User:Connor.delaney6/ENES-100/project 2

Past Pages
This project is a continuation of the previous project cycle. Those pages can be found here:

Music Project Team Page 1

Connor's Wikiversity Page 1

Rachel's Wikiversity Page 1

Olivia's Wikiversity Page 1

Current Pages
Music Team Page 2

Olivia's Wikiversity Page 2

Rachel's Wikiversity Page 2

Week0 Preferences
My work from Project 1, the Music Beat Bearing project, will be continued on these page as I start project 2. Over this first weekend, I simply focused on recording ideas which my team, class and I have for the continued work of constructing the Beat Bearing board. The ideas that have been presented to me or thought of myself are listed below:


 * MakerBot template for row of 8 washer systems
 * Rotate washer systems 90 degrees to allow for easier wiring on the underside of the plexiglass board

Week1 Narrative
The beginning of Week 1 for me was dedicated to learning about Google SketchUp, and then practicing constructing 3D models on SketchUp. The purpose of this is to eventually draw a 3D model in SketchUp of a template that will be used to glue down an entire row of the washer systems for the music project. Once drawn in SketchUp, the file will be saved as an STL file, so it can them but placed in the Makerware software and printed using the 3D printer.

This first video was a walkthrough of how to use and operate in Google SketchUp. I knew nothing about SktetchUp, and this tutorial helped me become familiar with all the tools and features of the program. Also, it taught me how to convert a SketchUp drawing to an STL file which can then be sent to the Makerware software and be printed by the MakerBot, which is exactly what I need to know how to do.
 * Creating a MakerBot 3D Model in SketchUp Walk Through

These are the tools I learned how to use after watching the video, and trying them out myself:  File:Push Pull tool.JPG|This tool will allow me to create depth in the shapes drawn. The same tool can then be used to push through a 3D figure and create holes in the object. File:Eraser tool.JPG|It is important to click on the lines of an object when trying to erase, otherwise SketchUp does not recognize the function. This is something I learned while playing around with the tools. File:Orbit tool.JPG|The orbit tool is essential when using SketchUp, for it is the key to viewing any side of your drawing. For example, if I wanted to push a hole into the opposite side of the cube I have drawn, I have to use the orbit tool to rotate the drawing and have my view on the side I want to work with. This tool will be my best friend while using SketchUp. File:Pan Tool.JPG|This tool is convenient when your drawing is large, or if you plan to have multiple drawings. When I drew the sample rectangle base template, and the washer in mid-air, the pan tool helped me separate the two drawings on the screen, and made working much easier. 

This next video focused more on how to input the dimensions of the drawing being created in SketchUp. It was helpful and now I know how to insert the correct dimensions to my drawings, and how to use all the deminsion tools which will make my model better and more accurate.
 * SketchUp Skills - Dimension Tool

These are my re-drawings of the 3D drawings I made in SketchUp and correctly creating dimensions using the dimension tool:  File:SketchUp Washer Diameter.JPG|This is my drawing of the floating washer I drew in SketchUp with labeled dimensions. After watching the video about how to create dimensions, I was able to do so without a problem. This drawing shows the washer with the diameters labeled. File:SketchUp Washer Radius.JPG|Another function I learned about creating dimensions in SketchUp is that when applying length to curves, you can either choose to label the diameter or the radius. This is my drawing of the same washer, except this time the radius is labeled. 

After working on SketchUp, I spent the remainder of the week focusing on calculating the measurements for the board, because without these measurements a template to position the washer systems cannot be drawn in SketchUp. The measurements taken were dependent on the size of the screen (monitor) that the board would sit on. These are the current calculations after Week 1:

 File:Monitor screen.JPG|First measurements of the screen were taken using a tape measure. In this drawing I included the black border of the screen's width, however, it will not affect the board because the board will only rest on top of the screen. File:Height Measurement of Washer.JPG|This is the height of the cut washer, which will be the same for every cut washer. The height of the washer is important because is will determine what the height of the template should be, which is a little bigger than that of the washer. This will allow the washer to sit well in the template, and be able to be glued down easily. File:Screen dimensions spacing.JPG|Using the 10 3/4 inch width measurement, I divided the screen into four equal rows, which come to be 2 11/16 inches each. This is how much room I will have to work with for each row, which includes plexiglass runners and space for the washer systems. File:Diagram of screen with runners.JPG|This diagram shows the screen with the plexiglass runners in place of where they are expected to go. After drawing this diagram, I realized that each row will share at least one runner with another. This has to be taken into account when figuring out how wide to make each runner, and the space between the runners, so that the board is equal. This discovery stumped me for the moment, and I rested the calculations for the week. ‎ ‎ 

