BC

Coursework
Module Name:
Module No:
Coursework Mark:
Submission deadline:

Advanced Manufacturing Engineering and Management Practice

PDE 4221
35%
Friday 19 December 2008

Problem:
Affordable Automation Ltd, based in Manchester, has been commissioned to supply an electro-mechanical
handling system. The machine is to have two axes, X and Z, and will be used to carry sink tap units in
preparation for painting or plating. Z-axis will be mounted on a fixed beam section travelling along the XAxis, and will have a suitable area for loading a batch of 10 taps. The overall mass of the Z-axis is estimated
to be 28 kg. The taps are made from brass and will be required to be cleaned and dried prior to being plated.
The taps are to be supplied to Ideal Standard Limited for their Affinity range (P/N E7834AA), catalogue
number 9:4:1A. The gross mass of the unassembled taps is 1.5 kg (body and spout). The lever handles of the
taps will be cleaned using another carrier and is not part of this task.
The frame is to be built by another company, Machine Building Systems (MBS) based in Derby, using
aluminium alloy extrusions manufactured by a German company, Item. A proposed configuration of the
system is provided by MBS with some overall dimensional details in Figure 1.
The vertical axis is a telescopic construction and offers an effective area of 300 mm x 300 mm to mount a
suitable tap carrier (body and spout). The company would like to have the taps pre-loaded onto these carriers
and then loaded onto the gantry. The depth of each station is 0.9 m (cleaning, rinsing and drying). Once
carrier is loaded, there should be no free movement other than the natural flexing of the structure.
It is worth noting that each end of the cross slide beam will be mounted onto a pair of linear bearing blocks.
Z-axis is to be mounted at midpoint along the cross slide.
Task:
1- Specify a suitable section for the Z-Axis and its associated components using the Item catalogue. You can
obtain an electronic version of their catalogue at www.mbsitem.co.uk and www.iteminternational.com/en/.
2- Design a suitable carrier for the tabs specified and the necessary interface with the gantry system.
3- Use Solidworks/Cosmos to test the structure to determine:
a) Maximum vertical displacement of the cross beam carrying the z-axis
b) First five natural frequencies of the cross slide and the associated mode shapes.
4- State any assumption you make in your calculations.
5- Provide a report to detail your solution including the necessary CAD images/drawings in a PDF format
6- Submit your report using Oasisplus.

IDEAL

S TA N D A R D

CI/SfB

January 2007
(74)
Uniclass L721

brassware

affinity
Distinctively designed quarter turn
kitchen brassware.
Valves incorporate ceramic disc
cartridges and are supplied complete
with matching chromium plated brass
lever handles.
Suitable for low or high pressure
systems. Balanced or unbalanced
supplies.

Distinctive design
Quarter turn for ease of use
Ceramic disc cartridge
Available in two finishes

Illustrated
E7834AA Affinity CD
1/2 in ceramic disc bridge
mixer, twin flow swivel
spout with lever
handles, chromium
plated
Options
E7834GN Affinity CD
1/2 in ceramic disc bridge
mixer, twin flow swivel
spout with lever handles,
satin chromium finish
Special notes
Inlets screwed 1/2in BSP
male, bored and coned
for 15mm copper.
Minimum 0.3 bar
pressure required

170
305
190

48
180

brassware

kitchen

115

Tel: 0870 122 8822 Fax: 0870 122 8282

email: info@thebluebook.co.uk

9 : 4 : 1A

Visit www.thebluebook.co.uk
online for search, specify & CAD facilities

Figure 1: Proposed Gantry Structure

Figure 2: Proposed Gantry Structure suggested beam profiles