One important
issue to be considered throughout the redesign project was cost. Although
$500.00 was made available to the team to purchase the parts and materials
necessary for the completion of the project, team goals were aimed at minimizing
spending. To accomplish this, much time was devoted to locating
a company or organization willing to donate needed materials. As
stated previously, Kares Medical, Inc. supplied the group with a wheelchair
to be used for the project. By doing this, the high cost associated
with purchasing a wheelchair was avoided. This allowed for
spending better aimed at achieving the goals of the redesign.
Throughout
the redesign additional money was saved by machining parts on campus without
assistance from costly facilities. This decision made use of the
team’s individual talents and resources. The modifications
needed to reduce the width of the chair from 16 to 14 inches were made
using a band saw in the SAE workshop. To make the chair collapsible,
the CNC machine in the manufacturing building was used to cut slots.
Finally, the machining necessary to place holes in the cross-members and
to shorten the armrests was performed in the machine shop of the J.M. Patterson
building. By using this on-campus facility, the fees associated
with these modifications were minimized.
The majority
of the budget for the redesign project was used for purchasing parts aimed
towards the restoration of the chair. Kares Medical, Inc. enabled us to
keep costs to a minimum by assisting in the purchasing process. Rather
than being charged the suggested retail price, the group was only charged
the dealer cost for each part.
A complete
set of listings for the parts purchased in this project are tabulated below.
Please note that the asterisks (*) indicate those parts that were purchased
for the purpose of redesigning the wheelchair. All others were purchased
for cosmetic reasons or restoration.
Purchase listing from The Aftermarket
Group
| ID Number | Quantity | Description | Sugg. Retail | Dealer | Net Cost |
| RP265027 |
|
Front wheel | $21.60 | $10.80 | $21.60 |
| RP255117 |
|
Back wheel | $119.20 | $59.60 | $119.20 |
| RP277002 |
|
Grip kit | $11.00 | $5.50 | $5.50 |
| AC043008 |
|
Seat mount 1” | $12.00 | $6.84 | $13.68 |
| RP255021 |
|
Axle and nut assembly | $5.00 | $2.50 | $5.00 |
| RP265007 |
|
Axle and nut assembly | $1.60 | $0.80 | $1.60 |
| 335500PK |
|
Axle spacer | $2.40 | $1.20 | $1.20 |
| 335540PK |
|
Axle spacer | $2.40 | $1.20 | $1.20 |
|
|
|
*Custom solid seat | $50.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
|
|
*Custom back rest | $43.00 | $21.50 | $21.50 | |
|
Totals:
|
$268.20 | $134.94 | $215.48 |
Purchase listing from Hechingers and The Home Depot
| Part Category | Quantity | Application | Cost |
| Fasteners | 8 | For use in chair assembly | $6.00 |
| Screws | 2 | For use in chair assembly | $0.60 |
| Lockwashers | 2 | For use in small wheel assembly | $0.80 |
| Nuts, Bolts | 13 | For use in chair assembly | $2.91 |
| Hitch Pin | 1 | To secure cross-members | $3.37 |
|
Totals:
|
$13.68 |
Additional Cost Listing
| Service | Service Provider | Cost |
| Electroplating | Brushtronics Engineering | $200.00 |
| Machining | *J.M. Patterson Machine Shop | $80.00 |
| Manufacturing of Pull Pin | *Avibank Manufacturing Inc. | Donated |
|
Totals:
|
$280.00 |
The total costs associated with the redesign of the wheelchair are approximately $129.87. The amount spent on the restoration of the chair totaled $379.29. Therefore the project budget was exceeded by merely $9.16. This is very reasonable considering the many expenses associated with the purchasing of wheelchair products and the refurbishing of the chair. Finally, the cosmetic expenses placing us over our intended budget are worth the added satisfaction and comfort that will be provided to the user.