Monday, December 13, 2010
Justin Campau's Reflection
This semester was a very stressful time for me. But the experience I have gained has been really beneficial, especially from this class. I have gained valuable skills to make just about anything in the machine shop. In the past I have done some wood working, but never any machining of metal. But I am a fast learner and now I feel confident in using lathe, mill, saw, or laser to make pieces for a project. Working in a team made me see tendencies in myself the are beneficial and detrimental to the team dynamic. So with this understanding, I can be a much better team member in future projects. Despite the frustrations of not having enough time and not understanding how the machine is going to work most of the time, I really enjoyed this class and am glad that I took it.
Reflection: Brett VanDam
This project taught me a lot about machining and manufacturing. Coming in with no machining experience, I am now confident using all of the machines in the shop. I am able to use the lathe to make grooves in rods, or to decrease the radius of any part of a rod. I can use the mill to find edges, ream, and drill holes in precise positions. I can also use the drill press to drill miscellaneous holes, the saw to cut metal or wood, and use the many tools in the shop to critique any machining imprecisions.
I learned a lot of things about teamwork in this class also. By having to work with four people’s schedules, I learned you are more crunched for time than it seems. When you know you have a week for something, for example, it is more like one, maybe two days, because everyone has other things going on. It also became obvious that planning ahead for things works only if you plan extra time. With assignments it took longer than expected, but with machining it even took more. We ran into MANY more problems than we anticipated when we planned, so running out of time ended up being an important factor for us. I also learned things about myself and how I work with teams. I learned sometimes I get stubborn for no reason about my ideas. However, I also learned that when brainstorming, unless ideas are being thrown out in the mix, I tend to be stuck on one idea and can’t break away. Maybe a better way of brainstorming could have gotten ideas out faster, at least from my perspective.
I also learned about Mechanical Engineering in general: simpler is usually better. Occam’s Razor really should have been more engrained in my mind. As a group, I believe we came up with a unique, and possibly very effective strategy, but it came at a cost. We had to make three large pieces, while most teams had to make one, two at most. With the limited time in the machine shop, the limited time this class offers, and the lack of previous machining knowledge in our group, we couldn’t execute the strategy in the time we were provided. Most of the problems we ended up with were because of not having time to test the machines working together and fixing problems.
This course could be improved by having more time to make the machines. While I went to the lectures, most of them went into much more detail than we would possibly need to make the machines, which made a lot of the first part of the semester seem useless. While we were slowly designing and going through the design process, we were losing the time we really needed to make the machine. Also, maybe that material is important because it is knowledge necessary for later classes, but many of the assignments seemed like a waste if the focus of the class was supposed to be on the machine. If it IS necessary, it almost feels like there are too many focal points for this class then.
I could have improved my performance in this class by asking more questions. When I got into some of the individual assignments, I would remember I didn’t understand it in class, but didn’t ask. Also, I missed two lectures, both in the same week, making me not understand a very important section of the class. This affected my performance on the assignment, the exam, and in team work.
I learned a lot of things about teamwork in this class also. By having to work with four people’s schedules, I learned you are more crunched for time than it seems. When you know you have a week for something, for example, it is more like one, maybe two days, because everyone has other things going on. It also became obvious that planning ahead for things works only if you plan extra time. With assignments it took longer than expected, but with machining it even took more. We ran into MANY more problems than we anticipated when we planned, so running out of time ended up being an important factor for us. I also learned things about myself and how I work with teams. I learned sometimes I get stubborn for no reason about my ideas. However, I also learned that when brainstorming, unless ideas are being thrown out in the mix, I tend to be stuck on one idea and can’t break away. Maybe a better way of brainstorming could have gotten ideas out faster, at least from my perspective.
I also learned about Mechanical Engineering in general: simpler is usually better. Occam’s Razor really should have been more engrained in my mind. As a group, I believe we came up with a unique, and possibly very effective strategy, but it came at a cost. We had to make three large pieces, while most teams had to make one, two at most. With the limited time in the machine shop, the limited time this class offers, and the lack of previous machining knowledge in our group, we couldn’t execute the strategy in the time we were provided. Most of the problems we ended up with were because of not having time to test the machines working together and fixing problems.
