Tech-level Assignment Brief
Qualification title / Level 3 Technical Level Engineering: Design Engineering and Mechatronic EngineeringUnit code / H/506/6009
Unit title / Production and Manufacturing
Learner name
Tutor/Assessor name
Assignment title / Practical Action
Date assignment issued / Submission Date
Performance Criteria
Pass / Merit / Distinction
Performance Outcome / PO1 / P1, / M1, / D1
PO2 / P2, P3, P4, / M2, M3, M4 / D2, D3
PO3 / P5, P6, P7 / M5
PO4 / P8,P9,P10 / M6
PO5 / P11, P12 / M7 / D4
Tasks / Performance criteria covered
Task 1 / P1, M, D1
Task 2 / P2, P3, P4, M2, M3, M4. D2 and D3
Task 3 / P5, P6, P7, M5
Task 4 / P8, P9, P10, M6
Task 5 / P11, P12, M7, D4
Submission Checklist (please insert the items the learner should hand in) / Confirm submission
Learner - please confirm that you have proofread your submission
Learner Authentication
I confirm that the work and/or the evidence I have submitted for this assignment is my own. I have referenced any sources in my evidence (such as websites, text books). I understand that if I don’t do this, it will be considered as a deliberate deception and action will be taken.
Learner Signature Date
Tutor declaration
I confirm the learner’s work was conducted independently and under the conditions laid out by the specification. I have authenticated the learner’s work and am satisfied that the work produced is solely that of the learner.
Tutor/Assessor Signature* Date
*Please record any assistance given to the learner beyond the group as a whole even if within the parameters of the specification
For marking purposes only
Marking grid
Performance Criteria (PC) achievedPass / 1stsubmission
ü / X* / Resubmission
ü / X* / Merit ** / 1stsubmission
ü / X* / Resubmission
ü / X* / Distinction** / 1stsubmission
ü / X* / Resubmission
ü / X*
P1 / M1 / D1
P2 / M2
P3 / M3 / D2
P4 / M4 / D3
P5
P6 / M5
P7
P8
P9
P10 / M6
P11 / M7 / D4
P12
Assignment Result
ü / X*Not yet passed
Pass
Merit
Distinction
*Achieved (ü) Not achieved (X)
**Distinction and Merit criteria can be achieved only where the associated Merit and Pass criteria have been achieved first. Learners must achieve all the PCs relevant to a grade before they can be given that grade for the assignment.
Tutor summative feedback for learner(Note to tutors: this section should focus on what the learner has done well. Where a learner has not achieved a specific performance criterion or is likely to want to improve on a response to a performance criterion, then you may identify the issues related to the criterion, but should not provide explicit instructions on how the learner can improve their work to achieve the outstanding criteria.)
Feedback
Tutor name(print) and date
Resubmission Feedback
Tutor name(print) and date
WHO IS PRACTICAL ACTION?
Practical Action is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) that uses technology to challenge poverty in developing countries. It works with local communities to find practical solutions to the problems that they face. It primarily focuses on areas such as energy access, food and agriculture, urban waste and water and disaster risk reduction. The organisation currently has over 100 projects in progress worldwide.
In 2014 it used technology to directly benefit over 1.2 million poor women and men through projects in
developing countries around the world.
Many of the projects undertaken by Practical Action involve engineering activities. For example, the development of cost-effective and sustainable energy generation systems in off-grid areas where there is no access to mains electricity. These projects have included micro-hydro power generation, solar (photovoltaic) powered water pumps, small-scale wind energy generators, biogas fuels made from cow dung and fireless cookers that allow families in Kenya to become less dependent on traditional, less sustainable fuels.
