Final Project
Week 0: Digital Fabrication Principles and
Practices
Week 1:
Collaborative Technical Development, Documentation and Project
Management
Week 2:
Computer Aided Design
Week 3:
Computer Controlled Cutting
Week 4:
Electronics Production
Week 5:
3D Scanning and Printing
Week 6:
Electronics Design
Week 7:
Moulding and Casting
Week 8:
Embedded Programming
Week 9:
Computer Controlled Machining
Week 10:
Input Devices
Week 11:
Composites
Week 12:
Interface and Application Programming
Week 13:
Output Devices
Week 14:
Networking and Communications
Week 15:
Mechanical Design and Machine Design
Week 16:
Applications and Implications
Week 17:
Invention, Intellectual Property and Income
Week 18:
Project Development
Week 19:
Final Project Presentation
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Applications and Implications
When
I first started the Fab academy course, I had no real idea what my
final project was going to be about. I had some broad topic areas
that I was keen to explore the potential of creating something useful
within the realms of the Fab Academy content whilst supplementing my
full time studies. These ideas were an interlocking timber
structural system, an application for remote light switching and a
bespoke desk for myself. Throughout the course it became clear
that these ideas were not entirely suited to the demands of the Fab
Academy course and the necessary marking criteria. The topics did
not include enough of the many different aspects of the course - there
is a clear emphasis on electronic production which was not fully
realised in any of my preliminary designs.
The Idea:
Therefore, in
keeping with these demands whilst focusing on my area of study, I have
decided to create an insitu timber moisture sensor. The sensor
will relay the readings at a designated time through a network to a
computer that will display the results in graph format on a
computer. At present the idea is to keep this as simple as
possible and maybe iteratively improve it at a later date, therefore I
will attempt to create one or two input sensors/nodes to link with a
bus, that interfaces with a computer to display the results through an
applications. This will encompass enough of the Fab Academy
topics whilst providing a challenge to myself in the development of the
electronic components.
What will it do?
The function of
the sensor is to provide accurate real time data of the moisture of a
piece of timber. This piece of timber could be a structurally
significant be a piece of timber in a historically sensitive building
and will monitor the moisture content throughout its lifespan or over a
duration of time. The fundamental idea is that you can monitor if
a piece of timber is experiencing a change moisture content that could
lead to potential decay, which is particularly necessary in hard to
reach areas such as valleys and eaves.
Who's done what beforehand?
The moisture
content of timber is a complicated issue and there are several methods
of determining accurately. There are many portable timber moisture content sensors
of varying accuracy and price on the market that use a variety of
techniques to assess the moisture content these are capacitance and
resistivity. I will create a sensor board using resistivity that
can be calibrated accurately using the interface program.
Research is ongoing on instu moisture sensors, particularly in use on timber bridges,
although there seems to be no realtime links, only through connection
to a datalogger can the data be downloaded. The idea here is for
domestic or internal use so a robust sensor is not necessarily needed.
What materials and components will be required? Where will they come from? How much will it cost?
The entirety of
this project will be fabricated using materials available in the
fablab. Electronics will be split into small, networked boards based
around ATtiny45 microcontrollers. The case for the sensor will be
laser cut from 3mm plywood which, and the sensor board could
potentially be 3D printed if the circuit is small enough.
What parts and systems will be made? What processes will be used?
This project will cover a large number of disciplines fabricating the case will require 3D modelling, laser cutting and 3D printing. The electronics element will require electronic design through Eagle, CNC miling and electronic fabrication. Programming the boards will use embedded programming with inputs, connected through networking with application design.
What tasks need to be completed? What questions need to be answered? What is the schedule? How will it be evaluated?
The project
requires many separate components that must be completed in linear
sequence to allow for one to inform the next. Firstly, the electronics
will be designed and prototyped to establish exact requirements for
connections and components. Once this is achieved the electronics
designs can be finialised and constructed. This will then allow the
casing to be developed so that it is an appropriate size, after which
the application program can be developed. These three stages will
hopefully be completed over the next three weeks. Due to the limited time scale, I
will make sure that the electronic elements are completed primarily and
then develop the cases only once the electronic elements are completed. The
first two weeks will be the development of the electroncs and the case
and the last week will be the creation of the interface application,
debugging and writing up the project for presentation.
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FAB ACADEMY 2013