Portable Torsion Tester

Project Description:

Algonquin College’s Mechanical Engineering faculty has requested the design and build of a torsion tester. A torsion tester is designed and built on the basis of strength, weight, accuracy, and cost. The client will use this device as a teaching aid to provide further explanation for students in order to grasp the concepts of torsional stress and failure analysis. This machine should read out angle of twist as well as applied torque on a digital display built into the tool.
Currently, lab-grade torsion testers are cumbersome and very heavy. These tools are also commonly bolted down to ensure damage to the tool is unlikely. This is intended to be an “out of lab” example for students during their theory class. For example, the ADMET eXpert 9000 torsion tester has a volumetric footprint of 18in x 18in x 42in [1]. This would require two people to safely carry around the building and would be hard to navigate the hallways with. The students of the engineering faculty at Algonquin College would greatly benefit from a real-life example or torsional failure to aid them in visualizing the lessons.
To succeed, the torsion tester must:

1. Have an accuracy of +/- 20% of calculated values
2. Weigh no more than 30 pounds, to allow for easy transport across the college.
3. Be small enough to comfortably fit inside the arms of the carrier (dimensions: 18in x 12in x 6in)
4. Be built to be able to withstand any stresses caused during usage (bending stress, torsional shear)
5. Withstand release of energy caused during failure of the specimen being studied
6. Have a cumulative cost (parts and fabrication) of no more than $250-300, as per Algonquin College’s budget.
7. Allow a user to develop enough torque to cause failure of a specimen
8. Allow for the easy removal of a failed specimen from the jaws of the tool

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