Wheelchair Design

Orthopaedic wheelchair

Existing all-terrain wheelchair for deve

High End all-terrain wheelchair

Orthopaedic wheechair testing 1

Orthopaedic wheechair testing 2

Orthopaedic wheechair testing 3

The Brief

“Design and prototype a low cost, all terrain wheelchair for use in developing countries with the aim of it being manufactured/ maintained locally.“

Research

Research, using supervisor recommendations, included:

Areas of need and terrain,
Problems with current wheelchairs – including questionnaires and discussing with NGO’s,
Looking into existing all terrain wheelchairs
Standards,
Currently used and available materials,
Primary testing of a wheelchair in various conditions.

Design and Development

Mind-mapping, a functional tree and a morphological chart was used to generate concepts with a wider perspective.

Pugh's datum matrix and a feasibility judgement allowed designs to be evaluated, comparing to each other and a criteria, in order to develop designs further, using controlled convergence. This process was continued until final selection.

An adjustable and adaptable wheelchair was chosen due to it’s reconfigurable footprint, focusing on overall cost for manufacture as well as the end user needs.

Design process

Wheelchair - Retracted front legs

Wheelchair - Extended front legs

Wheelchair - Front

Wheelchair - Back

Wheelchair - Outdoor

Wheelchair - Indoor

Exploded View

FEA

Engineering drawing

Bill of materials

CAD

Work completed using Solidworks showing both the extended and retracted configurations of the wheelchair. This is the case for both assembly models and engineering drawings. Rendering of the models was done using Keyshot and PhotoView 360.

FEA work completed using the Solidworks plug in. Difficulties here were solved through communication with CAD technicians with more in depth knowledge of FEA software.

Prototype

A looks like prototype was created to show the intent and thinking behind the chosen idea.

Adapting an orthopaedic wheelchair and using 3D printing and workshop skills allowed the creation of the prototype.

Although not fully functional, potential issues could be identified, allowing design changes to be suggested within the final report.

Prototype - Side view

Prototype - Front View

Skills Used and Gained

Sketching;

Solidworks - Solid modelling and assembly, engineering drawings and FEA;

PhotoView 360;

Keyshot;

Design generation/ evaluation techniques;

Working to a project plan;

Microsoft office;

Communication with my supervisor, university technicians and non-profit organisations.

Achievements

Final poster shortlisted by the Sheffield Hallam University Materials and Engineering Research Institute (MERI) and displayed at the MERI Research Symposium.

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