Project Schedule

The ideal schedule for this project is as follows:

• September 2019
  • Define Problem
  • Project background
  • Determine customer needs
  • Set Goals
• October 2019
  • Project Research 
    • Risks
    • Patents
    • Codes & Standards
    • PDS Needs
  • Design Brainstorms
• November 2019
  • Determine top 3 designs
    • Decision matrices
  • Design calculations
• December 2019
  • Determine top design
  • Rough solidworks of final design
  • Determine components
• January 2020
  • Order components
• February 2020
  • Determine sealant
  • Brainstorm and order drip trays
  •  Begin drilling holes into cooler
  • Assemble cooler cart
• March 2020
  • Assemble
    • Hoses
    • Coils
    • Filter
    • Spigots 
    • Wheels
    • Drain bucket
  • Test for water health and hazards
• April 2020
  • Apply Sealant
• Add vinyl
• Clean wishing well
• Finished product available for Earth Day event in new Bedford (April 22, 2020)

Unfortunately, this project did not follow the ideal schedule as closely as we would have liked. This project was delayed a few times throughout the year. The first delay was due to materials not coming in in a timely manner. A majority of the major components were ordered the first week of January. The cooler cart, which is the main component, was ordered from Wayfair. It was expected that the materials would be on campus at the beginning of spring semester to start assembly, however, we waited several weeks and struggled to get confirmation or tracking numbers of the cooler cart. Finally, we were able to get in touch with the manufacturer and receive the cart. We also were delayed because the spigots were not shipped until after the payment was received, and the payment had to be approved by several people at the university before it could be sent out. In the original expected timeline, the cooler cart and the spigots were expected to be at the university in the beginning of the spring semester, and we intended to have a working Wishing Well before April, but the spigots were not received until spring break, when the university shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire assembly of the cooler cart was delayed until it is safe to no longer socially distance. 

While the project was delayed waiting for components to come up, a focus was put towards preparing the final paper and presentation to free up time when the components did come in. After it became apparent that we would be off campus for the rest of the spring semester, and therefore unable to assemble the cooler cart, the project shifted to ensuring the documentation and website were as accurate as possible to still meet the goal to have others be able to reproduce the product.