“A ShopBot is an amazing do-all tool for precisely cutting, carving, drilling or machining all kinds of things from all kinds of materials.  With a ShopBot, you use the included software to design your parts on your personal computer, then, like a robot, the computer controls the cutter to precisely cut your parts.  In the past, tools like ShopBots were strictly industrial tools and were referred to in factories as CNC (for Computer Numeric Control) tools.  Now, the types of tools that create things by cutting material away or building up material in layers to create an object are called digital fabrication tools, and ShopBot’s innovations have made them affordable for individuals and small shops.”

We encourage you to visit ShopBot’s website at http://www.shopbottools.com/mProducts/WhatsCNC.htm to learn more about what CNC tools are and the kind of cool stuff you can make with this.

Below are a few pictures of the CNC box shipped to us and we are busy clearing up space for the new machine in one of the rooms. We hope to have it installed by the end of this term so that it’s ready to go when you guys start working on your next challenging project. And now, what you can do is truly limited by imagination.

Check out ShopBot’s website here http://www.shopbottools.com/applications.htm to see what you can do with this machine.

Below are a few pictures of the machine yet unopened and the room it’s going to be installed in.

Housing for the machine

First off is the task assignment system. It’s for all our overachieving undergrad T.As who want to get things done and keep a track of it all. At present our system allows only for login and logout and doesn’t give out the tasks expected of a T.A on his/her shift. We plan the system to be such that one of you logs in, sees your tasks for your shift and are on your way. And as when you finish your tasks, you come in and mark off a little check box next to the task- chunks of bit sized accomplishments. Also, since the system would be recording your time, you’ll have a fair idea of how long it takes for you to get it done. Enabling you to keep track and keep becoming better and faster at the routine and the mundane but essential tasks, so that you can focus on some real machining.

Oh yeah, if you are new to the job and don’t know all your tasks well- no worries. We’ve got detailed, easy to read task descriptions which you can read on our iPad either all at once or whenever you need to refresh your memory.

So, guys do let us know what you think about this system- what are the ways we can improve this system, are we missing anything, or do you guys want it to be different-if so how? Whatever it is feel free to let us know, either through our blog, Facebook or just walk into the machine shop and ask the greeter for either Robbie or Stephen or Kevin Baron. Ultimately, Kevin our manager at the machine shop envisions this as system which keeps the competitive spirit going in the machine shop, and one based on which T.As get recognized for their efforts.

Right, now the second initiative in works is the plan of having job coaches for mentoring and guiding undergrad T.As. The idea is to have the MEM T.As coaching and mentoring undergrad T.As with regard to their tasks, the difficulties they may encounter and for explaining what is expected on the tasks.

This plan is still in its formative stages and even thought we have had a few brainstorming sessions on this we haven’t finalized the details yet, so any inputs on making this system work would be very welcome.

So that’s about it for now from us at the backend of the machine shop. Keep coming in to the machine shop- you never know what weird or not so weird, cool stuff you are going to see being made at any time.

Rob says that going into this project, the each group member was interested in pursuing a project related to health. A few members had previous experience in health and medicine, especially Ennis who was in the process of developing new methods of cancer research.

Their product is a tiny biosensor called DiagnosMe, which has the ability to test for diseases before symptoms manifest themselves by measuring levels of certain biomarkers present in a person’s sweat. When I asked about how the idea for the project came about, Rob told me that the group realized that when a person becomes sick, the body immediately starts producing these biomarkers even before symptoms are present. These changes in the body manifest themselves through biomarkers that are present in many bodily fluids, such as blood and sweat.

The immediate potential that this realization had was that diseases like the common cold and viruses like the flu could be diagnosed days before you would normally be able to. This would reduce the severity of infection, and minimize time away from work.

The group, however, had their sights set on higher goals. they quickly realized that their product had much larger effects, and a much larger market, when targeted towards more serious chronic diseases. Rob says the group focused on early diagnosis of things like cancer and heart disease. This would save the time and money currently required to run complex diagnostic tests for these diseases, it would allow them to save lives through preventative early diagnosis, and their product, the biosensor and iPhone application, makes testing for these diseases as easy as working out for half an hour.

