- Worked on Calendar
- R&R after midterms
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
STEMM Analysis
The NOAA lab needs to catch plankton in the inaccessible parts of Sandy Hook; however they do not want to disturb the ecosystem. In order to overcome this problem the NOAA lab has requested that the students of the Systems Engineering II class to design and construct a miniature hovercraft. The hovercraft will be suspended above water level by air propulsion so as to not disturb the environment. My portion of the project is to design and construct a sturdy structure for the hovercraft which will house the necessary equipment required for the hovercraft to function. The solution that AC and I have developed is shown in Figure 1a (below). There are two components to my design: the hull and the skirt. The hull has a basic horizontal, trapezoidal shape and will be constructed out of marine plywood. The skirt does not have a set structure because it is used as an inflatable material but it will be fastened to the bottom of the hull. In Figure 1b (below) the basic side of the hovercraft can be seen. The small, open cavity will allow for the plankton net deployment system to be attached and function.
Figure 1b (left): Back view of hull and skirt combination. Cavity can be seen here.
Figure 1a (above): Front view of
hull and skirt combination.
The majority of hovercrafts are used for the transportation of people over short distances. The hovercraft that AC and I have designed is an innovation of this traditional hovercraft in two ways. The first way is that our hovercraft is miniature in size, and the second way is that the hovercraft will be used for taking plankton samples instead of public transportation. Figure 1a and Figure 1b (above) show only my component of the project. My structural design will be combined with the electrical component which is being designed by my partner AC. My particular component combines different types of engineering; the construction of the hull combines the types of engineering such as architectural, civil, construction and structural. To build the hull and skirt I needed to research different types of materials, wood for the hull, and textiles, fabric for the skirt, as well. These materials and textiles will be used in a delicate ecosystem so I had to keep environmental engineering foremost in my mind. And now, having researched all the listed types of manufacturing that were on the rubric for class I think none of the types apply to my project. The closest type would be mass customization. My project does not need to be mass produced and only two pieces out of the nine are identical. The types of manufacturing categories are very similar to the types of engineering listed previously; the main categories would be construction and textile manufacturing.
The main physics concept for the hovercraft project as a whole is based upon air pressure. Air escapes from the bottom of the skirt and tries to reach equilibrium with the surrounding atmosphere; to do so the air must travel between the skirt and ground. While it does this the air reduces friction between the ground and the skirt, allowing the craft to glide with little drag. This process can be seen in figure 2 and is closely related to Bernoulli’s Principle and how planes fly.
Figure 2: How to Create Lift
Taken from: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/sfagg/teched/html/activities_hovercrafts.htm
Fun Fact: Hovercrafts are not street legal.
One of the main materials I am constructing the hovercraft with is marine plywood. Marine plywood differs from normal plywood in that a phenol-formaldehyde resin is applied to make the pores of the wood smaller so that destructive moisture does not get in. The chemical composition for phenol-formaldehyde resin can be seen in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Chemical composition of phenol-formaldehyde
Taken from: http://www.lookchem.com/keyimages//2009-9/4290cd1d-c4c6-4ee4-b047-d9f2e60e8f7a.jpg
In addition to the marine plywood, an epoxy resin will be applied to the plywood to fiberglass it and make it even more waterproof. The chemical composition of epoxy resin can be seen in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Chemical composition of epoxy resin
Taken from: http://www.baggressive.com/ld/content/ep.gif
Figure 6: Series of phytoplankton
Taken from: http://drake.marin.k12.ca.us/stuwork/ROCKwater/PLANKTON/phytodrawings.gif
Much to my surprise there is a long and precise process to make marine plywood. Normal plywood is made by gluing at least three thin layers of wood as can be seen in Figure 7. Many different kinds of wood can be used to make plywood. “At the plywood mill, cut logs are brought by chain conveyor to a debarking machine that uses grinding wheels and water jets to smooth the surface. Another conveyor transports the logs to a circular saw that shaves them into chunks, called "peeler blocks," that are just over 8 feet long. The peeler blocks next undergo a softening process to make them easier to slice into the thin veneers that make up the wood layers. The softening process, which can last from half a day to two full days, is done with either the application of steam heat or total immersion in water. Once heated, the peeler blocks are sent through a precision lathe with a cutting blade, which shaves a succession of veneers from the block until very little is left. Defective pieces are discarded at this point. The veneers, still a bit over 8 feet long, are next cut into widths of just over 4 feet so they can later be trimmed to standard 4x8-foot sheets. The veneer pieces are put through a heated dryer, after which they are stacked for later use.” (Information from http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5001884_how-marine-plywood-made.html). Once the layers of wood are glued together and dry phenol-formaldehyde resin is applied to the plywood to make it more water-resistant.
Figure 7: Cross section of a 5-layer piece of plywood.
