Final Project
Final Project
[Place holder for Final Project Slide and Video]
Week 01
For this first week I sketched out what I envisioned for my final project. At this point, given that it is still in the early stages of Fab Academy, the idea is purely aesthetic. I have not figured out things such as the dimensions, mechanisms and the electronic components required. I have some idea how this project could be accomplished but I will need to learn some (missing) core skills to make this project a reality.
Week 02
This week I modelled my battering ram alarm clock in both 3Ds Max and Fusion 360. By attempting to rig the ramming mechanism in 3Ds Max, I have a good idea of how the ramming mechanism should work mechanically.
Week 03
This week's topic was computer controlled cutting and for the individual assignment, I made a pressfit construction kit. Looking back at my own Final Project idea, I wondered if the body of the battering ram alarm clock could be made of something other than wood. Hence, I attempted to use my pressfit construction kit to build a battering ram and here is the result.
The possibility of creating a body out of transparent acrylic is certainly an interesting aesthetic choice. Right now, I doubt I will go in that direction and will still stick with a wooden body. However, I think some of the laser cutting techniques I learnt today can still be applied for things such as casings for electronic components.
I realized that while I continue to explore the form of the project, I cannot neglect thinking about the internal components. As such, I purchased a wooden clock that has a similar effect to what I would like to achieve to study.
I also searched for similar projects to look at. Here is a project from Instructables for a wooden clock which was useful in helping me to understand how to create a clock that is similar to the one I bought. I probably need to think more about some aspects of the clock such as:
- What are the parts, materials and components needed?
- How should it be constructed?
- Should it have buttons? What do those buttons control? What are the functions?
- What will spiral development look like for this project?
All these to come in the weeks ahead!
Week 04
This week’s topic is about embedded programming, and it introduced me to the different types of microcontrollers I could use. Right now, I think I would like to use the RP2040 as the microcontroller for my project, with the ESP32 in consideration if connectivity is required. I also started thinking about spiral development for this project in terms of the functions and what I want to accomplish for this project.
| LEVEL 1 Passable | LEVEL 2 Average | LEVEL 3 Very Good | LEVEL 4 Excellent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Passable. Fulfills all the assessment requirements (just barely). | Decent. Not sloppy but not “wow” either. | Looks good. Some “wow”. It isn’t perfect but only minor issues remain. | Ideal and aspirational state. This is the best I can do with current skills and knowledge. Something that I would be proud to make and keep for a long time. |
| Form/Body | Just a shell/structure to hold everything together. | Simple structure but with some minor design touches. | Purposefully designed body with an intuitive user interface that considers: • Maintenance (e.g. Battery change) • Reconfiguration |
Purposefully designed body with an intuitive user interface that considers: • Maintenance (e.g. Battery change) • Reconfiguration • Carrying the object around to be deployed differently |
| Aesthetics | Just basic forms “raw” look | Simple but well finished | Exhibitable showpiece quality | Looks like something you can buy commercially |
| Interface | • Minimal - push buttons to set the time/alarm. | • Push buttons to set the time/ alarm. • Ram test button |
• Push buttons to set the time/ alarm. • Ram test button • Alarm test button • Removable top for ease of maintenance • Modular top so that the clock can be viewed from other angles |
• Push buttons to set the time/ alarm. • Ram test button • Alarm test button • Removable top for ease of maintenance • Modular top so that the clock can be viewed from other angles • Remote or app control (e.g. Doorbell function) |
| Power source | Plug in (USB) | Plug in (USB) + Battery | Plug in (USB) + Battery | Plug in (USB) + Battery Additional power source for rem |
| Clock | Simply tells the time | Tells Date and Time | Tells Date and Time + 1 other useful reading (e.g. Light level, temperature, battery level) | Tells Date and Time + Full suite of useful readings (e.g. Light level, temperature, battery level) Sync to internet clock |
| Alarm | Basic: 1. Something to set alarm 2. Something to alert users (e.g. sound speakers) 3. Something to turn off alarm |
Basic features only | Basic features + customizable sound/music for alarm | Basic features + customizable sound/music for alarm + radio |
| Moving Ram | Simple striking mechanism. Just a rod. | Simple striking mechanism. Just a rod. | Variable speed control for ram (manual control) | Variable speed control for ram (manual control) + Sync ramming motion with audio |
| Connectivity to other devices | None | None | None | App or remote for additional function |
Week 05
Since this week’s topic was 3D printing, I looked into some interesting mechanisms that I can study using 3D printing as a prototype testing tool. I found this mechanism called a Scotch yoke mechanism that looks like a promising possibility for what I need to drive the ramming action. I found this 3D print from Thingiverse by WayTooManyHobbies, and printed it out to study its action.
Promising! While I am only turning it with my hand now, using a motor to drive this action will undoubtedly make the action smoother. Also, this mechanism is quite compact, and I can keep it all in the lower half of the battering ram clock (including the motor). This will help me to implement the removable/modular top design that I had in mind.
Week 06
I won the presentation lottery last week, where Professor Neil saw my Final Project idea and suggested that I look at solenoids to perform the ramming action on my alarm clock. Thus, this week I did. I found a YouTube by Science Buddies on solenoids which basically provided me with the blueprint of what I need to get my own solenoid ram going.
I also started a Pinterest board to collect all my ideas about what I would like to have in the design of my battering ram alarm clock. You can view my board HERE.
I also came to the realization that while all these references are nice, I really need to start trying to do things physically in real-world scale in order to deliver a good project. Hence, I decided to 3D print the model that I created in Week 02 so that I have a prototype to work with and develop ideas on.
I 3D printed it! =)
Week 07
Since this week’s topic was on CNC machining, I did a short exploration on how CNC can be used for my Final Project. I have always wanted to make this project out of wood, so I revisited a project for a wooden dog lamp that I had made last year to get reacquainted with the woodworking techniques that I learnt to make this dog lamp. Compared to this week’s build of a large material shelf, I will probably not need such a huge CNC machine for my Final Project.
Week 08
No updates this week.
Week 09
Week 09 is the halfway point of Fab Academy, and it is also where I was introduced to input device. This got me thinking about two things:
1. I should probably start getting some parts of my final project sorted out.
2. I should probably start buying components that I need for my final project
I think the components that I need have a lot to do with the functions required. By drawing where I wanted some of the components and buttons to be on my 3D printed model, it helps me visualize what sort of things I wanted on my final project, where and how the buttons were placed, and overall, how the final project felt as a product.