Problem Set 3

EMA 4714 - Materials Selection and Failure Analysis

Due Monday, February 7, 2005 - 11:45 am

1. As a design engineer for a high-performance bicycle manufacturer, you have developed an

innovative design for the front fork [the piece that holds the front wheel and is attached to the
frame]. What requirements are imposed on your design [e.g. performance and prescriptive
codes] by the federal government? Cite the relevant reference[s] and provide a brief
description of its contents.

2. What is the minimum separation distance between two swings in a playground swingset
according to the appropriate ASTM standard? Your answer must be complete and
unambiguous. Your client [still me] should be able to go directly to the exact source to verify
your responses.

3. I am an avid fisherman who is not particularly skilled in his craft. One of the obstacles
impeding my advancement in the sport deals with having to change lures when the one I
started with is not particularly productive. The problem is that terminal attachment devices
[snap swivels] are easy to operate but their mass changes the action of the lure such that they
don’t work right [i.e. no fish]. On the other hand, tying the lure to the leader with an
acceptable knot takes time and manual dexterity [which I don’t have a lot of]. Using the U.S.
Patent Office database, are there any ideas out there for products or processes to alleviate my
problem? Cite reference and provide a brief description of its contents.