Applications and Implications
Individual Project
- Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered. Your project should incorporate the following: 2D and 3D design, additive and subtractive fabrication processes, electronics design and production, microcontroller interfacing and programming, system integration and packaging
- Where possible, you should make rather than buy the parts of your project. Projects can be separate or joint, but need to show individual mastery of the skills, and be independently operable.
Learning outcomes:
- Define the scope of a project
- Develop a project plan
Have you answered the following questions:
- what will it do?
- who has done what beforehand?
- what will you design?
- what materials and components will be used?
- where will they come from?
- how much will they cost?
- what parts and systems will be made?
- what processes will be used?
- what questions need to be answered?
- how will it be evaluated?
What will it do?
On June 6, 2020, I decided to change my final project again!
Project diary update here.
I needed to have irrigation working on the farm. I did not need more chickens right now, so I changed it again. That doesn't mean I gave up on the chicken egg incubator. It only means I might have TWO final projects :-). Well, maybe not. The reality is that I will focus on irrigation; my fruit trees need water, and the greenhouse does too. I have so much need for it right now and I need it to work well, which makes it really worth the change.
So, no chickens! YES, WATER! Maybe also chickens.
To answer it clearly, my final project will be an irrigation system. It will allow me to schedule irrigation events by zone and time and will also show humidity and temperature. The PCB will have extra pins for expansion, and it will be enclosed in a waterproof box.
I made a few sketches:
Who has done what beforehand?
A number of companies sell irrigation controller systems.
On the Alibaba website, we can see many options with an almost infinite range of prices, as well as of capabilities.
JOGIN FRANCIS made a really nice automatic valve for irrigation automation that could definitely be added to my project, but for now, I will focus more on the interface and controller and use commercial valves.
João Milheiro also made an irrigation system, which he is using to control the environment of a mushroom growing kit.
What will you design?
I will design the PCB, which will have an ESP32 at its center, and relays for the activation of different solenoid valves, a pump, and a sensor.
I will also design the waterproof enclosure as well as a gasket.
Finally, I will design the web interface, allowing connectivity and operation of the system.
I won't design valves, sensors, actuators, or power supplies; all these are going to be commercially available items that will be integrated into my final project.
What materials and components will be used?
Where will they come from?
How much will they cost?
To answer the questions above, I made a spreadsheet.
| Materials and components | What for | Where they come from | Links | Qty | Unit Price | Total Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDF Forescolor | for the enclosure | Fablab Stock | forescolor.com | 90000mm2 (30 × 30 cm) | $0.000027/mm2 | $2.43 |
| Silicone | for the gasket | fablab stock | amazon.es | 50g | $0.05/gram | $2.39 |
| Epoxy resin | to further waterproof the interior of the enclosure and help with the light diffusion of the LEDs | fablab stock | amazon.es | 50ml | $0.01/ml | $0.60 |
| Total | $5.42 |
Electronics Board
| Value | Package | Description | Where they come from Links | Qty | Pc Price | Total Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCB blank | Proto Board Copper Clad FR1, Single Sided, 1 oz. 5.00" x 4.00" (127.0mm x 101.6mm) | digikey.com | 1 | $2.44 | $2.44 | |
| FTDI-SMD-HEADER | 1X06SMD | CONN HEADER R/A 6POS 2.54MM | digikey.com | 1 | $0.18 | $0.18 |
| 22-23-2021 | 22-23-2021 | CONN HEADER VERT 2POS 2.54MM | digikey.com | 1 | $0.17 | $0.17 |
