Week 05# - Journal

My project draws inspiration from the Zoetrope, often referred to as the "wheel of life." This 19th-century analog animation device, which predates the advent of cinema, uses a series of sequential images or sculptures viewed through narrow slits to create the illusion of movement. By spinning the Zoetrope, the viewer experiences a continuous, looping animation, demonstrating the early principles of persistence of vision. 

I tested the motor with the potentiometer to check if I could control its speed, and it worked successfully. This confirmed that the potentiometer could effectively regulate the motor's power, allowing me to adjust its speed as needed for my circuit.

Next, I created a cardboard circle to match the dimensions of the CD I had. I then glued a toothpick to the center of the cardboard and attached it to the DC motor. I tested the setup to see if the motor could support the weight of the cardboard and spin it smoothly. It worked perfectly, spinning without any issues.

After that, I added a slider switch in series with all the components to control the entire circuit. This switch allowed me to easily turn the entire setup on or off, providing a simple way to manage power to all the connected components.

I decided to test the lamp on its own to ensure it was working properly. Once I confirmed it was functioning, I added an on/off switch to the circuit to control the lamp independently. This allowed me to turn the lamp on and off without affecting the other components in the circuit.

Finally, I assembled everything together, placing each component in its designated spot. The setup worked as envisioned: the main slider switch controlled the entire circuit, ensuring nothing operated unless it was switched on. Once powered, I could control the lamp independently using its dedicated on/off switch. Additionally, I could adjust the motor's speed with the potentiometer without affecting the lamp, achieving full functionality as planned.

enclusure assemply

I cut the cardboard into a circular shape to match the size of the CD. Then, I used a glue gun to securely attach a toothpick to the center of the cardboard, ensuring it was fixed firmly in place for stability during rotation.

I attempted to position the motor, but it was too low, so I decided to build a base using cardboard bricks. This elevated the motor slightly, ensuring it was at the proper height. The adjustment also created enough clearance for the spinning side of the motor to rotate freely without causing any issues or interference.

I decided to plan out where to position the buttons and carefully cut the cardboard with a cutter to create the necessary slots. Then, I unplugged the potentiometer and connected it using female-to-male jumper wires for easier handling. I secured the potentiometer in place with Scotch tape to ensure it wouldn’t move or become dislodged. Afterward, I organized all the components, placing them in their designated spots, and ensuring everything was properly aligned and stable.

I started connecting the wires to their respective places. I attached the crocodile wires from the lamp to its switch. Then, I replaced the potentiometer connections with female-to-male jumper wires for better stability. I also connected two additional female jumper wires to the slider switch. After ensuring all the jumper pins were securely connected to their proper locations, I finalized the layout. This was the final look of the setup before closing the enclosure and taping everything together to secure it.

drawing procces

the final look

I had the issue of the spinning speed being too high even with the potentiometer, so I received advice from Saed, who mentioned that using a potentiometer to lower the motor's speed isn’t the best solution. He explained that the potentiometer could overheat, potentially burning the wires and even causing smoke. and told me to use a 5-volt adaptor; it could work.

At first, I faced several challenges while working on the project. The first issue was that the motor's speed was too high, likely because I used a 9V adapter. I plan to test it again with a 5V adapter to achieve a slower speed.

The second issue was advice I received from Saed, who mentioned that using a potentiometer to lower the motor's speed isn’t the best solution. He explained that the potentiometer could overheat, potentially burning the wires and even causing smoke. This made me reconsider the setup, and I plan to explore alternative methods.

Another issue I encountered was that I didn’t assemble the CD circle correctly, as it wasn’t aligned vertically with the motor. This misalignment caused instability and prevented smooth spinning. I’ll need to adjust the setup to ensure the CD is perfectly centered and balanced on the motor for better performance and a smoother spin.

Third, I wanted to place the lamp in the middle of the setup, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it without interfering with the motor’s spinning. I need to brainstorm a solution that keeps the lamp securely positioned while ensuring it doesn’t get affected by the movement of the motor or the rotating parts.

While assembling everything in the cardboard enclosure, I noticed that when I turned on the switch, the circuit didn’t work. The troubleshooting process began by visually tracing the circuit to check for any obvious issues. After that, I used an AVO meter to measure the voltage at different points in the circuit. The meter showed that the lamp was working, but the motor had zero volts. I then opened the cardboard enclosure and inspected the connections, discovering that one of the wires had come loose. Once I reconnected the wire and secured it with Scotch tape, the circuit worked properly again. 

This week, I learned how to design and assemble circuits, troubleshoot issues like speed control, and ensure proper alignment of components. I can apply these skills to my final project by creating more efficient circuit designs, using proper components like motor drivers for speed control, and aligning moving parts accurately to ensure smooth operation. Additionally, my problem-solving experience will help me anticipate and address potential challenges in the final project.

On Wednesday, we were divided into teams, and it was me and Hassan working together. Our task was to understand how the RGB LED works, with the goal of making it emit purple light. It was a fun experience, and we ended up completing the simulation on Tinkercad. After the lecture, I decided to take it a step further and figured out how to make it work on a real breadboard. I added two potentiometers to control the light intensity, allowing the LED to shift between bluish-purple and reddish-purple hues.

Next, we had another task to illuminate a 7-segment display, which turned out to be a bit tricky. It didn’t work for us at first, but after the lecture, I decided to figure it out on my own. I started by simulating the circuit in Tinkercad and then tested it on a real breadboard to see if I could make it work.

following lecture tutorials

In our Saturday lecture, we learned how to use H-bridge connected circuits to control a single motor for one wheel of an RC car. Meanwhile, yassmine my team partner worked on the other motor, so we could control both wheels and prepare our RC car for a sumo fight.