MEM-22

Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun

ABSTRACT
In response to a recent request made by Albion Engineering Co., it has become the
interest of Senior Design Team MEM-22, in parallel with Drexel Universitys College of
Engineering Senior Design Series requirements, to propose and develop a dual component
cordless dispensing gun. This device will improve upon Albions single component dispensing
gun, the Albion 1000 series, and be used to aid people in applying high viscose epoxy resins.
Most of the epoxies that have been developed over the years have been the twocomponent variety.

Dual-barrel cartridge systems have become the industry standard for

dispensing two-component adhesives. However, new environmental regulations set by the EPA
are causing solvents to be eliminated from sealants and adhesives leaving them extremely
viscose and causing a strong market need for a powered dual component dispensing gun having
superior speed and power.
The objective of our project is to investigate, design and construct a prototype of the dual
component dispensing gun. Using the resources available to us, we will identify our consumers
requirements, determine all inputs and given constraints, benchmark current designs, design our
product, analyze and improve design using computer simulation, construct our prototype, and
test, tune and optimize the design. We will also insure that we do not infringe on other
companies patents by searching and reviewing similar design patents and avoiding their claims.
By the end of our project we intend to present a robust dual component cordless
dispensing gun prototyped, with cost analysis and plan for manufacture to the senior design
committee and Albion Engineering Co.

MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun
I.

INTRODUCTION:
A. Problem Background
One of the largest costs in todays construction market is labor, where construction

workers can make from $20 to $30/hr. In contractors market based on low cost bidding
manufacturing, production and tools must perform rapidly and correctly.
Manufacturers are realizing higher productivity and cost savings by selecting the easy-touse and environmentally safe, handheld dual-cartridge adhesive dispensing systems. Using these
systems reduces the amount of hazardous material waste that is generated and enhances
employee productivity by reducing preparation time. Accurate ratio control (critical in order to
achieve correct adhesive mechanical properties) is achieved since the integrated system of
dispenser, dual cartridge and static mixer (see Appendix H) ensures that the correct amount of
adhesive is dispensed from both sides of the cartridge. Finally, by using a system in which the
adhesives are contained in cartridges, employees are not exposed to hazardous material.
With the introduction of the cordless dispensing gun to the market, companies have been
able to increase there productivity even more, especially when dispensing high viscosity
materials. The powered gun gives workers the ability to control the amount of adhesive expelled
from the gun with out tiring themselves. A worker can perform with a better precision efficiency.
Currently available on the market, is the Albion 1000 Series Cordless single component
dispensing gun and hand powered dual unit caulking gun. Albion Engineering Co., an industrial
dispensing solutions manufacturer located in North Philadelphia, introduced the idea for a dual
component powered dispensing gun as a topic for this project.
B. Problem Statement
Albion Engineering Co. along with the industrial market are asking for a new dual piston
battery powered dispensing gun and through collaboration with Drexel University and Albion
Engineering, this Senior Design Team (MEM-22) will work towards designing an innovative tool
that will be valuable to all. The objective of our project is to investigate, design and construct a
prototype of a marketable dual component dispensing gun. Using the resources available to us
we will identify our consumers requirements, determine all inputs and given constraints,
benchmark current designs, design our product, analyze and improve design using computer

MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun
simulation, construct our prototype, and test, tune and optimize the design. We will also insure
that we do not infringe on other companies patents by searching and reviewing similar design
patents and avoiding their claims. Our team will work along with Albion Engineering, other
power tool companies, and various people of the workforce to develop a unique power tool
which meets the customers and Albion Engineering Co.s demands.
C. Constraints on Solution
Some features which we would like to include in our design are patented by other
companies. If a deal cannot be reached between Albion and the other company than we may go
around their patent by not including one of their claims in our design. Such as the dripless
controller which we would like to include in our design, listed in Appendix D, if a deal cannot be
made between Albion and Milwaukee we may have to go around this patent by not including
one of its claims in our design.
II.

