The Clock
This was a true test of skills both when It came to learning how to use the tools necessary and to balance out this class with everything else. It was necessary to become proficient in Using both the lathe and the vertical mill in order to be successful and brought with it a high level of metrology.
​
So what did I take away from this project and what tips would I leave for future classes?
The first and most important thing to take away is that the processes used to make the clock take time, and due to this you need to budget your time wisely, always be ready to spend a minimum of two hours in the workshop and be sure to leave time to come back later in the day if the machines you need to use is in use. The second thing is to check your measurements consistently, you may think you are doing great but when even the smallest mistake can ruin your project it's better to double-check everything.
​
How long did this project take and what was the estimated cost?
Currently, the going rate for a skilled machinist in Colorado makes about $20.42 an hour. I would say that this project took me anywhere from 12-16 hours in the lab to complete, so labor alone would cost somewhere between $245.04 to $326.72. The aluminum cost about $24 dollars afoot. The brass piece cost about 9 dollars for 2". the steel piece cost about $11 dollars for 2" and the acrylic face will cost about 3 dollars bringing the total price of the production of one clock to a maximum of $372.72.
​
How would I modernize this project to make 10000 Clocks?
I think that the best process to modernize this process is to use casting. First off the aluminum base should be cast using some sort of die casting or SSM casting, this will drastically reduce the time it takes to make the base, and after this, it is simple to finish by hand. The pen and pencil holders can be done at a reduced cost by switching to CNC reducing the time taken by quite a bit. The face can be kept the same as multiple can be done at the same time when doing the work by hand. With this being said we can then assume that production time will be at least a third of what it used to be, thereby majorly decreasing the price of manufacturing clocks.
​
What's the Price Difference?
Using the method that was used in our lab the price to produce 10,000 clocks comes out to $3,727,200 while the more modern process will cost about $1,242,400.
​
