TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP

ENT600

AUTOMATIC WHEEL LUG NUT

OPENER
EMD7M12
PROF MADYA RAHIMAH SARMIDY

NAME MATRIC NO.

MOHD ZARIF ATIF BIN ISMAIL 2016229762
MOHAMAD ASHRAF BIN MUZAFAR 2016229698
MOHAMAD MIRZA BIN MOHAMAD JIWA 2016238766
MOHAMMAD AFIQ BIN MARSAN 2016238312
NUR SHOLIHIN BIN ROSELAN 2016238518
TABLE OF CONTENTS

NO. ITEM PAGE NUMBER

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2
2 INTRODUCTION 3
3 TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION 4
4 NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 5
5 CONCLUSION 20

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE ITEM PAGE NUMBER

1 CUSTOMER TREND CANVAS 8
2 AUTOMATIC WHEEL LUG NUT OPENER 10
3 CONCEPT 1 12
4 CONCEPT 2 13
5 CONCEPT 3 14
6 CONCEPT 4 15
7 FINAL CONCEPT 16
8 ANALYSIS ON FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS 19

1
1.0 Executive Summary

Technological entrepreneurship refers to a person or organization that can exploit any

situation to identify and develop products or services that can solve any problems that was raised
from a given situation occurred. The process that leads to the solution is called New Product
Development (NPD). Our company focuses on the development of technological products that can
ease everyday tasks and during emergency situations. In terms of product concept, our company
focuses on the leverage of mechanical advantage where user not needed to use high force in order
to perform tasks that require high work done. It is done through using different gear ratio, with the
help of external electric motor. It is targeted for car owners, especially, which is only given manual
tools to remove lug nut of their vehicle. Other than that, the product is targeted towards vehicle
manufacturers to include our product as a default item to accompany their product during launch.
In terms of competitive advantage, there are no other companies that provided electrical lug nut as
a solution to the current problem. It is only found on the automotive racing industry. As the only
provider of electrical lug nut opener for the mainstream market, the product will have good
acceptance by the society because of its simplicity in operation. The product developed was
intended to help user during unpredictable situations where the user’s vehicle tire is punctured or
leaked. The management team of our company is given as follows: -

Mohd Zarif Atif Bin Ismail – Team leader

Mohamad Ashraf Bin Muzafar – Product Designer

Mohamad Mirza Bin Mohamad Jiwa – Operations

Nur Sholihin Bin Roselan – Administration

Mohammad Afiq Bin Marsan – Marketing

2
2.0 Introduction

2.1 Problem statement / Issues

1. What are problems faced by user in case of their vehicle’s tire being punctured or leaked?
2. Are there any means necessary for user to perform their own task in order to avoid labor
charge?
3. What are the additional advantage that will be given from our products compared to the
existing ones?
4. Will the required force to remove the lug nut from rim pose any difficulties to the user?

2.2 Methodology

Data related to the problems of changing tire was obtain through online survey, where it
was targeted to students that possess car as a mean of transportation. The survey was conducted
through Google Forms where it can be spread to all students in less time compared to traditional
survey. It is performed during week 5 to week 6 of the current semester. The second method was
conducting an interview with workshop owners regarding the same problem they faced during the
same operation. It was performed in workshops in Shah Alam area during week 7 of the semester.
The interview was done informally, where students ask directly the foreman and owners about
their problems.

2.3 Limitation

New product development have the new design specification for every company in the
market. Every product must have their own identity to attract customer attention. But, for this
product, it have owns few limitation. The limitation of the product is only suitable for 4-hole Pitch
Circle Diameter. This is the common Pitch Circle Diameter for the new product development.
Next, the product is not suitable for other mounting configuration. Of course this is the new product
development, so its design with new design specification and criteria. So, it is does not match with
other mounting configuration that available in anywhere else. Lastly, the users or customer that
want to use the product must needs external power to operate the product. For this product, the
external power to operate the product is using a car battery. With that, the users will feel so easy
to change the tire with this automatic wheel lug nut opener with the help of external power. They
don’t need to do a heavy work to change the tire.

