16 - Applications and Implications

Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered.

Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered, answering:

What will it do?

A buoy that allows knowing the conditions of the state of the lake water (temperature, waves…), either to enjoy the beach or the sports that are practiced on it with information on the waves as well.

Who’s done what beforehand?

There are commercial products, with an amount of €10,000 to €20,000.

The measurements that commercial buoys usually incorporate are height, period and direction of the waves, compass, GPS, speed and direction of the wind, tide and water quality.

One of the commercial buoys is the one made by Darrena.

There is a DIY project on Instructables that is very interesting too Smart Buoy

What will you design?

The buoy to be manufactured almost entirely in 3d printing, and some parts with laser and CNC cutting, and the electronics to send data through Lora and a console to display real-time data on the state of the water. In addition, a website where you can consult the data from any device.

What materials and components will be used?

Where will come from?

Most of the material has been purchased from Mouser, Aliexpress, Castro Composites, local shops and Amazon.

How much will they cost?

Manufacturing each buoy has a cost of about €350.

What processes will be used?

3D printing for the buoy and the system integration.

Laser cutting for sealing parts in EVA foam and metatrilate.

Vinyl cut project graphics and stickers.

CNC machining for the buoy support.

CNC milling of electronic board.

Embedded programming for the controller and console.

Epoxy sealing of the entire structure of the buoy, to give it rigidity and make it more watertight.

What questions need to be answered?

1- Will it withstand waves and storms?

2- Will it work?

3- Will it be useful?

4- Will the solar power system work for the months with less sun?

How will it be evaluated?

As the project is planned as a spiral development, the evaluation must also be spiral, depending on the different steps:

1- The prototype of the buoy will initially implement all the sensors, but we will have to analyze if the values are close to reality.

2- A second larger prototype will be manufactured, to see which one behaves better.

3- It will be supported by a website, with environmental information from the lake, history, and news made with it and the activities that are carried out.

Project requirements

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 = about hiding wires :)

Other requirements: 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.

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