...| The History of Lawn Mowers | Honors Thesis | | Amber Shukitia and Erik Kortum | 11/6/2013 | A brief history of the lawn mower and the different innovations that developed over the years will be researched and discussed. This discussion will include the functionality of the different styles over the ages, especially the abilities of the powerful mowers of today. The research will then be utilized in the design of our commercial riding mower deck lift system for capstone, along with discovering other advancements that may be taken into consideration for future designs. | 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures 3 List of Tables 3 Introduction 4 Developments through the Ages 4 Current Mower Designs and Accessories 5 Dixie Chopper Capstone Design 7 Possible Future Advancements 9 Conclusion 10 Acknowledgments 11 References 11 Appendices 13 3 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Scythe design Figure 2: First Lawn Mower Design Created by Budding Figure 3: Silens Messor Figure 4: Horse Drawn Mower from the mid 1800s Figure 5: Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Engine Powered Mower Figure 6: Walk-behind mower, the Toro Cordless Lawn Mower Figure 7: Riding mower, Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle 2550 Figure 8: Tow-behind mower (does not move on its own, needs to be pulled) Figure 9: Original Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle 2550 SolidWorks deck lift model Figure 10: Final Design of Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle 2550 with adjustments LIST OF TABLES 1. Table 1: Bill...
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...developing a new self-propelled, robotic lawn mower, similar to the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner, to introduce into the market. Develop the segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategy for marketing the new product. Be sure to discuss: 1) the overall segmentation strategy 2) characteristics of the segment(s) you might choose as the target market 3) why the target market(s) is/are attractive 4) your positioning strategy. The primary goal of marketing this new, unique product of its generation is presenting its benefit of convenience. The possible target segments will include the elderly and homeowners with lawns in very hot climates. The segmentation strategy will obviously be a concentrated strategy, where one type of product will be aimed at multiple target segments. The characteristic of the first segment, the elderly, is physical disability. When people grow old, the simplest of tasks can become extremely challenging, which makes the elderly a perfect candidate as a target segment for this robotic lawn mower. For the second segment, which are homeowners with lawns in very hot climates, the characteristics may include undesirably hot conditions and potential dangers of hot weather, such as heat cramps, dehydration, and heat stroke. These target markets deem attractive because the product presents a potential solution for a problem associated with the targets. The problem is that the hard work involved in mowing a lawn may be out of the question. The positioning...
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...Marketing Essay 1: Robotic Lawn Mower Put yourself in the position of an entrepreneur who is developing a new self-propelled, robotic lawn mower, similar to the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner, to introduce into the market. Develop the segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategy for marketing the new product. Be sure to discuss: 1) the overall segmentation strategy 2) characteristics of the segment(s) you might choose as the target market 3) why the target market(s) is/are attractive 4) your positioning strategy. The primary goal of marketing this new, unique product of its generation is presenting its benefit of convenience. The possible target segments will include the elderly and homeowners with lawns in very hot climates. The segmentation strategy will obviously be a concentrated strategy, where one type of product will be aimed at multiple target segments. The characteristic of the first segment, the elderly, is physical disability. When people grow old, the simplest of tasks can become extremely challenging, which makes the elderly a perfect candidate as a target segment for this robotic lawn mower. For the second segment, which are homeowners with lawns in very hot climates, the characteristics may include undesirably hot conditions and potential dangers of hot weather, such as heat cramps, dehydration, and heat stroke. These target markets deem attractive because the product presents a potential solution for a problem associated with the targets...
