RecycleBot, Fall 2024 OSHE Capstone
Week of Sep 9th
New RecycleBot design with only the extrusion unit mostly complete. Electrical schematic and Inkbird heater wiring diagram found, pictured below for records. Using diagram, wiring connections and pinouts were verified before test operation. Operation of Inkbird, thermal sensor, motor, and readouts were confirmed to be functional.
Neutral wire cut, reason unknown, but suspected to be a potential splice point for future mica band heaters.
To Do:
Order Mica Band Heaters
Order Inkbird
Wire Inkbird in tandem with other two
Remove old coil heaters
Install new Mica Band Heaters
Wire Mica Band Heaters to receive Inkbird control
Assist fellow Team Members with electrical developments (Catch-all for helping team with EE skills)
Week of Sep 16th
Got sick this week reducing the amount of work I intended to accomplish, however tasks were still accomplished and preformed to further the understanding and competency with the new RecycleBot model.
Confirmed the reasons for the Neutral wire being cut. – To splice new heaters into the chain electrical harnessing.
Calculations and estimations for new Mica Band Heaters were done to allow for purchasing.
I was put under the impression that the new Inkbird and Mica Band Heaters were ordered following giving the calculations to the team. This needs to be confirmed.
To Do:Order Mica Band Heaters
Order Inkbird
Wire Inkbird in tandem with other two
Remove old coil heaters
Install new Mica Band Heaters
Wire Mica Band Heaters to receive Inkbird control
Assist fellow Team Members with electrical developments (Catch-all for helping team with EE skills)
Coordinate to meet with sponsors Monday. Current time set is Monday, Sep 23rd at 10:00 AM
Week of Sep 23rd
The components have been ordered on the 24th and will be delivered in short order. In preparation for the parts arriving the old coil heaters and the micron tape has been removed. The neutral and live wires for the Mica Band heaters are prepared for splicing for when they arrive. More components were found and with clearance from Shane, we have the old TAZ 6 printer to use for parts and components.
Met with sponsor and discussed requirements for funding as well as updating project progress. Discussed with the team about progress as well as roadblocks in the project.
Personally, I am waiting on the Inkbird and band heaters to install and test them next week. This tasking being priority 1 and will be fit in around exams to avoid stalling the project.
To Do:Order Mica Band Heaters
Order Inkbird
Wire Inkbird in tandem with other twoRemove old coil heaters
Install new Mica Band Heaters
Wire Mica Band Heaters to receive Inkbird control
Assist fellow Team Members with electrical developments (Catch-all for helping team with EE skills)Coordinate to meet with sponsors Monday. Current time set is Monday, Sep 23rd at 10:00 AM
Break down TAZ 6 for parts
Work with Konnor to develop a plan for the cage e-stop
Page Centering Space
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
—————————————————
End of Page Centering Space
RECORDS
Project Update for Week of 20SEP2023
For the production of chocolate bars in an assembly procedure the chocolate would need to be able to be processes despite periods of inactivity. Due to this, the production line would need to have a heated line that wouldn’t burn or otherwise compromise the texture of the material from the start to end of the line. With this in mind, the majority of the project would rely on a thermal tank of boiling or semi-boiling water to heat the material without burning. This requires the chocolate bowl (tank) to be within a water tank that would allow for a safe and presentable process for melting and moving the chocolate to the extruding end for mold filling.
This means that a thermally conductive bowl will need to be suspended in a tank of boiling water that wouldn’t allow the water to contaminate the chocolate and cause “chunking” within the system. Allowing the chocolate to be heated enough for movement through a tube within the boiling tank so the motor or pulling mechanism can have the liquid chocolate reach the mold upon being extruded.
This in turn presents an issue with repeated use as the method of extrusion will not be within the boiling tank and present a solidifying risk for subsequent use. This is turn requires the parts outside the extruding tank to be either heated in an alternate way or be cleaned and cleared after use to avoid blockages within the transportation tubing.
With the chocolate being extruded to the molds this presents a solution to “automatically” clearly the tubing in the sense of stopping the addition of chocolate material to be added and continuing operation to process any excess chocolate from the line. Further testing would be required to test the validity of this solution.
Design sketches to follow. This worklog post serves to provide work on functional goals 1, 3-8.
Project Update for Week of 27SEP2023
This update was delayed in being upload due to being sick, but the work to accomplish it was preformed on the week of 27SEP2023.
Below is the early design sketches of the proposed methods and parts required to assemble a functional Chocolate Assembly Line.
This worklog post serves to provide work on functional goals 1 and 4.
Project Update for Week of 04OCT2023
Through the week of 04OCT2023 research was conducted to find possible materials for fulfilling the roles of the designated project parts and for what type of chocolate material would be processed for best resulted. In doing this several parts were identified as good candidates for purchase.
The first is the primary chocolate material for melting and processing as Almond Bark, Chocolate Identified in link #1. It’s smooth consistency when melted with it’s rich chocolate flavor makes it ideal for processing and testing.
Next, several tanks were identified as capable of handling boiling water and the heating element while ensuring minimal chocolate and water cross contamination. The team greatly preferred the tank in Link #2 for it’s capability of multiple tanks for different substances and boiling locations. However, the tank in Link #3 has a larger capacity for more processing or acceptance of larger heating elements and thus remains as an alternative.
Link #1:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Chocolate-Flavored-Candy-Coating-Almond-Bark-24-oz/560189292?from=/search
Link #2:
https://www.amazon.com/Marinecolor%C2%AE-Acryli-Liquid-Storage-Working/dp/B010F5V0QC/ref=asc_df_B010F5V0QC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198075118929&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13177017739382317308&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017742&hvtargid=pla-337593548070&psc=1
Link #3:
https://www.amazon.com/Lifegard-Aquatics-Gallon-Rimless-Aquarium/dp/B09SP3XWF6/ref=asc_df_B09QY3MNXS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=563727907379&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13177017739382317308&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017742&hvtargid=pla-1640041266958&th=1
This worklog post serves to provide work on functional goals 1, 3, 6, and 9.
Project Update for Week of 30OCT2023
Over the past few weeks since my last update I have been in the hospital and then recovery from said trip to the hospital as a reason for a lack of previous entries into the worklog journal. As it stands I am still on a lower duty than I normally am, but can still contribute to the project going forward.
The slides that I made for the CDR were passed onto my teammates and after their contributions and updates were presented this week. From what I have heard the presentation went well and the content was appropriate for the slides and project for a successful CDR presentation.
Parts for the initial prototype were put on order while I was in the hospital and several have already arrived. Assembly of the initial prototype should wrap up by next week to allow for testing and processing of material in order to field test issues with the system.
Updates to resume and follow as normal.
Health declined and circumstances required a special situation for the semester.