Product Design Specification

Design Brief:

Emerging Engineering invites tenders for a small portable crane for use following natural disasters including flood and earthquake. It is anticipated that the successful bidder will be awarded a contract for 100 cranes. Follow on opportunities may also exist in licensing kits to third parties, primarily governmental bodies on a commercial basis.

Background Information:

A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage, which can move loads beyond the normal capability of a man. Cranes are commonly employed in the transport industry for the loading and unloading of freight, in the construction industry for the movement of materials and in the manufacturing industry for the assembling of heavy equipment.

Scope for the Specification:

It is intended that the cranes will be bought by non government organisations (NGOs). It is also anticipated that a successful design will be purchased by governments in areas prone to disasters of this type and distributed to local civil defence centres.

Performance:

The crane should be able to lift loads of not less than 1000kg. The crane then needs to transport the load not less than 4m from the point of lift.

Ergonomics:

The crane operators should be able to be disassemble the crane, which should be able to be carried manually over 100m of rough ground and be able to be carried by a standard Land Rover size 4x4.

Materials:

The materials we shall be considering are types of metal. Some analysis of different metals will determine which material is best suited for the job by meeting the requirements of being strong but light.

Quantity of Production:

It is anticipated that the successful bidder will be awarded a contract for 100 cranes. Further contracts may be given for bigger order in the future.

Maintenance:

Depending on the material, if the metal is a ferrous metal then it will require painting to protect it for rusting. Moving parts will need to be greased to prevent them from seizing. 

Product Life Cycle:

The crane will not be designed to break after a certain time in service. However, replacement parts will be available if parts break. When the crane is no longer useful and has to be totally replaced the materials used will be able to be recycled.

Testing:

If successful and a prototype constructed then tests in a real life scenario will need to be conducted. 

Product Cost:

Awarding criteria has suggested that the crane design should be “Value for money”. Therefore, the design cost must be kept low but without detriment to the performance of the crane.

Product User Specification:

	User (Relief Workers)	Manufacturer
Use	Transportation of crane to disaster zone, Aiding of trapped survivors.	Build cranes, and distribute to customer.
Misuse	Lifting items above the weight lifting capacity.	Breaking the crane in transit.
Abuse	Leave it exposed to the elements.	Leave it exposed to the elements.

User (Relief Workers):

Relief workers provide are ready to deploy to disaster zones at short notice to provide humanitarian aid to the civil population. For example The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. They are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and other humanitarian situations. There will be a team of four who will carry the crane manually over 100m of rough ground, assemble the crane and operate it.

Manufacturer:

External companies will be contracted to make the parts specified. Their job will be to construct the crane, which will then be shipped to the customer. Misuse can occur by the company breaking the crane in transit. Abuse can occur if the cranes were left exposed to the elements and the winching system going rusty.