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...line of premium QuickAttach™ accessories and attachments gives your Cub Cadet equipment the power to take on even more jobs. They’re easy to attach and detach, and they give you the versatility to tackle more of your outdoor chores with confidence and ease. Whether you’re tilling, mowing, hauling or clearing snow, you’ll get the most out of your investment — making it more valuable through every season, year after year. WEIGHT BRACKETS/WEIGHTS LAWN SWEEPER POLY CART BLADE COLLECTION SYSTEMS STEEL CART SPREADER WEIGHTS AND CHAINS BUMPER KIT lOcATE A DEAlER AT CUBCADET.COM cubcadet.com InnOVATIOnS nO OnE ElSE cAn DElIVER. An ExpERIEncE nO OnE ElSE cAn MATch. pROVE IT TO yOuRSElf wITh A TEST DRIVE. ACCESSORIES & ATTACHMENTS COLLECTION SYSTEMS FRONTMOUNTED ACCESSORIES MISCELLANEOUS ACCESSORIES MOWING DECKS REAR-MOUNTED ACCESSORIES ELEC TRiC LAWn HTS WEiG CASE SUiT AR T/RE KET C FROn L BRA WHEE ER ROLL LAWn REAR D E An SPiK R LAWnG AERATO PLU S iGHT L WE WHEE SnOW E TRiPL ER BAGG LAWn A 54" F ABRiC 48" F REAR SLEE TWin ER BAGG ER ATCH DETH E TAMP 42" S D E TAMP 54" S SnOW E TAMP 50" S TiRE MOW-n -VAC E BUMP L STEE SUnS CA POLY iT HT K WEiG SPRE MULC WER THRO SWEE BRiC ATED iTCH VE H YER SPRA E BUMP S CHAin E BL AD HADE ADER CART ATED R KiT H KiT PER RT D R D LTX 1040 LTX 1042 LTX 1045 LTX 1046 LTX 1050 SLTX...
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...Swisher Mower&Machine Company | ------------------------------------------------- | Evaluating a Private Brand Distribution Opportunity | ------------------------------------------------- By: Waleed Kassabo | Problem definition Strategic issue Wayne Swisher is facing his first major decision which is accepting the offer of private branding distribution for SMC’s line of riding mowers or not From his point of view doing that sounds good opportunity, but he must take deeper look on the situation before making his final decision Objectives 1- Increase distribution coverage 2- Increase sales 3- Stabilize seasonal sales patterns Concerns 1- Financing costs for inventory and receivables 2- Cannibalization of current sales 3- Relations with existing wholesalers and dealers Situation Analysis Company / Products Swisher Mower is family based business founded by Max Swisher in the early 1950s, during the last 50 years (1950 -1996) Swisher Mower faced a lot changes in the market, demand and production. Swisher produce three type of lawn mower units with strong depends on the Ride King product which is three wheel riding mower that has a zero turning radius, Developed by max swisher in the 1950s. Swisher products are distinct from its competitors in simple design, high quality and longevity Demand According to the last industries report the sales trend is going up. Riding lawn mower sales are seasonal, about 33 % from the sales occur...
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...instruments and just throw turf at everyone. The fun experiences I had with Caleb in the front ensemble are some unless I am concussed and get amnesia. Apart from the work and fun that came with being in pit, Caleb was also there to experience us breaking everything we touched. The very first thing I broke in pit my freshmen year was a mallet- while we were practicing, the head just flew off and landed on the field. That mallet head later proved to make a good ball, which we threw around all the time. Later that year, both Caleb and I witnessed a tragedy. After we had packed up all of the front ensemble equipment, someone was going to drive the lawn mower back to the trailers. But little did we know, we had missed the synthesizer- it was still leaning up against a wheel of the trailer that was being pulled by the lawn mower. When the lawn mower took off, the synth fell over, and the trailer wheels went right over it, causing a massive crack right down the center of it. Connell wasn’t too happy about that one. Another time, the splash cymbal broke while at a contest, causing us to frantically search for a replacement and eventually borrowing one from another band. There have been countless occurrences of cymbal stands snapping off, and there might have been one time when I flipped over a vibraphone after taking it down a hill a little too quickly. Caleb might also have been yelling for me to slow down, but did I listen? Nah. Caleb has always been there to witness us breaking just about...
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...Honda today remains the world's largest producer of motorcycles and is a growing company in small engines, lawn mowers, and portable generators. Honda passed Chrysler to become the third largest U.S. seller of cars, but Toyota is close behind and even surpasses Honda when trucks are included in sales figures. The success of the company has been based on its selling of two cars in the U.S. for every one it sells in Japan, and the Accord has been the number one selling car in the United States for the past three years. However, the U.S. market share has dropped to less than 9 percent because of weak sales in California and inroads made by Ford's Taurus, Toyota's Camry, and Pontiac's Grand Am, undercutting sales of the Accord in spite of heavy sales incentives. Sales of Honda cars have also been much reduced in Japan, where the company has fallen from number three to number five, with a 7.6 percent market share. In order to promote sales, Honda has reorganized its North American, European, and Japanese auto operations into autonomous units that are more cost efficient. The company has also worked to introduce more Americans into management, and to accomplish this task some 50 employees from the Ohio plant are spending two to three years in Japan learning the Japanese methods. Honda manufactures products in 40 countries, and four of its seventeen largest manufacturing plants are located in the United States--Marysville, Ohio; Anna, Ohio; East Liberty, Ohio; and Swepsonville, North...