Taken from: http://www.buy-plywood.online-timber-sales.co.uk/images/PlywoodExpandedView.jpg
Polyester fabric is a versatile and important man-made fabric. It has an outstanding characteristic of resisting wrinkle and springing back into its crisp smooth shape. It is strong, and soft hand. The fabric is resistant to stretching and shrinkage. These are quick to dry and are resilient. It has an excellent pleat retention property. It requires minimum care and is easily washable. Polyester is a polymer, which is produced from the coal, air, water, and petroleum products. It was first commercially produced in 1953 by E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc. in the United States. It is next to cotton in worldwide use. Polyester fabric blends well with fabrics. It blends with wool, acetate, or rayon to improve the durability of the fabric and even to make it easy washable, if the percentage of polyester is high. It adds the quality of wrinkle resistance to the fabric and eliminates crushing of napped fabrics, and reduces fading. The fabric aggravates pilling problems after being blended with wool. Much of the fabric is threaded using microfibers as shown in Figure 8.
Characteristics of Polyester Fabric
• It is strong, stretchable, and durable.
• It does not wrinkle.
• It does not shrink.
• It is resistant to crease.
• It is resistant to mildew.
• It is abrasion resistant.
• It is resistant to most chemicals.
• It is not damaged by sunlight or weather.
• It dries quickly. It is crisp and resilient when wet or dry.
• It is easily washed.
• It does not absorb moisture making it hot and clammy when worn in hot temperatures.
Uses of Polyester Fabric
• Polyester clothing has a good stability and strength and is resistant to stretching and shrinkage. It is not damaged by sunlight or weather. It is widely used as dresses, blouses, jackets, separates, sportswear, suits, shirts, pants, rainwear, and children-wear.
• Polyester fabric is manufactured in many weights and it is used as fiberfill in pillows and upholstery. In upholstery, polyester is generally blended with wool to eliminate crushing and reduce fading.
• Polyester is also used in casement curtains, draperies, floor coverings, throw rugs, bedding, and as a cushioning or insulating material.
Information on Polyester is taken directly from http://www.fabrics-manufacturers.com/polyester-fabric.html
Figure 8: Cross section of a microfiber thread that is often used to make fabric.
Taken from: http://www.maintenancesuppliesmag.com/images/article/1242762999558_Microfiber_Cross-Section.jpg
The hovercraft project is an innovative idea requested by the NOAA lab workers. It deals with construction, textiles, structural design, and many other types of engineering. The final product of the hovercraft will have a trapezoidal hull made of marine plywood and a skirt made of PVC coated polyester. The construction of this part includes the physics concept credited to the physicist, Bernoulli. It also deals greatly with surface area and dimension ratios. Soon we will begin construction and the structural and electrical parts of the hovercraft will be combined to create the finished product.
Figure 1a (above): Front view of
hull and skirt combination.
The majority of hovercrafts are used for the transportation of people over short distances. The hovercraft that AC and I have designed is an innovation of this traditional hovercraft in two ways. The first way is that our hovercraft is miniature in size, and the second way is that the hovercraft will be used for taking plankton samples instead of public transportation. Figure 1a and Figure 1b (above) show only my component of the project. My structural design will be combined with the electrical component which is being designed by my partner AC. My particular component combines different types of engineering; the construction of the hull combines the types of engineering such as architectural, civil, construction and structural. To build the hull and skirt I needed to research different types of materials, wood for the hull, and textiles, fabric for the skirt, as well. These materials and textiles will be used in a delicate ecosystem so I had to keep environmental engineering foremost in my mind. And now, having researched all the listed types of manufacturing that were on the rubric for class I think none of the types apply to my project. The closest type would be mass customization. My project does not need to be mass produced and only two pieces out of the nine are identical. The types of manufacturing categories are very similar to the types of engineering listed previously; the main categories would be construction and textile manufacturing.
The main physics concept for the hovercraft project as a whole is based upon air pressure. Air escapes from the bottom of the skirt and tries to reach equilibrium with the surrounding atmosphere; to do so the air must travel between the skirt and ground. While it does this the air reduces friction between the ground and the skirt, allowing the craft to glide with little drag. This process can be seen in figure 2 and is closely related to Bernoulli’s Principle and how planes fly.
Taken from: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/sfagg/teched/html/activities_hovercrafts.htm
Fun Fact: Hovercrafts are not street legal.
One of the main materials I am constructing the hovercraft with is marine plywood. Marine plywood differs from normal plywood in that a phenol-formaldehyde resin is applied to make the pores of the wood smaller so that destructive moisture does not get in. The chemical composition for phenol-formaldehyde resin can be seen in Figure 3.
Taken from: http://www.lookchem.com/keyimages//2009-9/4290cd1d-c4c6-4ee4-b047-d9f2e60e8f7a.jpg
In addition to the marine plywood, an epoxy resin will be applied to the plywood to fiberglass it and make it even more waterproof. The chemical composition of epoxy resin can be seen in Figure 4.
