)
7.) (Image: Waterproof Neodymium Bar Magnets With Epoxy Coating)
8.) (Waterproof Neodymium Bar Magnets With Epoxy Coating, Powerful Permanent Rare Earth Magnets, With Double-Sided Adhesive - 60 X 10 X 3mm, Pack of 12, n.d.)
9.) (Polyethylene-Vinyl Acetate, 2017)
10.) (Image: Polyethylene Vinyl Acetate, n.d.)
11.) (Tent Fabrics: A Comparison of Fabric Types, 2019)
12.) (Image: Ripstop Nylon-Tent Material, n.d.)
13.) (Petan, 2021)
14.) (Image: Polyester Microfiber, n.d.)
15.) (Comprehensive Guide on Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), n.d.)
16.) (Image: Polyvinyl Chloride, n.d.)
Element E: Application of STEM Principles and Practices
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Introduction:
While in the process of designing a product in the Engineering universe, it is important that the appropriate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematical components are conducted and tested on the product. The team´s rain roof project will go through testing and applications of STEM principles to make sure that the rain roof can withstand outside forces and keep its form.
Scientific Principles
Find the angle of the car door
The team took measurements of two vehicles. The measurements were taken using a protractor when the door was in its full open position. Both the car doors that were measured had a angle of 70 degrees between the side of the vehicle and the open door. Measurements were taken on a Honda Civic and a Volkswagen Beetle.
Determine which fabric would be best to use through mold testing
The team did a mold testing between the two possible fabrics that the team would use in the prototype, ripstop nylon and polyethylene vinyl acetate. There were four tests done with each fabric, one test where the fabric was out in an open environment while damp, in a dark and enclosed environment while damp, in a dark and enclosed environment while damp with a fan, and in a dark and enclosed environment while damp with a heater. All tests had the fabrics rolled up into a cylinder type shape to represent being stored in the rolling system. The tests were done over 48 hours, and all tests produced similar results. After the 48 hours, all of the ripstop nylon fabric had completely dried, while the polyethylene vinyl acetate had also dried, but drops of water remained on the plastic. All fabrics were easy to easily roll back out after the 48 hours, except in the heating test. In the heating test, the ripstop nylon fabric had a difficult time unrolling.
Determine the extra fabric needed to attach the fabric to the inside of the rolling system
Fabric would be attached into the inside of the rolling system to ensure that the fabric would stay in place and not slip around. The fabric would need to be 17 inches, or as long os the rolling system, and have the same diameter of the inside of the metal rod holds the fabric. The diameter of the rod was 0.341 inches, and the length of the rod was 17 inches, therefore the total area of the fabric needed would be 5.8in^2.
Technology Principles
Stress test on cad
The stress test done in CAD uses technology to determine how much pressure and tension can be put onto an object. This test allows the user to see if a product will be able to withstand a determined amount of pressure before having to start the build process.
3D Printing
The team needed to print a part that would attach between the metal rods in the rolling system to keep them secure. The team 3D printed a part that would make sure that the rods had no chance of sliding or changing position while in the rolling system.
Attachment of the magnets using the drill press
The team used the drill press to make holes in place of where the magnets would go. The team used a ⅛’’ diameter bit because the size of the diameter of the screw was slightly larger, so this would ensure that th screw could easily be installed while still being stable and secure in the metal. The team first measured the magnets and where the screws would be installed in the magnets and then marked the door where the magnets and holes should be before drilling.
Engineering Principles
Gantt chart
The team has been using this Gantt chart since the beginning of the project to mark where the team is in completing the project. Each box represents a week of work, and the different colors represent how the team did with a particular section for that week. A blue box means that the project is done, a pink box shows if the task is in process but not yet complete, and a purple box means that the assignment has not yet been started.
Engineering notebook
This is an example of a page out of an engineering notebook showing what tasks have been done each day with the journal entry. Engineering notebook daily entries are used to keep not of what happened on what day, and they can be used for legal purposes in more advanced engineering environments or workplaces. The daily journal is useful to the team in keeping information organized and looking back to find names of products, patents, or experts, if needed.
Dial Caliper Measurements
The team needed to made a 3D printed part to fit between the two metal rods that would be inside of the rolling system. Ava used a dial caliper to measure the diameter of the inside of the rods to determine how thick to make the part.
Math Principles
How much weight the rain roof will be able hold according to magnets
Each magnet that was used in the prototype is able to hold 66 lbs. The team used 7 magnets on the door of the vehicle, and 7 magnets on the fabric of the rolling system, so 14 magnets were used in total between the magnets. 14 magnets multiplied by 66 lbs carried by each magnets equals 924 total lbs that the prototype would be able to hold.
Measuring to find the correct dimensions for the rolling system
The length of the total rain roof will be 17 inches to best attach to the car door roof. The rolling system that the team ordered came with two rolling systems that were each 14 inches. We wanted to cut the rolling systems at the same point so that we would be able to use the same amount of each rolling system to connect them in the middle and form a rolling system that would fulfill the teams needed 17 inch rolling system. Because 8.5 inches is half of 17, the team cut each of the rolling systems at the point that was 8.5 inches from the end of the rolling system. The team then took each 8.5 inch rolling system and attached them together with a hot glue gun.
How much weight the rain roof will be able hold according to magnets
Each magnet that was used in the prototype is able to hold 66 lbs. The team used 7 magnets on the door of the vehicle, and 7 magnets on the fabric of the rolling system, so 14 magnets were used in total between the magnets. 14 magnets multiplied by 66 lbs carried by each magnets equals 924 total lbs that the prototype would be able to hold.
Figure out how to cut the Rain Roof Shape
The rain roof fabric needed to be cut. The team knew that both the vehicle door and the rain roof fabric would be 17’’, and that the angle between the vehicle and the door opening would need to have a 70 degree angle. With this information, the team used practices of geometry and trigonometry to determine the length of ‘x’, or the widest part of the rain roof, and the other two angles of the rain roof.
Conclusion
The use of STEM principles has helped the team make sure that accurate measurements are being taken to ensure that the tests done on the rain roof are effective and the rain roof will fit into the shape of the car door.
Element F: Design Viability
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Introduction
After conducting a survey from 500 individuals in the Kansas City area, it was found that nearly 70% of drivers experience difficulty getting out or into a vehicle in the rain. As research shows that the amount of rainy days per year will only increase in midwesterns states (see Element A), the problem statement can be seen as valid. As Americans spend approximately $325 million on umbrellas, it is clear that individuals are willing and looking to use a product that can block rain from their dry materials, such as clothing or the interior of a vehicle.
Our top design specification for our product is to make sure that our product is safe to use, meaning that the chance of mold forming in the interior of the vehicle is eliminated while using the product, and that the product will have no chance of hitting an individual who uses it.
Functional Considerations
The first topic the team will discuss is the magnets that the rain roof will use. Each magnet that will be attached between the vehicle door and the rain rood will be able to store 66lbs, the door and the rain roof each have seven magnets attached to them, so fourteen magnets will used in total. This means that the rain roof should be able to support 924lbs.
The team is using a Ripstop Nylon Fabric to form the rain roof. The ripstop nylon is mold resistant, and from the teams mold safety testing, this held true. The materials is described to be giving to stretching, meaning that it is able to resist tearing or snapping, which will be a good fit for the rain roof.
Ethical Responsibility
There are no laws or regulations that the team needs to focus on as all regulations fro vehicles focus on exhaust, sound, window tint, and exhaust modifications, none of which will apply to the rain roof.
The team reviewed regulations fro umbrellas as this is similar to the product that the team would construct, but none applied to the prototype. For example, there was a regulation requiring that beach umbrellas were made of a material that could block at least 30% of UV radiation, but the team is not focusing on the problem of UV rays.
Lifecycle
It is important to know the lifecycle of the rain roof for the final presentation. Below is a table that shows the products expected lifespan. As shown, the lowest lifespan of the products is the spring which will be used in the rolling system. However, the spring will be easy to replace and can be done by the user.