This course could be improved by having more time to make the machines. While I went to the lectures, most of them went into much more detail than we would possibly need to make the machines, which made a lot of the first part of the semester seem useless. While we were slowly designing and going through the design process, we were losing the time we really needed to make the machine. Also, maybe that material is important because it is knowledge necessary for later classes, but many of the assignments seemed like a waste if the focus of the class was supposed to be on the machine. If it IS necessary, it almost feels like there are too many focal points for this class then.
I could have improved my performance in this class by asking more questions. When I got into some of the individual assignments, I would remember I didn’t understand it in class, but didn’t ask. Also, I missed two lectures, both in the same week, making me not understand a very important section of the class. This affected my performance on the assignment, the exam, and in team work.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
summary
Our complete machine was made up of 4 modules.
2 cars, with the bigger one able to climb up the ramp and push the arm which sits in the base. The smaller car is meant to focus on pushing the balls on the table.
The bigger car was made with an aluminum base plate and acrylic claws which could aid in the pushing of balls sitting on the edge of the table. It also had strong magnets on its back, bonded by epoxy to the base plate. The car would ride up the ramp backwards and push against the arm. The magnets coincide with a plate of nails fixed to the back of the arm. The car will then be able to pull the arm back away from the center lever over the balls before pushing it back towards the lodged wedge to score. The smaller car has an acrylic base plate, and a ball caster for added manoeuvrability.
The arm: which also has a wedge release mechanism that deploys the hollow wedge into the slot after the center lever has been pushed away. We lasercutted acrylic for the arm. It is held by press fit rods, and it also has a main axle (that allows it to sit in the base) press fitted.
The base: in which the arm sits and slides. It was made out of lasercut plywood. It has two similar side plates, a top plate and a ramp, held together by brackets and hinges.
2 cars, with the bigger one able to climb up the ramp and push the arm which sits in the base. The smaller car is meant to focus on pushing the balls on the table.
The bigger car was made with an aluminum base plate and acrylic claws which could aid in the pushing of balls sitting on the edge of the table. It also had strong magnets on its back, bonded by epoxy to the base plate. The car would ride up the ramp backwards and push against the arm. The magnets coincide with a plate of nails fixed to the back of the arm. The car will then be able to pull the arm back away from the center lever over the balls before pushing it back towards the lodged wedge to score. The smaller car has an acrylic base plate, and a ball caster for added manoeuvrability.
The arm: which also has a wedge release mechanism that deploys the hollow wedge into the slot after the center lever has been pushed away. We lasercutted acrylic for the arm. It is held by press fit rods, and it also has a main axle (that allows it to sit in the base) press fitted.
The base: in which the arm sits and slides. It was made out of lasercut plywood. It has two similar side plates, a top plate and a ramp, held together by brackets and hinges.
Patrick Grogan's Reflection
The design and manufacturing process is not a simple task. When given a proposal for a certain design, the first thing that is needed is a strategy. A strategy describes how the machine will function in order to meet the requirements of the proposal. From the initial strategy, a concept is then created which describes a specific machine that will execute the strategy. To climb further down the ladder, a module is the next needed assembly in the design process, which describes a part of the machine that will execute a certain function. A component is the last step in the design process that describes an individual subassembly of the machine. Once the initial design process is finished, the drawing begins. Drawing requires the use of solidworks. Within drawings, specific dimensions, hole placements and material choices are needed. Once the drawings are finished, users can turn them into sketches which help with the machining process.
The manufacturing process varies depending on the components of the machine that are being built and the material that is being used. Machines that were used in ME 250 were the water jet, lathe, mill, laser cutter, and drill press. The water jet is used to cut metal with specific holes and outlines that would be difficult with the mill. The mill is used to cut metal to specific lengths and widths and also drill holes with low tolerances to ensure accuracy. The Laser cutter is similar to the water jet, but it is specifically meant for non-metals, for example, woods and polymers. The drill press is quick and easy, but it does not ensure accuracy. So it is useful for holes that don’t need to be in a precise position. There is also a saw in the machine shop that is useful to cut metals and woods quickly. The saw will cut the metal needed and then the dimensions can be trimmed more precisely with the mill.
Teamwork is the key component for a group project to be successful. There was only so much time to build the machine in the workshop so every member had to be doing something to take advantage of the valuable time given to us. For example, while someone is working on the mill, another team member could be on the laser cutter, and someone else on the drill press while the last member could be in the CAEN lab finishing up final sketches. In a usual team, people have their strengths and weaknesses, so an efficient team assigns people tasks that involve their strengths.
