Design Proposal

ENGR 103 - Spring 2016

Freshman Engineering Design Lab

“Phone Theater”

Project Design Proposal

Date Submitted: April 4,2016

Group Members             {Evan Eyring, ete23@drexel.edu}

                                        {Sebastian Michalak, sm3659@drexel.edu}

                                        {Casey Kester, cwk35@drexel.edu}

                                        {Mike DiBona, mfd46@drexel.edu}

                                        {Joe Bove, jdb425@drexel.edu}

Technical Advisor          {Emmanuel Oyekanlu, eao48@drexel.edu}

Abstract:

The freshman design project is to create a product for consumers. The group’s more specific product is a way to make watching cinema easier on a phone than anything before it. The motivation for the project is for entertainment purposes in a comfortable environment. Amplification of the sound of the phone speaker in the most efficient way possible, and to sit on any surface and be able to rotate any way are the goals of the project. Some challenges will be getting the 3D prints out correctly on the first try as well as putting it all together for an aesthetically pleasing, functioning prototype. Some tasks are designing, drawing it out on inventor, printing, construction, and testing. A physical, working, potentially sellable prototype would be the final deliverable the group is trying to achieve.

1.        Introduction

The motivation of this project is to improve the ability to use a phone for entertainment purposes more than anything created for cell phones before. The goal is to create a stand for an Iphone that will be able to sit on any surface. Not only horizontal, but be able to stay attached on walls and even the ceiling if need be in the user’s situation. The group wants to learn about improving the sound of the speakers and utilize what we learn to create the maximum amount of sound possible without using an electric speaker. Doing this by only using the shape of plastic to direct the sound waves in a more direct path to the user's ear, creating the effect of louder sound, without the use of bulky electronics that will weigh down the final product and take up more space like it’s predecessors. As well as this, the group needs to research different possible designs for the case that allows the phone to be rested on any possible surface and stay balanced. Major tasks for the group will be to come to an agreed idea and design of how it will work and function, and actually creating a good looking, well functioning prototype. The desired outcome of the project for the group is to have a well functioning, and aesthetically appealing phone case that can be placed anywhere on any kind of surface to view your favorite cinema, show, or videos with as much ease as possible.

2.       Deliverables

A physical prototype of the stand will be 3D printed. The printed prototype must be able to support the weight of the phone and also amplify the sound. In order to 3D print the prototype, the group will create a 3D model in Autodesk Inventor. If time constraints don’t allow the prototype to be printed within the 10 weeks the group is given, there will be a computer generated model that will to be presented. As well, the group will give results from research as to what the best shape and size the plastic around the phone speaker will be, to produce the loudest, and best quality sound.

3.        Technical Activities

For the project there are many major tasks that accomplish different parts of the prototype. For starters, the first major task was to decide how the phone theater will work and operate. Drawing up different design possibilities, and thinking of different ideas until the group came to an agreed decision as seen in Figure 1 and Figure 2 below. This creates a technical challenge of working together to come up with a single idea, rather than having different ideas from everyone in the group, and not coming to a central conclusion. Another major task the group will face during this project is actually designing a functioning prototype. Using a 3D printer, the group will print the multiple parts to the design and further modify the prototype so everything fits perfectly together, and looks aesthetically appealing to the eye.

                

       Figure 1: Side view of design                            Figure 2: Front view of design

4.        Project Timeline

Table 1: “Phone Theater” Prototype Timeline

	Week
Task	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Project Proposal	x
Design Research		x	x	x
Design Development				x	x	x
Design Testing						x	x
Design Finalization								x	x
Final report preparation									x	x

5.        Facilities and Resources

A major resource the group is expecting to use during the project is the access to the Drexel’s 3D printers in the Engineering Design Labs. Other than the 3D printers, there are not any other resources the group plans to use at this time.

6.        Expertise

For this project, models will be drawn on the computer before it is able to be 3D printed. Experience in AutoCAD and Inventor is required to create the drawings and model. All group members took the class Engineering 100, which includes learning AutoCAD in the first term. Some members have previous experience in Autodesk Inventor as well. As part of this course the group will create a 3D model in Autodesk Fusion 360 so we will have experience with that as well. Also, some members of the group have experience with woodworking, which will help with the final design from being able to use sandpaper and dremel tools to smooth the curves of the prototype, and help all the parts fit together nicely.

7.        Budget

Most of the project will be fabricated using 3D printing. The filament for 3D printers is cheaper than buying raw materials. 3D printing also makes it easier to fabricate complex parts and parts which require small tolerances in dimension. The only parts that could not be fabricated are the suction cups that go on the ends of the legs. Sandpaper will also be used to perfect the 3D printed parts.

Category	Projected Cost
Suction Cups - Per 100	$8.00
3D Printer Filament	$22.99
Assorted Sandpaper	$3.37
Total	$34.36

8.        Acoustic Sound

To make this product more effective to have a home theater kind of function the use of acoustic sound would be most cost effective and that certain style that people will enjoy. When sound hits something such as a wall, the energy or the sound will bounce off of the wall and go through it or be absorbed by it. The sound mostly comes back off the wall because that is the easiest way for the energy to go rather than having to work it’s way through the surface. A surface that is concave will produce a more focused reflected sound as seen in Figure 3.

              Figure 3: Soundwaves on a Concave Surface

This is because the sound waves hit the concave surface, the angle will bounce the waves back inward and concentrate the sound to a specific point. If the surface were flat, the sound would bounce back and continue to expand outward and the sound would dissipate. If the surface were convex, it would further push the sound waves outward, creating even less of a concentrated sound, which would be noticeably quieter to the ear, and it would not be as crisp.

9. Ball and Socket Joints

The legs of the case will utilize ball joints to allow for the legs and suction cups to spin and rotate. For this type of joint to work, a ball is placed snugly inside a socket, held in place by friction. As seen in figure 4, ball and socket joints allow for a range of motion. They require very small tolerances to make the space in between the ball and socket as tight as possible. This allows the ball to move freely while holding it in place when necessary.

               

Figure 4: Ball and Socket Joint