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Analysing Existing Products

FOR ENGINEERED FUNCTIONS

It is essential that when analysing existing products as part of your investigation (BEFORE writing your own engineering specification), that you consider the FUNCTION of how these products work (i.e. what engineered features enable the product to meet its PRIMARY FUNCTION.

Car Mobile Phone Holder

Attaching a weight bearing object to a smooth flat surface using suction.

Product uses a rotational lever action to pull a central pin backwards and forwards (rotary to linear motion), changing the shape of the suction 'cup'. This flexible plastic is sometimes coated with an extra-sticky layer to enhance adhesion.

Bike or Scooter Mobile Phone Holder

Attaching a weight bearing object to a cylindrical surface using compression.

Product uses a rotary clamp, operated by a screwthread to open and close (rotary to linear motion). The rotary hinge uses 'notches' to locate the clamp into pre-determined positions. The phone holder is made in 2-halves (see the seam) and contains a quick release button to release the phone from its grip.

'Anglepoise' Holder

Using cantilever forces to manipulate a medium weight object (e.g. a camera or lamp) into variable positions without having to undo nuts, bolts, screws, etc.

Collapsible Easel

This collapsible product folds and shrinks to a compact for easy storage. It is intended to support a whiteboard or large flat panel .

'Gate' Hinge

This is designed to provide 180° of rotational movement and to support the weight of a heavy door.

It is manufactured from galvanised steel and is create by rolling the steel to allow a pin to be driven through (from the top, so it doesn't fall out).

Hole Punch

The hole punch used a rotational cam to push down a series of pin punches which drive their way through a thin stack of paper.

The bottom of the hole punch has a simple mechanism to allow different positions for the edge of the paper, allowing the use to adjust where they punch. It takes advantage of the flexibility of polypropylene plastic to allow a tiny 'pin' to slide and pop in and out of small holes on the flat bottom cover. This also allows the cover to be pulled off to remove the small pieces of paper inside.

Adjustable Monitor Bracket

Allows the monitor to be raised or lowered through a range of positions and rotate the screen up or down to reduce screen glare.

Whiteboard hinge

This small and compact design allows the whiteboard to be rotated up or down.

Bandsaw 'Cross-Slide'

This device allows the user to set an angular position for the cross-slide and rotate it. The red 'knob' also doubles as a handle for a comfortable grip to slide forwards and backwards with.

The cross slide clamp is manufactured from a moulded plastic. There is a 'keyway' set into the cast iron saw table which allows the cross slide to move in a straight line without deviating from its set position.

Bench Vise

Used to hold workpieces while cutting, drilling, filing and shaping. This uses an ACME screw thread and lever to drive the outer jaw of the vise towards and away from the inner jaw.

Two pins either side of the ACME thread stop the jaw from rotating and keep them parallel with each other as they move.

Toggle Clamp

This device allows easy clamping of objects using an innovative linkage system.

The distance between the clamping head and the material to be clamped can be adjusted by changing the knurled bolt position located at the rear of the clamp. A spring maintains tension.

Sheet Metal Bending Brake

This tool requires the user to grip the sheet metal to be cut to prevent it from shifting position while being bent upwards.

You can see clearly from these pictures a cam. A cam is a wheel where the centre of rotation has been offset to one side. This converts rotational movement into linear movement, in this case to pull another lever down which closes the gap between the brake and the worktable.

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