Week 14 - The Last Week

For this last week, I created the design and CAD files for a wooden model to demonstrate the connections between the beams, which also included laser cut clamps and two different beam size (representing the main arch and the guide way supports). Unfortunately due to the very tight time constants I did not have the time to get the clamps design ready for the laser cutter, though the CAD should still be very helpful to demonstrate how they work. I also reused the parts from my my previous cardstock model to make three smaller models to show different sheet configurations, then I grouped up several files to show everything that I learned about how the beams worked over the semester.

Of course, the semester isn't completely over, and there are still a few things I must do. Firstly, I will sort through and upload all of my files to upload to the team google drive, which will then be uploaded to the general Superway Database. In addition, I will also have to put the finishing touches on my parts of the final report. Finally, during winter break I will also keep in touch with my group, and do whatever I can to help, as well as contact Banderbend to further improve my files and to get ready to turn them into real testable parts.

Week 12&13 - After the Break

During the Week of thanksgiving I did not manage to complete a lot of work for the superway as I had to catch up on another classes project and had a busy three day vacation. However, the weekend immediately afterwards was a very different story.

The first thing I did was create a streamlined SOLIDWORKS template to easily design bent sheets used for the column. With it one can quickly choose the unit system and sheet metal thickness, and tweak the external dimensions to immediately designs a sample sheet for new models. In addition, I also modified the template to generate a representation of the cement core that would be created for the given values and that could also accout for the interior tabs and the external gaps at the sheet intersections. Then, I used 4 of the sheet metal files and 1 of the concrete core files to make an assembly file that could be used for an ANSYS analysis. With these templates, I remade the parts and assembly for a 4 foot 1/8 inch sheet full scale beam, and two 4 foot half scale beams (with sheet thicknesses of 1/8 and 1/16 inches).

Lastly, I worked with the group to make the third presentation, which allowed me to show these new template files, as well as talk about new things I learned about the clamp system.

Week 11 - A Tough Cut

This week I focused entirely on the new laser cut prototype. As stated before, making the prototype out of cardstock proved to be ineffective as the material is far to flexible, making it almost impossible to assemble reliably by hand. To respond to this I bought a sample of 1/16 in thick cardboard as it is considerably more rigid and the thickness better represents the metal that will be used. The cardboard was too big for the laser cutter (30''x20'' in for the cardboard vs  24''x18'' for the cutter), so I had to cut it into two panels, the smaller measuring 20''x14.5''.

Throughout the weekend, I spent a lot remaking the design so that it would fit within the 20''x14.5'' in panels and so that the parts can come together in an "altering manner." At first, I made the design in inches, but I then realized that it would be more useful to keep it in millimeters, so I had to convert it that way. Looking over my reference documents, I realized that the thickness of the cardstock was very close to half the 3mm thickness of the metal that would be used (1/16'=1.59 mm) so I tweaked my design it to be half scale. I also experimented with the lengths of the parts so that I could cut a maximum number of parts from the cardstock panel and made sure so that it the ends of the finished product would go smoothly together. In addition, I tried making the design so that it would cut across all of the panel in one pass, but the large number of features slowed my computer dramatically and caused solidworks to crash multiple times, fortunately I realized that the main part of the pattern only took about 1/2 of the pannel, so I could leave it as is and just rotate the panel in the laser cutter.

Finally on Tuesday, I had to cut my new design and show my groupmates how the laser cutter works. Unfortunately, the designated computer was having technical difficulties such as extreme lag (taking a minimum of two seconds to respond to mouse clicks) and difficultly reading usb drives. Still, it eventually managed to work, so I opened DraftSight and uploaded the DXF file. Again, there were some more technical issues, such as the scale being wrong (the DXF file was set to inches) and the lasercutter not cutting all of the lines. Fortunately after some more trial and error with the settings and many passes with the laser cutter, I succesfully managed to cut out all of the parts, each with a set of duplicates. Going forward, I am going to help show the group how to assemble the part and discuss what else we should focus on for the rest of the semester.

