Progress Report ERC

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project Background

In this Reliability subject, we are required to form a group of 18 members to come up with a

design project that is able to fulfill some requirements guided by our lecturer and project

supervisor, Dr Mohd Asri bin Yusuff. The product that we need to design is Human Powered

Vehicle (HPV) that will cover of a design event, a racing event and innovation presentation.

The objective of this project is to design a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) that can function

as an alternative form of transportation.

This project is begun by done research and literature review via internet and other

relevant academic material that related to the title in order to find suitable design of HPV.

Hence, after a thorough brainstorming and discussion among our group members, we have

decided to design a modern looks of HPV that will discussed in next section. The vehicle

should include frame, fairing, steering, and drive train. Besides that, the design should come

with ergonomics, safety elements and latest innovation of the HPV.

After sketching some possible concepts design of this HPV, one concept from

morphological chart that suitable and fit all the specification was chosen to fabricate. We

have selected one design concept that we made further into our final project. For each

subsection design of HPV, the analysis work was completed to ensure the best design concept

has been selected. Each subsection will be refined the design, determine the suitable material

that will be used and then the construction process will begins. Figure 1.1 shows the raw

frame design of HPV that is draw by using CATIA software.

Figure 1.1: Raw design of HPV frame.

We design this HPV so that it will have longer life time, low cost maintenance, and

have high value on market. For development of this project and future works, a few

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suggestions in order to improve the speed, aerodynamics and maneuverability is included in

order to ensure this HPV is worth to be owned and used. The description of HPV design and

development process will be explained further in this report.

1.2 Objectives

The objectives for this group project as shown as below:

i. To build an efficient and practical human powered vehicle.

ii. To determine the reliability of the human powered vehicle by using Weibull++

software.

iii. To demonstrate the application of engineering principles toward the development

of a fast, efficient and sustainable human powered vehicle.

1.3 Scopes

i. To use the Weibull++ as the main software in analysing the reliability of the

human powered vehicle

ii. To design the best solution for the human powered vehicle.

iii. To apply the human powered vehicle in a racing competition.

1.4 Gantt chart

Table 1.1: Gantt chart

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GANTT CHART

Week/Lecture Weeks

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Title

FormingGroupGroup Discussion-Team’s nameGroup DistributionDesign SketchingPreliminaryDesignConceptDesignBill of Material (BoM)Fabrication

Analysis

Presentation

Submission ReportRaceday

1.5 Organization Chart

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2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Chronology of the bicycle and the development technology

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Frenchman, Scotsman, Englishman and Americans were the people that claimed the credit for

inventing the first bicycle in the world. The answer to the question often depends on the

nationality that you ask; the French claim it was a Frenchman, Scots claim a Scotsman, the

English an Englishman, and Americans often claim that it was an America (Mozer, D., 1995).

There are many types of bicycle throughout the history. Firstly, Figure 2.1 shows the very

first bicycle in 1820s. It is also called as the running machine that was invented by Karl

Drais. Furthermore, it was made entirely of wood materials.

Figure 2.1: Lobby Horse

Bone Shaker or Velocipede in Figure 2.2 was made of stiff materials with the straight angles

and steel wheels. The improvement from the previous which is the Lobby Horse is a front

wheel with peddles with the direct drive, fixed gear and one speed system. This machine was

known as the velocipede.

Figure 2.2: Boneshaker

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Figure 2.3: High wheeler

Figure 2.3 show the well-known bicycle of all time because until nowadays this product is

still exists that was for the ancient history exhibition and the museum of all around the world.

These unique styles of bicycle have one large wheel and a smaller one of the back wheel.

High Wheeler bicycle was the first to be called a bicycle and in addition which is the larger

the wheel, the farther travel with one full rotation (Mozer, D., 1995).

Around 1880s, the tricycles were invented to improve the stability with the additional one

wheel to make it into 3-wheels bicycle. These tricycles were afforded more dignity to

gentlemen such as doctors and clergymen.

Figure 2.4: Tricycle

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Figure 2.5: Safety bike

The name implies the safety bike in Figure 2.5 is safer than the ordinary (Mozer, D., 1995).

The further improvement with strong metal that chain and sprocket small and light enough

for a human being to power up with the design to the original 2 wheels in the same diameter.

Initially, the bicycles still had the hard rubber tires and the absence of the long, shock-

absorbing spokes, the ride they provided was much more uncomfortable than any of the high-

wheel designs (Mozer, D., 1995). This is basically the same design as standard contemporary

bikes. Bikes were relatively expensive during that day in around 1890s and suitable to use to

elites.

Figure 2.6: Modern bike

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Figure 2.6 show the relatively modern bicycle which is lighter than the previous ancient

modern by using the carbon materials. Furthermore, the bicycle wheel, frame, and

components materials to be considered are steel alloys, aluminium alloys, titanium alloys,

and composites which is lighter but expensive (Cantrell, A., 2000).