STATEMENT OF WORK
A. Method of Solution
To achieve the optimal design according to the criteria listed above, the following

procedure will be utilized.

1. Identify consumer requirements
First in order to identify the goals of our project we had to identify the needs of the enduser for whom it is designed. To do this we met with Albion Engineering Co. Sales and
Marketing Rep. Joe Shiffler. He understood that the two most vocal demands that customers
made were speed and power meaning the ability to dispense high viscosity liquids quickly. He
also showed us features which customers improvised in the previous model that should be added
to the new model, such as a control which a contractor created by inserting a nail through the
variable speed trigger in order to use it at a consistent flow rate. Through benchmarking we were
also able to determine features which customers were not as vocal in demanding; such as the
ability to draw back the rod quickly and easily, in order to reload the gun with a fresh container,
but were common features in marketplace. The features realized are listed below.

MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun
A. Ability to dispense high viscosity liquids quickly
o Current model produces 620lbs. pushing force with a piston displacement
of 9/minute.
B. Cost in line with market alternatives
o Current model cost is $150 excluding carriage and battery.
C. Reliability
o Current model guaranteed against defective in material or workmanship
for five (5) years after the date of purchase.
o Designed for easy cleaning both internally and externally.
D. Ability to comfortably control and/or make constant flow rate of material
E. Ability to remove and replace material cartridge quickly and easily
o Current Model has manual clutch release for rapid loading of material
F. Ability to dispense dual or single component material
2. Determine all inputs and given constants.
Our group then determined all of the inputs and given constraints. The first constraint is
Albions battery. The cordless line used by Albion utilizes the industrial standard, Milwaukee
produced 14.4 and 12 volt batteries and chargers. Cordless power tool batteries are made up of
1.2 volt cells, each cell has a significant weight. The market has determined that 12 and 14.4
volt are the optimal ratio of power to weight, with demand dropping significantly past 14.4V
(Steve Vick, Product Development Director, Black & Decker-DeWalt).

Our group then

identified the most used and most viscous materials, to determine the resisting forces on the
pistons. A motor was identified.
3. Benchmark current designs
In order to have a better understanding of power tool design, our group analyzed the
internals of several cordless dispensing guns available on the market. Benchmarking allowed us
to come up with a scale of criteria for our design. A patent search was performed to determine
what features our group would legally be permitted to utilize for our design.

4. Determine the general type of drive train

MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun
The current Albion 1000 Series (Appendix G) dispensing guns gear box is a simple design,
the motor is mounted perpendicular to the handle with the pinion facing the direction in which
the piston travels. Using bevel gears the gear box transmits power 90 degrees to a rack pushing a
piston as seen in (Appendix G). We determined that our group would base our design on the
previous models because of the robust design and ease of cleaning internally and externally.
5. Design drive train
Once the general type of gear assembly is determined, the orientation of the motor will be
established.

Using machine design principals, the gear-train will be designed to achieve

maximum power, speed, and reliability. Due to the frequency of material spills in work (Albion
1000 Series Material Insugency test- Appendix G) gear train must be resistant to abrasive wear.
One of the significant differences in our design from that of the Albion 1000 is that it has two
driving pistons. Our group will design the gear train so that power is distributed evenly between
both pistons.

The gun weight must be balanced about the handle, to reduce strain on users

wrist. All facets of gear train design must take into account design for manufacturing and design
for assembly principals. Presently we are determining the best way to reduce the electric motors
pinion while increasing torque to meet our demands in displacement and power. We are
presently taking Machine Design (MEM 431) where we are learning about basics of gear train
design such as fatigue analysis, surface durability, analysis of planetary gears, and analysis of
bevel gears and analysis of helical gears.
6. Design digital control system
By means of principals learned in Micro Computer Based Control Systems I (MEM 458)
we will design control equations for the variable speed trigger, constant flow rate control,
dripless feature and voltage/current control. Determine and purchase a sensor to ascertain the
speed of the motor taking into account cost and reliability in working environment. Using
CodeVision software, a STK500 Board and a compatible micro controller our group will produce
the control for our prototype.
7. Design housing and container carriage
Design housing around drivetrain, using ergonomic principles and with durability to
withstand industry standard drop-test. We will use Pro/E solid modeling and Ansys FEA analysis

MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun
software to ensure durability. Pro/Engineer allows for the complete assembly of the drivetrain,
motor, housing and electrical components to check for proper fit and clearance. Once the
assembly is approved, parts can be purchased and manufactured along with a stereo lithography
of the housing to use as a prototype.
We will benchmark the Albion 1000 series model housing which is made of Zytel nylon a
product of Dupont. Zytel is described as easy to process, easy to modify to meet specific needs,
and environmentally responsible in production and in reuse. In addition it is described as tough,
light and resilient in hot, chemically aggressive and humid environments.

A polymer

analysis/search will be performed taking into account cost and reliability in working
environment.
Since the housing must be aesthetically pleasing for marketing reasons, we are currently
recruiting industrial designers from Philadelphia area art schools to assist on our project
8. Perform simulations
After all part are modeled in Pro-E load carrying parts will be imported into Ansys or
ProMechanica to perform drop induced stress and motor/drive train induced stress simulations.
Results will be analyzed and improvements and iterations will be made to the design until a
robust design is achieved.
9. Purchase and manufacture parts
All parts required for prototype will be purchased and quotes will be made for bulk
manufacturing purchases. The cost analysis will be completed. Parts will be ordered in a timely
manner to allow time for assembly.
10. Assemble Prototype
Depending on funding and pending investigation prototype will consist of working drive
train and may include entire SLA housing of mock final design. Stereo lithography prototypes
typically have a price range of $100.00 to $1700.00 because of this price range our ability to
purchase SLA model depends on the quotes we obtain and funding available from sponsor and
members. If housing cannot be modeled using SLA we will create a prototype consisting only of
the drive train and electronic parts. Cost reduction of prototype is a priority which is why we

MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun
intend to use as many parts from the Albion 1000 series as possible with out compromising the
performance of our new design.
11.Test, tune, and optimize design to meet mil-spec for durability
Depending on funding and pending investigation prototype will be tested, tuned, and
optimized to adhere to Military Standard 810F for dust, shock and vibration. We are currently
reviewing testing procedure and testing design per mil standard 810F, using the Military
Standard 810F Department of Defense Handbook.
B. Alternative Solutions
There are two alternative ways to approach the dual component material dispensing
problem which we have mentioned above.
The first alternative solution is a pneumatic dispensing tool. Air powered guns with large
amounts of power are currently available on the market for two component dispensing. However
they must be accompanied by a compressor connected to the gun by a hose. However, there are
some disadvantages in this design. A compressor is an expensive piece of machinery; it is also
large and heavy, and difficult to bring on to all worksites.
A second alternative is using a dual component single cartridge system. Designed and
introduced to the market recently, the system dispenses
both adhesive materials from a single cartridge, while
coming in a standard caulking gun size. This design
has all the advantages of a parallel dual cartridge
system however is limited in size and its reliability has

Fig. 1 Dual component single cartridge system

yet to be tested, as it just been introduced into the market.

III. PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND SCHEDULING
Team meeting where held at minimum once per week usually on Monday, Wednesday or
Friday at 9AM when we are able to meet with our advisor Dr. Fuzhang Zhao. Agendas are
prepared by team leader and followed through out meeting as shown in Appendix E.
Brainstorming on issues, updates on assignments and new assignment delegations are the most
common tasks on a typical agenda.

MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun
A Gantt chart, shown in Appendix B, has been developed to incorporate the
recent tasks completed to date along with the necessary activities and
deadlines to be met in the future. The task chart shown in Appendix A
clearly represents our course of actions and future goals to be completed. To
date, a meeting has been conducted with Albion Engineering Co. to discuss
issues with the current model cordless dispensing gun and end user
requirements as well as a meeting with the Career Services Dept. at
University of the Arts in regards to recruitment of an industrial designer.
Benchmarking of products currently on the market has been completed and
will continue for a good duration of the design process. The next step of the
process will be to conduct a feasibility analysis to show that a new model
dual component dispensing gun given cost constraints can be realized.
Manufacturing of this product will be a major consideration at later stages of
the project. Material costs and effectiveness in association with end user
needs analysis will remain a constant through out design process. Overall,
the Gantt chart provides a well organized timeline that shows what we have
accomplished in this first semester and is the basis for time management
goals necessary in future to meet the desired project completion date.

IV. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

Major indicator of growth in the dispensing market is the adhesive and sealant market
which grew 3% in 2003 over 2002 in spite of the economic recession affecting industrialized
markets in North America, Japan and Western Europe. For sealant industry alone, a study from
Frost & Sullivan shows that this industry generated total revenues $1.74 billion in 2002 and is
expected to reach $2.08 billion in 2009.
Cost is a significant factor of our product. Our group would like to minimize the cost of
our gun so that we may be more competitive with other products on the market. At present a
dual component cordless dispensing gun is priced between $150.00 and $460.00. We would like
to have a market price of approximately $200.00 manufacturing cost for the new model gun.
The battery and accessories would increase the cost of the gun.

MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun
The cost can be categorized in three parts.

The first category is material resources,

including cost for software and hardware, the lab fees, and any resources used in research and
preliminary design. Manufacturing resources and assembly of the gun with motor, housing and
other small parts is the second category. In the third category we will include the cost of labor
and the hours that each group member has worked. Each member will be paid the salary of a
new engineer of approximately $20.00 to $30.00 an hour for 40 hours per week.

V. SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS

A. Environmental Impacts
Adhesives and sealants are used in product manufacturing, packaging, construction, and
installation of metal, wood, rubber, plastic, ceramics, or fiberglass materials. Adhesive and
sealant VOC emissions result from evaporation of solvents during transfer, drying, surface
preparation, and cleanup operations. Many of the compounds in solvents can cause toxic health
effects or contribute to stratospheric ozone depletion or global warming; regulatory agencies are
restricting their use. Most adhesive and sealant manufacturers have already reformulated their
products to comply with existing district adhesives and sealants rules. Of the reformulation
options, the greatest emission reductions would be achieved by switching to 100 percent solid
adhesives and sealants, followed by switching to water-based products, these options may not
always be practical or possible. Our product enables end users to dispense these highly viscous
low or no solvent adhesives and sealants, quickly, efficiently and with minimum exposure of
hazardous waste to workers or the environment.
B. Socioeconomic Impacts
Dual barrel cartridge systems (Appendix H) have become very popular for dispensing twocomponent adhesives.

These systems reduce the material and hazardous waste, improve

adhesive and employee performance, and increase safety to the worker. The availability of a
battery powered dual component dispensing system creates demand for these dual barrel
cartridge systems that otherwise would not be realized because of the limitations of the current
pneumatic systems available. This affects the end users, construction workers, manufacturers,
and any industrial worker who would realize a benefit of our product as well as the
manufacturers of adhesives and sealants.
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MEM-22
Design of Dual Component Cordless Dispensing Gun

VI.

REFERENCES

1. Juvinall & Marshek, 1999 Spur Gears & Helical, Bevel, and Worm Gears, Fundamentals of
Machine Component Design, 3rd Ed. pp.665-716
2. Department of Defense, Test Method Standard MIL-STD-810F, Environmental Engineering
Considerations and Laboratory Tests, 2002
3. Mottram, 2004 Packaging for the New Millennium, Adhesives and Sealants Industry
http://www.adhesivesmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/coverstory/BNPCoverStoryItem/0,2103,
132917,00.html
4. Nick, 2004 The Global Adhesive and Sealant Market, Adhesives and Sealants Industry
http://www.adhesivesmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,2101,
135474,00.html

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