GRADUATES
of the automotive technology program at Pittsburg State University
(PSU) generally enter the workforce in some type of automotive
management role. As a result, the program does not require students to
purchase their own tools. And it does not have room for all 280 majors
to roll around a personal tool chest. Each instructor must maintain
adequate tools for each lab exercise, which can present quite a
challenge.
But
our Technology Education Collegiate Association (TECA) chapter came to
the rescue with a niche service that provided the automotive technology
program with top-quality laser-cut tool organizers for its tool cabinet
drawers. The organization did this at a reduced price, while earning
more per hour than in earlier fund-raising activities--and it gave the
students involved excellent real-world experience.
The Tool Management Challenge
Schools
often use a set of tools that many individuals must share. With this
situation comes the issue of accountability, which causes problems for
instructors and students alike. Educators commonly turn to shadow-board
storage, which requires painting each tool's shape on the tool board
(Photo 1). When someone removes a tool, everyone can see (1) that the
tool is missing and (2) what the tool looks like, based on the shape of
the "shadow" of the tool on the shadow board.
Shadow
boards work fine when you have only a few tools in use and when each
tool has its own clear identity. For example, if an instructor gives
each lab group a shadow board containing a hammer, a pair of pliers, a
screwdriver, a wrench and a tape measure, he or she can easily see when
one tool is missing. However, when the tool sets have similar
shapes--for example a set of 3/8″ drive torque sockets--students and
instructors have the challenge of identifying which one of the small
sockets is missing.
Most
tool manufacturers offer tool storage for their particular sets of
tools. However, our program, like many others, uses a variety of
technical labs, creating a need for unique tool storage for each one.
For example, when seven laboratory groups are disassembling seven Ford
4R70W transmissions simultaneously, the laboratory experience works best
if each group has its own set of tools. An example of required tools
includes a servo removal tool, a set of oil pump slide hammers, a set of
snap ring pliers, a set of torque sockets, plus a few common hand
tools. PSU recently purchased several new tools for the automatic
transmission lab. The purchase of these new tools brought the challenge
of maintaining and inventorying them each time they are used.
Previous Solutions
In
the past, PSU's automotive program has tried several options for
shadow-boarding shared tools. One involved having a student use CAD to
draw a tool layout for basic engine tear-down tools. The student worked
with PSU's wood technology program to machine tool cavities in MDF
particleboard using a CNC router. The resulting tool trays were then
placed in drawers inside a roll around toolbox. Although this option
worked well, we couldn't find someone with the right CAD experience who
could spend the time needed to draw a new set of tool trays for our
automatic transmission laboratory.
Another
professor had paid a tool manufacturer to provide a similar service
using soft foam in place of MDF particleboard for three toolboxes. Each
box needed six pieces of foam averaging approximately 2 square feet of
surface area per drawer. Each box housed 143 common hand tools, such as
sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers. For $1,500, PSU received
foam to house a total of 429 tools that used 36.7 square feet of foam.
Although the manufacturer did a quality job, it took nine months for the
company to deliver the finished product.
New Solution: Student Manufactured, Laser-Cut Foam Organizers
As
mentioned, PSU recently procured several new tools along with seven new
toolboxes for the automatic transmission lab (Photo 2). Before ordering
another set of foam organizer inserts, the automotive department
inquired about the possibility of the students in TECA providing a
similar service. TECA members agreed to investigate the possibility and
ultimately accepted the opportunity to make the organizers.
The
first step called for determining the quantity of material needed and
foam specifications. The new automatic transmission toolboxes contained a
total of 97 tools, requiring 7.8 square feet of foam for each of the
seven common toolboxes. Selecting the correct foam is critical to this
kind of application. Students researched material specifications by
conducting an extensive web search; along with hours of phone
conversations with suppliers.
The
students determined that the foam must be (1) durable, (2) solvent
resistant, (3) able to be cut with a laser and (4) of a color that would
allow for easy reading of the laser-engraved name. The team selected
MC1900 gray, a polyethylene-based product from Buckley Industries in
Wichita, KS, having determined that it would work well around the
petroleum-based solvents associated with automotive work.