Impact of Manufacture and Distribution
This phase will look at the effects of the products that are to be used in the final solution, which are the team 4 products that were used above.
Magnets: The production of magnets is harmful to the environment as they are made from rare earth materials, and the processing of these materials require mass amounts of carcinogenic toxins which pollute the environment. Plus, the materials often contain a radioactive interior. Magnets, however, are recyclable.
Ripstop Nylon is also harmful to the environment. Nylon is not biodegradable, and the manufacturing also creates nitrous oxide, which is 300x more potent and harmful than carbon dioxide.
Springs: The metas that springs are made of can have negative effects on the environment. Metals are heavy polluters to the earth, often being one of the top polluters to oceans, and therefore harmful to marine life. Metal ions can also release toxins that can harm the atmosphere.
The recycling and disposal of PVC piping both result in the release of toxic and chlorine based chemicals. Once these chemicals are produced, they are permanently put into the water, air, and food chain.
After researching the environmental effects of all of the materials that will be used in the rain roof project, it is clear that this prototype will have heavy negative impacts on the environment, and therefore individuals most highly impacted by the production areas. If the team had more time and a larger budget, they would create a design specification that is focused on the
environmental impact of the product to make sure that if the product were to be mass produced, it would have no large and negative impact on the environment.
Market Analysis
The market analysis will show what the top three competitors of the rain roof would be, and how their product would compare to the rain roof.
Repel Umbrella:
The Repel Umbrella is a widely used brand of umbrella. One umbrella costs $35.00, which is higher than the average cost of an umbrella ($15.00). The umbrella is designed to be able to withstand bending from wind, is made up of a water proof and molding resistant material, and has a lifetime warranty. However, the umbrella is not designed with the intension of being able to block rain from hitting an individual and are difficult to open so when getting into or out of a vehicle, which can lead to individuals getting rain on as well as the interior of a vehicle getting rained on. The product is aimed at individuals between the ages of 14-75, with the intent of keeping individuals dry from rain while walking to school, the grocery store, or into work.
Umbrella Storage Holder
The Umbrella Storage Holder can be attached to the inside of a vehicle with the purpose of holding the umbrella for an individual while getting out of a vehicle. The price of the product is $12.00, and falls below the price on the average umbrella ($15), however, the product only comes with the holder, and not an umbrella. The umbrella holder allows individuals to place their umbrella into the holder and therefore not require hands while getting into or out of a vehicle. But, the holder does not open the umbrella before the vehicle is opened, so there is still a good chance of rain hitting the individual or the individuals vehicle interior. The product is designed for individuals who can drive, so anyone in the U.S. who is 16 years of age or older.
Tesla Model X
The Tesla Model X has doors that open vertically rather than horizontally, which can partly fulfill the purpose of keeping the individual and car interior dry while an individual is entering or exiting from a vehicle. The price of the vehicle is $99,960, which falls highly above the average cost of a new vehicle, which is $42,258. As mentioned, the vehicle doors open vertically and can block rain when rain is falling straight down, but not when rain is falling at any sort of angle. The product is designed for individuals who can drive, so people 16 years old and older, as well as individuals with a larger amount of wealth.
Manufacture and Distribution
The manufacturing and distribution will look at the costs of mass producing the rain roof. The team will look at what it would cost to product 1,000,000 rain roofs. The average cost of renting out a warehouse is $0.85 per square foot per month. Government data shows that the average warehouse is 16,400 square feet. According to this data, the cost of renting the average warehouse would be $13,940 per month. According to 2018 data, the average warehouse requires 182 employees. Government data from 2018 also shows that the typical pay of a warehouse worker is $19.00 per hour. This means that if 182 employees were to be working for 8 hours a day for one month (30 days), this would require $829,920 per month to make sure that employees were getting paid. The total cost to make one million rain roofs, rent a warehouse space for one month, and hire 182 employees for one month would be approximately $55,353,860.
Conclusion
Element F has revealed that the product of the team's rain roof, in terms of environmental issues, is not efficient or ethical. The team would need to develop a solution that used materials that were not as toxic to the environment and atmosphere if the team were to consider mass production of the product. Also, this element has revealed that production of the product would be fairly expensive, as production for one rain roof alone would cost over $50.00, and renting of a warehouse and paying employees is also fairly expensive, but nonetheless necessary.
Element G: Creation of a Testable Prototype
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Introduction
From Element D, the team has decided to pursue a design solution that will incorporate a ´roof´ that will extend between the opening of the top of a vehicle door and the inside of the roof of a car. The design roof will be stored in a roll-up case and will use a metal rod to make the roof into a domed shape so that the user will have plenty of headroom. The prototype will be made from a scaled-down model of a car, a miniature roll-up system, a sheet to replicate the ´rain roof´, and magnets that will attach the roof to the interior top of the scaled car door.
Prototype Construction
The initial prototype will be made on a scaled-down car. A picture is shown below to give clarity.
Rolling Component that will store in the roof
Part A is a rolling system that will be attached to the interior roof of the car that will act as a storage system for the roof whenever it is not in use. The rolling system in the finished design will incorporate springs so that the fabric will easily roll into and out of the storage space. The prototype will not use these springs. For the prototype, we are using a durable plastic straw to simulate the rolling storage system.
Rain Roof
Part B is a roof that will extend from the vehicle roof interior to the top of the door interior when the roof is activated and the door is opened. The point of the roof is to block rain from hitting the individual. The roof will go from the point on the vehicle where the door and vehicle main body connect to the end of the vehicle door. For the prototype, we are testing all fabric from the BOM to determine which will be used in the final design.
Dome Shape
Part C is a metal rod that will be connected to the roof and will also stay in the storage compartment with the roof. When the roof is rolled out, the metal rod will also roll out to extend and make a dome to provide more headspace to the user. The extension of the metal rod will be similar to how tent poles behave by curving due to tension and position. The prototype will use a toy fishing pole to simulate the fiberglass rod.
Magnets
Part D includes the magnets that will be used to connect the rain roof to the vehicle door. A strip of magnets will go along the top of the interior door that is above the window. A separate strip of magnets will be connected in a row to the edge of the rain roof that connects to the door. If the product were to be mass-produced, the magnets would be able to activate and deactivate according to user activation. In this project, the team will not be able to do this due to limited time and resources. The prototype will use the magnets from the BOM.
Tools and Equipment List:
A list of the BOM was made by the team, the materials will be used in both the initial and final prototype. The team also made a tool and equipment needed, list, and a knowledge needed list.
Build Procedure
Rain Roof and Storage Rolling System: The rain roof will be stored in the thick durable straw for the scaled-down prototype. The team will use the scaled-down car for the prototype and the measurements of the space between the car door when it is open and the roof of the vehicle to size the roof material. The rolling system will have a component on the inside that the fabric will permanently be connected to.
The scaled-down car for the prototype is shown below.
For the actual finished prototype, the team will use the black car door. The roller system will hold the fabric of the rain roof. The end of the roller system´s fabric has a bar that attaches to the fabric. Similar to the scaled-down car, the black door prototype will use the measurements between the open car door and the roof of the car to determine the size that the roof should be cut to. Both the scaled-down and black door prototype will use screws to attach the storage system to the interior of the vehicle.
The black car door for the final prototype is shown below.
Magnets: Magnets will be attached to the top of the interior of the vehicle door. Magnets will also be attached to the bar at the end of the fabric of the rain roof that is attached to the rolling system. This bar will also have magnets that will connect to the magnets at the interior of the door to form the roof.
Dome Shape: The rain roof will have a dome shape to give more headspace to the user. The team will use the toy fishing rod that was brought in the scaled-down prototype. For the full prototype, the team will use the rods from the BOM. The team will cut the rod to exclude the reeling system, then cut the rod to fit the length of the rain roof. The rain roof will have a section near the point where the door is attached to the vehicle body (on the side of the rain roof facing the ground) where a pocket of fabric the size of the diameter of the rod will be added to store the rod tip in. Towards the opposite side of the roof, the team will add another pocket of fabric where the rod’s other end will stay in. With this design, the roof pockets will apply tension to the rod which will make it dome. The rod will then be able to be stored in the rolling system along with the roof.
