ENSC31 Truck Bed Extender
Team Members: Adan Arreguin, Thomas Adams, Ryan MaGee
Faculty Advisor: Jeff Nolting
Sponsor: Gonzaga University
Center for Engineering Design & Entrepreneurship
Liasion: Jason Moore
Project Overview: Most midsized pickup truck owners suffer from small pickup bed dimensions. Our project will develop a fully collapsible bed extension system that meets/exceeds current stress capabilities, but stores quickly and neatly out of the way. This system attaches to the latching corners of the pickup bed, extends outward onto the lowered tailgate making a U-shaped wall that increases the size of the pickup bed by the full height of the bed itself. When not in use, the system will collapse telescopically and fold in on itself to create stowable shape and size. Team will design and construct multiple product prototypes to ensure best design.
Summary Statement of Project Goal: Our group will gain invaluable knowledge and experience in automotive aftermarket parts design, construction, and prototype testing and development.
Project Deliverables:
1. Gather and formalize information on size requirements from all major pickup truck manufacturers.
2. Project Proposal
3. Prototype 1: Basic design that fits standard beds and collapses
4. Prototype 2: Utilize data from Proto 1 to develop a fully functioning product that will be beta tested for: strength requirements, ease of use, safety, functionality (collapses and opens uninhibited), aesthetic appeal
5. Cost/manufacturability trade-off analysis for competing designs
6. Final, fully-developed product available for investor/market presentation
Management & Communication Expectations: Team Design Meetings will occur no less than 4 times/week, will include all members and last no less than 30 minutes. Minutes will be recorded.
Research Expectations: The goal of our research is to 1) learn the complexities of designing mechanisms and machines to function with pre-existing and varying products, 2) create a fully functioning, marketable product and 3) manage timelines, project deliverables and teamwork in a real-world, entrepreneurial setting.