Pelletizer Log
Contents
March 21, 2014
March 19, 2014
- Over spring break, a team member will work on assembling pieces together on Solidworks
- We have the rotor mount but it's not assembled yet
- Need to find/create the rotor
- After the rotor mount is assembled, we need to figure out how to connect it to the pelletizer
- Last step is assembling everything else
- Hoping that we'll have it assembled by the end of April at the latest
- Due to midterms, not a lot got done (sadly)
- After Assembly:
- Biggest questions we have so far:
- Is there a heat source for the die?
- The machine gets really hot. Where is this heat coming from?
- Is the friction going to slow things down?
- Should we worry about the thermal coefficient of expansion?
- Especially with our material selection
- Lubrication?
February 26, 2014
- Spoke about design
- Currently, have working Solidworks files of the following:
- roller, the hopper, die, and base
- Next steps:
- Connecting the pelletizer on the rotor
- After designing, we'll working on virtual assembly
- Will talk this week with Professor Leipold for advice on design and materials
February 19, 2014
- Time Table for the next few weeks
- All Basic CAD parts excluding rotor and mount
- Start designing rotor and mount
- Start assemblies and tweak designs
- Assembly Completion
- We currently have a drawing for the die, the hopper and the roller
- Next is the base
- Will be a little difficult, weird geometry
- Rotor is done in Sketch Up, needs to be formed in CAD
- By the end of next week, we should have basic CAD parts
- In 2 weeks, basic assembly?
February 12, 2014
- Questions for Marcin
- Rotating Mechanism: is it the die? The bell? Everything? What is moving?
~Critical Dimensions for die etc.
- Meeting with Marcin
- Rotating Mechanism
-The only thing being driven is the die
Dimensions
-All he has is what is on the pictures right now
-All the development ones are pretty much shown
Clarity
-Design a mount for the rotor
-Rotating the die
-Hopper for pelletizer
-Attach the rotor to some sort of stand
*Same type of set up seen in the trench digger
We found a faculty advisor!
- Professor Leipold
- Joe will meet with her on Thursdays for updates
- As we get more serious, she’ll be meeting with us for more guidance
- Evolve Log
- Opensourceecology.org Wiki
- Track ALL progress
What's Next?
-We can start developing Solidworks drawings
*We have the drawings but we’ll have to remake the files on Solidworks
-We’ll hopefully be able to move ahead with a rough sketch of what we’re looking to do
-Joseph will meet with Leipold tomorrow and talk about our progress
-Rotor- CNC cut plates with notches so everything fit together nicely
-See wiki for details
-Update page tonight, get a quick sketch up, material selection
*Meeting without Marcin
First Steps:
Goal: Dimension entire contraption based off of roller [1]
- Find a roller that is compatible
- Roller:
- Total, roller is just under 10"
-The team will meet in the lab at 3:15 PM tomorrow, Thursday, and start to design CAD models