| header2x6 | 2X03 | CONN HEADER VERT 6POS 2.54MM | digikey.com | 2 | $0.48 | $0.96 |
| SWITCH | SWITCH TACTILE SPST-NO 50MA 12V | SWITCH TACTILE SPST-NO 50MA 12V | digikey.com | 2 | $0.20 | $0.40 |
| 0.1uF | C1206FAB | CAP CER 0.1UF 50V X7R 1206 | digikey.com | 2 | $0.11 | $0.22 |
| 100uF | C1206FAB | CAP CER 100UF 10V X5R 1206 | digikey.com | 1 | $1.49 | $1.49 |
| 15pf | C1206FAB | CAP CER 15PF 50V 1206 | digikey.com | 2 | $0.19 | $0.38 |
| 1nF | C1206FAB | CAP CER 1206 1NF 250V X7R 10% | digikey.com | 1 | $0.27 | $0.27 |
| ESP32-WROOM-32 (16MB) | ESP-WROOM-32 | WIFI MODULE 128MBITS SPI FLASH | digikey.com | 1 | $4.50 | $4.50 |
| LED | LED1206 | Standard LEDs - SMD 1206 Blue | eu.mouser.com | 7 | $1.45 | $10.15 |
| 100ohm | R1206 | RES SMD 100 OHM 1% 1/4W 1206 | digikey.com | 5 | $0.57 | $2.85 |
| 10k | R1206 | RES SMD 10K OHM 1% 1/4W 1206 | digikey.com | 3 | $0.57 | $1.71 |
| 1.2Mohm | R1206 | RES SMD 1.2M OHM 5% 1/4W 1206 | digikey.com | 1 | $0.10 | $0.10 |
| 1.5Mohm | R1206 | RES SMD 1.5M OHM 1% 1/4W 1206 | digikey.com | 1 | $0.18 | $0.18 |
| 150ohm | R1206 | RES SMD 150 OHM 5% 1/4W 1206 | digikey.com | 2 | $0.10 | $0.20 |
| 1K | R1206 | RES SMD 1K OHM 1% 1/4W 1206 | digikey.com | 4 | $0.57 | $2.28 |
| 220ohm | R1206 | RES SMD 220 OHM 1% 1/4W 1206 | digikey.com | 4 | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| SRD-05VDC-SL-C | RELAY_SRD-05VDC-SL-C | SRD-5VDC-SL-C 5 Pin PCB Type | banggood.com | 4 | $1.99 | $7.96 |
| ACS712 | SO08 | SENSOR CURRENT HALL 20A AC/DC | digikey.com | 1 | $2.32 | $2.32 |
| Diode | SOD123 | DIODE GEN PURP 100V 200MA SOD123 | digikey.com | 4 | $0.13 | $0.52 |
| EL817(S)(D)(TU)-V | SOIC254P1030X460-4N | OPTOISOLTR 5KV TRANSISTOR 4-DIP | digikey.com | 4 | $0.18 | $0.72 |
| BCX70SMD | SOT23 | TRANS NPN 45V 0.1A SOT23 | digikey.com | 4 | $0.19 | $0.76 |
| MCP1700T-3302E/TT | SOT95P237X112-3N | IC REG LINEAR 3.3V 250MA SOT23-3 | digikey.com | 1 | $0.37 | $0.37 |
| TEMP-HUM-SENSOR-DHT22 | TEMP-HUM-SENSOR-DHT22 | SENSOR HUMID/TEMP 5V DTL 5% MOD | digikey.com | 1 | $5.00 | $5.00 |
| Screw Clamp | W237-102 | WAGO SCREW CLAMP | aliexpress.com | 4 | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| ECS-.327-12.5-13X | XTAL_ECS-.327-12.5-13X | CRYSTAL 32.7680KHZ 12.5PF TH | digikey.com | 1 | $0.24 | $0.24 |
| Total | $47.17 |
What parts and systems will be made?
I will be making the enclosure, the PCB, as well as the gasket.
What processes will be used?
- PCB
- Electronics design: designing the PCB in Eagle.
- Electronics production: milling the PCB.
- Web interface: communication with C++ using JSON, and the embedded program itself in C++.
- Enclosure
- 3D design: designing the PCB enclosure itself.
- Milling/production: producing the PCB enclosure with the CNC.
- Design and cast a gasket, using wax for the mold and silicone for the gasket.
What questions need to be answered?
How can I make a web interface that communicates smoothly with C++? Maybe using the JSON protocol?
How do I set the time and prevent it from being lost during a power outage?
How will it be evaluated?
I think that to evaluate my project, one needs to review my objectives. My objectives with my final project were to have an irrigation controller on my fabfarm and at the same time learn coding and electronics.
The following questions should allow one to evaluate the success of my final project:
- Can I connect to the web interface of the irrigation controller using my phone?
- Can I view the scheduled times and irrigation zones from the web interface?
- Can I change time and duration from the web interface?
- Does it display humidity and temperature?
- Does it irrigate the plants according to the schedule?
- Can a farmer install/operate the system without a lot of technical knowledge?
- Will it improve the life of a small farmer/plant enthusiast, reducing, with a relatively low cost, the time they need to spend watering plants?
- Did I improve my C++ skills while making this project?
- Did I improve my electronics design skills while making this project?
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