Cost: Cost is the defining factor for most manufacturing processes. It determines which strategies will grow into concepts and which concepts become applied practices. For this particular problem, the cost is the defining factor as to which strategy will be used, thus it is weighted 40%.
Time Efficiency: The amount of time it will take each strategy to be developed into a product is important for this project's success. It is 10% of the total importance of the decision matrix.
Manuverability: Each strategy has been given a number based on the Manuverability of strategy. This means that the strategy should be easily moved out of the way of the operators during belt changes and routeing maintenance. This has been given a relative weight of 10%.
Ease of Installation: The ability for this product to be installed in a timely manner is important to the over all use of the product. It is 5% of the relative weight.
Feedback: Each strategy should work so as to recognize feedback movement from the belt as to not tear or cause further problems. This has been assigned 5% weight.
Safety: The entire premise of this design project is to ensure that operators are kept at a safe distance from the moving machine and to keep their hands away from the belt to avoid injury. This is the second most important factor in choosing the proper strategy. It has been allotted 30% relative weight.

Concept 1: Tool Head and Extended handle

The scraper tool head will be made out of a polyurethane. Bolted onto an aluminium pole with length 5'and will be crushed in a vice to create the taper necessary to fit into the mount. The scraper blade will be 10" in width with a thickness of 1.5" and will be 6" in depth connecting via a cut out to the aluminium pole.

Sketches
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FRDPARRC

Concept 2: Removable Head

The scraper head will be 10" in length and 4.25" in depth with a 1" thickness, cut from a polyurethane sheet. It will have a collar that will slide onto the pole in order for quick removal and change of an old blade. The pole will have a machined aluminium 5" pole with the tapered piece 6" from the collar. That feature will also be 6" in length so that it will fit into the slide mount at the back of the line.
Scraper Head Collar Assembly Handle Drawing
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Concept 3: Adjustable Head on Shock Absorber

The scraper head will be 6" in width, 4.25" in depth and cut out of 1" thick nylon sheeting. It will be attached to a shock absorber (1/5 size) with a bolt and nut that will be tightened with a socket wrench. The shock absorber will then screw into the handle with will be 5' in length machined from aluminium. There will be a cut made in the pole in order to shape the taper needed to fit into the slide mount.
Tool Head Dimensions Tool Head View Shock Absorber Placement Tool Handle
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What I've Learned:

There are more than one ways to allow for a free moving design. It is difficult to change the design from rigid thinking due to the input from people from work. This design's intended users were consulted about its shape and what it needs to accomplish which was good input as part of a team but bad in terms of realistic design and effectiveness.

To my Advisees:

Walker: I like that you colour coated your charts for each concepts. I think that this page looks clean and is well organized. For the future, make sure when you scan something in to your website, that your hand writing and picture size are legible.

Logan: Your page is clean and thorough. I really like your 3D models being solid on your page. I would try to make the files you uploaded in the scroll boxes only have to scroll in one direction.