Various Sizes Of Sockets For Hand Crank Milling Machine

Abstract

The hand crank socket is a tool used to rotate nuts, bolts, or tighten and loosen the clamping components of workpieces manually. It consists of a handle or crank connected to a socket. In the Mechanical Engineering Department, Politeknik Seberang Perai, students typically use hand crank sockets during practical sessions in the grinding workshop for learning purposes. The use of sockets for existing hand crank handles in the workshop is of fixed size. Installing sockets on hand crank handles repeatedly for size changes is time-consuming. Therefore, a flexible socket for hand crank handles is produced to save handling and operating time to facilitate the teaching and learning process. Additionally, it is lightweight and user-friendly compared to conventional crank handles. This tool also comes with a special storage box for packing and safety purposes. The hand crank handle is designed with the same handle size but has four different socket sizes: 13mm, 15mm, 17mm, and 19mm. The process of smoothing and removing material from workpieces is done using a milling machine for finishing purposes. Meanwhile, the material cutting process is carried out using an 'EDM Wirecut machine. The hand crank uses durable soft steel material to produce quality designs. The threading process uses a threading tool to create threads on the crank handle before connecting it to the crankshaft. A survey was conducted by distributing questionnaires to 20 students using the Universal Milling Machine to assess the effectiveness of using crank sockets with various sizes in aiding the machine chuck tightening process. The results showed that 100% of the students agreed with this innovation because it saves time and facilitates the teaching and learning process. Equipment usage can be reduced, and issues such as storage problems, mixing up crank sizes, and unlabelled equipment can be effectively addressed.