Removing snow from driveways during Chicago winters can be one of the most frustrating jobs given the long winters the city experiences. There are readily available hydraulic shovels and engine operated blowers in the market but given the cost of these devices, it is not affordable to the common man. As a team, I worked on a simple and affordable system which can be mounted onto the Jeep ANYTIME and doesn’t require any external source to run the shovel. The final design of the shovel is a retro-fitment and can be DE-attached from the car when not in use.

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
DESIGN OF SNOW SHOVEL FOR JEEP CHEROKEE
GROUP NAME: ASPIRE
TEAM MEMEBERS UIN
Desai, Jaykumar 654034628
Wolly Taiwo, Kamal 656931320
Samartha, Ram Mohan 660826346
Velmurugan, Vijay Anand 678608544
Course: ME 547 Advanced Concepts/Computer-Aided Engineering
Instructor: Majid Naghshineh, Ph.D.
Department: Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Introduction
2. Project Scope
3. Design Intent
4. Decision-making Matrix
5. Patent research
6. Collaboration
7. Estimated time for CAD models and drawings
8. Device functionality
9. Bill of Material
10. Assembly Process
11. Manufacturing Technology
12. CAD strategy
12. Cost and Weight analysis
13. Task Distribution
14. Gantt chart
15. References

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ INTRODUCTION
Removing snow from drive ways during Chicago winters can be one of the most frustrating
job given the long winters the city experiences. There are readily available hydraulic
shovels and engine operated blowers in the market but given the cost of these devices, it is
not affordable to the common man. As a group, ASPIRE worked on a simple and affordable
system which can be mounted onto the Jeep ANYTIME and doesn’t require any external
source to run the shovel. The final design of the shovel is a retro-fitment and can be de-
attached from the car when not in use.
➢ PROJECT SCOPE
The following design constraints were used for the project:
1. The Vehicle (SUV) available in the garage can be used as a power source.
2. The driveway dimensions: two cars wide and three car long.
3. The system should be easily handled by an average person in the United States (195.8 lb.)
4. The system is designed to clear 2-6 inches of snow.
5. Ease of availability of replacement parts.
6. Simple mounting and de-mounting.
7. The snow shovel is strengthened by use of stiffness bar for maximum durability.
8. Minimum required fillet radius is given to snow shovel and all other mating/interfacing
parts sharp edges as a safety concern.
9. Finally, the cost budget for this project is $500.
➢ DESIGN INTENT
Aspire as a group had two concepts in place (explained by a decision-making matrix
later) before we finalized on the design based on the following points:
1. Minimum cost for manufacturing and assembly.
2. The design should be available to modify easily in case there are any design changes
due to quality issues or any further improvements in the design such as better durability,
reliability, adding better improvement features etc.
3. The design is made as simple as possible so that the vendors incur minimum tooling
cost which in turn reduces the overall cost of the product.
4. The shovel is designed for maximum durability by incorporating stiffness bar.
5. Basic design criteria such as clearance hole of 1mm and 2mm of outside projection for
the fastener in each of the mounting is incorporated.
6. Jeep Cherokee has a horse power of (180 to 271) HP which to our assumptions is
effective enough to clear snow off the driveway and acts as a power source.

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ ASSUMPTIONS
1. There is enough storage space for the shovel in the garage.
2. The width of the car is approximately 1900mm.
3. The ground clearance is approximately 10.8 inches off road.
4. The distance between two hooks is assumed to be 1580mm.
5. A rough dimension (shown below) of the jeep Cherokee was used as a platform for the
shovel design. [1]

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ DECISION-MAKING MATRIX
Important factors considered in finalizing design:
1. Weight: Given this snow shovel should be handled by an average person, this was an
important factor.
2. Part availability: The design should be simple and the parts readily available in case of
damage.
3. Functionality: The snow shovel should be effective in clearing 2-6 inches of snow and
make the maximum use of horsepower of SUV.
4. Price: The cost should be minimum and within the project budget ($500).
Snow Shovel
(Strap)
Snow Shovel
Factor Weight Rating
Weighted
Rating
Rating
Weighted
Rating
Safety 8 3 24 10 80
Price 6 4 24 6 36
Functionality (snow clearing capability) 7 7 49 8 56
Weight 2 2 4 6 12
Energy requirements 2 4 8 5 10
Availability 4 3 12 6 24
Snow Shovel with
strap total
rating:
Snow Shovel total
rating:
121 218

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ PATENT RESEARCH
Two key databases were used for patent research: WIPO Patent scope and Espacenet.
Key words: automobile, snow shovel, car
➢ COLLOBORATION
As a team, one of the important challenges that we faced is assembly of parts in
solidworks. Each of the parts were designed in CAD software expertise of each member
and finally assembled in soldworks in STP format.
➢ ESTIMATED TIME FOR CAD MODELS AND DRAWINGS
Database Number of hits
WIPO Patent database:
(http://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/search.jsf) 102
Espacenet (EPO Patent database)
(http://worldwide.espacenet.com/advancedSearch) 105
PART CAD SOFTWARE FINAL ASSEMBLY
Mounting Plate Autodesk fusion
SOLIDWORKS
Mounting Hook Autodesk fusion
Snow Shovel Solidworks
Stiffness Bar Solidworks
Base Plate PTC Creo
PART ESTIMATED TIME (hours)
Mounting Plate 4
Mounting hook 2
Snow shovel 6
Stiffness bar 1
base plate 4
Drawings (including assembly drawing) 8
Estimated total time 25

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ DEVICE FUNCTIONALITY
1. Base Plate
The primary function of the base plate is to clear the snow of the driveway. Keeping this
function in consideration, the base plate has been made as rugged as possible. The
thickness of the base plate is 5mm and a fillet radius of 10mm is given on the sharp
edges as a safety concern during mounting and de-mounting of the snow shovel system.
2. Snow Shovel
Snow shovel is used to support the base plate and all other mating/interfacing parts.
keeping this as important criteria, it was decided to design the snow shovel rugged
and robust. To improve the durability stiffness bar are welded behind the snow shovel.

