Project development

assignment for this week was to continue working on our machines and final projects and also documenting our progress:

      Fortunately or unfortunately for me I decided to choose a project that for the most part most people think it is too complicated, well I also thought it was too complicated, looking at the mechanisms involved in the project. I came to realize after succeeding in coming up with design mechanism that I believe should be practicable.

What do I intend to build: Well, like I explained briefly in my introduction during the first part of the class; I want to take a closer look at transformable machine, not only for the fun of it but to make these machines easily accessible, compact, increase the ease in mobility at very low damage risk and for the most part, come in handy.

Why not just a fixed Machine: Like I mentioned previous paragraph, the ideas of making transformable machines started occurring to me when I first witnessed idea of the MOBILE FAB-LAB. I thought of what could happen to Machines in a mobile lab, if the mobile lab happened to be found on a rough road. This lead me to start thinking of machines with high pros of resisting all the cons that could be associated to a machine in that condition. I felt it would be nice to have machines that can automatically fold up into a box cushioned with heavy duty foams or some kind of suspension system.
This machine can then be hanged and locked to the wall of the Mobile Lab or yet still can slide into a drawer and locked.

      what questions need to be resolved?
Basically, this is my first time getting really exposed to programming, and still being in the learning process, I have hard times putting sketches together. And I am still in the learning process. for the most part, I do not have much trouble developing mechanisms but then I have been working on boasting my skills in using the CAD program and have started working on my machine.
So for the most part, programming my boards to make sense is still something I am working on. And I intend to get help from my mentors. It just happened that I do not have much problems with building the circuits, especially after the lectures on circuits.

      what tasks need to be completed?
I still have a lot to do in terms of the mechanical aspect of the machine I have to build. I took me a while to come up with a reasonable and logically sound mechanisms for the machine. Moreover I have been working on the control circuit for the machine and spending time working on mastering the CAD program I want to use for the design (SolidWorks).

For now, I am working on what I call " the power splitter" which basically is a voltage regulator based power supply with variable power output from one source. the current one I worked on should be able to provide 12VDC and 9VDC. I am yet to test it to finish it and test it. I am done with the design but yet to mill and solder it for testing.

      what has worked? what hasn't?
Basically all the component I intend to incorporate to the machine work out just fine, some of the features that I intend to incorporate to my final project namely; the cooling system, the motor control system, and the power splitter are all in good construction condition. some are tested and working while some are yet to be tested.

   what will happen when?
Hopefully I will be able to complete the control systems by June 22nd due to the fact that, I only have access to work in the lab once week due to the summer holy days. Thanks to Mr. Schott.
After which I will work on completing the mechanical aspect of the project.

what have you learned?
Taking this class to me, have served as an eye opener for many things in terms of the principles related to engineering. I have come to understand more about digital electronic and how to relate or to interconnect circuit together to make sense.
I have come to understand the basics of programming microcontrollers. And I think this is a big thing to me since this is my first time taking part in a program such as this and being able to in the end program boards to work. I know with the knowledge in basic principles of programming that I have acquired, I will be able to build on it and do more in relation to programming circuits to perform specific function.
I learned the essentiality of relying on datasheets when working on circuits.