Purpose
Unprecedented natural disasters have recently been impacting world environments. The functionality to provide / store aid will assist those stranded due to such disasters and bring significant user impact to the product’s capabilities.
Design Objective
The primary functionalities present as a part of the sub-function include transporting aid (e.g. food, water, life vests, first aid) to users in need and storing such supplies in a safe manner, such as through utilizing a water-tight container.
With ensuring the safety in the transportation of supplies, it is key that we water-proof the Cargo Bay or specific components that will be used to carry the materials. Typically, waterproof products have an outer coating called “Durable Water Repellency”, which helps water droplets bead off a product / prevent water from seeping in.
The water-proof seal design is also a critical component. There are a few designs that can be used for water-tight seals:
- O-Rings – For circular products, a static O-Ring is ideal, as static O-Rings ensure that the parts of the product do not move relative to one another. For products that require more lubrication and are tougher, dynamic O-Rings can be utilized, as they allow parts to move relative to one another.
- Gasket – A gasket is an adhesive glue or spray that is used in holding mechanical joints together. It reduces the tendency of mechanical breakdown and is ideal for complex face-to-face seals.
With regards to material selection for water-proof containers, the purpose of the container and its durability must to be considered. For environments that require high durability, tough waterproof enclosure materials need to be utilized. Material selection also is dependent on whether the materials will be utilized outdoors or indoors.
Common Materials for Water-Proof Enclosure:
- Plastics: Corrosion resistant
- Metals (steel, aluminum): Scratch and abrasion-resistant
Technical Concepts
Pressure will take a big role in this module; increasing pressure will increase the risk of failure of the water-retainment mechanism.
Metrics
Constraints
Relevant Codes and Standards
- IP code (Ingress Protection Code; IEC standard 60529)
- NEMA Rating System
Citations
- Huang, L. (2021, June 9). Waterproof enclosure design in product manufacturing: RapidDirect blog. Rapid Direct. Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://www.rapiddirect.com/blog/waterproof-enclosure-design-in-product-manufacturing/.