Communication is crucial for a team to be successful. Even if you think the whole team knows the time and place of tomorrow’s meeting, a reminder text or email should still be sent out. Communication is also important for a team to come up with the best idea for a machine. Everyone’s input can attribute to an idea.
Time management plays into communication and teamwork. Good communication will involve planning calendars and dates for project goals. Efficient teamwork means that everyone is contributing during machine shop hours and discussion sessions. Time management, communication and teamwork are all important for a successful project.
ME 250 for fall 2010 required a lot of work from its students. That is not a problem because students should be challenged. But I thought the layout of the course was disorganized, meaning all the work was concentrated in such a short time segment. The first 6 weeks of the course moved relatively slow until people grouped up as teams. Once teams were brought together, the class pace picked up with the design process that was required. Each team was left about two weeks to machine their design and strategy which was stressful for first year manufacturers. So my one suggestion would be to try to push down the schedule by one week so the teams can have three weeks to manufacture.
I also could have improved my performance for this course. I don’t consider myself the most technical person so I strayed away from doing a lot of solidworks. I should have put more of an initial effort into learning solidworks so I could have contributed more to my team. I also came in late with my team and the initial strategy was decided, so I did not put a lot of input into the initial design process. I should have discussed more with my team about other strategies just to throw out some other ideas.
Overall ME 250 was quite the ride. I think The Underdogs’ machine failed because our strategy was too complex with the time and experience we had. If we focused on one machine and strategy, besides three, I think the Underdogs would have been more successful. Overall, a lot was learned from this class and the knowledge will be carried into next semester.
The manufacturing process varies depending on the components of the machine that are being built and the material that is being used. Machines that were used in ME 250 were the water jet, lathe, mill, laser cutter, and drill press. The water jet is used to cut metal with specific holes and outlines that would be difficult with the mill. The mill is used to cut metal to specific lengths and widths and also drill holes with low tolerances to ensure accuracy. The Laser cutter is similar to the water jet, but it is specifically meant for non-metals, for example, woods and polymers. The drill press is quick and easy, but it does not ensure accuracy. So it is useful for holes that don’t need to be in a precise position. There is also a saw in the machine shop that is useful to cut metals and woods quickly. The saw will cut the metal needed and then the dimensions can be trimmed more precisely with the mill.
Teamwork is the key component for a group project to be successful. There was only so much time to build the machine in the workshop so every member had to be doing something to take advantage of the valuable time given to us. For example, while someone is working on the mill, another team member could be on the laser cutter, and someone else on the drill press while the last member could be in the CAEN lab finishing up final sketches. In a usual team, people have their strengths and weaknesses, so an efficient team assigns people tasks that involve their strengths.
Communication is crucial for a team to be successful. Even if you think the whole team knows the time and place of tomorrow’s meeting, a reminder text or email should still be sent out. Communication is also important for a team to come up with the best idea for a machine. Everyone’s input can attribute to an idea.
Time management plays into communication and teamwork. Good communication will involve planning calendars and dates for project goals. Efficient teamwork means that everyone is contributing during machine shop hours and discussion sessions. Time management, communication and teamwork are all important for a successful project.
ME 250 for fall 2010 required a lot of work from its students. That is not a problem because students should be challenged. But I thought the layout of the course was disorganized, meaning all the work was concentrated in such a short time segment. The first 6 weeks of the course moved relatively slow until people grouped up as teams. Once teams were brought together, the class pace picked up with the design process that was required. Each team was left about two weeks to machine their design and strategy which was stressful for first year manufacturers. So my one suggestion would be to try to push down the schedule by one week so the teams can have three weeks to manufacture.
I also could have improved my performance for this course. I don’t consider myself the most technical person so I strayed away from doing a lot of solidworks. I should have put more of an initial effort into learning solidworks so I could have contributed more to my team. I also came in late with my team and the initial strategy was decided, so I did not put a lot of input into the initial design process. I should have discussed more with my team about other strategies just to throw out some other ideas.
Overall ME 250 was quite the ride. I think The Underdogs’ machine failed because our strategy was too complex with the time and experience we had. If we focused on one machine and strategy, besides three, I think the Underdogs would have been more successful. Overall, a lot was learned from this class and the knowledge will be carried into next semester.
