a balloon
poppin' machine :
poppin' machine :
popping cloud balloons ! :
This week is machine building!
Nof and I signed up to design and fabricate the machine housing - after we decided out machine would operate on one axis and use a claw to pop balloons...?
This week is machine building!
Nof and I signed up to design and fabricate the machine housing - after we decided out machine would operate on one axis and use a claw to pop balloons...?
ant farm-like design :
At our group meeting on Thursday morning, we decided we would only use one axis. This decision came.. after we decided we were going to make a claw machine. Only using one axis, the box from which we would claw from would have to be quite thin.
As a result, we thought it would be cool to make something similar to ant farm : a thin box with a very minimal frame that would hide the moving carriage and the wiring.
At our group meeting on Thursday morning, we decided we would only use one axis. This decision came.. after we decided we were going to make a claw machine. Only using one axis, the box from which we would claw from would have to be quite thin.
As a result, we thought it would be cool to make something similar to ant farm : a thin box with a very minimal frame that would hide the moving carriage and the wiring.
jake's design :
On Friday morning, Nof and I met to design the machine housing. The axis team sent us a screen shot of what they were working with and after speaking w Molly, we agreed it would be good to ask the axis team to flip the carriage so that it would be facing down vs to the side. This would allow us to have a thinner box.
On Friday morning, Nof and I met to design the machine housing. The axis team sent us a screen shot of what they were working with and after speaking w Molly, we agreed it would be good to ask the axis team to flip the carriage so that it would be facing down vs to the side. This would allow us to have a thinner box.
machine housing diagram :
We made a very simple box but we couldn't keep working without knowing the dimensions of the axis. Elina and I met later Friday to discuss and we agreed to add length to the axis and this length would allow space for the axis to sit on the housing safely.
We made a very simple box but we couldn't keep working without knowing the dimensions of the axis. Elina and I met later Friday to discuss and we agreed to add length to the axis and this length would allow space for the axis to sit on the housing safely.
integrated machine / electronics / claw :
After speaking w electronics, axis, and claw team, I had enough information to design the housing. Nof and I will be meeting on Sunday to cnc mill this out of plywood.
After speaking w electronics, axis, and claw team, I had enough information to design the housing. Nof and I will be meeting on Sunday to cnc mill this out of plywood.
balloon making process :
By the waaaaaaaay -
Nof and I felt the box would be pretty straightforward and we wondered if there might be any way to design out own balloons. We looked at a couple of videos on balloon manufacturing and discovered, we could maybeeeee do so.
By the waaaaaaaay -
Nof and I felt the box would be pretty straightforward and we wondered if there might be any way to design out own balloons. We looked at a couple of videos on balloon manufacturing and discovered, we could maybeeeee do so.
thingiverse cloud inspo :
cloud molds :
So, we designed a cloud-like balloon mold to 3d print and we purchased eco-flex on amazon prime after we saw a student who had made an inflatable project on the HTM website.
We will try to dip these in the eco flex and hopefully bblow up some funky looking balloons.
If this fails miserable, which I'm almost sure it will, we will go ahead and purchase regular balloons! No harm no foul!
So, we designed a cloud-like balloon mold to 3d print and we purchased eco-flex on amazon prime after we saw a student who had made an inflatable project on the HTM website.
We will try to dip these in the eco flex and hopefully bblow up some funky looking balloons.
If this fails miserable, which I'm almost sure it will, we will go ahead and purchase regular balloons! No harm no foul!
one of two mill files :
two of two mill files :
On Saturday, I spent about two hours prepping mill files. The machine housing ended up being pretty substantial, so while I had some leftover plywood from my prototype, I didn't have enough for all of it. Chris told me he had a 5'x5' piece of stock, so I decided to take that. A 4x4 piece of stock if $55 so I assumed it wouldn't be much more than that and with our group being 16 people, each person would pay probably no more than $5.
On Saturday, I spent about two hours prepping mill files. The machine housing ended up being pretty substantial, so while I had some leftover plywood from my prototype, I didn't have enough for all of it. Chris told me he had a 5'x5' piece of stock, so I decided to take that. A 4x4 piece of stock if $55 so I assumed it wouldn't be much more than that and with our group being 16 people, each person would pay probably no more than $5.
simple d.judd box :
I decided to make this box like I made my box for "make something big" in WEEK 06.
I decided to make this box like I made my box for "make something big" in WEEK 06.
mitered edge :
The edges are mitered, and the main face of the machine has a lip that makes assembly easier. If needed, we can reinforce the box w nail, but my OSB box is holding up pretty good as a result of glue and clamps!
