Natalie's D&T Edu Blog

The final days on the e-textiles project, I completed the prototype by adding press studs (I tried with the conduct Velcro however it was very difficult to sew) and sewing on a back panel of felt to ensure the wires (thread) did not cross and therefore short circuit.  I also created the Instructables about the layout of the stitching.  we presented our project as a group on the final day and passed the course! (E.D.3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, E.K.3.4, 3.5, 3.6, C.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 & 12)

I began to create my Ikea stool on Solidworks, with the intention of creating the stool to the measurements taken previously. Ergonomics ie human factors, designing to fit the user, what is well or poorly designed and anthropometrics the measurements of the human were looked at. (C.2, 3, 6, 7, 9 & 12)

Today we started making a light box from steamed beach plywood.  I used an existing light box and sliding bevel tool to get the correct angle for the side pieces of wood before sawing the wood using a tenon saw.  With the aid of a jig I drilled (pillar drill) the holes at the bottom of the wooden side pieces and the sides of the bottom piece, this is where the dowel will go to connect them to a bottom piece.  I sanded down the sides to make them match in size and also sanded the middle and bottom pieces at the angle of the side pieces.  I drilled the top holes (for the screw and wing nuts)  using a hand drill.  I think I used a hole saw drill bit for the hole on the bottom right side and filed it to a rectangle.  I believe it was epoxy resin that I used to glue to acrylic to the wood.  The purple head piece was pre cut and I used a line bender and the edge of the table to shape it to right angles.  I used the vacuum former and a jig to make the blue plastic inner piece (polypropylene).  I cut it out using a Stanley knife and rule, sanded it down and used a hand drill to put the holes in.  I should have used acrylic cement to glue the plastic head pieces together, however this was unavailable.  The idea was to solder LEDs onto a PCB and connect to a USB cable, however resources were limited. (C.7, M.M.3.1, 3.2, part 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, & M.K.3.5).

Today we looked at the gelatinisation of starch, we heated wheat flour, cornflour, waxy maize tarch, modified waxy maize starch and compared the results.  Which would be best to make a sauce from and which would be best to put in a chilled ready meal.  We compared the results after heating each one, looked at them chilled after a week or two and frozen after a week or two.  We looked at the different uses for pre gelatinised starches (starch that does not require heating with water to use to thicken something – ie gravy granules, instant custard). We looked at the different properties and uses for eggs.  For example: Fishcakes – Coating to top oil getting in, - Mayo, muffins and cake  – as an emulsifier (to hold everything together), Burger – to bind the ingredients, Quiche – as a custard, Lemon meringue pie – egg white for meringue, yolk to set lemon filling, Scones – to glaze, swiss roll. In the afternoon we did a ready steady cook competition – on the theme of food security and sustainability – we had to cook a two course vegan meal in groups of 3-4.  We made garlic mushrooms to start and a burrito with a guacamole dip and fried tortilla pieces – we came join first with another team. (C.7, C.9, F.D.3.3, 3.4, 3.4, 3.8, F.M.3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.8, F.K.3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3..5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.13, 3.15, 3.19.)

(T.D.3.9, part 3.10 and C.5).

I finished assembling the PCB, and soldered the components on.  I built a box using High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) (yellow and clear material) and polypropylene (red hinge).  I used vinyl (turquoise) to decorate it.    I drill holes into the yellow HIPS base and PCB and fixed the PCB to the board using screws and plastic spacers to suspend it.  In the afternoon we had an introduction to Arduino - programming software and used the Arduino board which includes a breadboard to program in some of the examples, we also had a go at writing a programme in. (E.D.3.2, 3.8, E.M.3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.6, E.K.3.4, 3.5, 3.6, C.7, C.9, C.12 and C.14.)

Sublimation printing

Angelina fibres