School Engineering Project

[vm_boy]

Maybe you can figure out some product to fit into the front pocket-thing of the console. Maybe a storage divider? Just an idea.

 

[Singtoe]

Make and design disk brake mounts for the rear of 4runner. No welding required.

 

[MTD]

Guys, even though I do not have a 3rd Gen, let me interject something here:
This is a young man, in high school, doing his first "engineering" project. I'm quite sure that the documented process for the design and manufacture is much more important than the actual product. If I were you guys and wanted to help I would try to think of maybe some small interior or exterior bits that would be relatively inexpensive to build, use common materials that can be found at a big box store and manufacturing methods that are not complex. I for one would like to have an additional storage pocket for my 5th gen TE. It could be mounted right to the side of the center console.

Kid, I have been doing what you want to do for the past 25 years. PM me if you have any questions and I will be glad to advise. MechEng by degree and have designed high pressure mobile hydraulic systems for most of that time. With that said, don't any of you wahoos pm me with log splitter or tractor pto questions lol.

I completely agree with this, getting into anything overly complicated detracts from the exercise of the project. I am a 4th year mech eng student and I am about to start my senior project, which I can guarantee will be something relatively simple.

 

[SRQ-Runner]

I've lurked here a long time, but never had anything to post. For an interior piece idea, you could build a panel that holds gauges in the center portion of the dash. This would be an alternative to mounting them on the a-pillar. When you have an aftermarket radio a lot of times there is an open space below or above the new radio that you might be able to fit two or three gauges. It would be simple and cheaper than the a-pillar mounts, it's a little in depth when you model it because you have to think of the curvature of the dash, how it will mount, and the drivers seating position so you can view the gauges completely. Then you could 3d print it depending on the size of your schools printer.

I have a mustang that people sell these for, but the center portion of my dash is completely square, so its really easy to just build a square panel. I think one for a 4runner would be more in depth. I don't think anyone makes these for the 4runner, so sorry in advance if this has been done. Below is an example of one on a mustang.

http://578e7a9bafc08e847f59-b21544d490ba797ec9de9d17e947de3d.r81.cf1.rackcdn.com/lrs-04371c_1108.jpg

I really like this idea but on my ride home I was looking at it and under my head unit there is only about a inch of free space so definitely not enough room to get some gauges in there. I could possible make a gauge cluster under the cigarette lighter, where most people store sunglasses, etc. There is definitely enough room there to get some gauges in with some extra room for a T4R logo or something. Would anyone else be interested in that?

 

[SRQ-Runner]

I think this is the best advice I have seen in here. I'm 2 years out of college for mech engineering, and a lot of these ideas would have been too much for a senior design project at a University!

OP, what kind of equipment/software do you have access to? 3d printers? Full machine shop? This will dictate a lot of what you'll actually be able to prototype. I would also think about what the average person has available to them when you are designing, since you likely won't be going into production to sell whatever you design.

Awesome idea to make something for a 4runner. I am also available if you have any questions.

Quick idea: I always wondered if it would be possible to make a hanging cup holder that would sit on the right side of the console for us 98 and earlier guys. I hate my factory cup holders and it would be great if I didn't have to replace my console to get a nicer one.

Our engineering room has just about everything besides welding equipment. We have a large 3d printer, Laser engraver, CNC machine, saws, and drilling machines.

As a fellow 98 and earlier member I feel your pain with the cup holders. I normally find myself using the ones for the back seat lol. That sounds like a pretty good idea. I could maybe incorporate 2 cup holders on the right side of the console about equal to the shifter. Our 3d printer is large enough to print that out.

 

[ocreptileguy]

Quarter glass storage inserts. Either flip open fronts like on work trucks or open with mounts for rotapax.

Idea is to remove right and left quarter glass and the inserts fit in the opening while still keeping it sealed. Minimal intrusion to the cargo area, relatively easy to install with no needed additional fabrication to the vehicle

 

[Brique]

I'd love to see a design for a small trash can that fits up front and looks oem. Little deal i can throw my receipts, straw wrappers and the like in.

