WEEK 16:
APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
task of the week
Propose a masterpiece of the final project that integrates the range of units covered, answering:
What will he do?
My final project is to design a device that rotates a solar panel on two axes, to harvest energy from sunlight. These devices are usually called electromechanical systems for tracking sunlight, which will also have an automatic cleaning system for the solar panel, this project will improve the efficiency of photovoltaic panels by capturing most of the solar radiation thanks to the cleaning they will have.
Who has done what beforehand?
There are different mechanisms on the market for solar panels that follow sunlight, I find the information on the web, but my project is to add an automatic solar panel cleaning system that will do it every day in the morning before starting the tracking from sunlight.
What will you design?
I will design the structure that will support the solar panel in Solidworks to machine it in the CNC Router machine and the laser cutter, the material that I will use will be MDF, in the electronic part I will design the PCB board for the programmed microcontroller to control step by step the movements of the stepper motors for the electromechanical system and the cleaning mechanism, in 3D printing I will manufacture the casing where the electronic circuit and the movement mechanisms (gears) will be housed.
What materials and components will be used?
Where will it come from?
The materials and electronic components are provided by the FABLAB laboratory of the Carlos Salazar Romero Institute.
How much will they cost?
Material costs are in the table above.
What parts and systems will be manufactured?
- The PCB electronic board will be manufactured
- The housing housing electronic devices and movement mechanisms.
- All parts of the electromechanical system and the base.
What processes will be used?
- Electronic design
- 3D prints
- CNC machining
- Laser cut
- Molding and casting.
- Vinyl cutting.
- Electronic production
- Integrated interface and programming.
What questions need to be answered?
Some questions I have that need to be answered include:
- Will the motors move the electromechanical system and the weight of the solar panel?
- Does the cleaning mechanism of the solar panel, will worl?
- Can the operation be configured from a cell phone?
- And finally it will last the estimated durability time?
How will it be evaluated?
I will evaluate my project, at the beginning of its operation, when cleaning the solar panel and by the positioning angle when following the sunlight for 12 hours a day.