PROJECTS

On this last but not least page you'll have a chance to see the group projects I have worked on so far. From coming up with an idea that would improve life of all Londoners to designing a plastic body for a mini-screwdriver, I have learned a lot about team work but much more about how to use Fusion and decide on dimensions, tolerances and the overall shape of the things that existed only in my head at that point.

The process which the team went through every time when making a prototype was first brainstorming, then concept selection and finally forming the final design in Fusion 360. Later on we were taught how to do a PDS -product design specification as well as how ergonomics are important if your project is something that many different people will use. 

ELECTRIC SCREWDRIVER

Above you can see firstly the final product, and below it how the idea of it was represented on paper, as well as a first draft on which I practised how to use features in the 'plastics' section in Fusion 360.  

Since my task was to make a screwdriver body, it required of me to learn how to use a 'plastics' section effectively. I learned how to make reinforcements inside the shelled body, such as ribs, webs, how to install bosses and snap fits. This part of CAD I found incredibly useful for the product designing. This body was made for a Mechatronics project which would accommodate a gearbox connected to a motor, a sensor, a switch and a battery pack. The body was required for it to be 3D printed therefore the choice of material was decided to be ABS plastic of 3mm thickness.

Below you have a chance to see this project from every angle, both with and without its inside components.

HOME-MADE WIND TURBINES

Second ever design project encountered was to come up with an idea for a challenge called 'Engineers without borders'. We were asked to come up with an idea of how a community in North Australia can reuse goods and lower the waste in the surrounding waters. 

What the team agreed on was a home made wind turbine idea. The concept was simple - people has too many white appliances piling up in their community and the idea was to reuse motors of those appliances as generators of wind energy, therefore implement them in little wind turbines, made from wood and metal. These turbines would not generate a lot of electricity but would definitely give a second chance to some reusable parts of those stoves and washing machines, therefore perhaps supply electricity to new ones.

PIPE CLIMBING ROBOT

IMechE's challenge of prototyping a pipe climbing robot was incredibly fun and useful process. Some initial ideas are sketched on the right, without a clear gear system however, which is exactly what I worked on. Since I did not know what type of gearing would be suitable for this type of mini robot I took on a task of researching options which resulted in having one worm and three spur gears on each side of the robot as depicted below. It was crucial for it to be able to have enough traction to indeed go up the pipe, therefore after careful consideration and concept selection, this design seemed like the best and most secure option to go with. The top two wheels are there only for support in order for the robot to stay stable while pulling the chain with it.

I/O ROOM

If you could come up with an idea of how to make life of Londoners easier, what would that be? This was exactly what we were asked in the first semester of first year. As one of the five teams that made it all the way to the finals, I am proud to represent a 3D model of I/O Room - smart fire evacuation system.

This device that would be implemented in the rooms of every high rise, massively populated building in London, would detect human presence in a room, by using infrared and ultrasound sensors. It would store this data which would inly become visible to the rescue service in the event of an actual emergency happening. They would be able to locate endangered people and therefore rescue them faster, while lowering risks of someone not being found. 

The biggest concern that our team had is if the device would be able to withstand the temperatures caused by the fire. Having done an FEA thermal analysis, which can be found on FEA page, it is safe to say that it would, but perhaps not the ones critically far from the average. After all, this aspect of prototyping would require for the device to be tested in a room surrounded by a fire hazard, in order to be certain it wouldn't be damaged. 

However, this project was never turned into a physical prototype, at least not yet.