Testing Considerations
Safety Testing:
Mechanical Safety: The team will conduct a test that will involve safety through opening and closing the door. While opening and closing the doors, the team would make sure that no objects move, become sharp, or fall on an individual. The team would then document every time that the prototype did not perform the way it was intended.
Health Safety: The team will conduct a test on the fabric options to ensure that when in an enclosed and dark environment they will not mold. The team will have a control group with wet fabric in the open, a group in a dark enclosed environment, a group in a dark enclosed environment with a fan, and a final group in a dark enclosed environment with a heating system.
Durability Testing:
Rain Resistance: The team will do a test to make sure that the roof will withstand rain. To simulate rain, the team will use a garden hose that has different levels of the amount of water that is released and the force of the water that is released. The team will document each level of the test and say if the prototype was able to withstand the rain (did the dome shape stay put, were the magnets ever disconnected, did the fabric ever rip, fray, etc.)
Object Resistance: The team will also conduct a destructive test to make sure that the prototype would be able to withstand some sort of bashing from hypothetical weather and objects (Wind, Snow, Leaves, debris, rocks, gravel, dust, etc). The team’s testing would also tie this back into safety because if any debris causes the prototype to change its original intent then it would have safety issues.
Repeatability: The team will conduct a repeatability test where the device will sit active and open for 5 minutes before being closed and deactivated. This will be repeated 20 times to ensure that the dome system can handle being open for extended periods of time and consistently operate the same way without breaking or failing.
Ease of Use Testing:
Time Testing: The team will open and close the prototype door 50 times and record the amount of time that each opening and closing took. The team will also open and close a real car door that has no rain roof 50 times. The times from each experiment will be averaged and a comparison will be made to determine how efficient the door is to open in terms of time. For example, if the door with the rain roof takes no more time to open and close than the typical car door, the roof will be extremely effective in terms of time and will be easy to use. If 1-5 seconds over the average time, the door will be efficient. If more than 5 seconds, the door will not be effective in terms of time.
Space Testing: The team would conduct a final test to determine head spacing and body space. This would simply be tested by having a variety of people enter and exit the vehicle with the device and give the team feedback on what they thought about the height of the dome.
Conclusion
The team feels that the steps for building the prototype will fulfill the problem statement as well as the design specifications. The team also feels that the BOM was well thought out and includes all necessary components for building the prototype.
Element H: Prototype Testing and Data Collection Plan
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Introduction:
The team has reviewed the design specifications and determined which specifications will require a test to determine if they will successfully fulfill the requirements of the specification. The specifications that will have tests with them include durability, safety, solving the problem statement, and ease of use. Aesthetics was not tested as this is the specification of least priority and aesthetics for the device would include a choice of color, so there is not a lot to test.
Rain Resistance Test
Names: Ava Rhodus, Connor Bichsel, Kate Boosman
Design Specification: Solves the Problem Statement
Test Summary: The team will use a garden hose to simulate rain and use different levels of water pressure on the hose to determine the force from rain that the roof can withstand.
Testing Date:
Testing Location:
Testing: Qualitative
Purpose: The purpose of this test is to determine how much pressure the rain roof can withstand from rain hitting the roof. It is important that the product is able to stay secure under pressure as a person will be standing under the roof when it is in use.
Pass/Fail Criteria: If the roof can withstand (magnets stay attached, in the original shape, no-fray/deterioration of fabric) the highest level of hose water when the hose is 20ft and directly in front of the car door for thirty seconds, the product is successful. This test will be done 30 times, and if each test is a success, then the test is a pass. If any of the tests fail to withstand, then the test is a failure.
Test Termination Requirements: The test will need to be terminated if any of the following occur
The test environment is crowded with individuals outside of the testing team
The hose does not work properly (poor water pressure, not connected to working source, etc.)
The hose attachment nozzle is not working properly (there are not multiple spraying options, the switching between options does not work, etc.)
The test environment is already experiencing rain, wind, snow, etc.
The rain roof breaks
Materials:
Rain roof prototype
Hose attachment with different settings
Hose
Stopwatch
Device to record or take pictures
Initial Conditions:
The hose will be sprayed directly in front of the rain roof from a distance of 20ft
The area of the test has no weather conditions (rain, strong winds, etc.)
Needed materials are available to conduct the test
Stepwise Procedure:
All needed materials are obtained
All initial conditions have been verified
All participants are familiar with safety concerns
Place the rain roof against a wall so it is secure
Set up the hose and hose attachment to be directly and 20ft in front of the rain roof
Take picture of the rain roof in its correct form from the side and top view
Spray the hose at the highest setting directly at the rain roof
Start the timer when the hose is sprayed. Continue to spray the hose for 30 seconds
Take a picture of the rain roof after the test from the same side and top view
10.) Record in a shared document any differences between the first and second pictures (any caving icaving in of the roof, magnet disconnection, rip, fray, etc.)
11.) Repeat steps 4-10 29 times to make up 30 tests
An image of an example hose attachment is shown below. The team would use a feature similar to the ´mist´ setting to simulate a light rain. The ´cone´ would be used to simulate normal rain, and the ´shower´ would be used to simulate a heavy rain.
Object Resistance Test
Names: Ava Rhodus, Connor Bichsel, Kate Boosman
Design Specification: Durability
Test Summary: The team will drop objects that can be often found outside (leaves, sticks, litter)
Testing Date:
Testing Location:
Testing: Qualitative
Purpose: The team will conduct a destructive test to make sure that the prototype would be able to withstand some sort of bashing from hypothetical weather and objects (Wind, Snow, Leaves, debris, rocks, gravel, dust, etc).
Pass/Fail Criteria: If the roof can withstand (stay attached, in the original shape, no-fray/deterioration of fabric) the force that the object puts on the roof when the objects are dropped from a distance of 20ft onto the rain roof directly under, the product is successful. The test will be done with leaves, rocks, gravel, sticks, and litter (empty plastic water bottle). Each object will be tested 6 times.
Test Termination Requirements: The test will need to be terminated if any of the following occur
The test environment is crowded with individuals outside of the testing team
The dropping of objects breaks the rain roof
The test environment is already experiencing rain, wind, snow, etc.
Materials:
Rain roof prototype
Leaves (6)
One rock that will be used 6 times
Ten pieces of gravel that will be dropped 6 times
One stick that will be used 6 times
One plastic water bottle that will be used 6 times
Device to take pictures and videos
Initial Conditions:
The rain roof will be placed under the lofted area where the objects will be dropped
The dropped objects are directly above the roof at a distance of 20ft
The area of the test has no weather conditions (rain, strong winds, etc.)
Needed materials are available to conduct the test
Stepwise Procedure:
All needed materials are obtained
All initial conditions have been verified
All participants are familiar with safety concerns
The rain roof will be placed on the ground so that the dome side is facing the sky
One team member will be on the raised platform with the object in hand
The team member on the ground will take a picture of the roof from a side and top view angle
The team member on the raised platform will hold their arm out parallel to and directly over the rain roof. The team member will drop the object from their hand
The object should fall and hit the rain roof, if the object misses the roof for any reason, this test should be performed again
The team member on the ground will take a picture of the rain roof after the object hit it
Record in a shared document any differences between the first and second pictures (any caving in of the roof, magnet disconnection, rip, fray, etc.)
Repeat steps 4-10 until all 30 tests are complete
An image is shown below to give an example of a type of weathering event that could potentially have negative side effects on the rain roof. Leaves are just one example of a natural material that could come into contact with the roof. Although one may not think of leaves as being something that is heavy, wet leaves can weight a good amount.
Repeatability
Names: Ava Rhodus, Connor Bichsel, Kate Boosman
Design Specification: Durability
Test Summary: The team will open and close the door repeatedly to make sure that the door can withstand this movement.
