Week 13

OPERATING PRINCIPLES & MECHANISM DEISGNS 🚄

Moving on from week 12 on 3D-Printing, we then go forward to the Operating Principles and Mechanism Designs.

So what will today's lesson be about? 

1. Operating Principles

All device, apparatus and equipment are designed based on working principles that are either mechanical, electrical, chemical or magnetism.

For example, 

What is the separation principle behind distillation?

- Differences in relative volatilities.

It is to help us with the thinking skills on what are the principles that our chemical product is based on. 

This was what we came up with:

What are the operating principles behind our chemical device?

1. Mixing 

2. Capillary action

• To allow water from the reservoir to enter the bowl in the fermenter

2. Mechanisms Principles

Mechanism enables & enhances principle:

• In order for the identified operating principle to work efficiently, mechanical movements are often required.
• Example, moving the teabag up and down for faster leaching rate; Agitated Solvent Extraction Column

What is Mechanism?

• In Engineering, it refers to the combination of rigid or resistant bodies, formed and connected so that they move with definite relative motions with respect to one another.
• Something that transforms forces and movement into a desired set of output forces and movement.

There are 6 essential mechanism in functional prototypes:

1. Actuators
2. Cams
3. Gears 
4. Lever
5. Ratchets
6. Springs

Actuators: 

• Converts stored energy into motion

Rotary:                       Linear:

Cams:

• Converts the rotation of a shaft into simple or complex reciprocating linear motion.

Gears:

• Transmit torque and to adjust rotational velocity.

Lever:

• Transmit and amplify force by fixing the input and output about a fulcrum or pivot point.

Ratchets:

• Lock in one direction, allowing them to tighten without fear of literally "going backwards"

Springs:

• Stores and dissipate energy

ACTIVITY TIME!

We are required to come up with our own ping pong ball gun! Brainstorming again! 

This was our final product!