Background: 

    We were asked to design a tool for our sponsor, Skills of Central PA, in order to help their workers more successfully complete their tasks.  Skills of Central PA employers workers to assemble different size couplings.  Some of these individuals are so severely handicapped (physically and/or mentally) that they can not assemble the couplings because they lack the strength or mobility in their arms.  The goal of aiding tools is to design a final product that allows the bottom coupling to rest in a fitting and lets the user assemble the rest of the coupling using just one hand.

Objectives: 

• Design a tool that enables the workers to assemble couplings with the use of one hand
• The tool should be able to compensate for all 8 different sizes of couplings to be assembled
• The tool should be safe and not be a hazard to any of the workers in the work environment
• Design for a simple, effective and cost efficient solution

Our Design:

A model of our design is shown to the right:

• Aluminum block used as the base                                           
• Base middle is as large as the largest coupling
• 6 inserts that will fit into the center of the base
• Each insert sized to a different size coupling
• Rubber padding on the bottom for immobility
• Rounded edges and corners for safety