Kenyan school children with solar water pump
Wind turbines are one particularly effective way of providing clean, renewable and sustainable energy. This approach has worked extremely well in Sri Lanka (pictured left), where 70% of people live in poor rural areas that are far beyond the reach of mains electricity. Wind turbine systems are primarily used to charge batteries. Each system has a capacity ranging from 50W to10kW and a rotor diameter of between 0.5 and 7meters. Once charged, the batteries are used as an energy supply for houses, hospitals, farms, and telecommunications and navigation systems. The impact of this technology has been huge. For example, one family were immediately able to begin lighting bulbs in their homes, allowing their children to complete schoolwork at night. They were also able to form a small business, charging a small amount for other villagers to charge their batteries using the system.
Sri Lankan girls delighted with new wind turbine
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TASK OVERVIEW
In this assessment, you will be required to undertake and document the planning, manufacture and quality assurance of a vertical-axis wind turbine. You will conduct this activity in small teams. A group/team is defined as three or more people.
A wind turbine is made up of the following main component parts:
• rotor and blades
• turbine shaft (and bearings or bushes, if needed)
• generator
• gear box
• control electronics
• casing
• mounting system.
Each team will be responsible for manufacturing at least two of these component parts, each as a batch of six. Each component must be made from a different material and use a number of distinctly different machining processes. You will create and follow a plan to manufacture your group’s batch. You will need to decide on the best way to manufacture the component using computer-controlled processes and program the machine to manufacture your batch.
After manufacture, you must undertake a planned set of quality tests and record your findings. Safe working must be adhered to at all times and relevant risk assessments must be included for the production processes. Full documentation showing the process followed must be provided. This can be in the form of a practical diary, which must include annotated pictures of any jigs, fixtures and templates used, as well as the batch of your final products.
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WIND TURBINE MANUFACTURING
You have been asked to produce a report for the production manufacturing team that will examine all aspects of the production of the wind turbine components that you have been allocated. The wind turbine is a complex product that includes components manufactured from at least two different classes of materials, plus an electronic and/or mechanical system.
Task 1: PO1 – Understand manufacturing processes (P1, M1and D1)
The first stage in the production of any component is an analysis of the processes or steps required to get to the final product.
You will need to:
• Research and investigate different manufacturing processes that could be used to manufacture the wind turbine components, including their advantages and disadvantages (P1)
Processes include but are not limited to:
o material removal (wasting)
o shaping, including casting processes for metal
o forming
o joining methods
o computer-controlled processes and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) programming.
Your evidence must include:
• A description of the manufacturing processes required to manufacture the wind turbine components explaining their advantages and disadvantages.
• An outline production plan that describes the operational steps needed to manufacture the wind turbine component.
You could also describe the advantages and disadvantages of the identified processes (M1) and compare their merits with alternatives (D1)
Task 2: PO2 – Understand engineering manufacturing systems (P2, P3, P4, M2, M3, M4, D2 and D3)
The method of manufacture is dependent on the scale of production. As technology has evolved, more and more operations are undertaken on computer-controlled equipment. In this task you will need to consider and make a recommendation for the systems that are appropriate for the manufacture of your wind turbine component.
You will need to:
• Consider the scale of production of your allocated components (P2).
• Research and investigate different manufacturing systems, including computerised advances that could be used to undertake the processes outlined in Task 1 for the manufacture of the components that you have been allocated (P3).
• Write a PLC program to carry out a computer-controlled manufacturing activity (P4).
Your evidence must include:
• A description of suitable computerised manufacturing systems used in the manufacture of the wind turbine components, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each (M3).
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• Recommendations for the systems chosen for the manufacture of each component based on appropriateness of scale of manufacture (M2).
• A program written for computer-controlled equipment to undertake one of the operations required.
This should explain what each step in the program is for (M4).
You could also analyse the use of manual- and computer-controlled processes for the manufacture of the product (D2) and evaluate and improve the program you have written (D3).
Task 3: PO3 – Understand and apply quality control and quality assurance
(P5, P6, P7 and M5)
Quality control and quality assurance is an important part of the manufacturing process to ensure that each component meets the specification. In this task you need to demonstrate that you understand quality and apply this knowledge to create a quality process for your components that can be repeated and monitored consistently.