The group has now gotten this test to within 95-100% of the accuracy of the equivalent lab tests. They filed for a provisional patent in January of this year, and are waiting on it and some capital to swing into production. The group hopes to have ten thousand units with which they can run a beta test by the fall of 2013. They say that if things go well, they plan on filing for a utility patent in the beginning of 2014 to be able to swing into production.

When asked what encouraged the group to move forward with their ENGS 21 project, Rob is quick to point out that the Jackson award, an award given to the best product in every term of ENGS 21, was an incredibly supportive and encouraging stepping stone towards bigger things. The group has since been chosen as one of the top 50 most innovative startups run by college students in the world by the Kairos Society, a a worldwide network of young entrepreneurs. The two awards, the group says, gave them access to angel investors and large corporations that they wouldn’t otherwise have had access to. The group has now travelled to New York to seek investors and are in the application process for incubator programs that would provide them with mentors, office space, and funding. The group expects to move on to the next phases of testing and production smoothly, saying that the only roadblock they can foresee is a possible lack of investment funds.

Going forward, the group hopes to be able to include their DiagnosMe technology in things like Nike Fuel Bands or other similar bracelets that would let people constantly know what is going on inside their bodies.

Rob says that the help from professors was incredibly valuable in the development of this project, especially the help of John Collier, who provided ongoing recommendations and support. He says Dartmouth was incredibly supportive and put many resources at the group’s disposal – a clear manifestation of the effort the college is making to support more student entrepreneurship. Furthermore, he says Thayer’s open door policy was incredibly helpful, because with it, they could approach a professor immediately if they had a question or a problem, rather than having to wait to set up a formal meeting.  The professors were always willing to provide straightforward, helpful answers that would guide the group towards their goal.

You can find out more about the group’s product on their website http://mydiagnosme.com/

Or by reading Thayer’s publications on the subject:

http://www.dartmouthengineer.com/2013/02/i-want-one-of-those-winter-2013/

and

http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/news/engineering-majors-build-smartphone-app-for-early-disease-detection/

“ENGS 24,25,26,27 are the gateway classes to engineering and students have to finish at least two of these classes for an engineering science major.” Said Kylie Lucas B.E ‘14 who’s working on her own stirling engine with help from T.A Tom. She added “ENGS 25 is the thermodynamics class which is the reason why we build a Stirling engine in this class” in response to how experience she was with machining, she answered “this is like my introductory class to machining, I had taken ENGS 21 earlier but had not used the machine shop much for the 21 project, so it is very useful for me to do this project at the machine shop.”

Kylie and Tom

Apart from Kylie and Tom, there were other student-T.A pairs working on different parts of the Stirling engine. For most of the students, building the Stirling engine is a vital experience in developing their machining skills. As for most the class serves as an introduction to machining and also acts as a good spring board to pick up more advanced machining skills.

We leave you with a few more pictures of our students and T.As, machining away to enlightment.

Natasha teaching the ropes to Noori on the heat transfer cylinder of the engine

Pete helping out Julia

The Stirling engine

Kamou, set to work on the engine

Victoria making the base of the engine

A T.A learns how to do it. Maya teaches making the engine to Jonathan

Professor Kawiaka’s students are often in Thayer’s machine shop as they are asked to use the machine shop’s resources in their projects. Professor Kawiaka says that her “advanced architecture students are currently studying biomimicry and designing and fabricating biomimetic architectural elements” for structures. The students use the 3D scanner, laser cutter, rapid prototypers, and routers the machine shop offers. Professor Kawiaka says she enjoys working in the machine shop because the staff has “unlimited patience in helping technically with complex architectural design projects.” She adds that the machine shop staff is “extremely hekpful and welcoming to art and architecture students,” and that “the equipment is fabulous.”

Professor Kawiaka is quick to state that Dartmouth is “very lucky to have so many students studying art and architecture and engineering at Dartmouth and [Thayer's machine shop] really helps to bring together these disciplines.” Professor Kawiaka has been bridging the gap between engineering and architecture at the machine shop for the past fifteen years.

Blake Osborn

When I asked her why she signed up for the class instead of other engineering topics, Blake was quick to respond that her interest in biomedical engineering, along with the intellectual engagement and challenge that this class poses made it an obvious choice. The class, she says, has been a great experience so far, because of the breadth and depth of its lectures and topics covered. “The great thing about it,” she says, “is that we have a guest lecturer almost every day. We’re getting the experts in their fields and the leaders of their industries to come and talk to us about the issues that they attempt to solve every day. Every class covers the latest developments in the topic that we’re studying, so not only are we learning from the best, but we’re also being exposed to the cutting edge of biomedical engineering research and development.”

