Evaluation of final product

My final design has taken a long time and a lot of hard work to get it looking like it is today. I have encountered many problems but I over came them by modifying my design and using my initiative. I am happy with the final product and I'm proud to say that I made it.

My original conceptual design was completely different to the one I made. The original was very complicated and not quiet to my taste so I changed it to something that I preffered. When I found out the dimensions could be enlarged I changed the size from 120mmx120mm to 200mmx200mm. I also never planned to have a arcylic plastic strip through the middle (between my top and bottom plate). I only decided to have it towards the end of the year.

In the first half of the year we went on a class field trip to the tomb of the unknown soldier, Waitangi park and civic square. These three destination have built in solar powered lights everywhere. We examined these lights for shape, how they worked and how they effected the environment. We also drew sketches of these lights and noted what materials they were made of. After the field trip we researched materials for ourselves. I researched aluminium and arcylic plastic as I planned to use mainly aluminium and possibly arcylic. Lucky I did because in the end I did use arcylic. We also did research on the poacita grass that our light were aimed to light up. This was helpful because it confirmed that my light was a good shape for the job.

On free hand (a computer programme) I played around with my new design even further. I then finished what I wanted my design to look like and made my mock up out of card board. Hard card board and i used masking tape and hot glue to seal it. My mock up looks similar but not identical to my final product.

My first problem with my design was that when I put it in the cam2 machine, I hadn't set it down hard enough so I wasted a piece of aluminium. Terry was not happy. The next time I strapped it down harder with double sided tape and masking tape. This made a great result and gave me a perfect top plate. The one problem with it was that I couldn't use the metal sheet bender to bend it into place. So instead i improvised and used my hands. This worked surprisingly well but I would have received a better result with the metal sheet bender.

Then I came across another problem. Because of my bizarre shaped top plate I would have to create my brackets for it through trial and error. It took me three periods to figure out how to make them properly. This was inconvenient time wasting and left me further behind the class.

This was the point were Terry suggested making the arcylic mould for in between the top and bottom plate and I chose to do it. I came in on a Saturday and made the shape out of my mould out of wood. This went smoothly but it took me three attempts to get the actual arcylic mould. mainly because the heat was too high and I wasn't great at using the vacuum machine.

So alas my light fits all the specification and constraints but one. My light exceeds the budget of $30.

But anyway, I continued with my light and asked Terry to help me with the vacuum machine and he got it to work and my arcylic mould came out perfectly. I then used the cam2 machine to cut out my bottom plate. I nearly made the same mistake as last time but I corrected myself just in time. When I got the bottom plate (after the cam2 had cut it) I bent it into shape again using my hands. I didn't need brackets for the bottom plate because I had designed my arcylic mould to fit into the bottom plate and it could be used as brackets. So I riveted them together and began on my circuit.

This circuit was no friend of mine. First off, I took out the wires and battery snap and re-wired it. I then spent hours trying to get the LED's working. I say LED's because I had modified the circuit from a series circuit with one 3.6v LED to a parallel circuit with two 3.2v LED's. Yet later on this deemed pointless as it seemed the circuit was fried anyway. So Terry got me a new circuit which I had to redo the process of re-wiring it and so on. I then spent a hour switching round the wires of my LED's and re-soldering the wires onto the circuit until I finally got the circuit working. Divine intervention.

Then I drilled holes in my top plate and a piece of arcylic plastic for my soler panel wires to go through. The arcylic plastic piece was so the was a gap between my solar panel and top plate. This made sure the circuit didn't corrode. I stuck the arcylic piece on with some incedibly strong glue. I then stuck the solar panel onto the arcylic bit and sealed the edges with silicon. Then I put the bottom plate and arcylic mould onto the top plate with the circuit inside. I took a picture of this inside a dark corner using a schools camera and I was finished.

I am very happy with the final product and I'm glad that I completed it. I am proud to say that I made it.

Henry Nicholls

PEACE

Evaluation (document and changes to final design)

My Design has changed considerably. At first I had a very complicated design but then I changed my mind about it and drew up conceptual ideas of a new preferred design. The size also changed when I found out I could enlarge it. I changed it from 120x120mm to 200x200mm.

The enlargement of the final product did not interfere with size of the rivet holes or the size of my brackets. Though the complete change in design I needed to shape my brackets differently to fit the bizzar top plate shape and I had to bend them less than 90 degrees and I needed to move the rivets holes from where orinally planned so the rivets on opposing sides didn't clash.

I decided to use aluminium in the end over stainless steel because aluminium is cheeper and completely suitable for the constraints and specifications. Besides, Terry had already ordrered a lot for everyone in the class.

