User:Risingphoenix19/ENES-100/project 1

My Instructor's course page which points to this.

Project Preference
For my three choices, I chose the following:

1. Useless Box 2. Makerbot 3. Escher

Problem Statement
For the project, I will test different materials and shapes using a three-point test as well as a two point test.

Project Plan
For the next four weeks, I will help design different shapes on a CAD program and then print them out on the 3-D printer in order to then test them for their strength and durability. I will also make sure to pass the Makerbot quiz and complete all tasks so that I can start printing as soon as possible. After all of the shapes have been printed, I will then begin testing each shape using the two-point and three-point tests, which will test their flexibility and strength.

Week 1 Narrative
For this week, I discussed with my teammates about what shapes to build and what scale we will create these shapes. I have also completed the Makerbot quiz, and I am now waiting to be certified by a lab instructor in order to be allowed to start using the 3-D printer. My group and I have decided to test at least five different shapes. A list of these shapes are as follows:


 * Rectangular Prism
 * Triangular Prism
 * Cylinder
 * I-beam
 * At least 1 (one) weird shape

My group and I have also decided to do two different tests. These tests are the Two-point and the Three-point tests. We have also discussed doing a second part to this experiment where we will test the different PLA materials (or simply the different plastics) to see if the color does affect the strength and durability of the product.

Week 2 Narrative
This week, I started to brainstorm on how my group and I would conduct the two-point and three-point tests. After a while, we collectively decided to not do the two-point test because of time constraints in the class as well as the probability of the pieces structurally weaker due to a rather large hole in one end of each piece for the two-point test. This hole would had a hook placed inside of it so that we could place a bucket to put weights in. This hole would also weaken the piece, thus invalidating the tests.

Now, my group and I are waiting to be approved to use the Makerbot, and as soon as we are, then we can begin building and testing of each piece. We still plan to use five different pieces in the three-point test, with one of these pieces being an "odd" shape.

Week 3 Narrative
For week three, my goal is to finalize getting certified to use the 3-D printer, and start to create each shape. The test rig also needs to be finished, but the majority of it is done. There are a couple of things still wrong with it though. One of the "arms" that strut out at one of the ends (where the three-point test will take place) was coming out at an angle. This will have to be fixed so that it is level, that way the testing can begin.

Week 4 Narrative
The first shape has finally been printed out. This shape was a rectangular prism. The problem with it is that it would take way excessive amounts of weight in order for it to start to bend. The shape had a 1.5 x 1.5 inch cross-section and would only slightly bend using a person's body weight. After realizing this, the next shapes were created using a 0.5 x 0.5 inch cross-section. This would make it possible for the shapes to bend while using weights that can be found in a large gym.

Testing has also started with three of the shapes that have been printed out. These shapes are the rectangular prism, the Triangular Prism, and the cylinder. There will also be a fourth shape that will be printed out, and this shape is a Pentagonal Prism. While testing the rectangular Prism, a problem can up with how to measure the deflection of each prism and/or shape. A modification will have to be done to the test rig in order to display this deflection scale during testing, but this modification shouldn't take longer than week five.