Testing Prototypes

[Reynhard Loots]

Scaffold Material Carrier-Method with straps.pdfGood day.

I have designed a product on AutoCAD 2020.

I need to know how to do different tests on the product. 

The strength,durability,loads etc. 

It is going to be used to carry multiple equipment for scaffolding and be used for multiple purposes. 

 

Any advice on what software i can use to help me with the prototypes and development? 

 

Thanks in advanced 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Reynhard Loots

[f700es]

Fusion 360 can be a good starting point.

[nukecad]

My first advice would be to take another think about that design, particularly about the weight to be carried, and the balance.

 

Have you picked up a piece of scaffolding pole?

 

If those are short lengths of standard steel scaffolding pole then you are looking at about 30 kg for the 5 poles shown alone, never mind the weight of the end fittings or your carrier itself.

 

I wouldn't give much chance of that shoulder staying in it's joint for long, especially as the worker walks along and the load 'bounces' on each step.

(Industrial injury compensation claims all round).

 

As drawn it's also well out of balance.

 

Sorry if that seems unhelpful, but you have to consider the safety of the intended user.

It's no use designing a product that will injure the user.

[ammobake]

I foresee several issues.

 

 the red bit at the top is that meant to be the handle for the holder?  That will need to be the center of balance on this contraption with full load.

But there are issues that could prevent one person from lifting this safely.

One of those issues is the center of balance.

 

Regardless of how centered the handle is on the carrier, the issue is the scaffolding can throw off the center of balance and/or make the thing so heavy it isn't capable of being lifted without 2 people.  so if one piece of scaffolding is way off to one side, it could either make the whole load difficult to carry or break the carrier.

 

All of this would require additional testing to work out the bugs and come up with solutions.

 

All you really need to do a weight test is one person, 2 or 3 pieces of scaffolding - the same scaffolding you are designing this thing to carry.

Can one person easily lift that?  You could do this with strapping or something like that (doesn't need to be anything crazy).

 

But you need to first "assess" how many pieces of scaffolding can one person safely carry.

Then design the carrier for that specific load.

 

At some point the load gets so heavy it requires a second worker - but the idea of the holder is to keep it a single user tool.

So weight and balance are the two most important issues to work out to make it safe.

 

Placing normal scaffolding in this thing might not work - it certainly wouldn't be easy to keep center of balance consistent.

And they could also slide around in the holder.

 

The holder would need a way to secure the pieces of scaffolding at the center of balance without the user needing to think about it.

SO, for example, if the scaffolding had a holes and you could lay the scaffolding into the holder where a locking finger slides into each hole.

 

That way the only way for the scaffolding to sit in the holder is centered.  And it can't slide around in the holder either.

 

it might also make other types of scaffolding usable with the system.  It would just require 2 holes be drilled thru - A few inches either side of the center of balance.

 

-ChriS

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by ammobake