Week 1 ended with a roadblock, because I did not take into consideration that the plexiglass runners would be shared by the rows of washer systems, so dividing the board into 4 equal rows will take more complicated calculations than just dividing numbers by 4. Next week I will work on figuring out what size the runners can be, to create 4 equal rows for the washer systems, and seeing that the washers have enough room in each row. The calculations for the dimensions and configuration of the board are crucial to pushing this project forward and then drawing and 3D printing the template for the rows of washer systems.

Week2 Narrative
The beginning of Week 2 focused on finalizing the calculations for the spacing of the board (how wide the 5 plexiglass runners will be and how much space will the washer systems have to occupy). The 13 3/8" and 10 3/4" dimensions of the monitor were what the calculations were based off.

The first calculation was done to figure out how much space the four rows containing the washer systems would need to be. The length of the rows of washer systems, and the plexiglass runners, will both be 10 3/4" because it is the same as the length of the board. The width of the space and runners is what is going to be different.

 File:Washer spacing picture.JPG|This is my drawing of the length vertically that the washer systems will be, influencing the space in between the plexiglass runners they will be able to occupy. The total space is 11/8" (9/8 + 1/8 + 1/8). 
 * To do this calculation I first found what the length of the spaced washer halves would be, taking into account the space between the separated washer halves. This value was 9/8". Next I added 1/8" to the top and bottom of the washer, to allow room for the wiring underneath the board (2/8" total). 9/8" + 2/8" = 11/8 of an inch, so this is the calculated space for the four washer system rows.

The next part of the calculation was using the known dimension of the rows for the washer systems and subtracting that value from the total length I would be working with. This number would give me how much space was left for the plexiglass runners. Since there are going to be five runners, I would divide the number by five, and this number would give me the width of the runners, and then the row spacing of the board would be complete. The calculations for the size of the plexiglass runners are: 13 3/8 - 4(11/8) = 21/4 inches. And 21/4 ÷ 5 = 21/20 inches. This is roughly 1 1/32" (which is smaller than 21/20"), and for the purpose of this project, will be used as the size of the runners.  File:Final dimensions of plexiglass board.JPG|This is a drawing of the final the dimensions of the plexiglass board I calculated. The plexiglass runners will be 1 1/32" and the space for the washer systems will be 1 3/8". 
 * The runners will be shared by the washer systems besides the runners at the top and bottom of the board, as seen in the picture below.

The last part to find for the final measurements of the board, was the spacing between the eight washer systems that would cover the entire length of the row. The requirements of the project are that they would be spaced equally across, because this would look the best, and be easiest to apply the wiring.  File:Wrong calculation.JPG|This is the calculation I did using the wrong measurement of the washer system across, which was 9/8" (the dimension of the washer system vertically including the spaces). File:Wrong drawing.JPG|This is the drawing of the washer system spacing I did after doing the wrong calculations. The spacing measurement that was yielded was 35/72" which is once again, wrong.   File:Right calculation.JPG|This is the correct calculation for the spacing between the washer systems where the correct length of the washer horizontally was used, 7/8", which is also the original diameter of the washer. File:Correct and final drawing of washer system spacing.JPG|This is my drawing of the correct spacing of the washer systems (there will be eight in a row) after doing the correct calculation. The space between each washer system will be 6/32". 
 * The first calculation I did to determine the correct spacing of the washer systems was wrong. This is because I foolishly thought that the width across the washer system was the same as the length vertically, which was 9/8". I did not take into account that the 9/8" measurement included the space between the washer halves; there were no spaces in the the measurement across the washer system. My wrong calculation and drawing of the wrong dimensions are shown below.
 * After realizing my error I of course used the correct measurement of the washer system across, which is 7/8". This is the same as the diameter of the washer before the cut, which makes because as seen in the picture, the horizontal cuts of the washer do not affect the diameter going across. The correct calculation and drawing are shown below.

