A team of three Engineering students have recently received the Best Design Award in the Volvo Safety 1st Trolley Design Competition. Participants were required to tackle safety challenge and modify the design of a trolley for better safety during the competition. There were a total of 35 entries from various local intuitions and only six were shortlisted. The winning team was assigned to work on the safety measures of a Dim Sum Trolley (Poaching). With innovation and passion, they have carried out a number of modifications making the trolley one of the best designs selected by the judge panel. For examples, given the exposed wheels, heavy weight and instability of a classic trolley, they have implemented a wooden Dolly Trolley with 3” PU wheels and foot brake. It allows users to push the trolley with minimal forces, prevents unnecessary interference with the wheels, and provides extra storage space for internal electronic devices. Minimalism is also achieved in the winning design. By adding plastic half bars on the sharp edge of the acrylic stand, the dim sum can be stored and delivered in a better way while protecting users from cuts. The team noticed that there is a risk of oil and water spilling when the trolley is in operation, so they applied a new water level indicator to the oil tank. Moreover, they installed a laboratory-level TPX lid to cover the oil tank. Regarding the potential burning of heated trolley body, gas stoves and CO poisoning, the team replaced the heat source with Electric Heating Plate. It is light, CO-free and capable of sustaining heat transfer to the container. To further facilitate the trolley body temperature reduction, a universal steel frame was installed to support the heating plate. Inappropriate physical posture is a common problem for many users. To address this issue, the team introduced Ergonomic Handles with adjustable height and angle and comfortable gripping shapes. Such design makes the trolley adaptable to users with different body shapes and thus reduces the risk of occupational injuries. |
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