Project Objectives
Concisely list and prioritize the project objectives and constraints
High Priority Objectives
1. Maintain constant pressure on the IV bag throughout the entire process of draining the fluid
2. Able to operate without risk of the operators hand or fingers being crushed by the device applying pressure
3. Easily set up by people lacking upper body strength
4. Mostly mechanical device that does not require any connections to other devices or sources of power (can use batteries)
5. Easy to carry
Second Priority Objectives
6. Empty the bags of fluid at a faster rate than the current device
7. Able to be set up and operated by one person
8. Easy to clean and sanitize
Other Constraints and Issues
· The device should weigh less than five pounds
· Does not apply enough pressure to burst the bags of fluid
· Red blood cells should not be crushed in the process of draining a bag of blood
WOW Design Solution
The sponsor’s ideal design solution would be a device that weighs around one pound and can be used one thousand times without breaking. He would prefer the design to cost less than fifty dollars per unit to produce and be entirely mechanical. Finally, he would appreciate it if the design had an intuitive aspect to it so that someone without training would be able to figure out how to operate it. He is open to different ideas for the final solution and appearance but would ideally like the group to meet these specifications along with those listed under the Project Objectives section.
Risk Reduction Strategy
· Determine the maximum pressure that the IV bag can withstand before bursting
· Determine the flow rate of the current design
· Generate 3D drawings of possible design solutions to note areas where fingers may get caught or blood cells would come under a lot of pressure
· Create a prototype to begin tests of how much pressure we can apply and observe other aspects of the draining process
Intermediate Milestones
• Create multiple design options – March 15th
• Build several prototypes – April 12th
• Test prototypes with various pressure sources –May 3rd
• Select a final design and pressure source – May 10th
• Determine final materials – May 17th
• Test with clear fluid - May 24th
• Test with blood to determine damage to red blood cells – May 31st