Testing Date:
Testing Location:
Testing: Qualitative
Purpose: The rain roof will be opened and stay in this open position for 5 minutes before being closed again. This will be repeated 20 times to ensure that the dome system can handle being open for extended periods of time and consistently operate the same way without breaking or failing.
Pass/Fail Criteria: If the roof can withstand (stay attached, in the original shape, no fray/deterioration of fabric) the movement of the door being opened and closed, as well as staying open for an extended period of time, the product is successful. This will be repeated 20 times.
Test Termination Requirements: The test will need to be terminated if any of the following occur
The rain roof breaks
The testing environment experiences any rain, wind, snow, etc.
The rain roof is in an environment that is experiencing rain, wind, snow, etc.
Materials
Rain roof prototype
Device to take pictures or videos
Stopwatch
Initial Conditions:
When the roof is opened each time it should be opened as far as it can open
The opening and closing should be done in the same environment
Needed materials are available to conduct the test
Stepwise Procedure:
All needed materials are obtained
All initial conditions have been verified
All participants are familiar with safety concerns
The door will be held perpendicular to the ground Once secure to the attachment, one team member will open the door to its fullest potential
The other team member will immediately take a side view picture of the roof and then a top view
The other team member will immediately start the 5-minute timer
Once the 5 minutes is over, the team will immediately take a picture of the rain roof from the same side and top angle
Record in shared document any differences between the first and second pictures (any caving in of the roof, magnet disconnection, rip, fray, etc.)
Repeat steps 4-8 until all 20 tests are complete
The image below shows an individual in the act of closing their car door. It is important the rain roof product does not prevent one’s door from being able to properly open and close, which is why this test will be so important to the project.
Health Safety
Names: Ava Rhodus, Connor Bichsel, Kate Boosman
Design Specification: Safety
Test Summary: The team will conduct tests of the fabrics from the BOM to determine if any fabrics are able to fully resist molding
Testing Date:
Testing Location:
Testing: Qualitative
Purpose: The team will conduct a test on the fabric options to ensure that when in an enclosed and dark environment they will not mold. The team will have a control group with wet fabric in the open, a group in a dark enclosed environment, a group in a dark enclosed environment with a fan, and a final group in a dark enclosed environment with a heating system.
Pass/Fail Criteria: All tests for this will be done over two days (48 hours). If the fabric is able to show no signs of molding after these 48 hours (smell of mildew, discoloration), then the test will be considered a pass. If the test does show signs of mold, then the test will be considered a fail.
Test Termination Requirements: The test will need to be terminated if any of the following occur
Test environment is crowded with individuals outside of the testing team
If mold starts to grow and forms on objects outside of the tested materials
The environment experiences an unexpected change in lighting, temperature, or humidity level
Materials:
Rain Roof prototype
All fabric from the BOM
Storage containers (Tupperware).
A dark closet
A small fan
A heated blanket/heating pad
A device to take videos or pictures
Initial Conditions:
The environment of the material is consistent (always dark if needed, fan always running, etc.)
All tests are done in the same building for consistency
Needed materials are available to conduct the test
Stepwise Procedure:
All needed materials are obtained
All initial conditions have been verified
All participants are familiar with safety concerns
Each material that will be tested will be completely soaked in water
The material will be wrung out so that it is only damp
The material will be put into a Tupperware container without the lid
The team will take a picture of the material from the side and top view
The material will be put into the dark storage cabinet
The material will have the needed object with it (fan, heater, etc.)
If the material needs a fan with it for testing, then the material will be at one far end lengthwise of the cabinet while the fan is at the other end
If the material needs a heater with it for testing, the heater will be put on the underside of Tupperware container that the fabric is in
The team will take a picture of the fabric as soon as it is put into storage
The team will start a timer for 48 hours as soon as it is put in storage
After the 48 hours have passed, the team will open the cabinet and take a picture of the mater material from the same side and top view
Record in shared document any differences between the first and second pictures (any signs of mold)
Repeat steps 4-14 until all fabrics have been tested
Below is an image of a molded car used to justify the decision to test for mold, as it can lead to safety issues and can be difficult to clean.
Mechanical Safety
Names: Ava Rhodus, Connor Bichsel, Kate Boosman
Design Specification: Safety
Test Summary: The team is going to open and close the vehicle door 60 times.
Testing Date:
Testing Location:
Testing: Qualitative
Purpose: The purpose is to make sure that the dome will keep its shape, if it were to cave down this could be considered a safety hazard. Also, make sure that the magnets stay securely connected through opening and closing.
Pass/Fail Criteria: If the door is able to be opened and closed all 60 times without losing its proper shape and is never disconnecting at the magnets, then this test is a pass. If the rain roof loses its shape or the magnets disconnect then the test will be a fail.
Test Termination Requirements: The test will need to be terminated if any of the following occur
The rain roof breaks
The testing environment experiences any rain, wind, snow, etc.
Materials:
Rain Roof Prototype
Device to take pictures/videos
Initial Conditions:
All 60 tests are done at the same time
All tests are done in the same environment
Stepwise Procedure:
All needed materials are obtained
All initial conditions have been verified
All participants are familiar with safety concerns
The rain roof and door are positioned perpendicular to the ground
The team will take a picture of the door at its side and top views when the door is in its fully opened position
One team member will be responsible for fully opening and fully closing the door 60 consecutive times
If there is at any point a noticeable magnets disconnection, change in shape of the dome, or ripping, the door opener will be responsible for noting what happened to the rain roof and at which stage in the test (Ex: at the 27th opening)
After all opening and closing tests have happened, the team will take after pictures of the door, fully opened, in its side and top view
Record in the shared document in changes between the before and after pictures (any changes in shape, any separation in magnets, and fraying or ripping)
Below is a car door that has fallen off of the vehicle body's hinge and is being replaced. This problem can be an inconvenience as well as a safety concern to the individual, so it is important that the team makes sure the car attachment is stable and secure.
Time Testing
Names: Ava Rhodus, Connor Bichsel, Kate Boosman
Design Specification: Safety
Test Summary: The team finds the average time that it takes to fully open and close a vehicle door with the rain roof attached and compare this time to the average time of opening and losing a car door without the rain roof attached.
Testing Date:
Testing Location:
Testing: Quantitative
Purpose: The team will open and close the prototype door 50 times and record the amount of time that each opening and closing took. The team will also open and close a real car door that has no rain roof 50 times. The times from each experiment will be averaged and a comparison will be made to determine how efficient the door is to open in terms of time.
Pass/Fail Criteria: If the door with the rain roof takes no more time to open and close than the typical car door, the roof will be extremely effective in terms of time and will be easy to use. If 1-5 seconds over the average time, the door will be efficient. If more than 5 seconds, the door
will not be effective in terms of time, and therefore will be counted as a failure. The test will also fail if the rain roof does not keep proper shape, if magnets disconnect or never connect from the start, and if the roof rips/frays at all.
Test Termination Requirements: The test will need to be terminated if any of the following occur
The environment of the test is experiencing rain, wind, snow, etc.
The rain roof breaks
Materials:
Rain roof prototype
Stopwatch
Device to take pictures/videos
Initial Conditions:
All tests are done in the same environment
When the roof is opened each time it should be opened to its fullest position
Needed materials are available to conduct the test
Stepwise Procedure:
All needed materials are obtained
All initial conditions have been verified
All participants are familiar with safety concerns
The rain roof will be perpendicular to the floor
The team will take a picture of the door in the doors furthest open position
The team will close the door fully again
One team member will open the door to the fullest position and make the dome shape open up
Another teammate will begin the stopwatch as soon as the door is touched by the other teammate
The teammate taking pictures will take a picture when the door has been opened to its fullest position in the side and top view
Once the door has been opened and the dome shape put into place, the teammate opening the door will immediately begin to take down the dome shape and close the door
The teammate who was taking time will stop the stopwatch as soon as the door is close (rain roof is fully back in storage)
The time of the door opening and closing will be placed in a list made by the team
Record in shared document any differences between the first and second pictures (fraying, change in shape, etc.)