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3.0 Technology Description

Automatic wheel lug nut opener is designed for car owners that is stranded by the roadside if
one of his or her car tyre punctured and there are no nearby workshops available. It eases the
process of changing tyre by removing the lug nut (wheel nut) automatically where it reduces the
force exerted by the user. The automatic wheel lug nut opener is made up of lug nut opener, which
can open all lug nut simultaneously and a motor that can be connected to the vehicle’s battery
which can be operated with the click of a button. The product is designed not only to help vehicle
owners, but also small workshops that cannot afford to buy a hydraulic jack. Automatic wheel lug
nut opener is worth buying because it is portable and operate easily.

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 4.0 New Product Development
4.1 Definition

New product development is a process presenting a new product or do improvise on the existing
product to the commercial center. What makes a company participating in this thought is on the
grounds that inclinations of a shopper continue evolving after some time, expanding number of
contenders and advances in innovation. Consistently another improvised item is created to meet
buyers' needs and as contenders, they should consider this to be a chance and begin grabbing the
chance to make a superior product. The term of making new product does not constantly mean
fabricating another item but rather it can likewise mean adding a new features on the current
product. For this situation, the item made is kind of an adding a new features on existing product.

The product, automatic wheel lug nut opener is a product that can reduce human force during
changing flat tire with spare tire. It can loosen 4 lug nut simultaneously and only for standard
Malaysia car which is PCD 100 rim hole. How it working on loosen 4 lug nut simultaneously by
adding a gear on the shaft that connected to the wrench and the gear will connected to electrical
motor to rotating the gear.

Although, this product is quite similar on wheel lug nut opener that had been used in racing
industry especially on Formula One and The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
(NASCAR). In racing industry they use single big wheel lug nut and their wheel lug nut opener
also use single wheel gun socket. This is due to they need to change the tire fast to make sure that
their team not loss much time during race just to change to the new tire.

Actually, our automatic wheel lug nut opener is designed due to make user easy to change tire
and to create a solution on ergonomic effect on human body. Ergonomics effect is often a
combination of these risk factors that, over time, can lead to pain, injury, and disability. An injury
can occur when there is ongoing exposure to ergonomic risk factors. Thus, by using manual lug
nut opener it can effect back pain or hand pain to human body.

5
4.2 Classification of NPD

A successful company dependably has its rule to obey and one of them is creating a product
classification. Product classification is where a company classes its product as indicated by
particular qualities so they can distinguish their objective market or target buyers. Automatic wheel
lug nut opener are classified into different categories, which are:

1) Life span

Their life span is longer than manual lug nut opener. This is due to it using electrical motor
and using battery. The battery can be chargeable or replace to the new battery if it is not
functioning. The manual lug nut opener is easily to bend due to the force that exert to the wrench
was high.

2) Product improvement

Product improvement is making changes to an existing product that has been used in the
marketplace. In this automatic wheel lug nut opener there have an improvement of features which
is the wrench will stop tightening the nut when a certain amount of torque is reached. This is to
prevent from loosen the nut threading.

3) Ease of use

This product is easy to use due it is automatic running. Which is the electrical energy will
transform to mechanical energy. In the other words the motor will running and transfer the power
to the gear then the gear will control the rotation of wrench to open the lug nut. Thus it is easy to
use due to it is fully automatic and not using any human force.

4) Improved performance

This product had been improved from only can open one lug nut and now it can open 4 lug nut
simultaneously. It is also improved on using human force to loosen the lug nut and currently it is
loosen by using electrical motor which is more efficient rather than using human force.

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4.3.1 Research & Development

The indication of Automatic Wheel Lug Nut Opener is made after the assessment on
surroundings and also related problem regarding changing tyre during emergencies. With regard
to the problem an elucidation is developed stimulated by the current changing tyre technique with
use only one wrench. Additionally, this product can help customer open 4 wheels’ lug nut at the
same time thus reducing time and also force exerted to open those lug nuts. These operations are
done with the help from the electric motor that is powered by the car battery.
In dynamic markets companies must constantly introduce new products and services to
keep up with changing consumer wants and needs. A screening is a phase in the product
development process where products are assessed according to a certain set of benchmarks on
whether they will be prosperous in the marketplace. During screening, the company assesses
whether to bestow added resources to the development of a product at various stage. Ideas that do
not meet the objectives made should be rejected. Problem that might ascend in this stage are the
acceptance of poor product idea and the rejection of a possible product idea. Firstly, the mechanism
chosen is manually operated as it is portable and cost saving but the idea is not ergonomic friendly
as user need to use extra force to open all lug nut altogether and it also will affect the body posture.
So, to ease the burden of the user we decided to put an electric motor so the product is automated.

