1. UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO
Project 08
Final Design Assignment
Ryan Bierl (34361424)
12/14/2009
Project 08 encompasses the entire design phase, from surveying existing products to modeling your
design in Pro Engineer. The product in this report is a transportation/recreational device that is intended
for use in the snow. This product uses the power and traction of a snowmobile and combines that with
the size of a snowboard. It is estimated that this product will have a cost of $1358.30 to the company.
The recommended retail price of this product is $2173.28, which is comparable to the existing similar
products.
4. 1 Introduction
1.1 Problem Statement
The Final Project is designed to encompass most of the aspects of the real world design process, from
researching existing similar products, idea generation, to presenting the final product. To accomplish
this task we will need to utilize all of the skills learned thus far in the course. For the Final Project
(Project 08) we must come up with a design for a new product that has never been on the market. The
specific requirements for this project include:
Idea generation
Generation of design goals
Survey of existing similar products
Product comparison
Project management (Gantt chart creation, timeline)
Creation of alternative designs
Selection of Final design based on certain criteria
CAD Modeling of Design in Pro E
Animations of Final Design to show function
Photo-realistic images
2D Drawings of individual parts and sub-assemblies
Cost and product life analysis
Website creation to showcase final product
Presentation to class
1.2 Product Description
Living in Buffalo, NY comes with many challenges. One of those challenges is being subjected to
abundant amounts of snow during the winter months. To cope with this challenge many people take on
the sport of skiing or snowboarding. Others ride fast snowmobiles to help them forget that their car
almost got stuck in the snow 100 yards from their house. However, many people do not like the idea of
having to drive miles to the nearest mountain so that they can use gravity to propel them on a
snowboard and many people do not like the incredible size of snowmobiles. That is where this product
comes in. With the length of an average snowboard, combined with the motorized nature of a
snowmobile, individuals are able to enjoy the winter months without having to drive for extended
amounts of time or having to deal with the large size of snowmobiles.
This product will enable the user to stand on a board (like a snowboard) and be able move through the
snow using a motorized track system. The user will also be able to steer the product by leaning from one
side to another, just like when snowboarding. The throttle will be hand held and it will have variable
speeds.
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5. 1.3 Design Goals
This product will focus on three design goals. The first being versatility. It is important that this product
can operate in many conditions. The second goal will be traction. This product needs to have the ability
to grip the surface that it is being operated on so that it will be able to transport the user. The last
design goal is control. The user needs to be able to easily operate the product (steer, etc.).
The three design goals for this product:
Versatility
Traction
Control
2 Research on Existing Products
2.1 Survey
There are few products that currently combine the power of a snowmobile with the flexibility of a
snowboard. One of these products is the Gas Powered Snowboard (Figure 1). With this product the rider
stands on a slanted platform to help the rider keep his footing. Also this product has an extended handle
bar system that helps the rider steer.
Figure 1: Gas Powered Snowboard.
Another product currently on the market is the Jimmy D’z Powered Snowboard (Figure 2). This product
is much different than the gas powered snowboard in that the driving system connects to a separate
board. The driving system then pushes the rider who is stationed on the separate board. There is a
throttle that is accessible by the driver at all times, via a cable system.
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6. Figure 2: Jimmy D'z Powered Snowboard.
A similar product is the PowerPlank (Figure 3). This product uses the same system as the Jimmy D’z
Powered snowboard, with the driving system on the rear of the board.
Figure 3: Image focusing on the driving system of the PowerPlank.
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7. 2.2 Product Comparison
Below is a table that illustrates the three existing products and how well they scored for each of the
design goals. Each product was rated, based on their attributes, for each of the design goals.
Product Versatility Traction Control
The Gas Powered Snowboard
2 7 5
Jimmy D’z Powered Snowboard
3 5 4
PowerPlank
3 5 4
Table 1: shows the ratings of each similar existing product based on the design goals.
2.3 Existing Product Evaluation
Each of the existing products was evaluated based on the design goals, which had a value of 1-10 (10
being the highest score).
2.3.1 The Gas Powered Snowboard
Low score for versatility due to the smooth board that is always in contact with the ground. This
means that there must be a layer of snow on the ground so that the board is able to glide.
Above average score for traction due to the type of tread used. Also the user’s weight is directly
above the tread giving it more traction.
Average score for control due to the use of a handle for steering. However, it would be difficult
for the user to conduct sharp cornering.
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8. 2.3.2 Jimmy D’z Powered Snowboard
Low score for versatility because it uses a conventional snowboard that must have a layer of
snow beneath it at all times.
Average score for traction due to the tread used. However, the rider’s weight is not over the
tread, reducing the traction.