The edges are mitered, and the main face of the machine has a lip that makes assembly easier. If needed, we can reinforce the box w nail, but my OSB box is holding up pretty good as a result of glue and clamps!
set apart stock :
On Saturday night, I set apart some material for Nof to mill on Sunday.
Nof milled the two files on Sunday no problem and sanded the onion skins off. We decided to meet Monday morning at 9am to put everything together.
On Saturday night, I set apart some material for Nof to mill on Sunday.
Nof milled the two files on Sunday no problem and sanded the onion skins off. We decided to meet Monday morning at 9am to put everything together.
cloud balloon molds printed :
not going to work :
While I adjusted some plywood parts, Nof tried to dip cast (?) our cloud balloons. As expected - it did NOT work.
While I adjusted some plywood parts, Nof tried to dip cast (?) our cloud balloons. As expected - it did NOT work.
no glue! :
I assembled everything without glue and it all fit!
I assembled everything without glue and it all fit!
grooves grooves grooves :
The reason everything fit together snugly is because I made grooves for everything to fit into each other.
There is a 1. groove for the plexi to sit in (probably will be glued with epoxy, 2. grooves for the vertical supports to sit into the botton plate, and 3. grooves for the vertical supports to slide into the walls.
The reason everything fit together snugly is because I made grooves for everything to fit into each other.
There is a 1. groove for the plexi to sit in (probably will be glued with epoxy, 2. grooves for the vertical supports to sit into the botton plate, and 3. grooves for the vertical supports to slide into the walls.
waiting to be assembled :
We decided it would probably be best to not glue things until we made sure the axis fit into the supports in the box. So Chris and I moved the pieces to RPL. We were going to have a meeting at 11:30, so we would probably get to test it then.
We decided it would probably be best to not glue things until we made sure the axis fit into the supports in the box. So Chris and I moved the pieces to RPL. We were going to have a meeting at 11:30, so we would probably get to test it then.
it fits!!! :
axis + claw carriage inside box :
At 11:30 we met in the SMArchS office and headed upstairs to RPL after touching base. I quickly assembled the box by sliding pieces into their grooves and the axis team placed their piece into the box. IT ALL FIT! I was almost sure it would, but you never know if tolerances will be TOO tight. So I was glad everything was starting to fall into place!
Now that we made sure that everything was fitting, we agreed the box should be assembled asap - at least partially - so that testing could begin. So I headed to purchase some clear acrylic so the balloons could be contained inside the box - which, at the moment had two gaping holes.
At 11:30 we met in the SMArchS office and headed upstairs to RPL after touching base. I quickly assembled the box by sliding pieces into their grooves and the axis team placed their piece into the box. IT ALL FIT! I was almost sure it would, but you never know if tolerances will be TOO tight. So I was glad everything was starting to fall into place!
Now that we made sure that everything was fitting, we agreed the box should be assembled asap - at least partially - so that testing could begin. So I headed to purchase some clear acrylic so the balloons could be contained inside the box - which, at the moment had two gaping holes.
clamping one face :
clamping both faces together :
I attached the acrylic with epoxy and glued / clamped up the plywood, which again, was pretty easy to assemble due to grooving.
I attached the acrylic with epoxy and glued / clamped up the plywood, which again, was pretty easy to assemble due to grooving.
claw and balloons added! :
Tuesday night we received this lovely video of the claw in balloon popping action! We did it!!!!
Also - check out the console that controls the claw... so cool.
I think the design team accomplished the architecture's team goal of making a nice looking machine. I think we did a good job of making a clean design that hides the axis / wires. In the end we c ouldn't quite hide everything, but I think this looks clean and crisp! At least for making within one week O.O ! Group work was definitely a challenge, but I think we managed.
I love the idea of a balloon popping machine. It's purposefully silly, and the ant farm aesthetic paired with the console and balloons - though they are not cloud shaped - makes for a kind of game. We all felt nostalgic for the childhood claw game that never quite did what we wanted it to and we felt if our claw ended up not working so well, it wouldn't be so far off from its predecessor! Ha!
Files :
Dropbox
Tuesday night we received this lovely video of the claw in balloon popping action! We did it!!!!
Also - check out the console that controls the claw... so cool.
I think the design team accomplished the architecture's team goal of making a nice looking machine. I think we did a good job of making a clean design that hides the axis / wires. In the end we c ouldn't quite hide everything, but I think this looks clean and crisp! At least for making within one week O.O ! Group work was definitely a challenge, but I think we managed.
I love the idea of a balloon popping machine. It's purposefully silly, and the ant farm aesthetic paired with the console and balloons - though they are not cloud shaped - makes for a kind of game. We all felt nostalgic for the childhood claw game that never quite did what we wanted it to and we felt if our claw ended up not working so well, it wouldn't be so far off from its predecessor! Ha!
Files :
Dropbox