Blake says that one of the things she really likes about Thayer is that the learning is always real-world, hands on, and always practical. Furthermore, Thayer gives a stable and broad base on which students can develop diverse and useful skills. Blake says this is most evident in the assignments and the way this class is structured. On one end of the spectrum, for example, are assignments that have students devise a treatment plan for hyperthermia, forcing them to use hard medical skills along with knowledge about physics and the way in which temperature interacts with the body. On the other end of the spectrum, the students will develop “softer” skills like developing an argument and verbally defending a cause in debates that challenge them to take a position in current medical issues.

By taking this class, Blake is actively preparing for her professional career. When I asked her what she wants to work in, she immediately knew that she wants to be in the field of biomedical engineering. She says she’s, “very interested in doing either cancer research or artificial organ development.” With the preparation she’s getting, Blake’s poised to make her mark in whichever area she chooses.

Tyler and his group, Colin Heffernan and Erica Normandin (both ’15s), all took ENGS 21: Introduction to Engineering this past winter.

Tyler Stout

ENGS 21 is not like a regular Dartmouth class. Instead of the usual lecture structure, students come in, form groups, are assigned a topic, and they are tasked with creating a product under that umbrella topic that will somehow improve the general quality of life. The students are in charge of coming up with, designing, and producing this device. The great thing about this class is that it’s not limited by field: students are forced to learn about the sciences, all the engineering disciplines, design, and other subjects to create a feasible final product. The students are graded on their presentations, briefs, and final product.

Colin Heffernan works on the group’s device in Couch Lab

For this class, Tyler’s group decided to build a Firefighter Pre-Flashover Condition Alerting Device. A flashover happens when organic materials get hot enough that they release flammable gases due to thermal decomposition, and the majority of exposed material ignites. The risk of flashovers, of course, puts firefighters’ lives at risk. The device works by measuring temperature, and alerting the firefighter equipped with it via an LED gauge.

The electrical components and LED gauge of the device ready to be inserted into the plastic casing

Tyler says that the idea to make this device actually came from reaching out into the community, personally talking to firefighters, and listening to what they need. Tyler also says that this project forced him to learn skills like working on a team, delegating responsibilities, and observing deadlines that aren’t practiced in more traditional Dartmouth classes.

Tyler Stout puts the finishing touches on the plastic casing of their device

When asked if he enjoyed the class, Tyler is quick to say that he loved it. The more practical, real-world applications of this class made it more enjoyable than others he’s taken.

“One of the great things about this class,” he says, “is that I had to teach myself mechanical, electrical, and software engineering.” Few other classes would have forced him to learn as much. Group member Colin Heffernan adds that while this class required an incredible amount of hours, the time spent in the Machine Shop and Couch Lab building things made the experience extremely rewarding and enjoyable.

Awais Malik at work in the Machine Shop

Awais’s team set out to build a flywheel system and encasement that could store kinetic energy within a stopped car. The challenge this project poses is that it’ll be difficult to build a magnetically suspended flywheel that spins at 50-60,000 rpm. Building the flywheel, however, is not the only engineering challenge this project poses. The encasement that holds the flywheel has to be light, but strong (if a heavy flywheel comes out of its encasement at 60,000 rpm, it could significantly damage other mechanical components in the car. Furthermore, the flywheel has a gyroscopic that may, at some speeds, inhibit or completely eliminate a car’s ability to turn.

The group is working on finding a safe material with which they can build the encasement to make sure the car that carries the flywheel will be safe. They are also working on canceling out the gyroscopic effect the flywheel will have on the cars that carry it.

Awais and his group did not use the Machine Shop very much, because most of the project was done with computer modeling in the CAD lab. However, Awais has now been a Machine Shop teaching assistant for multiple years. He is one of the Machine Shop’s most experienced, and he specializes in laser cutter projects.

What’s really cool and unique about this class is that it doesn’t have any formal class meetings and requires the completion of the project within the term. And designing an autonomous catamaran within a little over 2 months is no small feat.

