January 2012 Blog Posts (11)

Today focussed mostly on the fabrication of the drive base module. I was able to complete the entire base, including the mounting of the motors, however my team decided that a full length chassis bar would be more structurally sound than the current half length, and since this is easy to change and mount to the existing base, we decided to do this. The picture below shows the base sans one motor and the cross support for the arm I started during the last hour - I have to remember to take…

And so the weekend of typing, calculating, planning, shopping, and unfortunately not sleeping comes to a close. The infamous report covers have been found, the proposals printed, and are now no longer our problem.

Though it was possible for me to complete my sections of the proposal in 3 long spurts (Friday from 10-2:30 am, Saturday from 11 - 1pm, 5pm-12:30am, and Sunday 11am-8pm) I would not want to do that again. A good target week to start the final report is probably week…

It's probably too late, but here is a VERY handy web-applet for drawing flow charts:

http://www.lucidchart.com/

It's actually the first result Google finds if you search for "flow chart maker," so anyone who looked for one has likely already found this. But here it is anyways.

This is where I will be for most likely the next 6 hours. Got my hot chocolate, laptop for media entertainment and information, and the writing instruments. Its figure drawing time, then hitting the electromech specifications last.

At least the conceptualization section is finished!…

Cassie's post reminded me of a nifty application that can be used for AHP analysis, which the appendix to the Wikipedia article on AHP links to.

http://www.superdecisions.com/

It's free; all you have to do is set up an account and request a serial key. Once you download it (the Windows-compatible version works on W7 too), it may be awkward to learn how use it. Here's what we need to know:

1) To create…

Ok, if anyone else is planning on making an AHP for conceptualization in the proposal, here's a fool proof method:

1) Follow this wikipedia example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Analytic_Hierarchy_Process/Example_Leader

2) In the mysterious parts where they get decimal numbers (and are actually solving for eigenvectors of 4x4 matrices...) use THIS handy…

Hey 1T4's and all others,

I was having some trouble doing the survey, particularly the "industry" survey, as I drew a blank to how to access patents. I often came across ones where I had to pay, or had poor search methods, etc.

I went to the Engineering Library over the weekend, and they directed me to:…

Hey everyone,

After going through the list of suppliers for the project, it seems that we've found the same thing- a lot of them have closed up shop.  So I'm going to try my best to keep this list up to date with URLs, names, addresses and phone numbers.  If you want anything added, just comment!

Ability Metals & Machine - www.abilitymetals.com

963 Brock Road, Pickering, ON, L1W…

This morning, Jenny, Cassie, Kristine and myself missioned down to Solway to go check out the kind of scrap metal we would be able to work with (in time for our practical sessions on monday and tuesday). 

Though I was expecting the building to look like it did (it is a scrap metal place) it was not Home Depot like (by any means :P) and so the…

Post 1 – January 10^th, 2012

It’s official! Our team has been chosen. Mason, Tom and myself will be working on the problem assigned to the Tuesday Lab Section, the Sticker Inspector Machine. If you are in the Tuesday section also, feel free to leave a comment. It…

blog post 1 – January 10^th, 2012

Team Selection, Problem Acquisition and First Brainstorm

It’s official! Our team has been chosen. Mason, Tom and myself will be working on the problem assigned to the Tuesday Lab Section, the Sticker Inspector Machine.…