Week 6

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

• • Tests

    • Ran tests to see the heat gradient for:

      • Single silicone rubber heater

      • Two silicone rubber heaters

      • Carbon fiber heater

  • Fabrication

    • Built structure for full-scale prototype

      • Used acrylic

Accomplishments from Previous Week

• • Finished first draft of report

  • Nearly completed first prototype

    • Made of acrylic

  • Ran 11 tests for the heaters

    • Have better idea of how heaters work

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

• • Research strain gauges (Johnson, Daniel, Allen)

  • Purchase strain gauges (Johnson, Daniel, Allen)

  • Modify CAD of prototype #1 such that the motion takes place in the center (Stephanie)

Sponsor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments (2/10/12)

• • Leather mold might be easier to clean

    • Going to use leather as a texture from this moment forward

  • In favor of any of the inbetween material as a reservoir: glass tile, rice, sand

    • Planning on using rice in the mean time

  • Do a thermal mapping with thermistor, then maybe use thermography as a final

    • Did some mapping with our tests

  • What do we do about the open spaces in the structure?

    • Coming with different solutions

      • Maybe cloth

      • Raise the walls

  • See if we can come up with a single mechanism for the middle of the structure

    • Going to CAD another design

Instructor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments (2/8/12)

• • Would not want something automatic if I put my baby on the structure

    • Looking into incorporating a crank

  • Can use metal or plastic lead screws

  • Do not look into making lead screws

    • Purchased lead screws

  • Do another mock up

    • Created full-scale mock up

    • Made of plexiglass

  • Talk to sponsor about priorities

    • Ask sponsor, and we laid out the baseline of what he wants out of the project:

      • Mattress with material that feels like skin, and controllable temperature

      • Mechanical response

      • (concave and convex not as important)

Risks and Areas of Concern

• • How do we provide uniform heating?

    • Do we give up on carbon fiber heating?

  • What can we do about the open gaps in our prototype

    • Use fabric?

  • How do we cure a silicone mattress without contamination?

Resources or Information Required but not Available

• • Best way to connect two lead screws

Schedule

• • Describe upcoming milestone

    • Research completed on sensors for mechanical response, and parts ordered for testing

  • Update Gantt chart.

Budget (list amount spent and amount remaining)

• • Carbon fiber heater: $49.91

  • Remaining budget = $975.44 - 49.91 = $925.53

Progress on Report and Webpage

• • Report

    • Finished first draft

  • Website

    • Uploaded first draft

    • Updated home page