Basics

The first step to any design process is thought. Don't try to start the final design immediately. Think about the basics first:

First of all, what is the item you are designing? In this example it is a hand truck.
What basic components comprise the item?

The basic components of a hand truck are:

  • the face and nose plates
  • the handle
  • the wheels
  • the axles
  • and the connections (for example, bolts or welding).
  • and any others you can think of!
What are you given? Re-read the problem carefully, and write down some notes on what you think is important. For the hand truck, click here for some examples of notes taken on the problem statement.
Now that you know what you are given, what are you asked for? What is your goal for this design? This problem asks for a hand truck that is lightweight and low cost that will carry 300 lbs of force. Each component needs to be analyzed and designed to help achieve this goal.

After you know what you are given and what your goal is, start thinking about the actual design. Brainstorm! What do you want your handle to look like? How do you want to attach the plates to the truck? Get a basic idea of what you want the overall cart to look like and how it will be assembled.

Now that you have a better feel for what you are given and where you are going, let's look at what you have to do to create the best design possible...

 

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Please submit any questions or comments concerning this website to njsalamon@psu.edu .

© by Meghan Henty & N. J. Salamon 1999, 2000. All rights reserved.

Redesigned by William C. Chow 2000.