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...It is important to know one’s own identity. We might ask ourselves what exactly is identity? Well, Patricia Briggs in Cry Wolf has said that ‘identity is partly heritage, partly upbringing, but mostly the choices you make in life’ and I think it wouldn’t have been a better way to show it than in the feature film, “Gran Torino.” This film written and directed by Clint Eastwood in 2008 embodies the struggle of an American man who hates all things foreign due to his upbringing, to a man that mentors a foreigner and ultimately chooses to sacrifice his life to bring justice to them. Walt Kowalski is characterised to be an old fashioned, hard-core American man who hates foreign objects. This is emphasised from the close up shots of Walt’s disapproving glare juxtaposed with close up shots of his granddaughter’s scanty clothes. Also it is emphasised in the conversation that his sons have. Furthermore, his hate for foreign made objects is illustrated when he looks displeased at his son’s choice of car. The close up shot on the car clearly illustrates that it is ‘Toyota’ and not an American car. He also adds through gritted teeth “kill you to buy American” emphasises his animosity for foreign cars and the shudder at the end illustrates his disgust for foreign objects. Throughout the film, Kowalski is depicted to be incapable of interacting with a non-white person without using the most offensive racial epithets. This snarling character also represents masculinity that relies on overt...
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...particular task that our product immediately comes to mind. The usage of our product is going to be a pretty frequent occurrence, with a very low frequency of having to replace the product. We want our product to be used about once per week depending on factors in the area such as rainfall and the season. Our product is something that you only need one of per household, so the volume of a single family or household buying is very low. The target market will use our product whenever the see that their yard could be mowed, and that’s about the only situation our product could be used. In off seasons we would shift the target market out of the northern states temporarily due to the winter months and the lack of importance of mowing your lawn. The demographics that our product is currently aimed at would be couples and single household owners between the ages of 18-75. Either male or female, but in households with couples we are aimed more towards the male representation. Our target...
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...paragraph • Key operating principles as you will apply them • A preliminary market analysis • The one-year, five-year, and ten-year strategic objectives of the strategic initiatives presented as one strategic proposal for each time frame (3 strategic proposals in all), complete with implementation plans, potential ramifications, and feedback mechanisms • The additional material that your group considers necessary to support the case for going forward with ToolsCorp's global strategic initiative (This is not optional, you must input additional material.) Background Information ToolsCorp Corporation is a fictitious company that does exist anywhere. For the purpose of this course, it is located it in Tennessee. It builds power tools, lawn mowers, lawn furniture,...
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...In preparation for Spring, consumers begin to think about yard work and making their lawn as beautiful as possible. This entails making sure that all lawn equipment is ready to cut grass and making it as easy as possible. Briggs in Stratton is a power engine company that has been around for 100 years. Briggs continues to strive for innovation and is dedicated to increasing success. To maintain the growth and profitability of the Briggs and Stratton Corporation, two products that I would like to add to the line of engines that the company produces is a lawnmower engine that can be interchanged into a generator and Gas Off, a new product that removes the gas smell from hands and clothes. Briggs and Stratton is the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines. Therefore, introducing a mower engine that can be converted into a generator would add on to their innovative ideas. Consumers would be able to have one have a mower to cut grass as well as a generator when electricity is loss due to weather or for outdoor use. This product would also do well globally. The second product, Gas off, also would do well globally because almost everyone has spilled gas on themselves or clothes. To have a product that will erase the smell would be beneficial as well. The other benefit of Gas-off is that it will be available in wipes and liquid as well. The consumer will also be able to purchase the product in many different store chains. Whenever a new product is being introduced...
