In this week's assignment I should propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered, answering some questions about my final project. So let's get started.
What will it do?
My final project's name is Bubble Machine. It will be able to do the following:
- Basically creating air bubbles, of course. :D
- It will be turned on and off by a switch as user input.
- Detecting bubble solution quantity and doing an action when it needs refilling.
I found a very cool project that will help me as a refrence It was made by Fablab Kannai - Fab Academy 2021 in Machine Design week.
What will I design?I will design mounts for the motors I will use, bubble solution issolated tank, enclosure for the whole machine, and mechanism of components movement. Also, PCB board design that will be able to control it.
What materials and components will be used? How much will they cost?| Description | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Printing | 10$ | https://www.fablabegypt.com/ |
| Laser Cutting + Acrylic | 30$ | https://www.fablabegypt.com/ |
| Air Blower | 3$ | https://uge-one.com/3d-printer-egypt-12v-turbo-blower.html |
| Motor | 1.5$ | https://store.fut-electronics.com/products/dc-geared-motors-for-robots-straight-shaft |
| ATtiny1614 MCU | 0.5$ | Fab Inventory |
| Resistors, Pin-Headers, Voltage regulator | 1$ | Fab Inventory |
| Adaptor 12V 2A | 3$ | https://ram-e-shop.com/product/adaptor-fixed-12v-2a/ |
| Buzzer | 0.1$ | https://ram-e-shop.com/product/buzzar3v/ |
All the SMD components that I will use in my PCBs are already in the Fab Inventory. Other mechnical components are found localy and I provided their links in previous questions.
What parts and systems will be made?Enclosures, Mounts, Circuits.
Output Components:
- Fan > Air blower Component
- Motor > Turning the wheel in and out of the bubble solution
- Buzzer > Create buzzing sound when the bubble solution's tank be empty
Input Components:
- Switch > On/Off switch to turn the machine on and off
- Step response > Will use it to detect the water level in the bubble solution instead of a water level sensor
- Mobile application app as a user interface
Systems:
- Mobile application communicating with MCU via Bluetooth.
- Setting up motor and fan speeds to generate bubbles, not to hard the bubble blow up and not to low the bubble doesn't come out.
- Adding ste response input to make a buzzing sound and cause the motor and fan to stop
Laser-cutting, CAD, 3D-printing, electronics design and production, and embedded mcu interfacing and programming.
What questions need to be answered?Which fan will be good enough to blow bubbles preperly?
Which motor will be slow enough to move the wheel smoothly?
How to design and fabricate the enclosure, one piece or multiple? mixing two fabrication techniques or just one?
How to design a sperate bubble solution tank and which mechanism to make it moveable?
How to sense bubble solution quantity, immersed sensor or step response?
Decisions, Decisions.
The project will be a success -of course- by making bubbles, not to be too many or too few. Also not for them to blow up by the fan power nor to be not generetated at all.
Also It should be controlable by user input > on/off switch
Plus, It should make a buzzing sound when the bubble solution tank is about to be empty
Finally, For the nice to have features It should communicate with the mobile phone via an application to work for only specified time ex: 5 mins, 10 mins..etc.
Implementation Plan| Time | Taks |
|---|---|
| 20th May till 23rd May | Try different motors and fans to ensure generating bubbles Design and fabricate base and middle part to assemble fan and motor on for trials. |
| 24th May till 28th May | Try step response input Design and 3D print a tank to test step-response with + test leakage Try full ciruit with adding on/off switch and buzzer Programming and finishing the whole code |
| 30th May till 4th June | Design and 3D print fan and motor mounts Descide a final enclosure design Test the final design first using wood rather than acrylic Make final edits to the design if needed Laser cut final design using acrylic material |
| 5th June till 9th June | Assemble the project + adding electronic components Make final presentation slide Make final presentation video Documenting final project page |