Embedded Files
University of California, San Diego
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
MAE 156: Senior Design Project (Wnt/Spr 2024)
Our Mission
Stressing out
Stressing out
Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) in a silicone base yields an elastomer with mechanoluminescent properties. This means that when it experiences stress, the material emits light!
Our Goals
Our Goals
Working with Dr. Shengqiang Cai, the goal of our 156 senior project is to design and prototype some use-case application for this material to showcase and prove the material's viability in some market. After some initial research and hands-on testing, we defined the following vectors for determining the "successfulness" of our project.
Durability - The material is very brittle, which is problematic since whatever applications it will be used in will require cyclic loading. Thus, we want our final product to withstand at least 1000 cycles of loading
Marketability - We plan to do a market analysis on our product on how our designs can compete with currently existing competitors in the market. The more feasible and in-depth this is, the more successful our product.
Our Solution(s):
One High Risk, and One Low Risk
Compressible, Luminescent Bike Tire
Our high risk solution.
Our product is a chain of 3D-Printed Modules. Each Module is composed of 3 components in total, One “Mechanism” component (right) and two “Spacer” components (left). One full tire consists of 6 Modules in total. Each component is joined via solvent welding.
How Does it work?
The mechanism component deflects when in contact with the floor, deforming the ZnS-PDMS strip.
Spacer || Mechanism
Weight-Suspension Bike Charm
Our low risk solution.
The bike charm design involves a mass suspended at the center of a structural ring via the mechanoluminescent material. The ring will be attached to the spokes of the tire, so that when it turns, the mass stretches and compresses the material.
For market viability:
Mass in the middle can have an aesthetic charm attached
Multiple devices can be fitted onto spokes
Less prohibitive - can be attached to most bikes so long as spokes are involved.
Top View || Assembled || Attached
Top view of final charm design.
Final charm design assembled and rendered
Final design adhered to bike spokes
Page updated
Report abuse