Results & Future Work

• Taller Clock: A taller clock would allow for longer weights, increasing the winding time and reducing how often the clock needs to be reset.

• Improved Pawl Spring Attachment: Enhancing the attachment mechanism for the pawl spring would improve reliability and ease of assembly.

• Increased Winding Barrel Radius: Increasing the barrel radius to 3in would increase torque on the winding shaft and still allow for the 2hr winding period.

• Alignment Mechanisms: Adding alignment mechanisms for the gear train, escapement, and pendulum systems would ensure smoother operation and reduce error.

• Gear Reduction: Implementing a gear reduction between the winding shaft and driving shaft would make the winding process easier and more efficient.

• Aesthetic Design: Refining the clock's exterior design would enhance its overall appearance to better match its music theme.

• Wood Connections: Improving the wood connection methods would provide greater structural stability and durability.

Over this half-semester project, we have all grown a lot. These are our main takeaways as a team:

1. Remember fasteners and think through the assembly when designing subsystems

2. Only do the analysis needed to make design decisions

3. Life happens. If it can't get done today, just make it happen tomorrow. Have grace with each other.

4. Take time to understand what is happening

Our mechanical grandfather clock project allowed us to explore engineering design principles, problem-solving, and creative innovation. By combining traditional clock mechanisms with our music-themed twist, we designed a functional and visually interesting clock. Throughout the process, we made informed design decisions and iterated on our ideas to meet our initial functional requirements. Looking forward, there are opportunities for further improvement and testing to enhance our clock's performance. Overall, this project was a rewarding experience, and we all learned a lot along the way.