When I had finished my top plate, Terry suggested that I make an arcylic mould to fit in between my top and bottom plates of aluminium. I already had a similar idea to his forming in my head so I thought I pursued Terrys idea and made the arcylic mould. This did slightly hinder my design prcess as I had already made the brackets for the bottom plate but I had made the arcylic mould able to fit into the bottom plate of my light and used as brackets. so I threw away the original brackets.

I re-wired the curcuit i was given and modified it. I changed it from a series circuit with one 3.6v LED to a parallel circuit with two 3.2v LED's. I also changed my solar panel from the originally planned massive one, to the small stock panel becuase I was running out of time and I wouldn't be able to order it.

These were the changes I made to my final product.

Evaluation (Brief, specs and constraints)

In My brief it stated that my light had to be smaller the 200x300 mm, automatically turn on at night and off throughout the day and it had to be robust enough to endure wind rain and salt water as it would be used by my client (Dr Tony House) in the Coromandel. Also the light must not exceed the budget of $30.

My light sits on the ground, so it can be hidden under the poacita grass and light it up at night. It fits the size constraint as it's dimensions are 200x200 mm and 75 mm deep.

I built in a LDR into the circuit (light dependant resistor) which can sense sunlight so the battery charges up through the day with the solar panel and then during the night the light turns on and releases the energy stored in the battery.

My light consists of mainly aluminium and a little bit of arcylic plastic. The aluminium is the top and bottom plates and the rivets. I used arcylic plastic through the middle for the light of my LED's to shine out from. Neither materials aluminium or arcylic plastic are corrosive. My light also sits quiet flat to the ground an is sealed so wind and sand will not be a problem and seeing as it will not corrode, this light will be perfect for my client, Dr Tony House.

I regret to admit that I exceeded the $30 budget. I used 2 or 3 dollars worth of rivets and a 3 dollar circuit and a mere 2 dollars for a small peice of plastic which I put in between my top plate and solar panell to prevent corrosion. But I used 3 squares of aluminium in the CAM2 machine. One of these was a accident. I also made two mistakes when using the vacum form material which cost probl a exrta 40 dollars, as Im told. So I did not achieve the budget specification.

But in the end, the majority of the specifications and constraints were kept to and I tried my best to fulfill them and I am now happy with the result

Final product working in the dark

Final product working

Top plate with solar panel

top plate connected to bottom plate

drilled vacum form

top plate and vacum form with holes for sloar panel

working circuit

Extra materials

Tools list

materials order form

circuit clean up

bottom plate attatched to arcylic mould

Week 5 T4 DTM

last friday we had no school and on saturday I was busy so I couldn't come in. This has left me a fair bit behind schedual and I only have 1 more lunch time to finish my light. On monday I skipped science to come into the workshop to work and I attatched my bottom plate to the arcylic mould with rivets. I then came back after school and did some work on the circuit for my light but to no avail. Today I am blogging so I think I will end up coming back after school on wednesday. besides my evaluations and pictures, this is my last blog

bottom plate with bending guide lines

bottom plate being filed

Bottom plate after cam machine

Week 4 T4 DTM

Last Friday I spent my time cutting out my bottom plate in the cam machine and scavenging around our classes prototype lights for old circuits. On tuesday I cut away some bits of my bottom plate with the band saw so I could bend it into shape and get the best result. Today I am blogging and putting on pictures of the past week. we have friday off so on saturday I will come in and I hope to finish the exterior of my light.

arcylic mould

Arcylic mould shape

Week 3 T4 DTM

Last Friday I Began building my shape for the arcylic mould and then on saturday morning I came back and finished my shape and tried to do the arcylic mould with the vacum form three times but it didn't work. Yesterday i finally managed to make it and today I did my video evaluation. On Friday I plan to cut out my bottom plate in the cam machine

top plate with rivets

making brackets

Week 2 T4 DTM

Last friday I spent my double practical making new brackets with the new band saw and then attatching one of then to my aluminium top plate with rivets. On Tuesday I finished attaching my brackets onto the top plate and I decided to make a modification to my design. I will make a acrylic mould a bit bigger than my top plate to attatch it to the bottom of the top plate. then I will attatch my bottom plate to the arcylic with rivets. today I am blogging recent pictures. on friday i will begin on the arcylic mould.

top plate

Final completed solid works

Week 1 T4 DTM

Today I am blogging and fixing up some mistakes I have made like labels and spelling. tomorrow I will do some some more blogging And post a couple of pictures like my finished solid works. I am looking forward to friday because I will have the oppertunity to continue with practical work.

