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 5% 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 ofAdjustment:This refers to the ability of the scraper head angle to change in relation to the belt face. As this is of considerable importance to the cleaning process, it has been allotted 15% 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 25% relative weight.

Modulus 1: Manual Adjustment via 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. The angle adjustment would be made by moving the handle in the slotted low friction line mount. To achieve the adjusted angle design requirement, the operators will be trained to use work the machined pole to the desired angle.

Degree of Freedom: Zero

Scraper Head
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Modulus 2: Angle with Bolt

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 Angle 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. The angle on the
Tool Head Dimensions Tool Head View Shock Absorber Placement Tool Handle
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What I've Learned:

This concept's simplicity tends towards a tunnel vision approach to its design. Fasteners are very specific to their application and it is important that the clamping force is appropriate for the design this limits the type and configuration of the design component.

To my Advisees:

Walker: You have good visuals, both hand drawn and .

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.