2.2 Maximizing Performance in HPV

Previous research shows that we need to understand how the body interacts with the vehicle

to maximize propulsive forces and how the vehicle interacts with the environment to

minimize resistive forces secondly. External mechanical variables such as seat-tube-angle,

seat-to-pedal distance and crank arm length interact with internal biomechanical factors (hip,

knee, and ankle angles) to affect power production and cycling performance (Too, D., and

Landwer, G., 2003)

Figure 2.7: Seat tube angles

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An inverted U shape curve was the best describing cycling performance when there is a

systematic increase in seat-tube angle from 0 to 100 degrees resulting in a systematic

decrease in mean hip angle from 131 to 59 degrees (Too, D., and Landwer, G., 2003).

Figure 2.8: Hip angles changes when the seat tube changes

The traditional upright cycling position which is the seat height as measured from the pedal

spindle to the top of the seat along a straight line formed by the crank, seat tube, and seatpost

that maximizes aerobic cycling performance varies from 96% to 100% of leg length.

Furthermore, the higher the percentages from seat to pedal distance, the higher the angles of

the hip and knee. The seat-to-pedal distance for a tall individual (with long legs) will result in

a significantly greater absolute change in seat-to-pedal distance when compared to a very

short individual (Too, D., and Landwer, G., 2003). Some tall individuals were having

difficulty to complete all 5 seat-to-pedal distance conditions because they were unable to

pedal in the 110% leg length condition. Their leg is already at full knee extension and no

further accommodation at the ankle could be made when seat-to-pedal distance was further

increased. In addition, some individuals appeared to make adjustment to their seat positions

during the test in order to perform at the 110% leg length condition.

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3.0 METHODOLOGY

3.1 House of Quality (HoQ)

Table 3.1

From the table of House of Quality given above, the most priority of engineering

characteristics that correlated with the customer requirement is performances. It is because

the performances is the important factor for this project to ensure the vehicles moves with the

strength of the human-being power with the system that had been assembled.

The second priority of engineering characteristics that correlated with the customer

requirement is materials because it is also the main factor of the prosthetic leg. The weight of

the product must be in the lightweight assembly to ensure the user can easily using it. If the

product is heavy, it cannot be used.

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Engineering CharacteristicImprovement Direction ↑ ↑ n/a ↑ n/a ↓ ↑

Units kg n/a n/a n/a n/a $ n/a

Customer Requirements

Impo

rtanc

e W

eigh

t Fac

tor

Wei

ght o

f the

pro

duct

Shap

e of

the

prod

uct

Size

of t

he p

rodu

ct

Dur

abili

ty o

f veh

icle

s

Mat

eria

ls

Man

ufac

turin

g co

st

Perf

orm

ance

s

Cost product 5 3 - 3 9 9 9 -Attractive design 5 - 9 9 - 3 3 3

Durability of product 5 9 - - 9 9 3 9Lightweight 5 9 3 9 - 9 3 9

Transmission system 5 9 - 9 9 3 9 9Rider safety 5 9 3 3 3 9 3 9Efficiency 5 - - 9 3 3 3 9

Fewer components 4 9 9 3 1 3 9 3Raw Score 231 111 222 169 237 201 252

Relative Weight (%) 16.23 7.80 15.60 11.88 16.65

14.13 17.71

Rank Score 3 7 4 6 2 5 1

3.2 Morphological Chart

Table 3.2: Morphological chart

By refer to the Morphological chart; this methods help structure the problem fit the synthesis

of different components to fulfill the same required functionality. After the morphological

chart is generated, next thing is to generate all designs by synthesizing possible combinations

of alternatives for each sub-function solution identified from table above. After having an

evaluation of all the possible combination of the sub-functions, we decided to use three

combinations as our conceptual design. Table 3.2 shows the different criteria of design as the

steps to combine the various types of option to complete the conceptual design after the

Morphological chart had been done.

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Figure 3.1: Concept 1

Figure 3.2: Concept 2

Figure 3.3: Concept 3

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Figure 3.4 and 3.5 show the final concept that had been selected from three concepts that

been chosen from the morphological chart.

Figure 3.4: Side view

Figure 3.5: Top view

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Figure 3.6: Raw frame design

References

Dieter, G. and Schmidt, L. (2009). Engineering Design, 4th Ed, New York: Mc Graw-Hill

Company.

Cantrell, A. (2000). ‘Bicycle Materials Case Study’. Retrieved from

http://depts.washington.edu/matseed/mse_resources/Webpage/Bicycle/Bicycle%20Materials

%20Case%20Study.htm

Mozer, D. (1995). ‘Bicycle History (& Human Powered Vehicle History)’. Retrieved from

http://www.ibike.org/library/history-timeline.htm

Too, D. and Landwer, G. (2003). “Maximizing Performance in Human Powered Vehicles”.

The College at Brockport: State University of New York.

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