Asked about how he’s going to test the boat,  Pete said “we intends to sail it in the Occom pond [here at Dartmouth], wherein the boat will have a GPS marker fed into it and would then have to autonomously adjust the sails to the winds to maintain the right direction and correct for deviations.” He also mentioned that the boat would be using software especially certain machine learning techniques to achieve autonomy.

Sam at the milling machine

Peter and Sam

Right now Peter is working on machining the hulls of the catamaran on the milling machine at the machine shop and to help in this Peter roped in Sam (Samuel Williams B.E ‘13) given Sam’s previous experience working on his ENGS 89/90- ‘Walvistaart’ project, which involved similar work. In the following paragraphs I’ll give a short description of how the hulls are going to be built, later the project would involve building of other components and the vital software. As he continues to work on this project we’ll cover the cool stuff Peter does at the machine shop and keep you informed of that.

Building the hulls first requires the machining of high density foam into the shape and dimensions desired. This is done on the milling machine; the design blueprint is created using an attachment of Solidworks called the Solid CAM. Solidworks is a CAD(Computer aided design) software and CAM stands for computer aided machining. The CAM software provides the blueprint in a format referred to as a g-file which is then input to the milling machine. Once this is done, the foam piece is fixed in place in the milling machine and from there the machine takes care of the milling.

The milling machine setup and the 3-D rendering

Making adjustments

Machine in action(it just revolves too fast to capture)

The next step involves encasing the machined foam in fiberglass to form a tough encasing around the foam thus resulting in the finished hulls. This is done by wrapping the foam hulls in fiberglass and then applying an epoxy coating. The resulting chemical reaction dissolves the fiber in the fiberglass and forms a tough, hard casing around the foam hulls, thus resulting in a solid base for the catamaran.

Fiberglass

The almost finished hulls of the catamaran

The Arctic Tern was an Alaskan bush plane produced in small numbers in the 1970s, designed for reliable use, durability and ease of maintenance in remote areas.  The rights to the airplane were eventually purchased by Thayer graduate Bart Miller, who sought to modernize the aircraft and improve its speed and service life.  Unfortunately, Bart Miller passed away in 2006, and his company, STOL Aviation, was later acquired by Charles Nearburg D’72 Th’74.  STOL Aviation is based out of the Lebanon, NH Municipal Airport.  The Thayer School Machine Shop is proud to support a local business, offer our services to alumni and play a part in the Arctic Tern’s continuing development, so that Bart Miller’s vision may one day be realized.

Arctic Tern

Engineering Problem

The update to the Arctic Tern includes a redesign to the cowling, which covers the engine at the front of the aircraft and must be designed to reduce drag and facilitate engine cooling.  In this stage of development, the general form of the cowling has been mocked-up to scale with thin aluminium strips, welding wire and masking tape by John Barker and Chuck Horrell D’00 Th’01 of STOL Aviation.  Machine shop researcher Max Fagin Th’11 seeks to use our handheld EXAscan 3D scanner to scan this mock-up into a digital form, where it will be further optimized by software and fabricated into a fiberglass mold for production.

Cowling Mock-Up: Masking Tape and Chicken Wire

Process

In order for our 3D scanner to determine the form of the cowling, retroreflectors must be applied to the surface to act as a spatial guide.  These are small stickers with black and white concentric circles that must be applied with adhesive to the scanning surface about an inch apart.  We applied these retroreflectors to the left side of the cowling mock-up.

John and Max Applying Retroreflectors to the Cowling

Then, Max used our handheld EXAscan 3D scanner to read the cowling surface.  The scanner employs a laser rangefinder and uses the retroreflectors as a guide to create a digital rendering of the surface.  Max also selected three known points as anchor points to determine the surface’s orientation and size.  The scanner was connected to a laptop which displayed a real-time rendering of the scanned surface.

Max Scanning the Top of the Cowling

Max Scanning the Side of the Cowling

The final rendering contained 75,000 faces at a 2mm resolution.  Later, this scanned form will be further optimized by software and fabricated into a mold.  The imperfections and holes in the rendering will be interpolated and filled in automatically.  We’ll keep you updated with our progress in the future.

Max Scanning the Side of the Cowling with Real-Time Rendering

Finished Rendering

John and Max in Front of the Arctic Tern Mock-Up

Get Involved

All of our 3D scanning equipment is available for use to students and researchers.  Click on our appointments page to sign up for a machine time slot, or contact us at for more information!