Uppdragsgivare Cimco Marine AB
Projektgrupp Michaela Bergkvist Sandra Jansson Pontus Johansson Maia Swenson Sander Voorn Ellinor Widroth
Handledare Johan Heinerud
Initially a large space of potential improvements existed but after limitations were set, the project focused on improving following subjects: material, manufacturing process, user-centered design, product semiotics, division lines, air intakes and fixings. The material should sustain the conditions that the cowl is exposed for and the manufacturing process should make it possible to increase the production rate.
After interviews and study visits a comprehensive collection of data was obtained which resulted in a specification of requirements. The most critical situation from a user-centered design point of view was the need of controlling the oil level before every departure. To control the oil, the ungainly and heavy top cowl needed to be lifted off. This was neither easy to handle nor ergonomic for the user.
The new cowl is considered a better option considering material, manufacturing and user-centered design. It is also assessed to be more cost effective than the existing cowl. Carbon fiber and SMC-molding were decided as the new material and manufacturing process. The new opening feature of the top cowl has hydraulic presses which improves the user experience in several ways. It also offers the user a simple way to do the mandatory check of the components and allows the user to get a holistic view of the engine before every departure. Lastly, the new cowl is improved considering the chosen problem spaces.
