Project Development








What tasks have been completed, what has worked?

I was able to built what I had planned, I planned to build a scaled down model of a 4.5 dome using light weight material. I was able to fix these panels together and assemble to form a dome which could be assembled and dismantled easily.

I was able to a make a completely in- house motion sensing light which wil be used in my dome as a smart light, I fabricated the enclosure using 3 d printer and made all the electronics using the skills I learnt during the elecronics assignment weeks

I was able to reach the cost estmate that I had set before, the scaled down model cost somewhere around 4500/- Indian rupee, I believe that the life size model can be made under 40000/- Indian rupee.

In the process I was able to include vinyl cutter and molding casting techniques to make my logo.

What task remains, What has not worked?

The dome is not insulating, the composite that I used needs some insulation or else the dome willheat up like a incubator, I will like to try snadwhich a insulating material between the layers of resin.

I failed badly with natural fibers, I was not able to make a composite using natural fibers, it was not that easy as it looked before.

As Neil said in my project presentation it is dificult to get natural resins to perform that good, this is a research project.

Neil and other instructors also asked me to get rid of nuts and bolts and make the panels interlocking. This is in the future scope but this is very important step in my project.

What question needs to resolved

The biggest question to be answered will be to find a composite with natural fibers I tried with bamboo shavings, burlap, cotton and none of them performed in a way like a construction material. No tensile, compression or impact strenght atall.

With electronics I wanted to make an app controlled light, I made the app but there is some coding problem, the light remains on forever. If this is successful I can use relay to switch on an off the Ac supply for the lights.

What will happen when

As far as the life size dome is concern it is really a question of my lab as to when to start the building process, before that I need to perfect the molding and casting process, I still have the molds for scaled down model I will be experimenting with various insulating material till then , I belive I will be doing this till August

As far as the problem of the app controlled light is concern I will figure it out soon

If I get time I will be approaching a few labs suggested by Neil in india to get the resin they use to mix it with natural fibers to make a composite.

What have you learnt

I learnt a lot about resin and making composites, I started making molds out wood and silicon rubber.

I can design my own PCBs now, I have started getting DATASHEETS, I have accustomed myself with the sensors.

I have started respecting tools and machines a lot, I beleive good use results in good jobs out of machines, I learnt that cleaning of the lab and the work place is rewarding.

Things to remember while working with resin- No matter how much you try the place is going to get messy and sticky so have a set of clothings and personal safety equipments which will be used no where wlse other than with resin. Have a different set of tools for resin, use scrap containers and no matter what you do the brush that we use will get hard.

Mold making is an art, its very easy to overlook it, but the jobs are as goof as their molds, so cleaning, waxing,and repairing the mold should be done with every casting.

Things to remember when working with electronis- Keep Calm, haste to complete the projcect will only create complications, broken endmills, bad PCBs, dirty solders and short sircuits.

Getting the PCBs correctly milled is very crucial, soldering is patient man's job and you will avoid frustration if you use good jumper wires.

Deadline and pending works

I have met the deadline of making the dome and motion sensing lights, I still have to figure out the error in the app based lights. I am making documentation for the final submission and I will only get time after 12th july.