 

[TheDurk]

A decent-looking, secure smart-phone mount that looks OEM.

 

[Jaketino]

A decent-looking, secure smart-phone mount that looks OEM.

Oh please make this! Those cheap aftermarket ones are terrible.

 

[SRQ-Runner]

A decent-looking, secure smart-phone mount that looks OEM.

Where would you want it located? Near the head unit? On the dash? Or like up buy the a pillar?

 

[TheDurk]

Where would you want it located? Near the head unit? On the dash? Or like up buy the a pillar?

That's part of the challenge. Anywhere visible and operable. My ghetto rig is currently right in front of the silly clock that has not worked since 2005. I COULD fix it, but my Alpine HU has a perfectly good clock.

 

[SRQ-Runner]

That's part of the challenge. Anywhere visible and operable. My ghetto rig is currently right in front of the silly clock that has not worked since 2005. I COULD fix it, but my Alpine HU has a perfectly good clock.

I'm up for a good challenge. Just didn't know if there was a location you had in mind.

 

[packweco]

Our engineering room has just about everything besides welding equipment. We have a large 3d printer, Laser engraver, CNC machine, saws, and drilling machines.

As a fellow 98 and earlier member I feel your pain with the cup holders. I normally find myself using the ones for the back seat lol. That sounds like a pretty good idea. I could maybe incorporate 2 cup holders on the right side of the console about equal to the shifter. Our 3d printer is large enough to print that out.

Awesome, sounds like you can do a fair amount of prototyping!

A double cup holder would be pretty awesome. If you end up designing one up, I'd be interested in it. I have a few makerbots where I work so I could print one out!

 

[SRQ-Runner]

Awesome, sounds like you can do a fair amount of prototyping!

A double cup holder would be pretty awesome. If you end up designing one up, I'd be interested in it. I have a few makerbots where I work so I could print one out!

Alright! I think a fair amount of people would like some extra cup holders without going through the hassle of putting a new center console in.

I see a lot of engineering students always going to metal bumpers and skids and stuff. I say think outside the box and do something cool in plastic that anyone could have printed from companies like Amazon, Office Depot, Etc that offer 3D printing services. If you came up with a cool part, you could upload your drawings to these companies sites, then when people buy them, you get a percentage of the money for owning the drawing, and they are the ones who have to make and ship the part. Once the drawing and prototypes are made and tested, you are basically hands off and get money for your intellectual property. You have to do a little marketing of the product, but that's it. That's the best way to make great passive income off of your ideas without having to deal with making parts, inventory, shipping, payment or anything.

This is pretty amazing. Have you done anything like this before?

 

[VolcanoT4R]

Hey T4R members,

With it being my senior year in high school, I have entered into the final engineering class offered at my school. Our project for the year is to desgin and build a product which could be marketed and sold. We have to follow the desgin process just like a engineer would do in the real world. I've been brainstorming a few ideas and I would love to desgin a product that would benefit T4R members. I know there must be some kind of part that you guys have wished you could buy.

So what I am asking you guys is, do you have any ideas for a product that you wish someone made, so that you could buy it? Like a part that would be helpful? Or a modification that would benefit your build? Or even just a cool cosmetic part that would add some style to your 4runner. I'm open to all suggestions and there really isnt any limitations on the size of the final product. I just wanted to here some ideas that you guys may have.

I will be working on the project all year, going form brainstorming ideas, to desgining a prototype on 3D software, and then constructing a full size product. I would love to keep you guys informed on my progess if the product pertains to 4runners or T4R members.

Thanks for the help,
Matt

Several ideas come to mind that I have thought of:

1) (probably a little too complicated for a HS project) retrofit "HYBRID" kit to increase MPG to ~40 without sacrificing off-road performance

2) (kind of hard to describe) a hitch-mounted pneumatic "trailer" that lowers so it can be loaded with 4'x8' sheets (e.g. plywood, drywall) and then raised above the roof

3) (similar to #2) a roof rack that "rolls" off the side/back and can be loaded with 4'x8' sheets (or a spare tire as suggested above)

Good luck with your project...keep us posted.

