Weekly Progress Reports (see sidebar), the Gantt chart, and this Project Management page should be printed out before meetings with the sponsor and instructor.
All team members should be able to explain all items on the progress report.
Place a "*" at the beginning of the title of the active week Progress Report (see * in sidebar).
Overview of Project:
The sponsor organization is a recently founded startup organization, and their main goal is to improve the lives of third world citizens. More specifically, the organization hopes to address the lack of transportation, water supply, and energy source of the impoverished rural citizens. The primary task of our group is to design, test, and build a universal bike attachment that will incorporate a pumping system and water storage. This incorporation will solve the transportation and water needs of native villagers. If time is still available, the team will also develop an electric generator attachment to enable power production and storage.
Project Objectives:
High Priority – Design of a working ‘pressure wave pump’ (OXpump) prototype that maximizes the efficiency of the OX1/phoenix vehicle. Key constraints of the pump requirements:
· Determine most efficient pump system to implement (rotary, reciprocating, diaphragm, etc.)
· Piston size may range from 25cc to 100cc if needed
· Rotor on pump must engage with the stationary tire of bike when pedaled
· Inlet and outlet valve must be for standard size hoses - ½” or ¾” (inch)
· Assume the average energy output of single person of 150 Watts
Second Priority – Integrate electric power generator component to pump stand system:
· Addition components for cart if possible:
o Alternator (power generation)
o Battery (power storage)
o Solar film/panel
o Bladder to fill with water and transport in bike
o Water sterilization system
Other Constraints and Issues – Our user demographic are generally referred to as the ‘poorest of the poor’. They have minimal education and training and have been marginalized by their governments. The product must be gender neutral, meaning, user limitations for pedaling range from 35 to 80 rpm.
Ideally, the OX1 and related products can be used by anyone ages 7 to 70 years. Thus, the simpler the design and function of all the parts and components, the better. The OXcart should have a payload capacity of up to 200 lbs. (not including the weight of the rider).
The terrain where the OX1 will be used can be described as rough – rocky, arid, dry, desolate and/or tropical jungle where mud and vegetation present transport obstacles.
The OXcart should be outfitted with multiple battery units, so as to provide a plug and play option for future implements and attachments that will serve the three target sectors of the product line, agriculture, construction and domestic care.
The WOW Design Solution – A systems thinking product that can be delivered to remote locations around the world and enable ‘users’ to GO ANYWHERE, DO EVERYTHING and DEVELOP THEIR WORLD.
When that happens we will mitigate the issues facing the development of the poor and provide a turn-key option for the United Nations (UN), World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to finance the procurement and distribution of the OX product line.
Intermediate Milestones - First and foremost, aggregate all the materials and supplies necessary to make the OXpump. The sponsor will provide the pistons, rings, conrods and bearings (varied sizes) – these materials have been ordered and will be available by 3/20/17 at the latest. Additionally, the OX1, as well as, phoenix bike vehicles will be delivered to the student’s lab (location TBD) as soon as possible to begin work.
By mid-April we should have the pump assembly complete - adaptations and fine tuning should be well underway. Additional design modifications and creative adjustments should be presented post mid-April.
Testing and evaluation should begin no later than May 1.