Prelab Week 6

This week in lab, we plan on checking the print quality of our first 3D printed object, and if everything is fine, to continue printing the remainder of the internal pieces needed for our dynamo. After that, time will be dedicated to machining the new gear-motor connector. Finally, the externals of our project will be laid out so we can get an idea of what needs to be done for the rest of the project.

Electrical Circuitry Finalized

Today, all of the electrical components were soldered together, fully completing the electrical component of this project. The ribs that will support the internal mechanisms in the dynamo are currently in the process of being 3D printed. Work was also made towards making a new motor to gear adapter, as a new 6V high-speed motor was purchased in order to produce more electricity.

Gear Chain

Yesterday, our team redesigned our gear chain, making it so for every rotation of the bicycle tire, the motor should rotate at about 15,000 rpm, traveling at 5mph. This should produce the electricity output that we are looking for. In addition, we also have finalized our circuitry and we are working on constructing these. Finally, we have decided to three 3d print the majority of our casing as it will be cheaper in the long run.

Week 5 Lab

Today we divided up the duties for the rest of week five. Theo will be working on ordering gear shafts for the mechanical part of the dynamo, as well as doing some R&D into the best way to have our dynamo make contact with the bicycle tire. Mathieu is working on finalizing the designs for our dynamo internal framework. All the items that need to be 3D printed to create a compact package for the gear train and motor to fit inside. These items will be sent off to be printed as soon as possible. I went after class today to make final purchases of PC board and a 6V motor from Radio Shack in center city, and I will be working on putting all of the electrical components together this week.

Pre Week 5 Lab

Goals for this weeks lab is to finalize the layout for the circuitry, begin soldering everything into place, have a solid starting point for the CADD drawings, make sure our parts are integrating with each other so far, and assign tasks for the rest of the week.

Machined Part

The machined part to connect the motor/generator to the gear has been finished.

Motor to Gear Attachment

This week, a small part allowing the circular shaft of our motor to connect to the square holes of our gears, was machined. This part is pivotal in our design, as if it does not function properly, the dynamo will not work. The design challenges of this part include its small dimensions. The piece is less than 3mm by 3mm by 10mm. A hole that just fits the motor axle also has to be drilled into the part. The part is scheduled to be finished tomorrow, and once picked up, will be attached to the motor with either hot glue, solder, or epoxy.

Charging the Caps

After setting up the electrical circuitry, our group was able to verify that the electrical systems were charging when the motor was turned. Once we have greater mechanical advantage to turn the motor faster, we should be able to generate enough electricity to output 5 volts.

Week 4 Lab

Today in lab, we were able to successfully set up the circuitry necessary for the project. We were also able to verify that the motor we will be incorporating into our dynamo is able to generate electricity. Our gears, which also arrived through shipping, were measured and incorporated into our initial designs. A metal component is in the process of being machined to connect the gears with the motor. An update on the machined part will come later in the week.

Modeling

For our final product, we may do some math based modeling to determine the efficiency of our dynamo and then compare it to other dynamos on the market.