| The Design Problem: A company currently has a challenge in the final stage of their bottling line. The company requires a device that can position and orient a plastic bottle, fill it, and then screw on a cap. To generate feasible concepts, they are offering ASME Student Members the opportunity to design a prototype system that will transport, orient, fill, and cap a plastic one liter soft drink (soda pop) bottle. For more detials see the ASME design contest website. |
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Brandy, Gerry, Jason, and Leah (Group 1) with their bottling project. Slow
and steady, this project won the "best manufactured" award. If the transport
mechanism hadn't hit a snag this group would have surely scored very high,
as a result hand cranking the worm gear cost them significant time. This
group also adhered most closely to the constraints imposed by the
ASME contest regulations. Their capping system was poetry in motion. |
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| One ASME requirement
was to use radio shack motors, as drawn in ProEngineer by Group 4.
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Groups 2 & 3 decided
to forego the use of the Radio Shack motors in favor of a Lego motor
and controller to augment their transport system and improve their run
times.
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Rob, Oliver, and Sara (Group 2) with their bottling system. This
project won the "fastest" award with a blazing 72 s on their second trial.
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Their modified ping pong ball valve is
just one example of this groups commitment to using mechanical parts and
their resourcefulness in obtaining them. In the words of Professor
Huston "Where did that ball screw go anyway, it was in room 207 just the
other day?"
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| Jake,
Jeff, Rusty, Matt, Jay, and Geoff (not present) (Group 3) won the "best
pressure head" award for building the tallest system. The "never fail"
transport system (patent pending) almost lived up to its reputation
but for one minor problem with the hammer/spatula alignment jig.
The hammer/spatula combination and the weighted yankee screwdriver
impaction capping mechanism are just two examples of this team's commitment
to using readily available parts. The group is still trying to figure
out how to fit the stool into the 30x50x30 cm box. |
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Zack, Kevin, Drew, and Gerald (Group 4) won the "most ambitious design"
award for their use of 4 rack and pinion gears in a highly unique design.
The claw mechanism offers great promise for clamping and transporting the
bottle. The computer controlled elevator/swivel arm with its laser sensor
is but one example of this group's commitment to the latest technology.
Once this group realized there was not enough time in the class (and perhaps
the new millenium) to build their system, there was no stopping them. |
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Surprising all with a late solo entry Jon Bates won the prestigous "most
likely to transport a bottle into orbit" award. This system adhered very
closely to the ASME guidlines. In the words of everyone who saw the system
in operation: "You should compete in the regional/national competition!"
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The bottling system
used 8 motors to power its conveyor belt, transport mechanism, capping
and filling systems, and a modified siphon pump.
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Inspired by the architecture
of Richard Rogers, Bates'
device is affectionately called 'Le petite Pompidou.'
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