Repeat steps 4-14 until all 50 tests have been done
Average the time that it took to open the rain roof door to compare to the typical car door
Space Testing
Names: Ava Rhodus, Connor Bichsel, Kate Boosman
Design Specification: Safety
Test Summary: The team will have individuals of different heights stand under the rain roof when the roof is fully extended.
Testing Date:
Testing Location:
Testing: Qualitative
Purpose: The purpose of this test is to make sure that the roof is comfortable for all individuals to use, no matter their height.
Materials:
Rain Roof
Tape Measurer
Initial Conditions:
The rain roof will be connected and positioned so that is will consistently be at the same height
The rain roof will be in its fully extended form when under this test
Stepwise Procedure:
All needed materials are obtained
All initial conditions have been verified
All participants are familiar with safety concerns
The rain roof will be held up so that its height will be consistent throughout testing and is perpendicular to the floor
The team will have the individuals of different heights stand under the rain roofs for 10 seconds
The team will interview each participant regarding if there was any discomfort felt
The team will ask the participant for their height or measure if the participant does not know and record data on heights and discomforts felt for each participant
Conclusion
The team feels that these tests will give a strong indication of whether the prototype is able to solve the problem statement. As the tests cover the design specifications of safety, ease of use, solving the problem statement, and durability. The team also feels that the tests will give important information on whether the design specifications have been solved, and if not, what needs to be changed to solve them.
Photo Citations
1.) (Image: Garden Hose Nozzle, n.d.)
2.) (Image: Close up of Yellow Fallen Leaves on Car Windshield, n.d.)
3.) (Image: Door Brake for the Car, 2019)
4.) (Armstrong, 2020)
5.) (Allen, n.d.)
6.) (Impatient? Be a Recruiter, 2018)
7.) (Amos, 2016)
Element I: Test and Evaluate the Prototype
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Introduction:
The team will use the test procedures created from Element H to test the prototype of the rain roof. The team will determine if the tests were successful or not according to the requirements from Element H, and seek expert feedback in areas where the tests did not succeed.
Rain Resistance Testing
Repeatability Testing
Health Mold Testing
Time Testing
Element J: Documentation of External Evaluation
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Methods and Sources of Feedback
For our Critical Design Review, we presented to several engineering experts. We got feedback during our presentation from:
Greg Snow, Senior Engineer at Honeywell, gsnow@kcnsc.doe.gov
Gary Kannenherg, Environmental Scientist at The Tellus Group, garyakannenberg@gmail.com
Ethan Dunn, Validation Engineer at Compli LLC, SME Chair, edunn@ucompli.com
Greg Brown, Retired service engineer in diagnostic ultrasound at General Electric, gbikebrown@gmail.com
Eric Walters, Engineering teacher at LSWHS
Jeff Buckner, LSR7, jeff.buckner@lsr7.net
LaRoux Gillespie, laroux1@earthlink.net
Eric Farrow, HDR, Eric.Farrow@hdrinc.com
Vayujeet Gokhale, Assoc. Professor of Physics at Truman State University, gokhale@truman.edu
Rich Adams, VP Opns at HPI, radams@homzproducts.com Our teacher gave all of these individuals a rubric that we were graded off of, and the grades from these rubrics will be used for this Element. Team Members received feedback on both our presentation topics and our presentation skills. The presentation that was given by the team is shown below and will be referenced when discussing the expert feedback.
The team is going to look at the input given in all elements in order of the questions the reviewers were asked, so the team will first analyze the feedback on the project problem statement. The problem statement was graded on a scale of 10, the team received four scores of 8, four scores of 9, and one score of 10, averaging at a score of 8.667. The team received a few comments from Greg Snow on the problem statement regarding mold and how often mold forms in vehicles. The team had done research on this in Element A, but had not included this data in the presentation. It would have been best to include this information in the problem statement slide or the slide near the beginning that addresses the health effects on mold.
Next, the team will look at the feedback on the evidence, stakeholder surveys, and expert interviews of the presentation. The team received five scores of 8 and four scores of 9, resulting in an average score of 8.4. On this topic again, the team received feedback during the questioning period on molding in vehicles. Expert Eric Farrow would have liked more information on molding in vehicles, like how often this occurs and how long it takes for mold to form in vehicles. The team had done research in Element A on how often vehicles experience molding and had done research for Element I on how long it takes for mold to form. However, the team did not include this information in the presentation.
The team then got feedback on the analysis of past and current solutions for the problem statement that exists. The team was scored with one 7, six 8s, and two 9s, averaging with a score of 8.11. The team was given feedback from Rich Adams that the presentation could have benefited from more information on the consumer needs of the product, so look at reviews of the product and how our team could have improved parts of products that users did not like.
Next, the team got feedback on the design specifications. Specifically, on whether the design specifications were measurable and would solve the problem statement. The team received two 7s, four 8s, two 9s, and one 10, averaging in a score of 8.22. The team received a comment from LaRoux Gillespie suggesting that the team work on testing on a real vehicle rather than with our prototype to better understand how the prototype would impact individuals of different heights. The team definitely agrees with this comment, and would have done this if there was more time to work on the project.
The team then got feedback on the top 5 design solutions that the team came up with, as well as the techniques that the team used to choose the final design. The team received one 6, one 7, one 8, and six 9s, resulting in an average score of 8.33. The expert feedback from Rich Adams suggested that the team should focus on the functionality of the final design and how it works instead of how the team built the prototype. This would have been best for the team to include in the before the building process slides of the presentation to better introduce the audience to the design and prototype.
The team next got feedback on the prototype design drawings, the bill of materials, and the construction of the prototype. The team received one 7, one 8, four 9s, and three 10s, resulting in
an average score of 9. Greg Snow commented on the fabrics that the team chose to include in the bill of materials. He believes that the material is not durable enough and should be made of a stronger material. The team would definitely like to spend more time researching and testing other materials to try to find the best material for our product.
Next, the team received feedback on how the team tested the prototype to meet the design specifications. The team received one 7, two 8s, four 9s, and two 10s, giving an average score of 8.78. The team received feedback from Eric Farrow suggesting that the team gave no evidence as to why the team chose to test the fabrics for the mold testing over a period of 48 hours. This is true, although the team did research for Element A that found that mold formed between 24 and 48 hours, the team never mentioned this in the presentation. This fact should have been stated while the team introduced the mold test to justify why the team chose to test over a 48 hour period.
Next, the team received feedback on how the test data was analyzed against the design specifications. The team received one 6, one 8, five 9s, and two 10s, resulting in an average of 8.78. Greg Snow suggested that the team work to better present the time period test. For example, the team could have better explained the graph for this test as it was difficult to follow. The team agrees that the graph was difficult to understand for this test. The x-axis could have been labeled to group all of the prototype times together, and all of the normal car door times together. The team believes that this would help individuals to better understand and read the graph.
The team next received feedback on the reflections that were presented in regards to the success of the prototype and the design changes that the team would make. The team received one 7, four 8s, two 9s, and two 10s, resulting in an average score of 8.56. The team received feedback from Greg Snow suggesting again that the team look at materials and how the team would go about researching different materials that might be used in a future model of our product. The team also agrees that it would be valuable and necessary to further research and test different materials that would be best for the project if the team were to expand on it in the future.
Next, the team received feedback on how well the students were able to demonstrate knowledge over the problem statement and solution. The team received one 7, one 8, six 9s, and one 10, resulting in an average of 8.78. Engineering expert Greg Brown suggested that the team practice answering hypothetical questions that could be asked by the audience before presenting to be best prepared for this and give off a more knowledgeable attitude. Although the team did
practice answering questions throughout the period of the semester while working through the project, the team never spent a dedicated amount of time practicing answering questions. The team also agrees that practicing answering these questions would have been very beneficial to the team. When working in the future on projects similar to this one where the team members might present in front of experts and be asked questions, it would be best to practice asking hypothetical questions in advance.