working template box

Holidays

26+I had some pretty cool holidays. I went snow boarding for a couple of days with a friend which was my highlight. I didn't get round to much else except for hanging out with mates. I didn't get round to doing any work on blog but I will get my parents to post some feed back soonish

Week 10 T3 DTM

Back from Ski trip. YesterdayTerry was away so we did origami which wasn't expected. i have also began work on the brackets for my top plate but it's proving harder than I thought because the protractor and ruler are hard to manuever

Week 9 T3 DTM

back from mocks. difficult stuff. anyway on tuesday I bent my top plate into shape. I had to bend it without the metal sheet bender so i did it against the bench. I worked quite well and achieved a better result tha I thought. the rest of the week I was away on ski trip

week 8 T3 DTM

On Friday I finally completed my final soidworks design but only after another two hours of hard labour. It took me a fair few attempts to do it and the Chirag came along and told me how to do it prpoerly. for the next week I was busy doing mock exams so I didn't do anything because I forgot to come in one day

Bottom part modified solid works

Top plate modified solidworks

Week 7 term 3 DTM

Last friday I worked for two whole hours on solidworks and achieved nothing. I cant manage to figure how to work the f***'n programme works. Terry told me he would have a look over the weekend but he "forgot". On teusday I did Some practical work on my aluminium top plate. I filed the edges and went to put it in the metal bender but I realised that I can't use the metal bender so I will have to figure out a way to do it. Today I will try for about the 50th time to crack my soldworks design and blog. On Friday I plan to bend my top plate and cut out the bottom plate

Top plate after cam machine

Top plate in cam machine

top plate final in cam machine

top plate final in cam machine

top plate final in cam machine

DTM week 6 term 3

On Friday I finally did my top plate cut out in the cam machine. I had to repeat the process though because by accident I put the aluminium into the cam machine wrong the first time. The cam mchine kept jamming up so because there was room between the aluminium and the cam machine bed. On tuesday Terry gave us a new checklist. I nearly completed it but I have about another 9 blogs to go I think. I also found out how to do my solid works design properly so I hpe to finish that today. I will do post pictures from friday then get straight onto it. Then on friday I hope to cut out my bottom plate and shape my top plate.

Sloid works final in process

Final design mock up. horizontal

Bottom plate Final. 2D design

Top Plate Final. 2D design

Term 3 Week 5 year 11

Last Friday I was working on 2D design doing my top plate template. I found that fun but I couldn't get hold of Terry to cut it out in the cam machine. I didn't have any real troubles doing the 2D design, I just took a little while to get to grips with it. On teusday I was doing the same thing but I was doing the bottom plate this time. I had the same problem tryin to get hold of Terry. Today I will post the 2D designs onto blogger and do some more solid works and post "solid works in progress" onto blog. On Friday I hope to cut out both top and bottom plate in the cam machine for my final design. Hopefully Terry won't be busy

Final design mock up

Week 4 term 3 DTM

On tuesday for some stupid reason we wasted a period re-labeling some postings on our blog. I found it very boring having to go back and forward re-labeling them but I finally got it done and did some more work on solid works. today I am blogging and I hope to finish my solid works design. On friday I will start on my final design with alluminium as I have finished the 1-1 scale mock up design.

Week 3 Term 3

Last Friday I put together a bit of my mock up box. I didn't do such a great job because some of the dimensions were wrong but I am countering my problem. On Tuesday I made a net for the bottom of my mock up box and cut it out. Today I will be blogging and trying to complete the checklist. On friday I plan to finish my mock up box and I'm on course to do this

final design edited

Term 3 DTM week 2

On friday I finally managed to finish my evaluation and began my prototype final box. I found it funny that I cut out a perfect square 140mm by 140mm and once i'd finished I found a square in the scrap pile which was simetrical to my perfect square. Ironic really. today I'm blogging and posting a edited version of my final designs measurements so my box is large enough to fit the large solar panel. On Friday I hope to finish my prototype box and get started on the final circuit.

