Week 2

Overview of Status of Analysis, Design, Fabrication, Tests, etc.

• • Preliminary designs and CAD drawing have been drawn up. Found a source for metal and stepper motor. Preliminary experiments involving adding iron filings into "slurry" solution have proven that particles with high aspect ration are capable of aligning as a result of being exposed to a magnetic field.

  • Design for ferrous magnet has been CADed. See image below. 

  • Hall effect sensors have been ordered and are in transit.

Accomplishments from Previous Week

• • Preliminary experiments dealing with exposing freeze-casting samples containing iron powder/filings

  • Hall effect sensors have been ordered and are in transit.

  • A design for the method of generating the magnetic field has been decided on.

Goals for Next Week (list names after each item). Use specific and measurable objectives.

• 1. Receive ordered hall effect sensors and begin tinkering with magnetic field generation.

Sponsor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments

• • First meeting with the sponsor has been scheduled for tomorrow (January 19th)  and as such we have not had a chance to meet with our sponsor. Therefore there are no comments from our sponsor

Instructor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments

• • "Put off ordering all the components for the magnetic apparatus and order only the hall effect sensors": sensors have been ordered and are one their way.

  • "Focus on making your own electromagnets and test to see if you can generate a magnetic field to your specifications i.e. use the formulas in the book and see if you can make an magnetic field to match the number calculations": Sensors have been ordered and we have attempted to make electromagnets. The attempts were not successful.

Risks and Areas of Concern

• • Mounting the hall effect sensor to the magnet field generating device such that it can detect the strength of the magnetic field without inhibiting the functionality of the device. (RESOLVED) Putting the hall effect sensor in the middle of the magnetic field before the sample is introduced to the field will eliminate the issue of mounting the sensors to the magnetic field generating device apparatus.

Resources or Information Required but not Available

• • None, we found a book on magnetic fields and know sources for stepper motor controllers and microprocessors.

Schedule

• • Upcoming milestone is to receive the hall effect sensors and begin testing homemade electromagnets against the hall effect sensor.

  • Find the maximum magnetic field necessary to align dielectric particles for various materials and double the field strength.

Budget (list amount spent and amount remaining)

• • Total Budget is $3000

  • Spent $40 on iron filings

  • Spent $20 on hall effect sensors:

  • Remaining budget = $2940

Progress on Report and Webpage

• • Each member has already posted their component analyses on the website.

  • Website has been updated with any progress made by the team