Taken from: http://www.baggressive.com/ld/content/ep.gif
The hovercraft project doesn’t just contain physics and chemistry; there is also a biology aspect: the plankton. Plankton is defined as “the passively floating or weakly swimming usually minute animal and plant life of a body of water” by Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. In figure 5 below, you can see the distribution of plankton in all the oceans. As seen below, the coast of New Jersey has a high abundance of plankton. Plankton can range in size of a few centimeters to micrometers. A range of plankton can be seen in figure 6 below.
Figure 5: World map showing the abundance of plankton in the ocean. (Green = high abundance. Light green = medium abundance. Blue = low abundance.
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:World_plankton_prevailence.PNG
Taken from: http://drake.marin.k12.ca.us/stuwork/ROCKwater/PLANKTON/phytodrawings.gif
Much to my surprise there is a long and precise process to make marine plywood. Normal plywood is made by gluing at least three thin layers of wood as can be seen in Figure 7. Many different kinds of wood can be used to make plywood. “At the plywood mill, cut logs are brought by chain conveyor to a debarking machine that uses grinding wheels and water jets to smooth the surface. Another conveyor transports the logs to a circular saw that shaves them into chunks, called "peeler blocks," that are just over 8 feet long. The peeler blocks next undergo a softening process to make them easier to slice into the thin veneers that make up the wood layers. The softening process, which can last from half a day to two full days, is done with either the application of steam heat or total immersion in water. Once heated, the peeler blocks are sent through a precision lathe with a cutting blade, which shaves a succession of veneers from the block until very little is left. Defective pieces are discarded at this point. The veneers, still a bit over 8 feet long, are next cut into widths of just over 4 feet so they can later be trimmed to standard 4x8-foot sheets. The veneer pieces are put through a heated dryer, after which they are stacked for later use.” (Information from http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5001884_how-marine-plywood-made.html). Once the layers of wood are glued together and dry phenol-formaldehyde resin is applied to the plywood to make it more water-resistant.
Taken from: http://www.buy-plywood.online-timber-sales.co.uk/images/PlywoodExpandedView.jpg
Polyester fabric is a versatile and important man-made fabric. It has an outstanding characteristic of resisting wrinkle and springing back into its crisp smooth shape. It is strong, and soft hand. The fabric is resistant to stretching and shrinkage. These are quick to dry and are resilient. It has an excellent pleat retention property. It requires minimum care and is easily washable. Polyester is a polymer, which is produced from the coal, air, water, and petroleum products. It was first commercially produced in 1953 by E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc. in the United States. It is next to cotton in worldwide use. Polyester fabric blends well with fabrics. It blends with wool, acetate, or rayon to improve the durability of the fabric and even to make it easy washable, if the percentage of polyester is high. It adds the quality of wrinkle resistance to the fabric and eliminates crushing of napped fabrics, and reduces fading. The fabric aggravates pilling problems after being blended with wool. Much of the fabric is threaded using microfibers as shown in Figure 8.
Characteristics of Polyester Fabric
• It is strong, stretchable, and durable.
• It does not wrinkle.
• It does not shrink.
• It is resistant to crease.
• It is resistant to mildew.
• It is abrasion resistant.
• It is resistant to most chemicals.
• It is not damaged by sunlight or weather.
• It dries quickly. It is crisp and resilient when wet or dry.
• It is easily washed.
• It does not absorb moisture making it hot and clammy when worn in hot temperatures.
Uses of Polyester Fabric
• Polyester clothing has a good stability and strength and is resistant to stretching and shrinkage. It is not damaged by sunlight or weather. It is widely used as dresses, blouses, jackets, separates, sportswear, suits, shirts, pants, rainwear, and children-wear.
• Polyester fabric is manufactured in many weights and it is used as fiberfill in pillows and upholstery. In upholstery, polyester is generally blended with wool to eliminate crushing and reduce fading.
• Polyester is also used in casement curtains, draperies, floor coverings, throw rugs, bedding, and as a cushioning or insulating material.
Information on Polyester is taken directly from http://www.fabrics-manufacturers.com/polyester-fabric.html
Taken from: http://www.maintenancesuppliesmag.com/images/article/1242762999558_Microfiber_Cross-Section.jpg
The hovercraft project is an innovative idea requested by the NOAA lab workers. It deals with construction, textiles, structural design, and many other types of engineering. The final product of the hovercraft will have a trapezoidal hull made of marine plywood and a skirt made of PVC coated polyester. The construction of this part includes the physics concept credited to the physicist, Bernoulli. It also deals greatly with surface area and dimension ratios. Soon we will begin construction and the structural and electrical parts of the hovercraft will be combined to create the finished product.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Week 19 Log A
Plan of the Week
- Handed in completed Developmental Work and Math/Science Analysis
- Need to post work on blog
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