Applications and Implications (Week 16)
The Assignment for this week wants us to look at Planning and Documenting a Final Project.
My Final Project revolves around Mechanical Clocks which have been in existence since mid 1600s. The art is around making the gears with precise number of teeth to ensure that the clock runs on time with the help of a pendulum.
I shall follow the Question List as given on the Fab Academy site to answer them and thus structure my post better.
1. What will it do ?
The mechanical clock would function with the help of gears and pendulum and show time :)
I am also trying to top it up with LEDs and Speaker so that the clock shines up once the sun goes down and plays a sound with every passing hour.
2. Who has done what beforehand ?
There has been a lot of work which has happened in this field since 1600s. Through my online research I found a lot of interesting designs and ideas which people have worked with previously. I liked the ones made of wood and that could be my next project !
3. What materials and components will be required ? Where will they come from and how much would they cost? What parts and systems will be made? What processes will be used?
Its a game of gears, pendulum and a shaft which I shall laser cut at FabLab CEPT. The cost for making a mechanical clock wouldn’t run over 10 USD, which is ironic :)
Here’s are the items which I may have to buy, price included :
Phototransistor (1 nos.) - 0.17 USD
Bright Red LEDs (10 nos.) - 0.4 USD
9v Battery + connecting wire (1 nos.) - 0.3 USD
Transistor (1 nos.) - 0.35 USD
Speaker (1 nos.) - 0.1 USD
Attiny45 (1nos.) - 1.5 USD
Resistors - 0.1 USD
MDF Board (24 by 12 inch, 2 nos.) - 1.2 USD
Acrylic Sheet (24 by 12 inch, 1 nos.) - 1 USD
Copper tape with conductive adhesive (1sq yard) - 1 USD
Miscellaneous - 2 USD
I would be using the laser cutter to make the gears, pendulum and shaft. The circuit would be made manually due to design requirements.
4. What tasks need to be completed ?
The tasks at hand include understanding the dynamics of the clock and ensuring the calculations are right. Rest would fall in place if these two basic information is in place.
5. What is the schedule ?
6. How will it be evaluated ?
Ideally, the evaluation should be done on successful completion, like it is for every project. However, in my case, since I am new to everything related to my final project, may be the evaluation could be made on the basis of my learnings and progress.