2. Principles and Practices¶
Planning: Final Project¶
This week, I began to plan out the design of my final project. The project I eventually settled on trying to make was a revoluting mini fridge, similar to a lazy susan. My current plan for this project is to make it small enough to fit inside of a small bag or backpack so that you can cool drinks and small packages on the go. I thought that the spinning functionality would be a nice touch moreso to demonstrate what a larger version of this project would look like. At the size I currently have it planned for, you would be able to reach into the back of the fridge even if it couldn’t spin.
I initially wanted to make a project which would regulate the temperatures of electronic devices, but I decided on this project idea after some help from my classmate, Collin Kanofsky. As of right now, the details of how to actually make my project are still not finalized, as I am currently searching for a way to make DIY refrigerant to cool the inside of the fridge with. I have attached a basic outline of my project below:
Weekly Plans¶
Week 1: Principles and Practices - Work on planning process and think about the overall components/functions of my project
Week 2: Project Management - Draw a basic sketch of the project, possibly rethink and redesign certain parts later on
Week 3: Computer-aided Design - CAD specific parts of the project in various CAD softwares in addition to cadding the overall shell/shape of the entire project in Fusion 360 or Onshape
Week 4: Computer-controlled Cutting - Plan/cut out acrylic or wood pieces for the container of my project. Since the shape will likely be hexagonal, I will cut out flat plates instead of curved edges
Week 5: Electronics Production - Work with the idea of using servos to turn the lazy susan
Week 6: 3D Scanning and Printing - Possibly redesign and print out one of my planned parts which I created during CAD week
Week 7: Electronics Design - Work further with servos or use neopixels on the inside of the fridge to light it up according to how the user spins it
Week 9: Embedded Programming - Try to program the servo or neopixels so that they activate appropriately
Week 11: Input Devices - Plan/create a way for the user to choose how to spin the lazy susan remotely instead of just physically turning it
Week 12: Output devices - Further work on the neopixels and make sure they respond user inputs correctly when the fridge spins