You will need to:
• Research and investigate different quality control (QC), quality assurance (QA) and Statistical
Process Control (SPC) methods.
Your evidence must include:
• A description of the difference between quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) (P5).
• Recommendations of opportunities to assess quality, and the actions to be undertaken/systems to be used to ensure quality is maintained on the component throughout production (P6).
• A quality test record sheet for your component that utilises a variety of appropriate QA and QC devices, explaining why each has been selected (M5).
• A description of how a statistical approach could be applied for at least one appropriate feature of the product being manufactured (P7).
Task 4: PO4 – Carry out engineering production planning (P8, P9, P10, and
M6)
When the required processes have been identified and suitable manufacturing systems/quality checks determined, a detailed plan can be produced. It is at this stage that any additional production tooling is determined and manufactured.
You will need to:
• Produce a production plan that considers quality tests, and health and safety requirements.
• Design and manufacture a jig to position or mark out the workpiece during one operation in the production of the component.
Your evidence must include:
• a production plan e.g. in the form of a Gantt chart including risk assessments for the processes undertaken (P8, P9)
• a machine-tooling jig for one of the operations within your production plan (P10) – this can be photographic evidence of the manufactured item
Note that as you will be completing the jig as part of a team, you must participate in the process of jointly designing and making a more complex item. For example, one team member may design the jig, with others carrying out different manufacturing operations to create and assemble the parts of it. You should also provide photographic evidence of the finished manufactured items. You could also manufacture a second jig, templates or moulds if needed (M6).
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Task 5: PO5 – Perform production processes (P11, P12, M7, D4)
Prior to full implementation, the production team has asked you to undertake the manufacture of a batch of six of your allocated components.
You will need to:
• Carry out the appropriate manual- or computer-controlled machining operations (P12) to manufacture the batch of components (P11)
• Record the work undertaken eg in the form of a diary or photographically, as appropriate.
• Identify any possible improvements that you could make to your plan (D4)
You could also explain how the processes could be adapted for production at higher volumes (M7). Your evidence must include:
• A practical diary, including annotated pictures of any tooling used in the manufacture process.
• The batch of final products.
• A witness statement covering safe working.
• A description of any changes you would make to your production plan and an updated production plan.
ADDITIONAL NOTES TO TEACHER
The teacher should produce relevant engineering drawings of each of the component parts of the turbine for use by the learners in the manufacture of their batch of that particular component. This will ensure that the parts can be manufactured using the facilities and/or software available to the school.
With respect to the main parts:
• The shaft could be made from metal rod. This could include flats with tapped holes, to allow the turbine blades to be attached with bolts.
• Many designs include either a bearing to support the shaft or a (self-lubricating) nylon bush.
• The turbine blades could be made from (laser cut) flat pieces of thermoplastic or from corrugated plastic, cut using a craft knife. If a profiled blade is required, a mould could be manufactured on a
3D router and the plastic heated in an oven until the desired shape is achieved. This could be press formed using male and female moulds if necessary.
• The case could be made of any material suitable for outdoor use. This could be butt-jointed or could use another form of joint if greater strength is required. The case should allow for any sockets required.
• The gearbox could be bought in or manufactured. If manufactured, the gear train will need a gear ratio suitable to turn the turbine blades at the rpm required by the generator.
• The generator could be, for example, a small solar motor. The rpm required by the motor and the efficiency of the motor will have a significant effect on the power output of the device.
• The control electronics could, for example, smooth the output or regulate the voltage.
A good way to conduct this activity is assign each team two (or more, depending upon the group size) of the main component parts of the wind turbine, to manufacture in a batch of six. For example, one team could manufacture the blades and electronic control circuit, another the turbine shaft and mounting etc. For each team the assigned parts should each be made from different materials, to ensure that learners have the opportunity to demonstrate the full range of their knowledge and abilities.