Mechanical Engineering Project: Cart Indexing System Design

This project centers around the design and implementation of a cart indexing system for a manufacturing cell. The goal is to eliminate ergonomic hazards associated with manual handling of finished goods carts, which weigh up to 3,000 lbs. The system must index the cart to multiple positions, align with a production easel, and move the cart to the next station. Key requirements include a 10-second indexing time, safety considerations, and the use of standard components. The project deliverables include CAD models, drawings, a BOM, a manufacturing layout, an operator manual, and a preventative maintenance plan. The design must accommodate the current cart design, with potential modifications, and adhere to a budget of $20,000. The system is intended to support the production of 50 units per shift and must minimize ergonomic risks. The project emphasizes practical application and engineering design principles to improve manufacturing efficiency and worker safety.

Application/Market Area Description:
The Mulling Assembly cell produces the largest units that can range up to 12 feet wide by 8 feet
tall and weigh 400+ pounds. At the end of the cell, employees manually index a finished goods
cart into position alongside the workstation in order to transfer windows onto the cart. This
project will eliminate ergonomic hazards associated with manual push/pull and will reduce the
chance of injury to the employee by replacing the manual process with a process to assist the
employee.
Problem to be solved:
The goal of this project is to design a system that indexes the cart into position to eliminate the
manual moving of the cart at the end of the production cell. Each cart will require it to be
indexed 8 times and needs to have the slot on the cart align with the easel on the production
easel. In addition, the solution will also assist the employee to move the cart to the next station
which is located 15 feet away. The design will eliminate ergonomic hazards and reduce the
chance of injury to the employee.

Requirements for the Design:
 The system must be able to index and move the finished goods cart to each slot in the cart
o Dimension of cart is 144” x 48” x 48” (L x W x H)
 CAD package will be provided for specific dimensions
o Max weight of 3,000 lbs. when cart is full of windows
 Design needs to accommodate current cart design. Modifications to cart are possible
 Carts must index to new slot on cart in 10 seconds
 The design must not pose a safety risk to those around it while it is running
 Design must be a medium or less ergonomic risk
 Cart must be able to lock into position to eliminate movement while window is being loaded
onto the cart
 50 units are produced in the manufacturing cell per shift
 Must utilize Andersen standard electrical and mechanical components when possible
 Budget of $20,000
Deliverables: Design and implement a cart indexing system for finished
goods carts in the 100 Series Mulling Assembly Cell.
1. Design and safety Review with AW personnel
2. CAD Models
3. CAD drawings with appropriate tolerances
4. Complete BOM with costs
5. CAD layout of proposed manufacturing layout
6. Operator Manual- Documented process and methods
7. Preventative maintenance plan