Blog 7

 Blog 7 


March 23, 2024 



For the week of March 9-March 23, the tasks allocated for that period can be found below.


  • Task 1: Meet with the VP of engineering at Sulzer to get the purchasing document reviewed and approved

  • Task 2: Choosing a trip sensor design iteration and moving on with the design and machining process 

  • Task 3: Create a written Mannuel that encompasses operation procedures and safety precautions while operating the OST test fixture 

  • Task 4: Start Machining the Bearing housing and purchase all the required materials. 



Task 1 outlines securing approval from the VP of engineering at Sulzer, which is imperative for the project's progression to the next stage of the design process. However, this task has proven arduous due to the challenges posed by the VP's demanding schedule and a lapse in communication. The team has attempted to set various meetings, however, the team is unable to get into contact and establish a time to meet with the VP of engineering. Seeing how this has affected the team's schedule, the team has reached out to the Capstone professor to ask for advice and guidance on this matter. While this is still the main issue with the capstone project the team is experiencing, the Industrial engineer at Sulzer, serving as the team's liaison, attempted to establish communication with the VP of engineering to set up meetings with the team to expedite the documentation renewal process. Recently, a renewed request for a meeting with the VP has been dispatched, aligning with the strategic advice provided. As the team awaits a response, maintaining open channels of communication remains important, ensuring that setbacks serve as catalysts for growth and innovation in achieving project milestones.


Milestone 6: Validation and Documentation (03/24/2024-04/06/2024)

  • Complete bearing housing machining 

  • Complete operations and safety manual

  • Machine the trip sensor 

  • Assemble bearing housing onto the concrete foundation 

  • Secure the bearing and shaft into the bearing housing 

  • Begin initial testing and validations   


Despite the delay, the team is still looking forward to milestone 6 to ensure that there are no further delays in the future. As displayed in Figures 1,2 & 3 the team was able to successfully machine the shaft diameter to 3.347 inches and test the first trip sensor design iteration. The team also performed stress calculations on the split bolt that connects the top half of the bearing to the bottom half. These calculations were done to verify that the bolts chosen can withstand the amount of force generated by the shaft during operations. This will help set the team up for success, cutting down the already extended validation and testing timeline significantly allowing the team to meet the project deadline. 


A person measuring a piece of metal Description automatically generated

Figure 1: Machine shaft diameter  



Figure 2: First trip sensor design iteration 


A diagram of a machine Description automatically generated

Figure 3: Split Bolt 


During Milestone 6, spanning from March 24, 2024, to April 6, 2024, the team aims to accomplish a series of crucial tasks centered around testing and validation. The team aims to start this milestone machining of the bearing housing to exacting specifications as per the engineering drawing geometry adjustments, alongside the concurrent refinement of the final trip sensor design. Once the bearing arrives at the site, the team will proceed to secure the deep groove ball bearing onto the machined shaft, establishing a connection to allow the shaft to rotate to high RPMS.  Additionally, the shaft will be placed within the bearing housing as per specified parameters marking another milestone toward system completion. Once all the necessary components are secured to the test fixture,  the team will provide Slzer a comprehensive driven safety and operational manual, detailing the instructions essential for the smooth operation of the test fixture. This will allow the operators and engineers to review before operating the test fixture.  Finally,, the team initiates the phase of testing and validation, of the capstone project. This will allow the team to make necessary adjustments to the test fixture, while also validating the project outcomes.


In addition to the challenge of scheduling a meeting with the VP and securing approval, the team has encountered another hurdle concerning the lead time for the machinist. Despite concerted efforts, multiple meetings with the machinist have failed to yield assurances regarding the timely completion of machining the bearing housing. Recognizing the criticality of this component to project success, the team has pivoted to exploring outsourcing options to mitigate delays. By seeking assistance from external machining services, the team aims to expedite the lead time to meet the specified timeline. Through efforts and strategic problem-solving, the team remains committed to completing the Capstone project and providing Sulzer with a functional test fixture.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog 8

Image
  This post will outline the team's current progress with the project. From March 11th to March 23 rd , the team encountered a problem with the project. The team initially had a meeting with the VP of engineering at Sulzer to finalize the proposed design documents. After review, it was expressed to the team that the document was sufficient and necessary parts needed to be machined or purchased. However, an engineer at Sulzer reached out to the team and expressed an issue with the initial problem statement given to the team on March 18 th . It was stated that the initial expressed RPM range given to the team was incorrect and the new RPM range was higher by 10 percent. The team then had to recalculate the initial data to the new specifications. After finalizing the team's calculations, the team resubmitted an updated design proposal to the VP of engineering. However, the team did not receive feedback or meeting times. The team continuously reached out to Sulzer to set up various
Read more

Blog 6

Image
For the week of February 4th-February 17th, the tasks allocated for that period can be found below.  Task 1: Re-do engineering drawings to add machining tolerances and datum  Task 2: Provide a Purchase document to Sulzer for review and approval for bearings and seals Task 3: Provide a calculation document to the Sulzer engineer to verify our research and findings  Task 4: Start machining the shaft diameter down to fit the deep grove ball bearing bore diameter concerning the tolerances  In Task 1, the team made unexpected changes to the engineering drawing initially submitted to Sulzer engineers. Following feedback on the bearing housing and shaft engineering drawing, it was noted that machining tolerances needed inclusion. The edited drawings, as illustrated in Figure 1-3, were subsequently submitted for Sulzer engineers' approval. Additionally, modifications were made to the bearing housing geometry to simplify the machining process. Once the revised drawings were submitted for ap
Read more

Blog 3

Image
  The team's Gantt chart has Milestone 1 and Milestone 2 listed for October 28 – November 11.  Currently, the team has completed a vibration analysis on the shaft, weight, and balance of the shaft, and compared the vibration data with the experimental data collected through the modal hammer. Diversity Hires has accomplished the initial stage of the Overspeed trip test system, focusing on vibration analysis and calculations. This specific phase was prioritized to show whether the rotor shaft exhibited characteristics of a rigid or flexible rotor. Understanding this distinction is critical: rigid rotor shafts possess a natural frequency higher than the rotor's operating speed, ensuring minimal vibration, while flexible rotor shafts with a natural frequency below the operating speed experience excessive vibration when reaching that critical rpm. To establish the nature of the rotor shaft, the team referenced the 'International Journal of Advance Research in Science and Enginee
Read more