The primary objective of this project is to craft a multi-functional wheelchair capable of swiftly and effortlessly transitioning from a daily use wheelchair to a sports wheelchair. Focusing on safety, comfort, and reliability, this innovation aims to enhance the lifestyle of individuals with disabilities by facilitating their participation in a variety of sports activities.
Recently, there has been a notable surge in the interest towards sports activities for individuals with disabilities, propelled by dedicated tournaments, enhanced sports equipment, and amplified media attention. To make the sport more accessible to all, there's a dire need for innovative adaptations and developments in sports wheelchairs. In this study, the student introduces a groundbreaking design of a multi-functional wheelchair that meets both the daily demands and the requirements of sporting activities, eliminating the need for changing between two different wheelchairs. Additionally, the wheelchair features a scissor mechanism with sliding parts, allowing the user to easily adjust the wheel position, coupled with safety features that ensure increased stability. The design has been meticulously sketched and designed in 2D and 3D using SolidWorks software.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Objectives
3. Manufacturing Capabilities for Design Improvement
4. Concept Design/ Hand Sketches
4.1 Design 1
4.2 Design 2
5. Design selection
6. Development of 3D design
6.1 3D design of the daily use wheelchair
6.2 3D design of the sport wheelchair.
7. Functionality and Benefits
8. Innovative Solution
9. Sustainable development
9.1 Economic
9.2 Social
9.3 Environment
10. Conclusion
11. Recommendations for the future
Project Objective and Thematic Focus
The primary objective of this assignment is to design and improve a sport-capable wheelchair that allows users to seamlessly convert their equipment from daily-use configuration to sports-use. This research addresses the challenge of affordability and accessibility by developing a multi-functional design that eliminates the need for users to maintain separate wheelchairs for different areas of life.
- Development of a versatile scissor-mechanism for wheel position adjustment.
- Application of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles.
- Utilization of sustainable, lightweight, and recyclable materials like aluminum and plastic.
- Structural validation through 3D modeling and motion simulation using SolidWorks.
Excerpt from the Book
Design selection
This part is shows which design had been chosen, as it can be notice that there are two designs of the wheelchair and both of them solving the same problem, but each design has totally different mechanisms. Design one has scissor mechanism and other has spring with locking mechanism.
In the first design there is scissor mechanism with sliding part that helps the user to quickly convert from daily use to sports use wheelchair. In terms of the Sustainable technique, this mechanism easy to replace and easy to maintains, friendly to the environment and can last for the long term without any problem. Furthermore, this mechanism does not need much power from the user to adjust the wheel from one position to another, while the spring and the locking mechanism in the second design need more power to adjust the wheel position and the user need some helps from others in order to convert the wheel from daily use position to sport use position and vice versa. On the hand, the scissor mechanism is more safety because it has strong locking mechanism that make the wheelchair more stable, and the wheelchair will not convert from daily use to sport use suddenly.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Discusses the growing interest in adaptive sports and the necessity for modern, stable equipment that serves both daily and athletic needs.
Objectives: Outlines the goals of creating a multi-use wheelchair and identifying the appropriate manufacturing protocols for the proposed concept.
Manufacturing Capabilities for Design Improvement: Explores DFM, DFA, and lean manufacturing strategies to ensure the design is cost-effective and easy to assemble.
Concept Design/ Hand Sketches: Presents two initial design concepts, comparing their mechanisms and functional approaches.
Design selection: Justifies the selection of the scissor-based design over the spring-based model based on stability, safety, and ease of use.
Development of 3D design: Details the modeling process and technical specifications of the chosen design created in SolidWorks.
Functionality and Benefits: Analyzes the practical advantages of the scissor mechanism and the ergonomic benefits of the adjustable seating.
Innovative Solution: Summarizes why the integrated design is an effective solution for cost reduction and enhanced mobility for disabled athletes.
Sustainable development: Breaks down the design's sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
Conclusion: Recaps the successful achievement of project objectives through comprehensive design, simulation, and material selection.
Recommendations for the future: Suggests further improvements, such as interchangeable front ends and integrated folding mechanisms.
Keywords
Sport wheelchair, scissor mechanism, design for manufacturing, DFA, 3D modeling, sustainable design, aluminum, ergonomics, daily use, wheelchair basketball, locking mechanism, lean manufacturing, accessibility, cost-effective, SolidWorks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core purpose of this project?
The primary aim is to design a versatile wheelchair that can quickly convert from daily use to sports use, providing a cost-effective and practical solution for disabled individuals.
Which specific areas of design are addressed?
The study focuses on structural design, manufacturing optimization (DFM and DFA), user comfort, and environmental sustainability.
What is the primary scientific or engineering objective?
The main goal is to develop a wheelchair that provides both stability and ease of adjustment, allowing users to transition between sports and daily mobility modes without external assistance.
What methodology was applied?
The project uses a methodology involving hand sketching for initial concept generation, followed by 3D computational modeling and simulation using SolidWorks to refine the design.
What topics does the main body cover?
The main body covers design ideation, the comparative selection between two different mechanisms, detailed 3D technical drawings, and an analysis of sustainability—both economic and environmental.
Which terms best characterize this work?
This work is best characterized by terms like mechanical design, adaptive sports equipment, sustainable manufacturing, and user-centered engineering.
Why was the scissor mechanism chosen over the spring-based design?
The scissor mechanism was selected because it provides superior safety and stability, requires less physical effort from the user to adjust, and is easier to disassemble and maintain.
How does the design contribute to sustainability?
The design utilizes recyclable materials like aluminum and plastic, reduces waste, and offers long-term durability, minimizing the need for constant maintenance or multiple separate wheelchairs.
- Quote paper
- Bandar Hezam (Author), 2021, Wheelchair Revolution. A Multi-functional Approach for Daily and Sports Use, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1392980