Week 10 - A New Essay and Solidworks

This week I worked mainly on an essay for this class. I put in a lot of time and work into it, but unfortunately it took time away from the main project. In addition, unlike the first essay for this class it did not relate to the project (it had to do with how moble technology affects me and the world).

However, I also began designing a model in SOLIDWORKS to imitate a section of a track. The solid works assembly is in full scale (in feet), but the physical model that will be based on it will be 1/12 scale (so 1 inch=1 foot making conversions easy). The physical model will be made primarily from MDF as it will be easy to quickly manufacture in to the beams, but other materials may be used depending on the features we decide to include (IE 3d printed clamps or string cables).

Going into the next week, I will not only work on the SOLIDWORKS assembly, but I will also try making a new beam prototype out of laser cut folded paper parts and foam filling. However, I will need to find a thicker type of paper so that it will be sturdier and simpler to assemble, and I will use the super way building's sheet metal bender to make uniform bends.

Week 9 - Struggles and Success with the Laser Cutters and the presentation

This past week, I finally managed to to make the cardstock prototypes of the beam and clamp with the school's Epilog Helix laser cutter and helped with the presentation. 

For the laser cutter, using the dedicated computer was unfortunately not an option as none of the staff knew how to access it. And so I downloaded the drivers to my laptop and attempted to follow the instructions that were emailed to as well on the official laser cutter website. Over the first two days in the lab, I attempted tried to cut the patter directly from SOLIDWORKS and AutoCAD, and at first the "jobs" (laser cutter paths) seemed to go to the machine, but the laser did not move and I assumed that it was because lack of direct compatibility with the cad programs and the laser cutter. However I also noted that after a while the job just didn't appear and after resetting the machine the laser cutter machine just remained "offline" on the printers and devices page. On the third day I came back with a temporary license for corelDRAW, but the laser cutter was always in "offline" state. I tried reinstalling the drivers, but it wouldn't even let go through with the process. I had then recontaced Mr. Furman, who then contacted IT. The following Tuesday I came back to the lab, and the persons from IT were just finishing setting up a new dedicated computer to work with the laser cutter. When they finished used the new computer to open my .dxf files with DraftSight, and after a little trial and error with the print options and a few air passes, I successfully cut out the pattern on six sheets with no further problems.

As for the presentation, I added several new slides that would explain the new aspects of our column design, reordered and edited some of existing slides for clarity.

Going forward, I will need to present next Wednesday, design several different kinds of support designs to so that the group can make load calculations of these structures, get in contact with other groups to work with Vander-Bend manufacturing, and begin work on the essay.

Week 8 - Significant Developments

This week I began to make a lot of progress on the laser cutter. For one, I finished making the profile of the cuttout after many iterations, and even managed to make it able to be automatically rescaled. In addition, I not only installed the driver to the Epilog Helix laser cutter, I also managed to enter to enter the mechatronics lab where I got the managed to make my laptop connect to the laser cutter. Unfortunately, I do not have access to CorelDRAW on my laptop, so when I tried use SOLIDWORKS and AutoCAD to print and air run of the profile, it was not successful.

Another major development this week is that I proposed to my group as well as the supervisors that we should change our group description from "Full Scale" to Beam Design and Supports, and it appears to be approved by both parties. Basically, I realized that due to the new and experimental nature of the beams and ambiguity of the support system as a whole, it would not be cost or time effective to make a full scale model this year.

For next week, I will aid my group in making our upcoming presentation and I will also try to make the laser cutter work correctly.

Week 7 - For Want of More Information

This week I attempted to learn more about the laser cutter and work more on the printable patterns
I wanted to know more about the laser cutter on campus, such as the times that it could be accessed as well a technical information (the program that is needed to interface with it, bed size and if possible the laser diameter). Unfortunately, the  TAs were not very responsive to my e-mail, though because one of my group mates knew them personally so she was able to get most of the needed information.

Also, the reference SOLIDWORKS object that that was given to us was poorly dimensioned, so I began to make my own version, which could be more easily resealed and patterned for the laser cutter and for general reverence.

Going forward, I will finish the SOLIDWORKS object for next session and create a few more concept designs for supports. Lastly, I will download the laser cutter program  as soon I know which one.