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
3. Mounting Plate
The mounting plate supports the mounting hook and functions as the main part
mounting the system of snow shovel and base plate.
4. Mounting Hook
The mounting hook is welded to the mounting plate. The function of the mounting hook
is primarily to support the entire snow shovel to mount on the tow hooks.
5. Fasteners
The fasteners are used for two main purposes:
1. To mount the base plate to snow shovel.
2. To mount the mounting plate to the snow shovel.
Considering, the mounting holes in the design are of 10mm, the selection of
fasteners were critical. The Hexagonal bolts and square nut are of M9 specification, this
allows a clearance of 1mm between the fasteners and the mounting holes.
Hexagonal Bolt Square NutHexagonal bolt Square Nut

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
6. Stiffness Bar
The stiffness bar is welded to the snow shovel. The primary function of the stiffness
bar is to increase the durability of shovel and the robustness.
7. Device Mounting
The final assembly is mounted to the tow hook of the Jeep as shown schematically
above. The snow shovel uses the horsepower of the jeep to remove of the drive way.
The mounting is a simple procedure and can be done in the least amount of time by a
common person.

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ BILL OF MATERIAL
SS- Stainless Steel
CS- Carbon Steel
To reduce the cost the following factors are considered during the design stage:
1. Common mounting plate design at two locations.
2. Common fasteners at all mounting locations.
➢ ASSEMBLY PROCESS:
1. Sub- assembly 1
The base plate is mounted to the snow shovel by fasteners.

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
2. Sub- assembly 2
The stiffness bar is welded to the snow shovel.
3. Sub-assembly 3
The mounting hook is welded to the mounting plate.
4. Final assembly
The output from sub-assemblies 1,2 and 3 are finally assembled in the final line
by torqueing fasteners (see torque specification in bill of material).
Stiffness bar

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Primarily sheet metal manufacturing process is employed for parts. Blanks or rolls of
sheet metal (thickness = 5mm) is used
The sheet metal processes are:
1. Bending
The most common bending methods are air bending and bottoming. About 25 tons of
pressure is employed. A press brake with a manual or a CNC controlled is used for the
bending process. The bend profile and the bend radius are defined in the drawings.
2. Blanking
Blanking is a metal fabricating process, during which a metal workpiece is removed from
the primary metal strip or sheet when it is punched. The material that is removed is the
new metal workpiece or blank.
3. Punching (for mounting holes)
Punching is a forming process that uses a punch press to force a tool, called a punch,
through the workpiece to create a hole via shearing. Punching is applicable to a wide
variety of materials that come in sheet form, including sheet metal, paper, vulcanized
fiber and some forms of plastic sheet. The punch often passes through the work into
a die.[2]
-> Snow shovel
Blank sheets of metal are bent. The stiffness bar is then welded to the snow shovel.
->Stiffness bar
Blank sheet of metal of the required dimensions are blanked
->Base Plate
Holes of 10mm are punched on the blank sheet of metal.
->Mounting Plate
A square plate sheet metal is used on which holes of required dimensions are punched
->Mounting Hook
A sheet metal bar is bent at the required lengths and bend radius as per the drawing

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ CAD STRATEGY
The CAD strategy employed is closely related to the manufacturing process. This is done
keeping in mind design changes that may crop up in the future due to any design issues.
This strategy, we believe will help in easy modification of CAD as and when the need
arises.
Mounting Plate
Mounting Hook
Variable
factor

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ COST AND WEIGHT ANALYSIS
PART COST WEIGHT (KG)
Base plate $50 0.931
Snow Shovel $150 3.21
Mounting Plate $25 0.01091
Mounting Hook $30 0.03602
Fasteners $100 2.01
Total approximate cost (including assembly cost)- $450
Total approximate weight- 6 Kg
➢ TASK DISTRIBUTION
1. Jay – Design and Drafting of base plate, Presentation, Patent Search and (Representative).
2. Vijay – Design and Drafting of snow shovel, Report, Patent Search and (Representative).
3. Kamal – Design and Drafting of hook, Presentation.
4.Samartha – Selection of fasteners, material for all components, weight and cost analysis.
Note: L-Team Leader
C- Team Coordinator
P- Team Participant

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
➢ Gantt Chart
➢ Reasons for design to be optimum:
1. Cost Effective:
Same design for mounting plate, mounting hook and common fasteners at all mounting
locations.
2. Manufacturing:
Sheet metal bending, blanking and punching for all the parts. This ensures NO POST
MACHINING process is required for any of the parts.
3. Lead Time:
Sheet metal fabrication process is generally mass production and since all the parts use
common sheet metal manufacturing process, minimum lead time at the vendor site
is satisfied.
4. Robust Design:
Optimum thickness used for all the parts along with the right material selection.

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ME 547: ADVANCED CAD
REFERENCES
[1]: https://www.jeep.com/cherokee.html
[2]: Product Design for Manufacture and Assembly G. Boothroyd and P. Dewhurst,
Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. 1989 Marcell Dekker, Inc. 1994.
[3]:http://www.autodesk.com/
[4]: https://ptc.com/en/products/cad/creo/
[5]:http://www.mechscience.com
[6]:http://www.freepatentsonline.com/
[7]: http://patft.uspto.gov/
[8]:http://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/search.jsf
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