Final Bill of Materials with Link
Here is the link:
http://public.iwork.com/document/?a=p1023229629&d=Final_Bill_of_Materials.pages
Sorry about that!
http://public.iwork.com/document/?a=p1023229629&d=Final_Bill_of_Materials.pages
Sorry about that!
Bill of Materials
Slotbots Reflection: Radhika
ME250 this semester was quite a ride. To say that it was “pretty time consuming” would be very much an understatement. Learning to cope with this time crunch was a pretty big takeaway. As a team, we could have handled our scheduling better. We tended to shy away from parts of our project that stumped us – the design of the release mechanism for our wedge for example, and we kept pushing that back until it was looming over us at a point where we should not have been thinking about a design at all.
Where design is concerned, the biggest take away from this project for me is the importance of simplicity. Our concept involved playing both on the table and in the slot and we ended up having 4 modules as a result. While I initially considered two cars to be a very simple idea to implement, the success of the whole concept relied too heavily on them, and their manoeuvrability. When we got the control systems, we realised that we did not have the required amount of control over our cars – especially since we had two cars and one control module. Perhaps we should have considered these limitations earlier on and factored in the lowered flexibility of our cars. In retrospect, I feel like a cohesive single module machine, with motors focused on simple tasks like pushing/pulling/raising/ lowering in a single direction would have been a better way to approach this project since we were after all not playing with sophisticated control systems. In retrospect, our concept seems quite complicated to me at least. While our strategy might have been quite interesting, we got a little too carried away with it and maybe did not consider how extensive our idea was getting. Machining consequently became quite a long drawn out process as well, and we did not manage to fit in enough testing, especially with the controller.
However, the main reason this happened was because we did not know what the machining process would be like. None of us had machined before and we were not fully aware of what we could or could not achieve easily. And this experience was very invaluable in giving us perspective on all these points. Now, with experience under our belt, we can approach the following project classes much better prepared.
Overall, the concept of slotbots was an engaging way to introduce design and machining to us. But I do feel like the first half of the semester, with the lectures and theory, did not resonate enough when we began the manufacturing process in the last few weeks. Perhaps some manufacturing processes could be linked to earlier tutorials/homeworks so that there isn’t a huge time lag between the machine shop training and the actual use for it. When we finally began using the shop, a lot of things had slipped our mind and we spent a lot of time just trying to start up the mill or lathe for example. Also, I felt that some of the earlier homeworks did not completely fall in line with what we were learning in lectures either, so this could be an area for improvement.
Where design is concerned, the biggest take away from this project for me is the importance of simplicity. Our concept involved playing both on the table and in the slot and we ended up having 4 modules as a result. While I initially considered two cars to be a very simple idea to implement, the success of the whole concept relied too heavily on them, and their manoeuvrability. When we got the control systems, we realised that we did not have the required amount of control over our cars – especially since we had two cars and one control module. Perhaps we should have considered these limitations earlier on and factored in the lowered flexibility of our cars. In retrospect, I feel like a cohesive single module machine, with motors focused on simple tasks like pushing/pulling/raising/ lowering in a single direction would have been a better way to approach this project since we were after all not playing with sophisticated control systems. In retrospect, our concept seems quite complicated to me at least. While our strategy might have been quite interesting, we got a little too carried away with it and maybe did not consider how extensive our idea was getting. Machining consequently became quite a long drawn out process as well, and we did not manage to fit in enough testing, especially with the controller.
However, the main reason this happened was because we did not know what the machining process would be like. None of us had machined before and we were not fully aware of what we could or could not achieve easily. And this experience was very invaluable in giving us perspective on all these points. Now, with experience under our belt, we can approach the following project classes much better prepared.
Overall, the concept of slotbots was an engaging way to introduce design and machining to us. But I do feel like the first half of the semester, with the lectures and theory, did not resonate enough when we began the manufacturing process in the last few weeks. Perhaps some manufacturing processes could be linked to earlier tutorials/homeworks so that there isn’t a huge time lag between the machine shop training and the actual use for it. When we finally began using the shop, a lot of things had slipped our mind and we spent a lot of time just trying to start up the mill or lathe for example. Also, I felt that some of the earlier homeworks did not completely fall in line with what we were learning in lectures either, so this could be an area for improvement.
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