MC1900
gray has several characteristics that make it suitable for tool tray
liners. The polyethylene foam is approximately 5/8″ thick and is sold in
sheets that are approximately 50″ x 74″. The material cuts easily in a
single pass with a 25 W laser, which reduces machining time
dramatically. The material costs $1.17 per square foot (not including
shipping), making it very economical for tray liners. The gray material
turns a light-black color after cutting with the laser, which works well
for labeling the tray liners and enhancing tool organization and
aesthetics.
To
laser Cut the material, the MC1900 must be precut to an appropriate
size. PSU uses a Universal M-class 30 W laser with a 12″ x 24″ platform,
which works well for cutting and engraving on the precut drawer insert
pieces. The material can be cut to insert size using either a table
saw/band saw or a hot knife. If using the table saw or band saw,
students found it necessary to use caution since the material tends to
grab on narrow pieces. If available, the hot knife proves the best
choice, with the use of a straight edge to guide the knife. Students
must determine the best size for their particular laser and drawer size.
Students
input tool drawings using CAD--an excellent opportunity for practice
with real-world design. Creating the drawings in full scale eliminated
the need to resize in the engraving program. Most of the tools involved
are fairly simple geometric shapes, although some required more
extensive design work. After creating the tool outlines with CAD,
students export the drawings as a data exchange file (.dxf) format.
Although laser-engraving programs vary by manufacturer, most will import
a .dxf. The file can easily be imported into the drawing program that
comes with our machine, CorelDraw (Photo 3).
Students
can make simple modifications to the drawing once it is in the graphics
program. They can add text to the drawing using a different color. Text
is usually cut using an engraving setting and tool outlines are
machined using a cutting setting.
A
honeycomb table should be used when cutting through the material to
prevent any vaporized material from sticking to the platform. Lacking a
honeycomb table, students should place stock on a secondary material to
prevent damage to the platform. Power settings for the laser will vary
from machine to machine, and students need to perform some test cutting
on scraps before cutting the actual stock.
The
PSU Universal 30 W laser settings were 100 percent power, 1.7 percent
speed and 500 ppi for cutting (black lines), while the engraving
settings were 90 percent power, 100 percent speed and 500 ppi (red
lettering). After finding the settings for a particular laser, we
recommend using extruded polystyrene to see if parts actually fit (Photo
4). Extruded polystyrene is available at local building stores and is
fairly inexpensive compared to the polyethylene foam.
With
the engraving and cutting operation complete, students removed the
cut-outs from the stock (Photo 5) and add the liners to the drawers.
Narrow parts, like those for screwdrivers, may fuse together in places,
but with a little work the parts can be removed.
This
customized approach allows for efficiently accounting for all tools in
each box. Students added Coroplast (similar to cardboard) purchased from
Regal Plastics of Joplin, MO, as a backing material for each drawer to
facilitate visual referencing of removed tools. Solvent-resistant
material, like plastic sheeting or vinyl sheet stock, could also be
used.
Once
the cut-outs are removed and the background material is in place, a
spray adhesive (3M works well) adheres the liner to the colored
background. It's important to maintain the correct spacing on cut-out
areas to ensure that tools fit properly in their spaces (Photo 6).
Final Comments
Making
laser-cut drawer organizers provided our students with an excellent
project that saved the program money, makes tracking of tools easy and
allows students to apply their knowledge to a real-world project. We
encourage other educators to try it with their students.
Authors'
notes--Robert Erker, a technology education senior at PSU, created the
CAD files and took primary responsibility for machine setup and
operation.
While
laser engraving machines are fairly expensive, they offer tremendous
returns. In addition to making tool tray liners, students can use the
laser for prototyping, glassware engraving, plaque making and many other
fundraising options.
Vendors
we used: • Buckley Industries, 1850 E. 53rd St. North, Wichita, KS
67219; 800-835-2779; www.buckleyind.com • Regal Plastic Supply Co., 601
E. 9th St., Joplin, MO 64801; 417-782-1420; www.regalplastic.com •
Universal Laser Systems, Inc., 16008 North 81st St., Scottsdale, AZ
85260; 800-859-7033; www.ulsinc.com
