Project Narrative

Final Solution

Design Process

Week 1 (Oct. 7, 2024):

• Initial problem statement, constraints, and objectives
• Sketches of potential mechanism

Week 2:

• Worked on CAD model

Week 3:

• Started 3D printing lower bridge part
• Fabrication work

Week 4:

• Worked on flowcharts for group and individual code

Week 5:

• Worked on coding individual functions
• Fabrication work

Week 6:

• Worked on actuator and Q-Arm code

Week 7 (Dec. 4, 2024):

• Finalized CAD model and reprinted
• Finalized group and individual code

Our team worked collaboratively to develop an efficient airport baggage handling system aimed at addressing the challenges of lost, mishandled, and delayed luggage. These issues have worsened post COVID-19, with the surge in global air travel creating inefficiencies in airport systems. Our unique problem statement was focused on creating a system to optimize baggage handling processes, ensuring accurate, timely, and safe transportation of passenger luggage.

Objectives:

• Design a mechanism to safely transport luggage from check-in to the airplane or rejection bin
• Create software to efficiently organize and display passenger data related to luggage and travel processes
• Minimize errors in luggage tracking and processing for a smooth travel experience

Constraints:

• Limit the amount of material used for 3D printing to adhere to time and material restrictions
• Ensure the mechanism and software avoid overstepping the restriction line and meet size limit
• Ensure software compatibility with provided datasets, including fleet and passenger data

Functions:

Software:

• Identified oversold economy and business-class seats for different airplane models
• Flagged passengers with overweight baggage, including their personal details, gate number, and excess weight
• Listed passengers with layovers and/or late arrivals and displayed their information
• Summarized and visualized passenger data for improved system monitoring

Mechanism:

• Transport luggage from drop-off location to the correct location (airplane or rejection bin) based on barcode scanning
• Use a Q-arm and linear actuator to create an automated and precise luggage-handling process

Summary

To solve this issue of unorganized luggage-transportation systems, the team designed and constructed an efficient transportation mechanism that transfers a passenger’s luggage from a conveyor belt to the airplane depending on the luggage status identified by its respective barcode. If the luggage fulfills airport rules, the mechanism carefully transports the luggage onto the plane; however, if the luggage is denied after its barcode is scanned, it is transferred to a rejection bin. This process was achieved through the combination of 3D modelled parts and the Q-arm/linear actuator code, which work together to transport the luggage to its required area after the barcodes corresponding to each luggage are physically scanned.

Sliding Mechanism CAD Design

Q-Arm and Linear Actuator Code

Team’s Work and Personal Contributions

Support Beam CAD Design

Example 3D-Printed Part

Exploded Assembly Drawing

Our team worked collaboratively to develop the baggage handling system, dividing responsibilities to address the mechanical and software aspects of the project effectively. As a group, we:

• Brainstormed and refined the mechanism’s design to make sure the project met objectives and constraints

• Designed and implemented Python functions passenger_data() and fleet_data() to analyze passenger and luggage data, debugging and testing the combined code

• Created 3D-printed components for the baggage transportation mechanism, iterating based on practical constraints like material usage and print efficiency

• Coordinated efforts to make sure integration of software and hardware components into a cohesive final product

Original Design

As a key member, I made significant contributions to both the software and hardware aspects of the project:

Code Development

• Wrote and tested the daily_data() function which calculates the number of business and economy seats sold for each plane
• Integrated the function with the passenger_data() output
• Verified the accuracy of the resulting 2D list, which displayed critical information for each gate
• Debugged and optimized code for efficiency, to make sure it handled large datasets without errors

Finalized daily_data() Code

Flowchat for daily_data()

CAD Model

• Added fasteners to the CAD model to improve the structural stability of the mechanism

Administrative Role

• Acted as a team administrator, to allow for smooth communication and organization
• Facilitated documentation and prepared final presentations

Reflection

Throughout the course of this project, I experienced. both challenges and learning opportunities that pushed me to grow both as an individual and a team member. One of the most educative aspects of this project was understanding the gap between theoretical design and physical implementation. Early in the project, I assumed that the initial CAD models and mechanism designs would translate easily into physical components. However, challenges such as excessive printing times, material constraints, and design inefficiencies forced us to rethink and refine our design multiple times throughout the whole process. This iterative process demonstrated the importance of prototyping, testing, and adapting to real-world conditions. For instance, reducing the size of our sliding bridge component was a decision made from practical limitations, such as printing time and material use. This experience taught me the importance of finding the right balance between creating designs that are practical to implements and making sure they perform effectively, a lesson I will carry forward in future engineering projects.

The coding phase of the project was another area where I encountered significant learning moments. My personal contribution, the daily_data() function, was critical in counting business and economy seats sold for each plane, and its integration into the larger system was a valuable experience in collaborative software development. Debugging issues like the .strip() method not working as expected highlighted the importance of paying attention to detail. Furthermore, coordinating with teammates to integrate my function into the overall system made me realize how clear communication and standardized coding practices are essential for a smooth collaboration process.

If I were to do this project again, there are several aspects I would approach differently. First, I would explore alternative designs earlier in the process to avoid overcommitting to a single approach before thoroughly testing its efficiency. Additionally, allotting more time for testing and refining both the coding and the mechanism design early in the process would be a key change. This would help identify potential issues sooner and prevent last-minute adjustments.