Week 17 - Applications and Implications

Tasks:
To propose a final project that integrates the range of units covered, answering:

• What will it do?
• Who's done what beforehand?
• What materials and components will be required?
• Where will they come from?
• How much will it cost?
• What parts and systems will be made?
• What processes will be used?
• What tasks need to be completed?
• What questions need to be answered?
• What is the schedule?
• How will it be evaluated?

N.B. Projects can be separate or joint, but need to show individual mastery of the skills covered. Where possible, self-made is preferred rather than purchasing the parts for the project.

 

Proposed Final Project - Inspector for 3D Printer

As described under the project concept earlier, I will be taking the challenge to build feedback system for 3D printer.

What will it do?

The sytem will be incorporated into existing 3D printers in our institution to automatically terminate the printing operation when error occurs. Thus minimise the wastage on 3D printing filaments and electrical power consumption.

Who's done what beforehand?

As far as my search applied, there is no solution to this other than human supervision and remote monitoring. This is very exhaustive especially when 3D printing is operating for long hours.

Materials, components, and costs required for the project.

The following are the projected components needed to build the system.

What parts and systems will be made/purchased? and the processes involved if made.

The following are the planned parts/boards to be made/purchased for the system.

What tasks need to be completed?

Task to be completed include micro-controller fabrication/testing, programming, communication (between the input device-line sensor, the output device-relay and the micro-controller), fabrication of the necessary housing and brackets for the system as well as the rotating disks to be integrated into the filament spool.

What questions need to be answered?

• How to write the program? Where shall I start?
• How sensitive the sensor is? Will the sensor need to be calibrated each time the user replace the filament spool?
• What is my backup plan if the system does not work?

What is the schedule?

• 29 May to 31 May - Purchase components
• 01 June to 03 June - Design micro-controller circuit.
• 06 June to 10 June - Design brackets/rotating disks in Inventor
• 13 June to 16 June - Fabricate PCB, laser cut and 3d print.
• 17 June to 21 June - troubleshoot, testing, document
• 22 June - Presentation

How will it be evaluated?

When the extruder head clogged, the machine shall go into power off mode.