Low score for control because the user must be adept at riding a snowboard in order to turn.
2.3.3 Power Plank
Low score for versatility because it uses a conventional snowboard that must have a layer of
snow beneath it at all times.
Average score for traction due to the tread used. However, the rider’s weight is not over the
tread, reducing the traction.
Low score for control because the user must be adept at riding a snowboard in order to turn.
2.4 Research Conclusions
After evaluating the existing products based on the design goals, I know that I cannot simply use a
smooth surface for where the rider is positioned. Also I want the tread to utilize the rider’s weight so
that it will have increased traction. The rider also needs to be able to steer easily.
3 Project Management
3.1 Project Gantt Chart/Timeline
A Gantt chart is a way to plan out what tasks you will accomplish and when you will accomplish them.
This chart separates the three phases of the project and uses various colors to show when each task will
be completed.
Table 2: Project Gantt chart showing the time allotted for each task.
Note: subject to change, due to unforeseen issues.
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9. 3.2 Alternative Designs
Below are three alternative design sketches:
3.2.1 Design I:
This design utilizes wide skis so it is easier to glide across the snow. It also uses a singular tread
system for more surface area that is in contact with the ground, giving it more traction. The skis
are attached to a modified mountain board truck that enables the user to steer easily.
Figure 4: sketch of first alternative design.
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10. 3.2.2 Design II:
This design has a dual tread system so that the energy from the motor is transferred more
efficiently. Also the skis have channels on the bottom surface to aid in the turning of the
product.
Figure 5: sketch of second alternative design.
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11. 3.2.3 Design III:
This design utilizes the dual tread system as in design II. The skis have wheels attached so that
the product can be used without snow. The tread also has variable heights to improve traction.
Figure 6: sketch of third alternative design.
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12. 3.3 Evaluation of Designs
The three designs will now be evaluated based on the three design goals. This will help determine what
features the final design will have. Each design will get a value from 1 to 10 (10 being the best) for each
of the design goals. The design that has the most points upon the completion of the evaluation will be
the final design.
Design Versatility Traction Control Total Points
#1 5 7 7 19
#2 4 6 8 18
#3 10 7 7 24
Table 3: shows the rating of each alternative design based on the design goals.
3.4 Final Decision
Design III will be the final design because it received the highest score during the evaluation. This design
received the highest score for versatility due to the wheels in the skis that allow the product to be
operated without snow. It also received a good score for traction because of the variable height tread
system that increases surface area. The score for control was lower than Design II because the skis do
not have the channels on the bottom surface to aid in steering, but I believe the use of the mountain
board truck as the ski mount will be enough.
Notice:
Even though this is the final design, once modeling of the design begins, it is possible for there to be
changes to the design due to unforeseen issues.
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13. 4 Design Phase
In the Design Phase section of the project we were required to model each individual part in Pro
Engineer. Once the modeling was complete we were then required to create the necessary sub-
assemblies and full-assemblies to show our completed product. We were also required to create 2D
drawings of each part, along with the various assemblies. Rendered Images were then created to show
how the product would look with the various materials for each part. Finally, an animation was created
to show how the parts fit together and to show how the product works.
4.1 CAD Models
4.1.1 Sub-Assemblies
4.1.1.1 Board Assembly
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 7 (a-b) various views of the board assembly (c-d) various views of the exploded board assembly
The board assembly was created using various sweeps and extrusions. The board material is
carbon fiber. I chose this material because it is light weight and very strong. I chose stainless
steel for the nuts and bolts, along with the foot posts because this product is going to be used in
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14. a snowy environment; hence these parts need to be resistant to corrosion. The straps are made
out of a flexible Kevlar to resist tear.
4.1.1.2 Wheel Assembly (ASM0001)
(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 8 (a-b) various views of the wheel assembly (c) exploded view of the wheel assembly
The wheel assembly consisted of the most parts. Many of the parts were simple to make, such
as the axle and nuts. The belts were rather difficult to make. The reason for this is because to
make notches in the belt all equal you had to make precise measurements for the patterns of
the extrusions. The axle cover was created using a sweep. I chose stainless steel for the material
for most of the parts, because they all need to be resistant to corrosion. The pulleys were made
out of rubber. This assembly is connected to the Board Assembly.
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15. 4.1.1.3 Truck Assembly
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 9 (a-b) various views of the truck assembly (c-d) various views of the exploded truck assembly
The truck assembly was modeled after a mountain board truck. This system allows for the skis to
turn when the rider applies weight to either side of the board. These parts were created using
sweeps and helical sweeps. The axle and the mount were both made out of stainless steel, along
with the bolt and nut, so that they were corrosion resistant. The egg container was made out of
plastic so that it was light weight. The eggs, which serve as more shock absorption, were made
out of rubber. The springs were also made out of stainless steel. This assembly bolts into the
board assembly.