Finally, the team received feedback on the presentation information order being presented in a logical way. The team received one 7, six 9s, and two 10s, resulting in an average score of 9. The team received no expert feedback on how the presentation information and order could be improved.
The team also received feedback on the individual's presentation skills. The team is going to analyze feedback from Greg Snow, who gave detailed writing on how the team presented.
First, Connor received feedback that noted that Connor is a good speaker, but to focus on stage presence and to make sure to not fidget while not speaking. Connor agrees that he could work on making sure to stand still while presenting and giving off a more comfortable looking stage presence.
Secondly, Kate received feedback that Kate gave a good presentation and had a good stage presence, but her voice was too monotone and metronome while presenting. Kate agrees that she should work to make sure that her pitch and timing fluctuate to better match the tempo of the presentation topics.
Finally, Ava got advice saying that Ava seemed a bit uncomfortable. Ava agrees that she felt nervous. Ava agrees with Mr.Snow that giving more presentations will make her more comfortable while presenting.
Conclusion
After reviewing the expert feedback, the team feels they know where they could improve in both their project prototype and presentation, as well as individual presentation skills. The team felt that the design drawings, bill of materials, and the construction of the prototype were strong in the presentation, and the expert feedback of the presentation also reflected this. However, the team feels they also have plenty of areas for improvement. Firstly, the team feels that preparing to answer questions in advance to the presentation would have been very helpful for all team members. The team also feels that it would have been useful to include more consumer input, for example, another consumer survey. This would help the team learn about what different types of consumers might want in a product, for example, what a parent might want versus a college student.
Introduction
After the team reflected on the teams’ own experience from the project, the team has decided that there are some aspects of the project that the team would change if the team were to redo it. The team felt that all members were able to work well together, contribute different skills that would help the project, work hard, and still enjoy the process of working through the project. The team feels that the final prototype that the team developed was efficient in solving the problem statement, but there are still some aspects that the team would like to look over and improve.
Element A
In Element A, the team spent time on developing, and researching, a problem statement. The team found that the brief time of opening a vehicle door and opening an umbrella allows for water to enter the interior of a vehicle and hit the individual entering or exiting the vehicle. Our research of existing patents, products, and scholarly articles, as well as input from potential buyers, indicates that there is a desire to minimize the period of time where water will enter a vehicle or hit an individual. Getting rid of this period of time will keep individuals dry, vehicle interiors dry, and give individuals more ease in carrying personal belongings. Research on patents and products shows that there has been work done to solve this problem, meaning that this is a problem that other people have considered and is, therefore, a valid problem statement. With all of this evidence and research, the team feels that the problem statement is worth pursuing.
After reviewing this element, the team decided that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would like to find an expert interview of someone who works in the automobile industry. This would have benefited the team throughout the rest of the project as the expert interview would have given the team better insight into how to develop a design and create an efficient prototype.
The team felt that Element A taught the team a lot about the project problem statement. For example, before starting Element A, the team had not considered that a solution to the problem could be extra beneficial to parents who need to strap a young child into car seats. The team had also not considered the fact that mold can form in vehicles when rain enters a vehicle. Both of these findings, as well as all of the others from Element A, were carried with the team and used throughout the rest of the project.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element A for a project, the team would recommend that this individual build a strong survey and try to get as many responses from this as possible. The team felt that they were efficient in creating an effective survey for Element A, and the team believes that this was greatly beneficial in giving insightful data. The team would also recommend that the individual work to find an expert interview in a field that is specific to the problem that the individual is working through. The team feels that they were not efficient enough in doing this, and feels that this would have been greatly helpful for the rest of the project.
From the external surveys and interviews of this Element, the team found that experts suggested that the product would be most successful if it were a built in feature of a vehicle, not something that can be attached. This would mean that if the team were to sell this product, they should sell to a car producer like Ford, for example, and not sell the product as an attachment. The team also found from the surveys that there were a large number of people in our area who have experienced difficulties with getting in and out of a vehicle while trying to open an umbrella. This means that the problem statement the team created was valid.
Element B
The team spent time in Element B researching patents and products that revealed that there is a desire to solve the problem statement. The solutions researched include a variety of attachments or installations that can be used in a vehicle with the goal of blocking rain from the driver and vehicle interior when the vehicle door is opened. A lot of the researched products have similar cons, such as poor material durability and the product being attachable and not built into the vehicle. The amount of patents and products on the market with the goal of blocking rain from hitting an individual and the vehicle interior indicated that the problem statement should be pursued for a solution.
After reviewing this element, the team decided that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would not want to change anything from the element. The team made sure to research products and patents that the team thought our finished prototype would look like and function like, but the team also researched other products that were still similar, like the umbrella. The team found that this mix of different products that the team researched were all efficient in giving insight into what would work for a problem solution, and what would not work.
The team felt that Element B taught the team a lot about what an efficient solution to the team's problem statement might look like. For example, before starting Element B, the team had not fully considered how a solution to the problem might function. The team felt that looking at several different types of solutions that were built in different ways and that functioned differently gave the team a lot of valuable information on how to start thinking about designing and building a prototype for the solution to the problem statement.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element B for a project, the team would recommend that this individual research many different products and patents. Research products that are very similar to what the individual is trying to solve and analyze these solutions for pros and cons. This will give the individuals a much better idea of what their solution will be like. The team also felt it was beneficial to research products that were not similar to the envisioned solution that the team would develop, but still solved a similar problem. An example from our team was to research the umbrella. The umbrella does not actually strap onto a vehicle but does solve the problem of blocking rain from hitting an individual.
For Element B, the team conducted no expert interviews or surveys. However, the expert interviews that were conducted in Element A still benefited the team while working through Element B. For example, when researching different products, the team kept in mind the advice to create a product that is built into a vehicle. The team analyzed solutions that were built into vehicles, and also ones that were just attachments. After doing this comparison, the team felt that the built in products would in fact be more efficient in blocking more rain, and would therefore be a better solution to the teams problem statement.
Element C
In Element C, the team worked to make designs that have been drawn and created to size for canopies for cars. However none of them completely solved the problem. Some completely missed the problem and did not solve it because they did not completely manage to satisfy the following, safety and durability. A solution for this problem that meets the above design requirements would thoroughly meet the needs and desires of the stakeholders for a product that solves this problem. The following design requirements which are safety, durability, and solves the problem thoroughly and completely satisfy the requirements of the stakeholders.
After reviewing this element, the team decided that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would not want to change anything from the element. The team made sure to create a list of design specifications that fulfilled the problem statement, and made sure to analyze these specifications to determine which would have priority over others. The Element was also formatted in a way that made the reading organized.
The team felt that Element C taught the team a lot about what a final solution to the team’s problem statement would need to be able to do. Working through this Element was also helpful to the team as it allowed the team to efficiently reflect on how the final product prototype that the team would develop would need to be able to do and solve to best fulfill the problem statement.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element C for a project, the team would recommend that this team make sure to spend time to sit down together so that everyone is able to talk through what they feel the problem needs to be able to solve. It is important to have these discussions and also keep the thoughts of all individuals organized, like writing what team members say in a google document, so that everyone agrees with the list of design specifications that the team creates and the order of priority in which their specifications are listed. This is important because the design specifications will be an important part of the rest of the project for the team.
For Element C, the team conducted no expert interviews or surveys. However, the expert interviews that were conducted in Element A still benefited the team while working through Element C. For example, there were two interviews from Element A of individuals who also happened to be parents. These individuals both gave feedback on how a solution to the problem would be especially helpful for parents of kids who use car seats and need to be strapped in. This input was helpful to the team for this element because it made the team keep in mind that the solution would have to be able to be in use for a number of minutes if needed, and it would also need to be efficient in blocking rain for longer periods of time. This made the team prioritize durability for the product so that it could withstand rain and weathering.
