User:John McNamara/Projects/Project1

Project Preference

 * 1 MakerBot PLA Material Characterization (Implement)
 * 2 Tactile User Interface (Conceive)
 * 3 Shaker Table (Implement)

Problem Statement
For our group project will implement the previous group's design. We will test the strength of the maker-bot material. We will test what color is the strongest. We are in the implementation stage of the CDIO report.

Project Plan
First our group will become certified in operating the maker-bot. Next we will print out multiple copy's of the beams. Then we will test the beams in two and three point testing procedures.

Week 1 Narrative
The first thing I completed this week was I read the previous's groups CDIO report. This week I also read the wiki page about how to operate the maker-bot. After reading the wiki page and when I felt confident I knew the material I took the practice test on the wiki page. Once I took the practice test I decided to go into canvas and take the maker bot quiz. I passed with a 29.83/30.

This week I was in charge of researching proper testing and how the other team tested. To obtain the most accurate results, when testing, our group will make sure each test has the same set up as the previous one. We will test each color multiple times and then take the average of the results to come up with the conclusion of what color of the material is the strongest. When we test we will use the previous group's methods. They used a three point and two point setup. In the three point setup weights are hung in the middle of the beam while the two ends of the beams are resting on blocks. The two point setup the beam is clamped to a table at one end and weight is hung on the other. 

Week 2 Narrative
After I read the comments on my week one narrative I decided to research the two different test more. I learned that when we test for stiffness we are using the three point test and are testing for the amount of deflection of the PLA beam. When we are testing for strength we are using the two point test and are measuring the maximum load that can be placed on PLA beam. On Tuesday night I read the three point bending test sheet more to get a better understanding on how to obtain all the numbers for the charts. One of my tasks this week was to build the setup for testing the strength but after further reasoning i decided that the previous group had a good way of testing. To test strength we will use a C clamp to secure the beam onto a table and then hook weights onto the other end of the beam. On both Tuesday and Wednesday I came in to get certified to operate the MakerBot but people were displaying it for engineers week. Finally Thursday I was able to become certified. After the seminar on Thursday I went to go work on the project with my team. When we met the first thing we did was try to find the beam file the other group was using so we could print the same one. We failed at finding the file. We then decided to look on the many website with 3-d printer designs and found a number of beams. Once we agreed on a beam to print and use we changed the file format so the MakerBot could print it. We then took it to the printer and followed the printing instructions and started to print. On the second layer of printing the MakerBot was not printing correctly so we canceled the print. The person in the engineering room, the one who fixes the MakerBot, check the spacing between the print head and the build plate and said it was fine. He came to the conclusion that file was making the beam print incorrectly.

Week 3 Narrative
This week of our project was the first week in which we were able to actually print beams. On Tuesday you had actually already printed one beam out for us. During class Tuesday you sent us both the ipt file and stl file. At the end of class Tuesday we started to print an second red beam. On Tuesday I also cam in later in the day and created a new print file, one that would print two beams. I also changed the PLA filament. When I left Tuesday I started to print the file I had just made. Wednesday you had discovered the beams I printed and sent a message saying that it was hollow. The problem was that when I created the file I forgot the set the infill to 100 percent. Thursday during class I had made a new file and set the infill to 100. During class Thursday our group tried to print two more beams. The first step we had to do was to was change the PLA to black. Changing the color worked perfectly, we ran into no trouble doing this. When we went to print another beam we ran into trouble. When the MakerBot was laying down the raft it would stop printing some sections. At first when this occurred I thought it was because when I loaded the PLA I didn't let the print head extrude long enough so i decided to stop the print and let it extrude a little more. After I let extrude some more I tried printing again but the same thing. I believe that the MakerBot was not printing correctly because the roll of PLA was in a awkward spot so it was not feeding correctly into the print head. Thursday after the seminar I came into attempt to print more beams but unfortunately someone else was printing and was just starting. Instead I was able to find you and get the weights for testing. We then made a bin for our group and put the weights and beams in it so Tuesday we are able to start testing what we have.

Week 4 Narrative
This week was the first week where we tested. On Tuesday I went in and tried to print but when the MakerBot was printing nothing was coming out of the nozzle. Tuesday because we could not print we decided to start testing the beams. We preformed the two point test on the beams. We only had enough time to test a gold beam and a red beam. Thursday I came in an the MakerBot was back up an running. To make up for lost time I decided to make a new print file so the MakerBot would print three beams at a time. Once I did this I went to go and print the file. The print started printing fine but then the Pla spool got tangled and would not unravel so nothing was coming out of the print head. I canceled the print and untangled the Pla. I then tried printing again but when the file was about 1/3 done the Pla got tangled again and then broke. I then had the take the old Pla out of the printer and feed the spool back in. After I did this I started printing again and this time the three beams printed. After this my group tried to print another file but the MakerBot broke. After the seminar my group went in to test. We preformed the two point testing procedures on the glow colored beams as well as the remaining red and gold beams. From the data collected in testing now our group could calculate force and Ultimate MPa. This week as in addition to printing and testing I had to help on the CDIO report. On the CDIO report I set up all the tables so we could put in our results for the two point test. I also decided to link the stl and ipt file to a google docs drive so that if a group in the future wanted to complete testing they could. The final thing I did on the report was edit the Implementation Management section. Below is a picture of me adding weight to the beam for the two point testing procedure.