𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺

In the world of mechanical engineering, sometimes the most effective solutions are those that embrace simplicity and efficiency.

I want to share one of my initial projects at the Monash Wind Tunnel Designing an acoustic wind tunnel door, and focus specifically on the locking mechanism.

The task was to create a lock that could not only securely close the door against a set pressure differential and compress a rubber seal to prevent leakage but also remain closed in a fail-safe scenario, such as a loss of power or air pressure.

Instead of opting for a system that might involve separate locking and latching mechanisms to ensure a fail-safe lock, it is possible to use over-centre mechanism to do both jobs, and cut down on parts.

In this mechanism, the force applied goes over the centre of a pivot point. This has the results that, any applied back pressure to the lever of such a mechanism will push back onto a structural component of the mechanism, rather than on the actuator.

The result is that the actuator does not need to be designed to resist the full force of the lock (Saving costs), and in the event of power or pressure loss, the lock remains locked.

Solutions such as these have a certain nuance about them, as they are simple therefore generally robust and reliable.