Project Title: Trailer Design and Process Optimization

Group Members: Evan Burmeister, Nick Fanning, Mary Hardt, Kristen Klinkner, Adam Ludemann

Department:  Mechanical Engineering

Faculty Advisors:  Mike Twedt

Sponsor:  Christiansen Welding & Machine

Our group will be working with Christiansen Welding & Machine of St. Lawrence, South Dakota, on a trailer design optimization.  Christiansen Welding has been producing small trailers for lawn mowers, ATV’s, and golf carts for a number of years.  The trailer is a unique design that allows the user to lower the deck to the ground for safe equipment loading.  While the trailer has already met success, the owner would like to take the design to the next level and compete with larger businesses that manufacture and sell at higher volumes and lower costs.  Our group has been asked to examine the current design and make recommendations that will optimize production requirements and lower costs.

The project will begin by thoroughly learning about the current design, manufacturing process, equipment used, and output capabilities currently available at Christiansen Welding & Machine.  While evaluating the current design, we will model the trailer and all components using Pro/Engineer software.  A bill of materials will be generated, and all supplier and cost information will be recorded. 

Before making any design changes, state and national laws will be examined to ensure legality.  Design changes will be made to improve cost, manufacturability, functionality, and aesthetics.  Initial design changes will be done in Pro/E, and upon approval of Christiansen Welding, design changes will be implemented and a prototype will be built.  This prototype will be finished and displayed at the Engineering Expo.

Once the updated design has been finished, improvements to the manufacturing process can begin.  The goal is to optimize production time and reduce input costs, while maintaining the high level of quality that the trailer already possesses.  Extensive testing will be done utilizing computer software.  Real-life test sequences will be conducted to confirm these results.

Detailed documentation will be kept throughout the process, and a final report will be compiled.  The project will culminate with a display at the Engineering Expo on April 25, 2008.