Element D
In Element D, the team brainstormed and created a list of potential solutions; the options were narrowed down to the top solutions. Finally the team created the best solution, the team believed that a combination of designs concluding with the ´Roll Out Magnet Cover Pop Up´ design would best work to solve the design specifications and problem statement. This design will be easy for individuals to use, will be very safe with no electrical parts, will give more room for individuals to stand under the roof with the dome, and of course keep individuals and car interiors dry. Research and expert feedback also backs up the team's belief that this would be the best solution. After looking over these drawings the team has created some concept models in inventor. The team has also done some research on fabrics and magnets as the main materials for the design. The team has also discussed the possible materials for the pop-up system and the roller system. The team will pursue this design as the final design to work on creating a prototype of and testing its effectiveness.
After reviewing this element, the team decided that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would like to make changes to the technical drawings of this Element. First, the team would work to make the CAD drawings of the top 5 solutions and the final solutions better at demonstrating the proper functions of these solutions, as well as add the proper dimensions to these drawings while they are still in CAD. This would help individuals who are reviewing this Element but are not a part of the team better understand what the solutions would look like and how they would function. The team felt that the expert interviews and the decision matrix were both efficient in giving validity to the 5 final solutions, as well as the final solution design that the team had chosen to work with. The team also felt that the research on different fabrics and magnets was helpful for the team in starting to think about how the prototype would actually be constructed.
The team felt that Element D taught the team a lot about what the team would need to do to create an actual prototype for the problem statement solution. The Element was also helpful in making the team start to think about what types of materials would be best for solving the design specifications for the problem.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element D for a project, the team would recommend that this team spend time to think through what the technical drawings should include to best solve the problem statement and fulfill the requirements. This will allow the team to eventually create an efficient prototype. The team also suggests spending time to set up a strong decision matrix that will give the team the best final solution. It is best to use expert feedback in the matrix, and it is also best to create a weighted system in how you rank the design specifications. The team feels that the decision matrix in our Element D was efficient as it had all of these suggestions.
The team conducted expert interviews to help with choosing the best 5 solutions of the 15 that were drawn, as well as choose the best final solution. The team felt that all of the expert interviews were efficient in helping the team, as the team had talked with several engineers, as well as an individual who works to repair cars in his free time.
Element E
In Element E, the team looked at the use of STEM principles that helped the team make sure that accurate measurements were taken to ensure that the tests done on the rain roof were effective and the rain roof would fit into the shape of the car door. The principles that were applied to the team's prototype have been useful to spring the prototype's ideas forward to its better development.
After reviewing this element, the team decided that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would like to make changes specifically to the science portion of the STEM principles. The team felt that the technology, engineering, and mathematical portions of this element were strong in showing how the team used these principles in the project and how these helped the team. The team feels that the science principles could have been stronger and this would have been more beneficial in helping the team work throughout the rest of the project. Onee of our expert interviews, Josh Predemore, also noted that our science principles were not strong compared to the rest of the principles of STEM. The team would have liked to look at how mold can form in vehicles and create a graph to demonstrate how long it takes mold to typically form, and how much mold can grow in a certain amount of time.
The team felt that Element E was efficient in allowing the team to reflect on how different STEM principles would need to be used in the solution of the problem statement. For example, the team had not realized how much math the team actually would need to use in making sure that the rain roof material would be cut out to the proper shape for the vehicle door and rolling system.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element E for a project, the team would recommend that this individual spend time on making sure to think through which parts of the design and prototype construction process would fit into different STEM principles. For example, an individual might not have realized how much technology they had actually used in developing and constructing the prototype of the solution, so it is just beneficial to reflect on this and know what you have actually used of different STEM principles.
The team conducted no expert interviews for this Element, as the team had only needed to write about how the team used STEM principles while working to build the prototype, and there were no experts with the team while the team was building the prototype.
Element F
In Element F, the team looked at the Design Viability, which discussed the life cycle and lifespan of the prototype and how that would affect manufacturing and distribution. Using the research that was done on this element the team used the research to better understand where the prototype would enhance the lives of individuals. The team also needed to know if this prototype was environmentally friendly, which was later found that parts of it were not.
After reviewing this element, the team decided that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would like to express more research throughout lifecycle and the manufacturing and distribution of our prototype. The team feels that we left gapes in the process of the lifecycle of the prototype, this could make the research done confusing to an outside reader which
Element G
For Element G, the team felt that the steps for building the prototype fulfilled the problem statement as well as the design specifications. The team also feels that the BOM was well thought out and includes all necessary components for building the prototype. The procedure was broken down into three parts 3D printing, inventor, and physical construction. Each of these play a crucial role in the construction of our prototype. 3D printing was used to make a pin for our project that connected the two rolling systems. Inventor was used throughout the project to generate ideas and to construct our final prototype idea so that the team would be able to start physical construction. Using Inventor we generated our final physical construction of our prototype.
After reviewing this element, the team decided that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would like to add more pictures throughout the element to give more clarity to viewers about how the prototype was built. The team feels that just having written descriptions with only a few pictures could feel confusing to look at as someone who did not work on the project, and it would be more beneficial to just include step by step images of the team building the prototype and explaining the testing process.
The team felt that Element G was efficient in using strong explanations of the build process for the prototype as well as descriptions of how the tests would be done, but again, the team feels that including more pictures to also show these steps would have been helpful.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element G for a project, the team would recommend that this individual spend time to read through the Element once it is done to make sure that the written explanations make sense. The team did this for the document once the team was done, and the team felt that this was greatly beneficial in making sure that the writing made sense and was clear. The team would also suggest that step by step pictures are included of how the prototype was build. The team had included some pictures, but the team feels that it would have been better if more pictures were included to give better visuals of how the prototype was actually built.
The team conducted no expert interviews for this Element, as the team had only needed to write and show how the team had worked to create the prototype, and then write about how the team would go about working through the tests that the team would need to complete to fulfill the design specifications.
Element H
In Element H, the team worked through writing an in depth report on how the team would go through different tests that would be able to fulfill the design specification requirements.
After reviewing this element, the team decided that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would like to be able to test the rain roof prototype on an actual vehicle. This would help with all testing, but especially the time testing where the team compares the time it takes to open the rain roof to a standard car time. The team believes this because the rain roof would not be opened without being connected to the vehicle door, so having it connected would just be more purposeful for this test.
The team felt that Element H was helpful to the team as it gave the team a strong place to put out the plan for testing and the step-by-step directions for testing. This was very helpful to the team once the team actually started testing and it kept the team organized.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element H for a project, the team would recommend that this individual spend time to make the document organized. For example, the team used numbered bullet points to show the steps of all of the tests, and this made the document easier to read and follow and was helpful to the team as the team went through testing.
The team conducted no expert interviews for this Element, as the team had only needed to write a detailed explanation of how the tests would be conducted. Because we had already gotten feedback from experts on what tests would be beneficial for the team to do from Element D, the team had no reason to talk to experts for this element.
Element I
For Element I, the team worked to go through the tests that were created in Element H. The team made sure to document the results of the test using google sheets and photos to show when the tests passed or failed. For all tests, the team created graphs that would give a visual of the results of all tests.
After reviewing this element, the team decided, like with Element H, that if there was more time to work on this element, the team would like to be able to test the rain roof prototype on an actual vehicle. This would help with all testing, but especially the time testing where the team compares the time it takes to open the rain roof to a standard car time. The team believes this because the rain roof would not be opened without being connected to the vehicle door, so having it connected would just be more purposeful for this test.
The team felt that Element I was helpful to the team as it gave the team an organized location to store the results of all of the tests. The team members also wired to create graphs that showed visual results of all of the tests, and the team felt that this was helpful in understanding the validity of all of the tests.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element I for a project, the team would recommend that this individual spend time to make the documents that the team stores test data in organized so that the documents will be helpful as the team wors to create visual graphs. The team had made sure to use organized documents to store test results, and the team felt that this was definitely helpful when it came time to mae graphs to display the test data.
The team conducted expert interviews for element I to understand the expert opinions of the results of the testing. Many of the experts suggested that the team change the graphs that the team had originally made to add more data, lie a key of what data meant, for example. The team used this feedback to create graphs that the team felt were easier to follow.