Market research is survey and analysis done for a service or product, which involve
customer necessities and prospect. Currently the concept of automated wheel lug nut opener is not
being projected so this might be the very first ever in the world. We conducted a survey and found
out that many road users have difficulties in changing their tyre when in emergencies so we
successfully found a solution to this problem.

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 Automatic
Wheel Lug Nut
Opener
INNOVATIONAL EXPECTATION
 Wheel Lug Nut Opener
 Automatic Portable Jack
DRIVERS OF CHANGE
 DIY - People perform basic tasks to
avoid labour charge
 - Tires on vehicle – High possibility to
be punctured
 - Personal tools - People tend to have
their own tools
BASIC NEEDS
 Utility – Consumer needs product /
service that can ease their everyday
work.
 Transportation – Modern society
values personal transport than any
other era
 Ergonomic items – A product that can
be used comfortably is desired.
Figure 1: Customer Trend Canvas
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WHO
 Car owners - People that use vehicle
with wheel lug nut PCD 100
PCD (Pitch Circle Diameter)
INSPIRATION
 Stanley – Hand tools (wrenches)
 Black Bull – Automatic car jack
 Lock master – Locksmith
EMERGING CUSTOMER
EXPECTATION
 Low cost
 High Quality
 Reliable - Lower tendency to break
 Aesthetic design - Product looks
appealing
 Safety & Health - Less unwanted
accidents involving operating of
equipment
 The drivers of change that encourage the invention of Automatic Wheel Lug Nut Opener
are DIY, Tyres on vehicle and Personal tools. By the drivers of change, we can get the idea on
how to help road users to change their tyre during emergencies. It will help in many aspects such
as users can avoid to pay labour charge to change their tyres, the tyres also are expose to threat of
getting punctured and also most vehicles have a personal tool in their cars.

Customers expectation has been collected through a survey done and we found out that
most customers demand low cost, high quality, reliable, aesthetic design and safety of the product.
With this product, customer can expect that a cheaper price with this product as all equipment is
combined in this product. It also reliable in terms of design and use as it has a lower tendency to
break and the products looks appealing.

Our product is inspired from road users who are having difficulties in changing their tyre
during emergencies. So we look into company that produce car jack, locksmith, and wrenches to
come up with an idea of this automatic lug nut wheel opener. Our product must meet the basic
needs required by road users that can ease their works and also ergonomic to them.

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4.3.2 Product Design/Features

Product features can be defined as an element of an item which is fit for satisfying a specific
purchaser require and is subsequently observed as an advantage of owning the thing. In business,
an item include is one of the distinctive attributes of an item or administration that encourages
support its interest to potential purchasers, and may be utilized to figure an item advertising
technique that features the helpfulness of the item to focused potential customers.

Figure 2: Automated Wheel Lug Nut Opener

Features Description
Changeable nut opener The nut opener can be changed according to
socket wrench.
Durability The material is corrosion resistance and not
to heavy.
Operates on low current Wheel lug nut opener can operate using a car
battery.
Aesthetic Good surface finish of product is attractive
Simple design and safety Cover with housing when the product is
operation.

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Functional Requirement:

 The main purpose is to eases the process of changing tyre by removing the lug nut (wheel
nut) automatically;
 It reduces the force exerted by the user;
 It can open all lug nut simultaneously and a motor that can be connected to the vehicle’s
battery.

Special features:

 Very user friendly as it is portable in use to provide better facilities for cars user in this
country which mostly uses the car below 1.5 cc;
 Can open lug nut in simultaneously without using human energy;
 Can operated with the click of a button.

Key performance target:

 Automated wheel lug nut opener functions as a multiple function use for user;
 Automated wheel lug nut opener to reduce the usage of energy oh human to open the lug
nut.

Service environment:

 The product suitable used for car owners that is stranded by the roadside if one of his or
her car tyre punctured and there are no nearby workshops available;
 Automated wheel lug nut opener use material eco-friendly that can reusable.

Life cycle target

 5 years long life target;

 There will be no maintenance needed to be done. However, it depends on how the user
used.

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4.3.3 Concept Testing

Figure 3: Concept 1

The idea of this design simply brainstormed from the concept of old camera. It is portable
meaning that it can easily carried to other places with ease.