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...resulting force on the wagon? Vector resolution: 4. A horse is towing a barge along a canal with a rope that makes a 25° angle with the canal. If the horse exerts 500 N on the rope, how much force is in the forward direction? 5. An airplane whose speed is 150 km/h climbs from a runway at an angle of 20° above the horizontal. What is its altitude after 1 minute? How many kilometers has it gone horizontally after 2 minutes? 6. The shadow of an airplane taking off moves along the runway at 170 km/h. The sun is directly overhead and the airplaneʼs air speed is 200 km/h. What is the angle of take off? 7. A woman pushes a lawn mower with 25 N of force. If the handle makes a 40° with the horizontal and the mower weighs 50 N, how much is she pushing down with? What is the total downward force on the ground by the mower?...
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...Owner's Manual JCRRFTSMRN°I GARDEN TRACTOR 23.0 HP, 48" Mower Electric Start AutomaticTransmission Model No. 917.275023 This product has a low emission engine which operates differently from previously built engines. Before you start the engine, read and understand this Owner's Manual. CAUTION: Read and follow all Safety Rules and Instructions before operating this equipment. For answers to your questions about this product, Call: 1-800-659-5917 Sears Craftsman Help Line 5 am - 5 pro, Mon- Sat Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, II 60179 U.S.A. Visit our Craftsman website:www.sears.com/craftsman Warranty ............................................... 2 Safety Rules ......................................... 3 Product Specifications .......................... 6 Assembly/Pre-Operation ...................... 7 Operation .............................................. 9 Maintenance Schedule ...................... 16 Maintenance ....................................... 16 Service and Adjustments .................... 20 Storage ............................................... 29 Troubleshooting ................................. 30 Repair Parts ........................................ 34 Sears Service ...................... Back Cover LIMITED WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN RIDING EQUIPMENT For two (2) years from the date of purchase, if this Craftsman Riding Equipment is maintained, lubricated and tuned up according to the instructions in the owner's manual...
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...Marcus Lim, the cost accountant for Hi-Power Mower Company, recently installed activity-based costing at Hi-Power’s St. Louis lawn tractor (riding mower) plant where three models—the 8-horsepower Blade Runner, the 12-horsepower Quick Cut, and the 18-horsepower Super Cut—are manufactured. Marcus’s new product costs for these three models show that the company’s traditional costing system had been significantly under costing the 18-horsepower Super Cut. This was due primarily to the lower sales volume of the Super Cut compared to the Blade Runner and the Quick Cut. Before completing his analysis and reporting this result to management, Marcus is approached by his friend Ray Pon, who is the production manager for the 18-horsepower Super Cut model. Ray has heard from one of Marcus’s staff about the new product costs and is upset and worried for his job because the new costs show the Super cut to be losing, rather than making money. At first Ray condemns the new cost system, whereupon Marcus explains the practice of activity-based costing and why it is more accurate than the company’s present system. Even more worried now, Ray begs Marcus, “Massage the figures just enough to save the line from being discontinued. You don’t want me to lose my job do you? Anyway, nobody will know.” Marcus holds firm but agrees to recompute all his calculations for accuracy before submitting his costs to management. Questions (a) Who are the stakeholders in this situation? (b) What, if any, are...
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...Case Study Analysis: Locating the Next Red Lobster Restaurant Amanda K Passaretti February 7, 2015 Prof. Jonathan Bates BUS520: Operations Management From its first Red Lobster restaurant in 1968, Darden Restaurants has grown the chain to 690 locations, with over $2.6 billion in U.S. sales annually. The casual dining market may be crowded, with competitors such as Chili’s, Ruby Tuesday, Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, and Outback, but Darden’s continuing success means the chain thinks there is still plenty of room to grow. Robert Reiner, director of market development, is charged with identifying the sites that will maximize new store sales without cannibalizing sales at existing Red Lobster locations. Characteristics for identifying a good site have not changed in forty years; they still include real estate prices, customer age, competition, ethnicity, income, family size, population density, nearby hotels, and buying behavior, to name just a few. What has changed is the powerful software that allows Reiner to analyze a new site in five minutes, as opposed to the eight hours it took just a few years ago. Darden has partnered with MapInfo Corporation, whose geographic information system (GIS) contains a powerful module for analyzing a trade area. With the U.S. geocoded down to the individual block, MapInfo allows Reiner to create a psychographic profile of existing and potential Red Lobster trade areas. “We can now target areas with greatest sales potential,” says Reiner. The...
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