 

[SRQ-Runner]

I was thinking what if I desgined some kind of mounting bracket to the side of the console, about equal to the shifter on the right side. It would then have diferent parts that could be placed in it. So lets say you want cupholders, the you would just clip the two cupholders into the bracket. And then you decide you need some more storage, then you could detach the cup holders and attach a storage bin to the bracket. Also, I could make something that is like an extra tray or phone holder for extra "throw down" space. There is tons of different attatchments I could make for it. And if you decided you didnt want anything attached for the day, you could just detach everything and just the bracket would be remainng.

What do you guys think??

 

[1engineer]

Several ideas come to mind that I have thought of:

1) (probably a little too complicated for a HS project) retrofit "HYBRID" kit to increase MPG to ~40 without sacrificing off-road performance

2) (kind of hard to describe) a hitch-mounted pneumatic "trailer" that lowers so it can be loaded with 4'x8' sheets (e.g. plywood, drywall) and then raised above the roof

3) (similar to #2) a roof rack that "rolls" off the side/back and can be loaded with 4'x8' sheets (or a spare tire as suggested above)

Good luck with your project...keep us posted.

[MENTION=102266]SRQ-Runner[/MENTION] Let me answer this one:

1. Absolutely. I'll get right on it. I need you to do a few things for me on this item first though. A) Need group of investors and around $500M. To start. B) Need whole team of "me's" C) Need facilities D)Need around 5 years after you get right on that.

2. A little more realistic but tough to mount a crane boom on a hitch. Either that or an excavator arm concept. Again, can do but will need lots of time and money for prototype. Also will cost $33,560 per copy when completed.

3. Even more realistic. Basically use a Kayak loader that is already developed for vehicles and modify it. Its patented though so we have to build the prototype and take them to federal patent court and argue that our product is substantially different enough to be granted a design patent instead of a concept patent. Since I have been through this before on another project those lawyers need about a year and $100K to start.

[MENTION=107899]VolcanoT4R[/MENTION] I am just joking with these answers lol. But seriously, while these are really good ideas, the amount of money and time would be staggering. For item three there already is a very similar product out there that could load plywood with some modification.

Let's add:
4. Dual cup holder.

Alright Matt, you can do this one.

 

[1engineer]

I was thinking what if I desgined some kind of mounting bracket to the side of the console, about equal to the shifter on the right side. It would then have diferent parts that could be placed in it. So lets say you want cupholders, the you would just clip the two cupholders into the bracket. And then you decide you need some more storage, then you could detach the cup holders and attach a storage bin to the bracket. Also, I could make something that is like an extra tray or phone holder for extra "throw down" space. There is tons of different attatchments I could make for it. And if you decided you didnt want anything attached for the day, you could just detach everything and just the bracket would be remainng.

What do you guys think??

Q. What's the first step an engineer does in conveying his initial idea to his boss or potential customers?



A. A rough sketch (most of mine are on the back of bar napkins but you are not there yet) is better than a thousand words! Seriously though, I actually have bar napkin sketches in files. Really.

 

[SRQ-Runner]

Q. What's the first step an engineer does in conveying his initial idea to his boss or potential customers?



A. A rough sketch (most of mine are on the back of bar napkins but you are not there yet) is better than a thousand words! Seriously though, I actually have bar napkin sketches in files. Really.

In enigneering right now working on that. With printer paper though

 

[1engineer]

In enigneering right now working on that. With printer paper though

Make sure (on the back or something) you sign it, date it and write some quick sentence on context, like "Was talking to guys on T4R.org about cup holder for my HS class." If you don't, 10 years from now you will never remember what it was about of for.
Initial concept sketches can be wildly different from actual production pieces, so different they might not even look like the same thing. Ask me how I know lol.

Last point: If you describe something with words, it can be imagined by the reader in many different ways. With a sketch, it can only be imagined one way, and that's the engineer who drew its way!