Function Description
Body shape Cylinder
Stabilizer ‘L’ shape
Handle Yes
Number of wrench 1
Mechanism Manual operated
Holder No

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 Figure 4: Concept 2

This concept is an improvisation of T nut wrench. It is still portable and easy to use. It
has more number of wrench which allows 4 lug nut to open simultaneously and save time. The
handle will help to provide force exerted onto the wrench.

Function Description
Body shape Cylinder
Stabilizer Clamp
Handle Yes
Number of wrench 4
Mechanism Manual operated

Holder None

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 Figure 5: Concept 3

This idea is coming from a drill machine. This model is featured with DC motor but it
produces a small torque. It is recommended to use AC motor but it have a complicated circuit
and expensive because of transformer and relay circuit. Besides, it can only open two lug nut.

Function Description
Body shape Cylinder
Stabilizer None
Handle Yes
Number of wrench 2
Mechanism Motor

Holder Yes

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 Figure 6: Concept 4

This machine was designed to open a wheel’s nut at once and for pitch circle diameter
(PCD) 100 only because most car with 1500 centimetre cubic have rim with PCD100. Presence
of gear is used to increase output force with low input force using gear ratio with aid of longer
shaft to lower the input force applied which is from handle.

Function Description
Body shape Cylinder
Stabilizer None
Handle Yes
Number of wrench 2
Mechanism Motor

Holder Yes

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 Figure 7: Final Concept

This concept accomplished all the characteristics needed based on the market survey. It
has a simple design but still is safe to use and also ergonomic friendly. The lug nut opener comes
with an DC motor connected to the car batteries which help to turn all 4-wheel lug nut without
force exerted from user. The size of socket can be changed according to the size of lug nut to
ensure smooth process of loosening and tightening the rims.

Function Description
Body Shape T-square
Stabilizer Contact with the rim of the tyre
Handle No
Number of wrench 4
Mechanism Motor operated
Holder None

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4.3.4 Build Prototype

4.3.4.1 Process planning for manufacturing

4.3.4.1.1 Symbol of process chart

Symbol of Process chart

Symbol Activity Description

Operation Activity that modify,

transform or give added
value to the input

Movement of materials or
Transporting
goods from one place to
another

Inspection
Activity that measure the
standard or quality

Process is delayed
Delay
because in process
materials are waiting for
next activity

Finished
Finishing

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4.3.4.1.2 Process flow build prototype

Order all material from supplier.

Store item into the shelve and store room.

Transfer raw material to machining area.

Lathe the shaft until the right dimension is required.

Drilling the shaft until the right dimension is required.

Welding extension with shaft.

Drill a hole at the plate.

Put a bearing inside the plate.

Assemble shaft and gear with bolt and nut.

Assemble all components.

Welding handle with motor.

Finishing

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4.3.5 Test Marketing

Our first target market to test is the supply with small car workshop and car user in area Shah
Alam. We will suggest the Automated Wheel lug nut opener to be uses in a certain period of time
and analyse the reliability and applicability if the product. We also have held or participate in
technology exhibition to promote our product to customer. All the respond of the entire target will
be recorded and collected to be analysed. The result of the analysis is important as it can become
our secret weapon and make improvement in our product to attract many investors in this project.
This machine also designs for a wheel with a Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD) 100 because local brand
car such as Perodua and Proton has an influence from Japanese automotive vehicle standard which
automatically will increase market size of this product.

From the customer survey, we found that the customer is have problem to handle when their tyre
got punched and our product can solve their problem. The figure below shows the percentage of
the costumer feedback for each question.

What problem when to change Do you know how to change

tyre punched? car tyre?
20% 10%
30%

40%

50%
Heavy tyre Difficult to open lug nut Dirty tyre Yes No

Question 1 Question 2

Who do you call when your How long to loosen lug

car got tyre punched? nuts?

40% 40% 40%

60%

20%
Mechanics Friends Do ownself More than 10 minutes Less than 10 minutes

Question 3 Question 4

Figure 8: Analysis On Feedback from Customers

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5.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, this study has shown that the automatic wheel lug nut opener is the product
have been innovation to meet the requirement of customer. This product is relatable of new product
development and conjunction to product design specification that identified the difference compare
with existing product in the market. A new product development framework ha empowered to be
mastermind product arranging and research, get the customer point of view and wants, decisively
plan and resources. Based on the already existing product that has been listed on the product design
specification, it is shown that the product in the market have same function but our product are
easy to operate with the help of external power. Our product are able to help the customer to change
the tire quickly in emergency.

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