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16. 4.1.1.4 Ski Assembly
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 10 (a-b) various views of the ski assembly (c-d) various views of the exploded ski assembly
The ski assembly was made from sweeps and helical sweeps, along with extrusions and hole
inserts. The mounting bracket, axles, axle screws, bolts and nuts were made of stainless steel to
resist corrosion. The ski itself was made out of carbon fiber, so that it was light weight. The
wheels were made out of rubber so that they would have some traction when there was no
snow on the ground. This assembly attaches to the truck assembly
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17. 4.1.1.5 Track Assembly
(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 11 (a-b) various views of the track assembly (c) explode view of the track assembly
The track assembly was made from a detailed and precise sketch for the track. Also various
precise patterns were required to create the holes for the spikes and notches. The spike is made
out of stainless steel to resist corrosion while the track is made of rubber. This assembly wraps
around the wheels in the wheel assembly.
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18. 4.1.1.6 Handle Assembly
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 12 (a-b) various views of the handle assembly (c-d) various views of the exploded handle assembly
The handle was made from sweeps and extrusions, as well as some helical sweeps for the
threads on the nut and bolt. The handle is made out of rubber so it is comfortable in the user’s
hand. The lever is made out of stainless steel so it does not break under pressure. The bolt and
nut are also made out of stainless steel. The throttle cord is made out of rubber so that it is
flexible. This assembly attaches to the Wheel Assembly.
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19. 4.1.2 Full Assembly
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
(e) (f)
(g) (h)
Figure 13 (a-b) ski fastener at various views (c-d) fastener nut at various views (e-f) various views of the board bolt (g-h)
various views of the board nut.
Figure 13 shows the different parts that are responsible for holding some of the sub-assemblies
together. The Ski Fastener (a-b) is responsible for locking the Ski Assembly (Figure 11) in place
around the Truck Assembly (Figure 10). The Fastener Nut (c-d) makes sure the Ski Fastener does
not come loose during use. The Board Bolt (e-f) and Board Nut (g-h) are responsible for holding
the Truck Assembly to the Board Assembly (Figure 8).
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20. (a)
(b)
Figure 14 (a-b) various views of the full assembly
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21. (a)
(b)
Figure 15 (a-b) various views of the exploded full assembly
The Full Assembly includes:
1 Board Assembly 1 Handle Assembly
1 Truck Assembly 2 Track Assemblies
1 Wheel Assembly 2 Ski Assemblies
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22. 4.1.2.1 How the Product Works
The motor on top of the motor mount is the only driving force on this product. The shaft of the motor is
connected to a gear that turns a pulley. The other end of the pulley wraps around another gear that is
located on the middle axle (Axle_2). The other end of this axle has another gear with another, larger
pulley around it that turns the two main axles. The main axles have wheels on the either end. The
wheels have a track that wraps around them and as the wheels turn, the track turns. This track contacts
the ground via the tension wheels that are lower than the main wheels. The product is able to obtain
traction from the metal spikes that are connected throughout the track. The user can vary the speed by
pressing the lever on the Handle Assembly (Figure 12) at different levels.
To steer the product, the user, while standing on the board (Figure 7), must shift his/her weight from
heel side to toe side and vice versa, depending on which direction is desired. By varying the placement
of the weight on the board, different levels of pressure will be applied to the Truck Assembly (Figure 9),
causing either side to displace. This displacement will cause the axle to rotate, also forcing the skis to
rotate as well.
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23. 5 Manufacturing Analysis
Manufacturing Analysis includes Bill of Materials Drawings (2D Drawings), Cost Analysis and Product life
Analysis. This section’s purpose is to determine if the design is worth the money to create and sell. Also
it gives the specific attributes of the product
5.1 Bill of Materials Drawings (2D drawings)
2D drawings are used to see what the measurements of each part are, in each assembly. These drawings
are usually the most important drawings of the product, since they give the dimensions of the product.
5.1.1 Sub-Assemblies
5.1.1.1 Board Assembly
Figure 16 2D drawing of the Board Assembly
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24. 5.1.1.2 Wheel Assembly (ASM001)
Figure 17 2D drawing of the parts included in the Wheel Assembly (ASM0001)
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25. Figure 18 2D drawing of the Wheel Assembly (ASM0001)
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30. 5.1.2 Full Assembly
Figure 23 2D drawing of the Full Assembly
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31. 5.2 Cost Analysis
Below is a table which demonstrates the cost of each part and the total number of each part. This will
give the total cost to make the product, along with the cost to the consumer.
