Embedded Files
Objectives
Objectives
The Clock Project—although it is really just a pendulum—is a great first step in teaching the Design and Control of Kinetic Sculptures. Through the Clock Project, essential skills for engineering are acquired, such as experience using machines and tools to build a physical creation, learning the working of a Computer-Assisted Design (CAD) program to visualize a part before it is created in the real world, an understanding of basic oscillation and some physics fundamentals, and operating a Computer Simulation to ensure the effectiveness of the pendulum. All this and more is included in this webpage that explores the creation and analysis of this simple clock.
The Creation aspect of this project taught valuable machining skills. A variety construction techniques were employed in designing this clock, including both the use of a CAD and actual assembly machines. This part was helpful in understanding Mechanical Engineering. Meanwhile, the Analysis aspect of this project explored the more mathematical side to engineering and physics. The oscillation time of the Pendulum was calculated in two ways—using Point-Mass Analysis to relate the distance from pivot point to the center of mass to the frequency of the pendulum; and using Inertial, or Rigid-Body, analysis to calculate the Inertia of the Pendulum and determining its frequency from there. As a part of this analysis, a Computer Simulation was also used as a third check on the Pendulum swing time. This whole process successfully educated about some primitive physics concepts and the math used in engineering.
Challenges
Challenges
During the construction and modeling of the pendulum, many challenges were experienced and overcome. Some of them will be detailed below.
In order to print the pendulum, the design must first be correctly formatted in a program called AutoCAD, which was very difficult. Unlike the intuitive Fusion 360 that was used to sculpt the shape, the AutoCAD stage required much effort to put the lines on the correct layer so that they wouldn't be cut too deep or too shallow. AutoCAD caused quite a bit of frustration, but it was, as all challenges are, overcome. It was a learning experience.
The design of the pendulum is a Formula 1 car, which is awesome. However, the pallets of the pendulum—the part that interacts with the escapement wheel—kept breaking off and they needed to be glued back to the body of the car, which was unfortunate. Glue ended up being necessary to secure them during the creation of the pendulum, which impacted the balance and weight of the pendulum in ways not captured by the performed mathematics and simulation during analysis.
Another analytical challenged that was faced during the clock project was Working Model 2D. The software is highly basic and therefore it was a struggle to coerce it to perform complex tasks. Initially, when an attempt was made to simulate the pendulum, both the pendulum itself and the escapement wheel were included in the canvas and interacted with one another. Unfortunately, the pendulum would often glitch out as the wheel rotated it, and the software occasionally crashed. Alas, the final, working model did not include the escapement wheel.
Outcomes
Outcomes
The pendulum turned out awesome. This project taught how to use CAD software, do some mechanical engineering, operate under time constraints and improvization when things didn't turn out the way they were intended to.
Working Model 2D Simulation
Working Model 2D Simulation
Real-world Pendulum Ticking
Real-world Pendulum Ticking
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