So now after all the math the measurements and dimensions of the board are known, and thus the template for the washer systems can be started in SketchUp. The next thing I did during Week 2 was start the 3D drawing of the template in SketchUp.

 File:SketchUp1.png|This is the the rectangular prism that will serve as the base of my template that I made in SketchUp. After making the prism I put in the length, width, and height dimensions that were calculated based on the space available for the washers, the width of the screen, and the height of a washer. 
 * First creating the rectangular prism base, and then adding the proper dimensions.

<Gallery> File:Overhead drawing of my design in sketchUp.JPG|This is my drawing of how I planned to draw the washer halves in SketchUp. I planned to draw a straight line on the top and bottom of the top face of the rectangular prism, to use as a guide of where to have the top and bottom washer half touch. File:SketchUp2.png|A birds eye view of the prism which shows the dimensions of the rectangular prism, and the lines at the top and bottom of the top face, which are 1/8" wide, and will be used as a marker for where the top and bottom of the washer half holes should touch when drawn. </Gallery>
 * Next I added in a line at the top and bottom of the top face of the rectangular prism, which is where the washer systems will be drawn, and pushed though creating the holes for the template.

<Gallery> File:Drawing arcs in SetchUp.JPG|The washer half I drew in SketchUp was done by drawing two separate arcs, one big, one small, and then connecting the starting points with a straight line at the bottom. I have not put in the dimensions yet because I want to have the bottom washer half drawn as well. File:SketchUp3.png|This is my current position on my drawing in SketchUp, and I have not yet pushed the washer half through to create the hole. </Gallery>
 * The last thing I did on my drawing in SketchUp was draw a washer half using the line drawn on the top face of the prism as the edge. By playing around with the arc drawing tool I figured out how to draw an arc, and specifically the two arcs I would need to formulate a washer half.

My current status on the project is to continuing drawing the template in SketchUp, and also figure out the best way to draw the second washer half underneath the top washer half I have already drawn. I came across problems of my cursor connecting the current drawn arc points, not allowing me to achieve the spacing I need between the two washer halves. Week 3 will be all about working towards getting the template drawing done in SketchUp so it can be printed, and then used to start building the board.

Week3 Narrative
To start Week 3 I converted every measurement I did in inches into millimeters, because I realized it would be more accurate to work in the millimeters template in SketchUp. This would then print a more accurate washer system template. The conversions were done online at a conversion website that can be found here. The chart below shows all of the conversions that were done and what length, side or diameter they correspond to on the template design.



Using the millimeter measurements to draw in SketchUp I was able to start drawing my template with the correct dimensions. After conversing with classmates I learned how to properly input your desired dimensions. To d this I had to redraw the prism and reference lines while entering in the desired dimensions along the way. As I redrew the design I used the millimeter measurements and obtained an accurate design.

Week4 Narrative
<Gallery> File:Birds Eye View of SketchUp drawing.png|Top view of my drawing of the template in SketchUp with the right side washer halves attempted to be pushed through to create holes. This did no work, and left me with the washer halves figure jutting out of the opposite side of the template. File:Side View Drawing Revised SketchUp.png|Side view of current drawing. When attempting to push the washer half holes through the 3D drawing, figures pushed out the bottom of the drawing adding to the figure, instead of making a hole. File:Top View of Drawing.png|Top view of drawing done in SketchUp. The dimensions of all lines and figures are accurate. When I tried to push through the washer halves, I could not create a hole. File:Another view of SketchUp Drawing.png|Another view of the problems I encountered while working in SketchUp. </Gallery>

After playing around in SketchUp I figured out how to push the holes through the drawing successfully. <Gallery> File:Finished Sketch-Up Design Top.png|After figuring out how to properly push the washer halves through the drawing I successfully made the holes into the prism, with the correct dimensions. This is a top view of my drawing. File:Finished Sketch-Up Design Bottom.png|This is a bottom view of my finished drawing with the correct dimensions and the holes pushed through in the washer half slots. The next step is to convert the drawing to Makerware software as an STL file. </Gallery>