5.2.1 Board Assembly Cost
Total
Part Cost QTY.
Cost
Board 150.00 1 150.00
Foot Post 2.00 4 8.00
Strap 5.00 2 10.00
Foot Post Nut 0.20 4 0.80
Foot Post Bolt 0.20 4 0.80
Total = 169.60
Table 4: table showing cost of Board Assembly
5.2.2 Ski Assembly Cost
Total
Part Cost QTY.
Cost
Ski 75.00 2 150.00
Ski Mount 12.00 2 24.00
Ski Wheel 10.00 6 60.00
Ski Bolt 0.20 4 0.80
Ski Nut 0.20 4 0.80
Ski Axle 0.50 6 3.00
Ski Axle Screw 0.40 6 2.40
Total = 241.00
Table 5: table showing the cost of the Ski Assembly
5.2.3 Truck Assembly Cost
Total
Part Cost QTY.
Cost
Truck Axle 10.00 1 10.00
Truck Mount 10.00 1 10.00
Spring 4.00 2 8.00
Egg 7.00 2 14.00
Egg Container 4.00 4 16.00
Truck Bolt 0.40 1 0.40
Truck Nut 0.20 1 0.20
Total = 58.60
Table 6: table showing the cost of the Truck Assembly.
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32. 5.2.4 Wheel Assembly (ASM001) Cost
Total
Part Cost QTY.
Cost
Engine Mount 25.00 1 25.00
Engine 150.00 1 150.00
Axle 12.00 2 24.00
Axle_2 10.00 1 10.00
Small Axle 8.00 6 48.00
Axle Bolt 1.00 7 7.00
Small Axle
0.80 6 4.80
Bolt
Wheel 22.00 2 44.00
Tension
14.00 6 84.00
Wheel
Gear 10.00 5 50.00
Engine Pulley 14.00 1 14.00
Gear Pulley 18.00 1 18.00
Axle Cover 20.00 1 20.00
Cover Bolt 0.40 1 0.40
Cover Nut 0.20 1 0.20
Total = 499.40
Table 7: table showing the cost of the Wheel Assembly.
5.2.5 Track Assembly Cost
Total
Part Cost QTY.
Cost
Track 40.00 2 80
Spike 3.00 92 276
Total = 356
Table 8: table showing the cost of the track Assembly.
5.2.6 Handle Assembly Cost
Total
Part Cost QTY.
Cost
Handle 12.00 1 12.00
Lever 8.00 1 8.00
Throttle Cord 6.00 1 6.00
Handle Bolt 0.20 1 0.20
Handle Nut 0.10 1 0.10
Total = 26.30
Table 9: table showing the cost of the Handle Assembly.
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33. 5.2.7 Fastener Parts Cost
Total
Part Cost QTY.
Cost
Ski Fastener 2.00 2 4.00
Fastener Nut 0.20 4 0.80
Board Bolt 1.00 2 2.00
Board Nut 0.30 2 0.60
Total = 7.40
Table 10: table showing the cost of the Fastener Parts.
5.2.8 Total Cost
Total Cost = 1358.30
X 60% Markup
Cost to Consumer = 2173.28
Table 11: table showing the markup percent and final cost to the consumer.
The total cost of the product is only the cost to the company to make all of the parts. The mark
up percent included the cost to the company to market the product, as well as labor costs and
the amount of profit the company wanted to make. This price is not unrealistic since the
surveyed existing product went for around the same price.
5.3 Product Life Analysis
The majority of the parts on this product are made of stainless steel. This material was chosen due to its
strength and resistance to corrosion. These properties are necessary for this product due to the wet cold
environment this product is intended for. These parts should last no less than 10 years.
In order to maintain the life of Stainless Steel Components:
Be sure to wipe down product after use with a dry towel or rag
After each season it is wise to grease all moving parts to get it ready for next year
The rubber parts, such as the pulleys, ski wheels, eggs, and throttle cord should last a great deal of time.
However they are rubber and will wear with use, especially the ski wheels, since they are meant to be
used on a surface without snow. The Wheels should last at least 2 seasons. The rest of the rubber
components should last around 5 years.
The parts that were made out of carbon fiber (board and skis) should last a long time due to the nature
of carbon fiber. This material is extremely strong; however it is susceptible to careless mistakes such as
dropping a wrench on the surface. This will most likely dent or crack the material. This issue was taken in
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34. account when choosing materials and the lightweight and strong nature of this material severely
outweighs this fact. These parts, if taken care of properly, should last the entirety of the products life.
