REVERSE ENGINEERING A TAPE MEASURE

Steven linstad
Ryan quick
Skyview High School
Intro to Engineering Design
Mr. Hays
5-11-11

Abstract
During the project the objectives were to discover how it worked, see how it was
assembled then apply what we had learned to create improvements. We used functional
and visual analysis to learn why the designers made the product the way it is.The result of
disassembling the part was finding out that the materials the original creator used were
very poor materials. In conclusion, we stated that we had a fault in communication
resulting in a setback and we recommended better planning and/or communication
between teammates or co-workers.

Table of Contents
Title page......1
Abstract....2
Table of contents..3
Introduction..4
Subject..4
Purpose.4
Scope4
What problem it solves.4
Procedure..5
Visual Analysis.6
Results...7
Discussion.8
Appendices9
References....10

Introduction

Subject
Tape measure. The tape measure solves the problem of measurement in long
lengths where the yardstick would fail. We had to use a standard 30-foot tape measure.
Purpose
To understand how a product works and how it is assembled.
Scope
The and constraints is the time we had to plan, sketch, take it apart, measure all
the parts, recreate them in inventor, dimension the individual parts, create an assembly,
make the change to the product, write a technical report, lastly, put it all on a presentation
board. By only having a month to work on it we came up with a planner to sort our
schedule. This made sure we were always on schedule.
What problem it solves
The tape measure solves the problem of measuring an object or space up to 30
feet in a quick, easy and affordable way.

Procedure

The very first thing that must be established in a reverse engineering

operation is to identify the purpose. The purpose is divided into 3 sections; visual,
structural, and functional. The visual purpose of our product is to look sturdy and
dependable. From its finish, making it look like metal, to the rugged box shape that
makes it look sturdy. The structural purpose is for the front and back case to be screwed
together and hold the actual measuring tape, along with structural support inside the
case to better help it from cracking or breaking from a drop. The functional purpose of
the tape measure is to measure objects, have an automatic returned tape, and have a
special locking mechanism that uses the force of friction when pressed down to hold the
tape temporarily from being automatically returned. The second step that must be done is
developing a hypothesis. We predicted what simple machines were hidden and at work
inside the tool itself. Then the disassembly occurs, along with careful documentation of
every part. We unscrewed the case with a Philips screwdriver and went to work at
counting and documenting parts. Documenting the parts includes telling what the part
does, what it is made out of, what manufacturing process is used, how many of each part,
and sketches of each part. Then after we saw what was really going on inside the tape
measure, we analyzed the elements and components of the tool. The design elements
include lines, color, form/shape, space, texture, and value. After that we wrote a visual
and functional analysis describing key features of the product and determining the inputs,
function of that input, and output. One example of functional analysis using our product
would be how you use force (input) to pull out the tape and measure items (function) and
you hear sound (output) from the friction of the tape against the case and other internal
components. Analyzing the components did include taking careful measurements of

every part with a dial caliper. Then to communicate our results, we wrote a technical
report presenting our findings. Finally, we wrote a product redesign proposal. This means
we took everything we learned and applied it toward making this product better in some
way. In our case, we noticed early on in the dis-assembly stage of the project that the case
or shell (made out of ABS plastic) cracked slightly when dropped. We thought that it
should have a stronger case around it. So we swapped the plastic material for lightweight
yet strong aluminum.

Visual analysis
In the visual analysis of our product, the tape measure, we examined the
product very carefully and thought about why the manufacturers made it the way it was.
We came across multiple conclusions using the design principles. Design principles
include balance, emphasis, proportion. All of these principles came into play when they
designed the tape measure. First, the scale was perfect for a grown mans hand. The
emphasis of the product lies on the front case with all the necessary label, company
name, and key features they needed to present. The balance of the object was very good.
It has a lot of stability and symmetrical features that attribute to its natural rugged look.
Its unity is in the uniform shape. The two sides of the case were symmetrical, giving it an
ultimate harmony and uniform look. Finally, its rhythm was linear, with hundreds of tiny
lines that were extruded above the surface to create texture and grip. All this thought
process went into the design of the tape measure ensuring it would not only perform well,
but look and feel good too.
Results

During the course of this project we learned a lot through our research. We
learned how the product was assembled, manufactured, designed, how it works, what
simple machines were used in the product, and what complex thoughts went into making
it a better product. The most important thing we learned about the problem of the tape
measure was how its casing was made out of a brittle plastic that cracks easily. We fixed
this in our redesign proposal by making the casing aluminum for an extremely durable
product that was still lightweight and portable. Our views of the findings were to change
the base material for a longer product lifetime.

Discussion
As high school students, we have done exceptionally well at keeping on

schedule and completing all objectives of this project to the fullest extent of our ability
within the given time frame. Our research was pinpoint accurate and our solution was the
most economically and green solution we could find. The significance of our results, as
young engineers, was to learn how a product works and how it was assembled through
reverse engineering this product. Then we could apply that knowledge to making the
product better in some way. Whether that may be cutting the cost of the product, making
it more efficient, or improving the overall quality. This is the crucial step in innovation.
First, fully understanding a product and its background, then applying new and
imaginative thoughts towards the product to improve it as a whole. One problem we ran
into during the procedure phase of this project was communication. We had trouble
communicating in detail back and forth between the two of us. This resulted in a setback
by loss of information because of poor communication. Fortunately we took the
necessary steps to get back on schedule. Our solution of making the casing aluminum
proved to be a good choice because our research stated that aluminum would last almost
three times as long as plastic. Although it would be slightly more expensive, the pros far
outweigh the cons. Our suggestions for the reader might include things such as a different
approach to the problem and better communication.

Appendices

Reference