Material Sourcing
Our Stirling engine consists of 26 individual components which all need to be machined within the workshop laboratory. This has meant that the part drawings for the engine had to be submitted to the workshop as early as possible to give the workshop technicians enough time to machine each component while still leaving us enough time to assemble and test our engine. This lead to our component drawings being submitted to the workshop by 27th February – the earliest of all the 3rd year design projects.
Before submitting the drawings it was our task to ensure all materials required for the construction of the engine were available within the department, or could be ordered into the department on time. After a discussion with the workshop technicians we were advised that any components which were to be machined from that exceeded 75mm in dimension should be ordered in specifically. Any component with smaller dimensions could be sourced within the department. This resulted in us only ordering 1 piece of aluminium round bar from Richard Austin Aluminium Stockholders with dimensions 95mm diameter and 230mm long at a price of £34 (including £10 carriage charge). All other pieces used for the manufacturing of the Stirling engine were sourced from scrap material throughout the workshop.
The only other items ordered for the Stirling engine was 2 bearings which are going to be used to decrease the friction of the flywheel and axle. This means that the total expenditure for the Group E design project amounts to £40.
Before submitting the drawings it was our task to ensure all materials required for the construction of the engine were available within the department, or could be ordered into the department on time. After a discussion with the workshop technicians we were advised that any components which were to be machined from that exceeded 75mm in dimension should be ordered in specifically. Any component with smaller dimensions could be sourced within the department. This resulted in us only ordering 1 piece of aluminium round bar from Richard Austin Aluminium Stockholders with dimensions 95mm diameter and 230mm long at a price of £34 (including £10 carriage charge). All other pieces used for the manufacturing of the Stirling engine were sourced from scrap material throughout the workshop.
The only other items ordered for the Stirling engine was 2 bearings which are going to be used to decrease the friction of the flywheel and axle. This means that the total expenditure for the Group E design project amounts to £40.