In order to maintain the life of the Carbon Fiber Components:
Be sure not to drop any tools on the surface of the component, as this can lead to cracks or
other damage
When standing on the board, do not where footwear that has metal spikes on the bottom, as
this can also damage the material.
6 Presentation Materials
6.1 Rendered Images
The rendered images provide a photorealistic picture of what the product will look like.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
(e) (f)
Figure 24 (a) rendered image of the board assembly (b) rendered image of the wheel assembly (c) rendered image of the
truck assembly (d) rendered image of the ski assembly (e) rendered image of the track assembly (f) rendered image of the
handle assembly
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35. (a) (b)
Figure 25 (a-b) various views of the rendered final product.
6.2 Animations
The animations provide an understanding of how the product is put together and how it is operated.
You are able to create the animations inside the Pro Engineer program. However, the program does not
perform well when the product is complicated or has many parts.
(a)
Figure 26 (a) screen shot of the animation video, showing the product assemblies and operation.
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36. 7 Discussion
The final project was the closest to a real word design process I have ever been exposed to. This is both
good and bad. On the good side, it is good experience to know what it takes to design a new product.
This is also a good project to show a future employer during the interview process. On the bad side, this
was a lot of work for one person to accomplish, when he/she has other classes that are equally
important. A lot of times I had to skip a class to make sure I would complete a project or a part of a
project. In the real world, one person would not be expected to design a new product; it would take a
team of individuals. If this project was assigned to group of students, each responsible for different
aspects, I believe the final product would be much more professional.
There were a lot of problems while completing this project, most of which were with Pro Engineer.
While attempting to create an animation, that met all of the requirements, the program (or computer)
was very limited. First of all, Pro Engineer was not able to make a part flexible. This fact was an issue
when trying to show how the track rotated around the wheel and how the pulleys rotated around the
gears. I was forced to just show the gears rotating, which also showed the gears intersecting the pulleys;
this should not happen. I was also unable to show how the mountain board truck would move do to
different weights because the spring and the eggs were not able to be compressed or expanded.
Another area where this was a problem was with my handle. The lever is supposed to be attached to a
throttle cord and this lever pulls on the cord. I was unable to model this part because it would be useless
due to the inability to make it flexible.
Another problem I had with the program was, due to the amount of parts in my product, the animation
process was much, much slower than in previous projects. I had a total of 225 bodies in my product,
which meant every action I tried to do in the animation would take at least 5 times as long, or more.
When attempting to playback the video I just created, it would take more than two hours. In previous
projects this process would only take about 5 minutes, tops. When attempting to capture the video the
first time, the program crashed and I had to start all over with the readying the playback and such.
When using the playback, the program would move parts that were not supposed to move. One case
was that it moved a ski that had never been moved in that direction, but this time the program decided
to move it. I was forced to make 12 separate videos at 15 seconds long each. After completeing this, I
found that two of the videos would show my product for a split second then just go blank. I also noticed
that these two videos were a much smaller size than the others. I attempted to recreate these videos,
double checking that my views were correct (they were), but this did nothing; the resulting videos were
the same. This caused another part to intersect the ski. All in all the program gave me more headaches
than a nagging wife. I am so glad that this is the last project. The reason for this is because this program,
or at least the version the school has, is not capable of performing the tasks that it needs to.
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37. 8 Conclusion
The goal of this project was to expose us to a realistic design situation. I believe that this was supposed
to prepare us for a real world experience in design; and I think that it did. This project was very involved
and taught us to pay attention to detail. It also taught us how important all of the research that goes on
in the early phases is. I believe that I have completed all of the requirements of the Final Project to the
best of my ability. Apart from the animations, all of the sections of the Final Project were completed
accurately and thoroughly. I am very pleased with the way my final product turned out. The reason I
chose to model this product, was that in High School I was part of a group that came up with this idea.
We went through the same process as this project; the only difference was that instead of modeling the
product, we actually built it. There was only one problem with that; we were inexperienced, and did not
have the skills or resources to produce a working product. I have always wanted to spend some time to
improve the design, and this project was the perfect opportunity to do so. Also, I was able to see what
that design looks like using the proper materials and construction.
9 References
The sources below were used in the creation of Project 08:
"The Gas Powered Snowboard." HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER & COMPANY. HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER &
COMPANY. Web. <http://www.hammacher.com/Product/11376?source=FROOGLE>.
Jimmy D'z Powered Snowboards. Web.
<http://web.archive.org/web/20070127042734/www.jimmydz.com/>.
"Power Plank." Power Plank. Web. <www.powerplank.com>.
Machinery’s Handbook on UB Learns
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