Project Title:  PLE Boom Lift

Presenter Names:  Ben Johnson, AJ Schipke, John Duffy, Mitch Erickson

Department:  Mechanical Engineering

Faculty Advisor:  Mike Twedt

Sponsor:  PLE, Inc.

The objective of the design project is to design, build and test all components for a unique boom system for PLE Inc. of Beresford, SD. This mechanism will lift a load in a bucket and rotates it a 360 degree arc.  The design of the machine’s components will consider many factors but safety will be the main focus.

There are many constraints to be considered when designing this system.  The support base of the structure is limited to 8 x 8 feet.  The system’s boom will have 360 degree rotation.  The boom will be expected to support a 300 pound load.  The boom will have collapsible sections for aesthetic looks and maneuverability.  A few of the effects on the boom system to be taken into account are the acceleration, weight, and wind forces on the support system.  The system will run off of a 12 Volt DC source and will not use hydraulics, but rather electric devices.  This system must be able to be transported by vehicles such as trucks or ATV’s.  Cost effectiveness will also be a primary component in the design.  Another consideration when designing will be manufacturability.

The design analysis of this project will include topics such as motor sizing, structural stress, stability, and component design.