Make Something Big > An Attempt to Create A Single Sidewall for The Final Project

 

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all the people who spent the time to help mein the last couple weeks:

David Costanza, Alan Cramer, Andrew "Ozz" Oswald, Peter Schmitt, Daniel Rosenberg, Carig Bony, Nancy Ouyang

Especially John DiFrancesco and Tom Lutz

 

Phase 01 > Initial Sketches

Two U shape beams made out of Plywood erected by two 1” diameter conduits

 

 

Phase 02 > Understanding The Mechanism of The Sidewall

With the help of Adam Cramer We created a model in Inventor order to understand what would be the degree of freedom of each pivot.

 

 

Phase 03 > Figuring Out Which Parts Are Needed For The Mechanism

With the help of David Costanza and Andrew "Ozz" Oswald I started to learn what kind of part I needed:

 


In order to get a smoother motion there is a need to use an Acme lead screw as opposed to a regular screw. The length of Acme screw is 3 ft.

Screws Page at MacMaster-Carr

 

Pillow Bearing holds the Acme lead screw.

Pillow Bearing Page at MacMaster-Carr

 

My first assumption was to connect the Acme screw to the motor with Shaft Couplings.

 

Shaft Coupling Page at MacMaster-Carr

 

 

Phase 04 > Choosing A Motor

With the help of Peter Schmitt I was able to define the properties of the motor that I need to erect the Sukkah. I need only two motor one on each side which will have the following properties:

 

 

 

Phase 05 >  3D Modeling in AutoCAD

 

 

 

 

Phase 06 >  Creating Layout from The 3D Model

 

 

 

 

Phase 07 >  Milling

In general the cutting went smoothly.

The only advice that I can give is when you cut big pieces you should wait that the machine will mark the first round of the piece and screw it in strategic points to the machine’s board in order to prevent the plywood from vibrating and by doing so the mill might break or cut the piece in the wrong place.

 

 

 

Phase 08 >  Plywood Brackets

Two sluts were milled on each panel in order to insert the brackets and allow a better adherent.

 

 

 

 

Phase 09 > Conduits

  1. The 10 feet conduits were cut by a horizontal bandsaw to 7’/3”.
  2. 2.3” of each side of the Conduits were squashed
  3. 3/8”” holes were drilled at the center of each conduit, and ¼” holes were drilled in the squashed areas of the conduits.
  4. The edges of the conduits were trimmed and sand to prevent from the conduits to get stuck in the steel brackets.
  5. A thread was used to pivot the center of two conduits together.
  6.  Positioning the conduits in the plywood brackets.

 

 

Phase 10 >  Pillow Bearing

1. The location of the pillow bearings were mark in advance in the milling phase.
2. Two ¼”holes were drilled in the edge of each mark.
3. The pillow bearings were screwed to the plywood.
4. The ½” acme lead screw was pushed through the pillow bearings.

 

 

Phase 11 > Steel Brackets

1.The pieces were cut with a water jet.
2. Marking the location of the brackets and the acme nut on the steel plates.
3. The acme nut welded to the steel plate.
4. Affixing the position of the steel bracket using nuts.
5. Cooling the steel brackets after the welding.
6. The result
7. Adding steel stand to balance the steel brackets and preventing them to flip.

 

 

Phase 12 > Assembly

1. Gluing the first stringer.
2. Detail
3. Placing the conduits.
4. Putting the beams on each other.
5. Gluing the second stringer.
6. Plywood brackets
7. Steel brackets
8. Result

 

 

 

Problems

 

 

Source Files

Inventor File

AutoCAD 3D Model

CNC Milling Layout