Windrower Cab Leakage Testing System to Confirm Integrity of Seals
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Date
2015-12-07
Authors
Hart, Damon
Kallert, Brady
Nikkel, Kevin
Stephens, Matthew
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Abstract
The client for this project, MacDon Industries Ltd., requested a leakage testing system be developed for MacDon windrower cabs. The current leak testing system is to spray the cab with a garden hose, and manually check for wet areas in the interior of the cab. This method does not align with the company’s goal of continuous improvement, and MacDon desired a more repeatable solution. The design team met with the client and carefully defined the requirements and constraints of the problem. The problem was broken down into five functional groups including location, medium supply, delivery method, detection method, and medium removal. Considering all possible options for each functional group, over 200 concepts were generated. The top concepts were presented to MacDon, and ultrasonic leak detection was selected as the design concept best suited to achieve the design requirements. The design team contacted multiple companies in order to receive quotes and information regarding commercially available products. Products found to meet the design objectives were scored, allowing the top choice to be found, namely the SDT200 ultrasonic receiver with SDT8 ultrasonic emitter. Ultrasonic leak testing products were demonstrated at MacDon, validating the emitter location in the cab and that ultrasonic leak detection achieved all customer requirements. The cost to implement ultrasonic testing is ___, with an annual cost of ___. As compared to the current water testing method, MacDon will save ___ per year. Additional value-added uses include detecting leaks in buildings and tractor components, as well as serviceable components. Ultrasonic testing has a net present value of ___, indicating that MacDon will benefit financially by implementing the SDT200 and SDT8.