Evaluation

Template light evaluation:

I have just completed my template solar panel light. It is in good working order. The solar panel charges the battery well.
I began this project on the 13th March when I received a brief from Terry to make a template solar powered light by modifying a solar panel circuit. The circuit I was to modify was a garden light from the warehouse. I began by pulling apart the circuit then received a top plate which had been cut out with the cam machine. As soon as I acquired the top plate I took off the clear plastic layer and set to work. I began by finding the centre and drawing a line across it horizontally. I then realised that the tracking on my solar panels tracking was torn off so I had to measure carefully where to put my holes on the top plate across the horizontal line. These holes where measured carefully as later on they would be the holes for my LED’s and wires connecting to the solar panel. Once I drilled the holes I bent the edges of the top plate 90 degrees to make the top plate look like a three D box with no bottom. After that I made four 90 degree brackets which were 40 mms long and attached these onto the top plate using steel rivets. Then I got my bottom plate and again pulled of the clear plastic coating. Then I drilled holes around the edges (after they had been measured). Then I bent the edges of the bottom plate at a 90 degree angle so it would fit onto the top plate and sit flush. Then I realised that my top plate wasn’t a perfect rectangle so my bottom plate wouldn’t sit flush. To get around this problem I bent the bottom plate edges around the top plate using a wooden mallet. Then I drilled this removing the LED and wires connecting the PCB board to the solar panel and battery. I then stripped and tinned 8 wires and connected two of these new wires to the solar panel slots in the PCB board. Then I connected three of the wires to make a single Y shaped wire. I made two of these Y shaped wires. Then I connected these two wires into the circuit where the old LED went and modified the circuit to make the circuit parallel. Then I connected two LED’s to these wires after I put heat shrink onto the wires. Then I burnt the heat shrink to the connection between the LED’s and wires to ensure the circuit didn’t short circuit. Then I attached the battery snap to the PCB board then I glued the Battery to the inside of my box with a hot glue gun. Then I popped my LED’s through the holes specially drilled for them and the wires through the holes drilled for them. These wires were then connected to a solar panel which was glued down. I had some trouble gluing it because I couldn’t glue the panel properly so my solar panel was on a slight angle. And then while I was putting the silicone along the edges I did a bad job because silicone was oozing all over my template box. Alas I had finished my template light once I glued the bottom plate back on.
Even with the numerous troubles I encountered making this box I still enjoyed building it and modifying the circuit. I am happy with my template box and I am happy that I succeeded in making it work. I look forward to making more creations like this in DTM.
Henry Nicholls

Week 1 term 3 DTM

I have just come back from schools holidays and yesterday I pair assest Mary's Final light design in solid works. Her blog is pretty neat also. I am beginning yet another blogging checklist and today I have decided to finaly start my solidworks final design! on friday I think it's another double practical but i'll be busy doing my template light evaluation

Final freehand design 2

Term 2 week 9 year 11 DTM

Last friday I put my box and circuit together. I found the work with the hot glue gun tedious because it was very fiddley and I had to unstick a couple of things all to often. then the work with the silicon was the same. I cant say my sealing job was all to great but when I had silicon all over your hands it seemed like a good time to stop. On tuesday I worked on putting my blogged stuff into order. Not how I imagined DTM. Today it's more blogging. I want to finish my freehand stuff. On friday I'll probly do my evaluation of my template light.

Final design freehand

Template circuit working

Week 8 term 2 DTM Year 11

Last friday i finally finished my circuit and got it working. I am now up to attaching my circuit to my template box but it is proving difficult. The solar panel is very unpredictable. sometimes it charges the light, sometimes it doesn't. Yeasterday I started a new free hand design to show my final designs measurements. today I'm addind onto blog my pictures from friday and my materials justification. On friday I will finish putting my circuit into the template box.

Template circuit with LED removed and wires planted

Year 11 DTM Week 7 term 2

Last Friday in the double period I broke my circuits tracking so terry gave me a new circuit and i sucessfully soldered off the LED and the four wires. I then proceded to stripping eight new wires. Two wires to connect the circuit to the solar panel and six to make two y shaped peices to make the New LEDs in parallel. On tuesday I labeled my final circuit on free hand and struggled with solid works. It's infuriating. Today Im blogging and on Friday Im doing another two hour practical

Template base plate with drill dents

template base plate

Template light without base plate

Angle brackets for template

Week 6 DTM Year 11

On tuesday I worked on my box Putting in the last rivets and attatched my base plate. Today im blogging by pictures from last week and on friday I will be modifying my circuit for the template light. I encounted a problem when I found out my box template wasn't straight flush. I had to use a wooden mallet to reshape my base plate.

Week 5 DTM Year 11

We didn't get to do the two hour practical on friday so on wednesday this week we will do a practiacal an do another double practical on friday but today we are blogging and getting our blog up to scratch for when our client comes over

Template light in process

Template light in process

Template light in process

Week 4 Year 11 DTM

On Tuesday I was away sick but today (wednesday) I am blogging My work from friday and on friday im doing another double practical.

Top plate template after cut out

Base plate template after cut out

Top plate template during cut out

Base plate template during cut out