“DEVELOPMENT OF HYDRAULIC CRANE WITH BASE ON PASCAW LAW: ACADEMIC PROJECT IN THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING COURSE”

Abstract

With the growing importance of developing skills in students of engineering courses, where the traditional model of education has highlighted the deepening of knowledge in the disciplines contents, leaving aside the formation of skills and attitudes, it shows in the educational institutions, innovations in models to develop their students.

This article highlights the experience of an academic project using the concepts of Pascal's Law in Fluid Mechanics discipline. With freedom of choice, students should develop a hydraulic device. Crafted entirely by actively Project Based Learning method (PBL), the discipline makes up the curriculum of the 4th semester of Mechanical Engineering. Located in Lorena (SP), the course is taught in UNISAL (University Center of São Paulo) brazilian higher education institution that is at the forefront of innovative learning methods.

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the practical application of Pascal concepts in the development of a fixed crane using recyclable materials in its structure and representing its functionality through the use of different sizes of syringes. The fundamental concept is the application of a specific force in a given area, in order to calculate the pressure at this point. The supports used for balancing the crane while avoiding the overturning of the same, were made from four syringes with the same diameter, representing the footpads. For luffing, two syringes were used with a diameter twice that of the outriggers syringes, to withstand high load. For the telescopic boom three syringes of different diameters were used in order to represent the length of the boom and subsequently the retraction of it.

The project is to create a device with controlled movements by radio frequency and that its main functions are driven by syringes. Moreover, safety sequences were developed to avoid the shifting device with the high weight and rotation of the boom in an accelerated manner. Aimed at economy and efficiency of the devices, setting the crane will be calculated in every way possible based on Pascal's law.

Developed over 6 weeks, the principle is the determination of the payload and the time range. Through an initial draft, it became the design of the rotating system, in which the load simulation was done by checking reactions and tensions. From cylinder specifications (bore and stroke), the pump, the design and working system were adequate in order to scale the rest of the hydraulic system. At the end of the project, it was found that the application of Pascal's law provided the movement of cargo through the minimum effort.

It’s Important to emphasize the delegation of duties between members of the group, facilitating the learning process and especially the capacity for decision making, as with the involvement of all during the project development led to the practical application of the theory asserted evenly inside the team.