Product
Development Examples
Over the course of my 35+ years in product development I've been involved with numerous product development projects. I've added some of the more complex items in the column to the right.
Electromechanical Mechanism - Bumper Bowling Actuator
Pneumatic Suspension Mechanism - Air Ride Drive Axle Suspension System
First off I borrowed the first image on the left from an installation manual SAF-Holland offers for the AD Series products they produce. The second image was found from a search for the platform the first image is used on. That product is made by the Oshkosh corporation and sold to the US Government (military branches). Both images are from the public domain.
There are 2 suspension systems on the vehicle. The first 2 axles have a tandem pair of air ride suspensions that connect the chassis to each drive steer axle. This suspension is rated at 20000 pounds for each axle. That product was developed by a sub team. After the product's design was completed in testing the products manufacturing, validation testing, and product release were my role. That included the suspension systems for the rear 2 drive axles. Those 2 axles were equipped with customized commercial versions of an existing platform. The one in the picture was one I worked on during the commercial development process that took place years before. The rear axles came in 3 different capacity configurations: a 23000 pound per axle, a 26000 pound per axle, and the shown 32500 pound per axle.
Each suspension system is a collection of very robust mechanical linkages connected to each other. Those "suspend" the axle between the ground and the vehicle chassis. They are pneumatically suspended by large air springs, thus the name "air ride." The suspension linkages allow the wheels and axles to move over bumpy terrain so the personnel driving and the vehicle cargo/systems aren't damaged the way them might if the suspension weren't there. The linkages bear the forces the vehicle experiences and resist vehicle dynamic forces. Examples of dynamic forces are start/stop, tipping (roll), side to side (lateral). Each of these impart tremendous force on the items they are connected to. These components are made from formed and welded steel sheet, cast components, elastomer bushings, fasteners, shock absorbers, air springs, and pneumatic controls.
I was an expert on each product and over 24 years adapted these and similar systems for custom platforms. I was directly responsible for the design, integrity, quality and support of these and several other platforms. To do that involved CAD, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Testing, Data collection and analysis, customer collaboration, project management.
First off I borrowed this image from an online installation manual Brunswick Bowling published. It is one of two different bumper systems offered. This one connects to a levers that rotate approximately 60 feet of each gutter up simultaneously so the ball can bounce off the underside. The other device, a completely different design, similarly raised 2 upright arms (of about the same length as the other) that nested into the gutters.
This device was driven by an electronics control device that serviced 2 lanes. That device received instructions from the lane control center where participants scores and game play are tracked. That also was connected to the bowling centers POS system that enabled the lane after payment. A handheld controller was developed to operate the function during installation. Installation was fully documented and proven as part of the development.
All these components and developments were project managed, tested, pilot trialed (5 sites), and executed to production. The process included UL, CSA, and CE approvals. All that happened inside of 2 years (2 different mechanisms). The core team consisted of: one engineer (myself), one designer, one test technician, one electronics engineer, 2 software and firmware programmers.