Design and develop a novel joining or assembly method

• Main Author: Chin, Wen Kai.
• Other Authors: Lye Sun Woh
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Machine design and construction
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/40353
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Joining is the process of putting things together to make them continuous or to form a unit. An assembly is a collection of parts, brought together by joining to perform one or more functions that cannot be achieved by a simple component alone. This project focuses on two common joining products: • “Crescent Ear Lock” latching device used on sliding windows • Brackets used in In-line joints and Perpendicular joints “Crescent Ear Lock” is one of the most common latching devices used on sliding windows. While it provides effective latching, installation of this device usually requires an experienced contractor/handyman. This is because its alignment must be precise in all three axes (x, y, and z). Deviation in any of the axis will lead to excessive friction or even cause the latch to become unusable due to misalignment. Moreover, drilling of the window frames are needed for this installation. Hence, any misalignment would be irreversible, causing expensive replacement of the window frame. Bracket joining is a very popular joining mechanism. However, there are several disadvantages. Joining materials of different thickness require different lengths of screws. Also, in bracket joining, holes need to be drilled into the joining materials, making it unsuitable for brittle materials such as glass. Lastly, drilling causes permanent holes in the material, making it difficult to reuse and reconfigure, which adds to replacement costs when modifications need to be made. This projects aims to eliminate the shortcomings and inconveniences of these two joining applications by developing novel joining methods for each. Each application went through a phase of design generation. After which, prototypes were fabricated for load and assembly time testing. If the prototype failed to fulfil one of the test objectives, modification will be made to the design according to the failure modes observed. After which, the test will be repeated until the objective is met. During the design process, high emphasis was placed on ease of product assembly. Hence, quick assembly timings were achieved during prototype testing. However, load testing for both the window latch and joining mechanism were based on acrylic prototypes. Hence, future testing could be done using other materials to improve maximum loading strengths.