Week 5 - Journal

Ideation

Tell us about your assignment's idea for this week. Why do you care about this idea? What inspired you? (Please include images or links to sources of inspiration)

For this week, I decided to work on a mini free roller conveyor that runs with a DC motor and uses two LEDs (red and green) to show its status. I chose this idea because conveyors always fascinated me, they play a big role in ports and industries to move goods efficiently.

During my internship at the Port, I had the chance to see real conveyors in action, and that inspired me to create a small version of my own. This project feels meaningful to me because it connects my personal experience with what I’m learning now.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Tool Chain

Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?

For designing the Circuit:

tinkercad.com

Tinkercad is an online platform that makes it easy to simulate electronic circuits. I used it to test and visualize my wiring before building the real circuit.

For Online Simulation :

Breadboard

Power supply

Resistor (220 ohm)

LED (Red-Green)

DC Motor

Pushbutton

For Practical Implementation :

Breadboard

Adpter 5v

Jumper wires

Pushbutton

Crocodile wire connector

Cutter

Cardboard

Toothpicks

Cotton fabric

Design/Preparation Process

Explain the design and/or preparation process of your assignment. How did you use the tool or software to design and/or prepare your assignment before fabrication/implementation?

Electrinic circuit in Tinkercad :

video capture.mp4

The Tinkercad file :

Week 5 Assignement

Steps to build the circuit on Tinkercad:

Circuit power supply :
- The circuit is powered by a 5V DC source connected to the breadboard (+ and – terminal).
Motor control :
- The motor power supply is controlled by a pushbutton, when pressed, the motor receives current and starts running.
Light indicators (LEDs) :
- A green LED is placed in bypass with the motor: it only lights up when the motor is running.
- A red LED is installed to indicate that the circuit is powered. It automatically turns off as soon as the engine starts.
- Each LED is protected by a 220 ohm resistor to limit the current intensity.
Overall operation of the circuit :
- When the circuit is powered but the motor is stopped, only the red LED is lit.
- As soon as the pushbutton is pressed, the motor starts and the green LED lights up, while the red LED goes out.
Output Components :
- Green Led, I used a green Led to indicate that the motor is running. When the current flows through the circuit, the Led turns on because it is connected in parallel with the motor.
- Red Led,I used a red LED to indicate that the motor is off. It should turn off when the motor starts running and the green Led turns on.
- DC Motor, I used to drive the conveyor system. When the motor is turned on, the green LED lights up and the conveyor starts moving. When the motor is turned off, the red LED lights up and the conveyor stops.

Development/Implementation Process

Explain the development/implementation process of your assignment. How did you use the machine/tool to manufacture or implement the design of your assignment?

THE CONSTRUCTION STEPS :

First, we connected the different components on the breadboard, following the same setup as in the Tinkercad.com simulation.

Next, I started making holes in the cardboard to place the components, such as the ON/OFF switch and the two LEDs (red and green).

Then, I organized the different components, such as the breadboard, the wires, and the DC motor, so that they could fit properly inside the cardboard box.

Finally, I tested the components one by one using a multimeter to check whether the voltage was correct.

The final Result :

Final Look.mp4

Community of Learning

Did you ask for feedback? What are the ideas that others have contributed or suggested? What was someone else’s idea that you built upon? How did you help your peers? How did your peers help you?

During the construction of this project, my friends helped me find the best places to position the LEDs and the pushbutton so that they would be clearly visible.

I helped Omar with the simulation of his project.

Overcoming Challenges

When you got stuck, what/who did you turn to? At what point did you have to pause to research or learn more before moving on? What are some mistakes, pitfalls, or challenges that others can avoid if they were doing this assignment?

The biggest challenge I faced during this project was connecting the DC motor to the moving belt of the conveyor, since the belt was made of cotton fabric and it was very difficult for the motor to drive it directly.

At that point, I had to pause and think of a better solution. I came up with the idea of using a plastic bottle cap as a connector between the motor and the belt.

This simple adjustment solved the problem and allowed the conveyor to work properly. A mistake others could avoid is underestimating the importance of the mechanical connection between the motor and the moving part it is just as important as the electrical circuit.

Final Project

How can you use the skills and knowledge that you've acquired this week in your final project?

This conveyor project allowed me to gain more experience in controlling a DC motor, which I also plan to use in my final project (the rotating globe).

I realized that I could use LEDs to indicate whether the motor is running or stopped, and a pushbutton to control the motor’s power supply.

Finally, through testing during the model’s construction, I discovered that the motor speed can be adjusted with a potentiometer. This is a very useful insight since I want to control the rotation speed of my globe in the final project.

WOW!

What is the coolest thing that you've learned this week? What is something that you will never forget from this week?

The coolest thing I learned this week was during the Sumo Car Makethon, a competition where we designed, laser-cut, and assembled mini cars using electronic components. We worked in pairs, and the first round was held within each class.

The winners from each class then competed against each other. Since there are only two classes in the Maker Diploma program in Cairo, my teammate and I won the competition in our class, but we lost against the winner of the other class. Still, we ended up in second place overall, and it was an unforgettable experience.

Assignment Design Files

The 3D Tinkercad file :