Element J
For Element J, the team reviewed the expert feedback, and the team felt they knew where they could improve in both their project prototype and presentation, as well as individual presentation skills. The team felt that the design drawings, bill of materials, and the construction of the prototype were strong in the presentation, and the expert feedback of the presentation also reflected this.
The team feels they also have plenty of areas for improvement for the final presentation. Firstly, the team feels that preparing to answer questions in advance to the presentation would have been very helpful for all team members. The team also feels that it would have been useful to include more consumer input, for example, another consumer survey. This would help the team learn about what different types of consumers might want in a product, for example, what a parent might want versus a college student.
The team felt that Element J was helpful to the team as it gave the team expert opinions from several individuals that the team had not yet talked to about how the project could be improved. The team members also got feedback on how their individual presentation sills could be improved, and this will benefit the team members as they practice working on presentations in the future.
If someone else were to go through creating a document like Element J for a project, the team would recommend that this individual spend time to organize the reviews of all of the individual input because there is a lot of input, so it can quickly become disorganized.
Conclusion
The following element concludes the evaluation of each of the elements, and what the team felt like we could add or improve on. Elements A-C of component one was the research done on our problem statement. Elements D-F of component two set up the design and the functions of our prototype. Elements G-I of component three was the building and testing of the teams prototype, which was proven successful. Finally, elements J-L were reflections of the CDR and the Final Prototype. All of those components were put together in this element to show an overall reflection of the teams thoughts and how the team could improve.
Element K: Reflection on the Design Project
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Element L: Designer’s Recommendations
Problem Statement
In 2021, 68.2% of people who drive in the Kansas City area have experienced difficulty with getting in or out of a vehicle while carrying an object, such as a backpack, while it is raining. Difficulties include staying dry as an individual, keeping the interior of a vehicle dry, and opening an umbrella while getting in or out of a vehicle. This may lead to discomfort for the individual as well as possible health problems from mold.
Introduction
The initial prototype was able to fulfill the design specifications of the problem to an extent, however, the team knows that there are always ways to improve. The team is going to reflect on what areas of the project could have been improved upon.
Project Conduct Improvements
To improve the conduct of the project, the team would first have liked to have had an expert interview for Element A which was an individual who worked in the automobile industry. This would increase the validity of this Element as the team choose to work with innovations to a vehicle. The team was able to find an expert of the automobile industry by Element D, but it still would have been helpful to have gotten this expert earlier. To do this, the team could have spent more time during Element A reaching out to local car manufacturers or car shops to see if anyone would have been interested in helping.
Next, the team would have included better CAD drawings in Element D. To do this, the team members would have needed to look at online tutorials to get better at CAD or ask a peer for help or advice on how to make the CAD drawings better. This would have allowed individuals who looked over Element D to have an easier time understanding how the prototype would function and connect to the vehicle.
Next, the team would have sent out a second consumer survey at the end of Element H. This would have given the team more information on how the consumers viewed the prototype that the team had made, and what individuals might want to be changed about the prototype. To do this survey, the team would have sent out a survey which would have included pictures of the finished prototype and rank the features of the prototype using a scale of 1-10. The surveyors could also give written input. The survey lastly would have been sent out to all of the individuals who too the initial survey that the team had used in Element A.
Lastly, the team would have liked to have done more research on the materials that could have been used for the rain roof. The team had gotten advice during the critical design review to do this, as Mr.Snow felt that the fabric we ended up using was not durable enough (it would rip or fray easily). The team could have spent more time during Element D to research other types of materials. This could benefit the team as doing more research could show the team that there were better alternatives to be used, and this would better the prototype.
Rain Roof Prototype Improvements
The Prototype needed a few changes that would have upgraded its original structure. After testing rain resistance on the prototype, the team found that the springs used to roll up and unroll the fabric from the storage compartment had rusted. When rusted, the springs were unable to perform their primary function. One of the experts for the team suggested that the team use stainless steel which would not rust from water.
The team also found that super glue would not be long lasting, most of the super glue would break down from the conditions that are required by the prototype. The team would instead not use glue at all, instead the team would use a larger storage system so that it wouldn’t have to be so easy to tear apart. The hot glue used also did not stand well when used for the fiberglass rod. The fiberglass rod was drilled in at an angle and then glued in by super glue. The team noticed whenever they would check in the mornings, the glue would have moved the fiberglass rod slightly towards a 180 degree angle instead of the original 90 degree angle where it was originally glued from. This was caused by the glue not being strong enough to withstand the original angle's weight because of the fiberglass rod being about a foot and a half stretched out from the position of it being glued from. The team would have used screws that would have upheld the fiberglass rod to the 90 degree angle. The team also super glued the pocket that held the fiberglass rod to the fabric. This caused the team many annoyances because of the pocket being ripped from the fabric whenever the team was performing the rain resistance testing. The pocket would instead be stitched in by a strong string so that the fiberglass rod could not break the pocket off the fabric.
The team also found out about the fiberglass rod that it would be productive to increase the angle of the rod. This would cause taller individuals to easily step out of the prototype instead of making it a big hassle for them.
The team would replace the casing with a stronger type of material so that it could not be easily broken by debris or mishaps done by an individual. The storage system is made out of an extremely cheap plastic that was easily cut through and could easily be split in half or melt when it was too hot. The team instead would buy a stronger piece of plastic that was injection molded so that it could withstand the teams test fairly and would be able to withstand any other unplanned test.
The team also would have researched further into which magnets the team could have used. The magnets the team are using now are strong enough to withstand anything light and made through the testing that the team could provide. However the magnets did not have that many tests where it tested the strength of the magnet. The team would have liked to research for any stronger magnets that could have affected the overall strength of the prototype.
The team also would have liked to use different types of screws for the project. The screws that were used were wood screws, if the team were to actually test the prototype on an actual car door, they would need to use different screws that would be able to screw into either steel or aluminum. This would also cause there to be a significantly harder job on pre-drilling the holes.
Areas Needing Further Development in Testing
For areas to improve for the testing of the prototype, the team would first like to improve the time test. The teams feels that the results of this test would have been more valid if the team were able to put the prototype of the rain roof on an actual vehicle. This would allow the team to take more efficient time measurement of how long it takes a vehicle door to open with a rain roof. To do this, the team would need to develop the prototype so that it would not have needed the wood to simulate the roof of a vehicle, and then the rolling system would need to be able to attach to the interior of the roof of the vehicle.
Secondly, the team would like to add improvements to the fabric mold testing. The team, as mentioned earlier, would have liked to research and test more fabrics to find if there was any fabric that might work better to fulfill all of the design specifications of the project. To do this, the team would have had to have researched more fabrics during Element D, and then add these fabrics to the bill of materials. Then, the team would have just had to test these new fabrics along with the original fabrics during the mold resistance testing.
Next, the team would have liked to have made improvements with the rain resistance test. During this test, Connor had held the rain roof open, and while doing this Connor got completely soaked with water. The team would improve this test by building a piece that would be able to hold both the door and the rain roof properly open. This would ensure that Connor would not have had to have gotten wet, and it would also add validity to the testing as the holding system would make sure that the rain roof was consistently opened to the same position. To make this, the team would have needed to put aside time during the build process to have found the correct dimensions for this and then use wood to make the correct shape of the system.
Finally, the team would have liked to have added a test that tested the rain roof on an actual vehicle and then have different people stand under the rain roof to measure how people of different heights would feel under the roof. The team had had a couple of comments during the final design presentation talking about how the rain roof looked like it would be difficult for people of a taller height to stand under. If the team were able to do a height test to see how people of different heights would feel under the rain roof, the team would be able to improve the ease of use testing area.
Conclusion
After the team had reflected on what changes the team would have made to the different aspects of the project that the team worked through, the team feels that the changes the team would make would better fulfill the different design specifications of the project. This reflection process also allowed the team to better understand how all of the different aspects of the presentation worked together.