Lincoln Aviator Center Console Latch Redesign

Overview

The Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker that is investing in mechanical and industrial engineering majors at Penn State in order to find a redesign for the current Lincoln Aviator console armrest latch. The main goal of this project is to provide a latch solution with both an injection moldable compliant mechanism and housing for ease of assembly. Overall, the modifications to the center console latch  will save  time  in the manufacturing  and assembly  processes  leading  to reduced costs for the Ford Motor Company.   

Objectives

The main objectives were to redesign the 6-piece mechanism assembly into one compliant part and edit the latch housing for decreased manufacturing costs and assembly times. Furthermore, the most important task of this project included creating a final CAD assembly file for the compliant mechanism and housing with the intention of creating a physical assembly of the final prototype.  

Approach

– Conduct weekly meetings with Ford via WebEx in order to discuss the project progress and guidance 

– Determine customer needs by researching competitive models of armrest consoles and using specifications given by the Ford Motor Company
 

– Research compliant mechanisms and materials with high elastic body deformation capabilities 


– Utilize Pugh concept scoring matrices to choose designs that align with customer needs and specifications 


– Create CAD files for the 3 highest scored mechanism prototypes from the idea generation process and 3D-print with basic PLA material to visualize capability of motion 


– Use a Pugh concept scoring matrix to continue iterations with the highest scoring design 


– Run a finite element analysis (FEA) to analyze motion and force on the mechanism, along with the corresponding stress response 


– Develop a housing that can be assembled with the mechanism to be completed in less than 3 seconds  


– Continue FEA in Solidworks with the assembled housing and mechanism 


– Consider injection molding by eliminating cut-off points for the mechanism and housing 


– Fabricate a final working assembly with the determined compliant material 

Outcomes

– A finite elemental analysis (FEA) of the final redesign completed in Solidworks (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) exhibiting two components that can be assembled in 3 seconds


– A compliant mechanism latch and housing design meeting the 7 mm translation requirement in the X and Y directions that are injection moldable and fit in the design window 


– The compliant flexures can withstand the maximum stresses (< 32.8 MPa) if an 11.6 N force acts on the paddle while material properties allow the mechanism to spring back to its original position