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How the Excel application works):
The Excel file uses Visual Basic to drive the application and an
Excel worksheet to store the data base and reports. User inputs
design
data
into input boxes, selects a material and wire diameter from pull down menus
provided. Once the design data has been entered, the user goes to
a tab labeled "calculations." User
clicks the "calculate" button to review results from the
spring design data given. Modifications can be made to improve
the spring design if necessary and then recalculated.
Excel Database):
The application uses a worksheet in the Microsoft Excel file to
use as the data base for problems and the materials available.
Additional materials can be added or existing data can be modified
within the Excel file. The material data base contains
materials with their respective properties. Another Excel
sheet is for printing reports of a particular problem save to the
data base.
Reports):
Reports can be generated for a problem from an Excel sheet for
any problem that has been saved to the database. Additional
notes can be added on the reports if needed.
Advantages):
The Excel application provides several advantages for the
user. They are as follows:
- Quickly calculates the design of a spring with the design
data given.
- Changes to the design data or material selection can be made
at any time and quickly recalculated.
- General guidelines on how to design a spring.
- Instructions on how to use the application.
- Problems can be saved, modified, deleted, and/or retrieve
from the Excel data base.
- Equations that were used in the application can be viewed by the user.
- The Excel application, database, and report functions are all
contained in one file that has a small file size.
Limitations):
The Excel application has several limitations. They are as
follows:
- Only one application can be run at a time.
- The calculations assume round wire diameters only.
- Range of wire diameters are .004 thru .25 in .001
increments.
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