Assignments and projects

#Week 1
Principles and practices, Presentations, Introductions

This week assignment is to think and start sketching your final project .

#Week 2
Project management

Made a website and described how you did it. Introduced yourself. Documented steps for uploading files to archive. Pushed to the class archive. Signed and uploaded Student Agreement.

#Week 3
Computer-Aided Design

Evaluate and select 2D and 3D software Demonstrate and describe processes used in modelling with 2D and 3D software.

#Week 4
Computer-Controlled Cutting

Cut something on the vinylcutter. Design, lasercut, and document a parametric press-fit construction kit, which can be assembled in multiple ways. Account for the lasercutter kerf.

#Week 5
Electronics Production

Characterize the design rules for your PCB production process . Make an in-circuit programmer by milling the PCB, program it, then optionally, trying other processes.

#Week 6
3D Scanning and Printing

Individual assignment -Design and 3D print an object (small, few cm3, limited by printer time) that could not be made subtractively 3D scan an object (and optionally print it).

#Week 7
Electronics Design

Group assignment- Use the test equipment in your lab to observe the operation of a microcontroller circuit board. Individual assignment- Redraw the echo hello-world board, add (at least) a button and LED (with current-limiting resistor), check the design rules, make it, test it. Extra credit: Simulate its operation. Render it.

#Week 8
Computer-Controlled Machining

Group assignment- Test runout, alignment, speeds, feeds, and toolpaths for your machine. Individual project-Make something big on a CNC machine.

#Week 9
Embedded Programming

Group assignment- Compare the performance and development workflows for other architectures. Individual assignment-Read a microcontroller data sheet.Program your board to do something, with as many different programming languages and programming environments as possible.

#Week 10
Moulding and Casting

Group assignment- Review the safety data sheets for each of your molding and casting materials .Make and compare test casts with each of them. Individual assignment-Design a 3D mould around the stock and tooling that you'll be using, mill it (rough cut + (at least) three-axis finish cut), and use it to cast parts.

#Week 11
Input Devices

Group assignment- Measure the analog levels and digital signals in an input device. Individual assignment-Measure something: add a sensor to a microcontroller board that you have designed and read it.

#Week 12
Output Devices

Group assignment- Measure the power consumption of an output device. Individual assignment-Measure Add an output device to a microcontroller board you've designed and program it to do something.

#Week 13
Applications and Implications

Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered-*Your project should incorporate 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.

#Week 14
Embedded Networking and Communications

Group assignment- Send a message between two projects (assignments made by different students). Individual assignment-design, build, and connect wired or wireless node(s) with network or bus addresses.

#Week 15
Machanical Design, Machine Design

Machanical design group assignment-Design a machine (mechanism + actuation + automation), Build the mechanical parts and operate it manually, Document the group project. Machanical design individual assignment-Document your individual contribution. Machine design group assignment-Actuate and automate your machine, document the group project. Machine design individual assignment-Document your individual contribution.

#Week 16
Interface and applications programming

Group assignment- Write an application that interfaces a user with an input and/or output device that you made. Individual assignment-Compare as many tool options as possible.

#Week 17
Wildcard week

Design and produce something with a digital fabrication process (incorporating computer-aided design and manufacturing) not covered in another assignment, documenting the requirements that your assignment meets, and including everything necessary to reproduce it. Possibilities include (but are not limited to) composites, textiles,biotechnology, robotics, and cooking.

#Week 18
Invention, Intellectual Property and Business Models

Individual assignment-Develop a plan for dissemination of your final project.Prepare drafts of your summary slide (presentation.png, 1920 x 1080) and video clip (presentation.mp4, 1080p HTML5, 1 minute max, 10 MB max) and put them in your root directory

#Week 19
Project Development

Individual assignment-Complete your final project. Please see Final Project Requirements for details.Track and document your progress.

Final Project

Prepare a summary slide and a one minute video showing its conception, construction, and operation Your project should incorporate 2D and 3D design, additive and subtractive fabrication processes, electronics design and production, embedded microcontroller interfacing and programming, system integration and packaging