Proj. Manag.
Project Management
Guidelines for Weekly Progress Reports
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).
Project Objectives
Concisely list and prioritize the project objectives and constraints
High Priority Objectives
Capability of gyro to rotate on all three axes
Sensors on all three axes of the gyro to measure rotation, precession, and nutation, ideally with ranges of 1000 rpm, 100 rpm, and 100 rpm respectively
Gyroscope must be mounted on a platform with wheels so gyroscope can be moved in straight line or curved path (with wheels locked at an angle) to be able to demonstrate mechanics of boomerang moving in a straight or angled path
Gyroscope needs to be built so it can be assembled/disassembled easily by one
person and transported in luggage on an international flight
(Mr. Gudem would like to bring the gyroscope across country for public demonstrations)
Second Priority Objectives
Ability to prevent rotation on any of the three axes
Ability to apply measureable torque to the spinning wheel so that actual precession and nutation in measurement can be compared with theory
Ability to use torque measurements from the above objective to predict precession and nutation of a scaled model of the gyro that would resemble a boomerang
Other Constraints and Issues
Ease of assembly and disassembly - would be difficult to make the gyroscope as big as desired, easy to take apart and put together, as well as compact
enough to be stored in luggage for flights
How would applied torque be measured?
The gyroscope needs to be big enough to be visible when presented in front of a large group but also small enough to fit in luggage for international transport
WOW Design Solution
Ask what would their dream design solution would be like. You may not achieve this, but it is good to know what it would be like.
Mr. Grudem's “Wow Design Solution” would successfully complete all of the above objectives. He especially would be “wowed” by having the gyroscope be easy for him to assemble and disassemble quickly and without much effort because he would like to travel with it to use as a presentation tool.
Risk Reduction Strategy
List areas of risk and strategy that will be used to eliminate risk really in the design process.
-How to best reflect rotation, nutation, and precession of boomerangs
-Bicycle wheel or disk, etc
-Weight Distribution of the rotating part
-Minimizing friction: ball bearings, lubricants, etc
- Size and weight limit
-Choose appropriate material of appropriate size.
-Maintain certain level of strength to withstand three axis rotation.
- Ease of assembly
-Minimize number of components to fit in luggage
- How to apply measurable torque.
-Motorize? Wireless?
-Accelerometer
-Pressure sensor
Intermediate Milestones
Identifying meaningful intermediate milestones is a critical for effective project management. Together with your sponsor identify such milestones, and specify specific performance requirements you aim to meet at each milestone.
For 156A:
1. Problem Definition Presentation - week 8
2. Go Boomeranging with Mr. Gudem to gather experimental data - week 8-9
3. Decide on Risk Reduction, acquire necessary parts, begin building Risk Reduction -week 94. Risk Reduction Meeting - week 10
5. Finish building Risk Reduction - by end of week 10
6. Risk Reduction Presentations and Worksheets - Finals week
For 156B:
1. Create a CAD model of gyroscope and base with wheels - need to know the size of luggage to know dimensions we have to work with - week 1
2. Build gyroscope and base - week 2-3
3. Design sensors to measure rotation, precession, and nutation - week 4
4. Build and implement sensors - week 4
5. Determine technique to apply and measure torque - week 5
6. Build torque measuring device - week 6
7. Improve the hardware based on the test results - week 7-8
8. Final tests, reports, etc. - week 9-10