Carleton University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

MECH 4003 A Mechanical Systems Design Fall 2016
DESIGN OF A HAY-BALE LIFTER - PROJECT OUTLINE
Description
A dairy farmer needs a small winch-hoist to use for lifting of hay bales into the barn loft. A conceptual
design is shown in the Figure. An electric motor is coupled to a worm-wheel gearset to reduce its speed
and boost the torque appropriately. The best ratio for this gearset is to be determined. The gearbox
output shaft is coupled to the winch-drum shaft and both bearings need to be selected. The drum
serves as a capstan around which is wound a rope that has a forged hook at its end. The entire assembly
will ultimately be suspended from the rafters in the hayloft above a central floor-hatch. Hay bales will
be manually attached below and manually removed above. The electric motor is reversible, and the
worm-wheel set must be designed to be self-locking in order to hold the load when the motor is
unpowered.
The following information are given:
A hay bales weight varies depending on its moisture content but can be assumed to average about 60
lb. The hay truck holds 100 bales and the farmer would like to unload it in 30 minutes. The nylon rope
of 3/4 in diameter will be used, which as a minimum break strength is about 8,000 lb, and a spring
constant of about 50,000lb/in in axial tension.

A conceptual design of Motor Driven Winch

Project Outline

2016-09-02

It will be your task to perform the preliminary and detail deigns of this lifter. This design project will be
carried out by design teams of approximately five students such that each member can take
responsibility for some part of the design as well as contribute towards the overall design process. Since
only one design report is required from each team, it is important that each student make their
contribution to the project visible through well documented, signed, and dated work.
Deliverables and Evaluation
The various deliverables, values, due dates, and some evaluation details are provided below. The first
four deliverables will be graded on-site by the teaching assistants during the lab sessions. Specific
details regarding the design report and layout drawing, including detailed a marking scheme will also be
provided later in the term.
Research 1% (due lab session week of September 19th)
perform research (library, internet, journals, Patent Office, etc.) on the general problem and
similar systems
summarize/present research verbally to teaching assistant
Design Requirements/Constraints & WBS/Gantt Chart 2% (due lab session week of October 3rd)
develop a list of design requirements and constraints (1 page, point form summary)
develop a WBS and a Gantt Chart
Preliminary Design Layout 2% (due lab session week of November 7th)
select the best concept and develop a preliminary design layout
hardcopy of CAD layout drawing (2D or 3D)
Design Report 20% (due by 8:30am, December 7th in SA 413)
based on a design layout drawing
journal-style report, 5 pages maximum, not including layout drawing; previous, graded
deliverables to be included as an appendix
Deign calculations for individual components need to be included
0.75 margins, 10 pt. font (minimum)

Project Outline

2016-09-02