Learning Outcome 1: Understand the fundamental principles of statics, mechanics, and dynamics as they apply to particles and rigid bodies.

Learning Outcome 2: Solve engineering problems by breaking them down into distinct parts and subjecting them to logical scientific analysis.

Learning Outcome 3: Demonstrate effective time management skills and the ability to work independently.

Description of Assessment Task and Purpose:

In this task, you are required to design a planar truss to support a conveyor belt system intended for transporting goods from a delivery hatch positioned 12m above the warehouse floor. The heaviest crates descending the conveyor are 2m long, 1m tall, and have a mass of 500 kg.

Your objectives are to:

• Develop a clear design of the planar truss.
• Analyze the forces acting on each member of the truss when the largest crate is at the top of the conveyor.
• Determine the maximum stresses in each truss member and identify the angles at which these stresses occur.
• Calculate the minimum coefficient of static friction necessary for the interaction between the conveyor belt and crates to prevent sliding.
• Select appropriate materials for truss construction, specifying member dimensions based on chosen safety factors and justifications for these selections.
• Clearly articulate the assumptions made during the analysis and their importance.

The final 10% of the assessment is allocated based on the clarity, conciseness, and overall cohesion of your presentation to the warehouse manager.

For analysis purposes, assume the system is at rest, with the conveyor modeled as having a uniformly distributed load of 35 kg/m. Truss members should not exceed a maximum length of 3.5m.

Refer to Figure 1 for the warehouse layout and Figure 2 for the crate`s dimensions.