College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Industrial Engineering
College - Author 2
College of Engineering
Department - Author 2
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department
Degree - Author 2
BS in Manufacturing Engineering
Date
3-2020
Primary Advisor
Karen Bangs, College of Engineering, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
This project is sponsored by Webcor with the purpose of finding a better solution to rebar impalement safety. The current rebar impalement safety caps being used by Webcor were found to frequently fall off after being installed. This results in workers being exposed to the hazard for longer than desired. The research that has been done by the team showed that rebar impalement is a serious hazard and results in injury or death every year. Site visits and interviews were performed to aid in understanding the problem and designing solutions. The customer needs, current state of the problem, existing solutions, historical data relevant to the project and the materials and methods of manufacturing were thoroughly researched and considered when designing potential solutions.
The team followed the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and control methodology when approaching the project. Once the current state was defined and measured through research and testing of the currently available caps, the team designed and tested a new prototype cap. The tests included vertical pull tests to determine how much force was required to remove a cap, a strike test to determine how well a given cap would withstand a sudden impact to the bar it is installed on, and a durability test to compare how well different materials withstood repeated installation. After comparing the results, it was found that the new prototype outperformed the current safety caps in all tests.
The two key factors of the new design that were found to be significant during testing were: the materials it was made of and the design of the interior of the cap where it’s installed onto the bar. Using the results and experiences from the testing phase the team designed a improved version of the prototype, but were unable to produce or test it due to the time constraints of the project. Several considerations were taken when designing the final design: manufacturability, materials, sustainability and durability.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/imesp/256