How to Make (Almost) Anything

Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 1 session / week, 3 hours / session

Overview

The course provides a hands-on introduction to the resources for designing and fabricating smart systems, including CAD/CAM/CAE; NC machining, 3-D printing, injection molding, laser cutting; PCB layout and fabrication; sensors and actuators; analog instrumentation; embedded digital processing; wired and wireless communications. Emphasis is placed on learning how to use the tools as well as understanding how they work.

Topics

Design Tools

Design and model a solution to a problem from ThinkCycle.

• Cobalt Tutorial
• 3D Modeling Diatribe: Should I Use Rhino or Cobalt? (Hayes Raffle)
• Folding Tutorial: How to Model a Polyhedron by “Folding Up” Flat Polygons (Hayes Raffle)

Laser, Waterjet, NC Knife Cutting

Cut and fabricate something using as many types of materials as possible:

• Laser Cutter Tutorial
• Water Cutter Tutorial
• Manuals for the Laser Cutter and Water Cutter
• Rasterizing Images on the Laser Cutter (by Amanda Parkes)

Microcontroller Programming

• Microcontroller Info (by David Merril)
• Driving Solenoids (by David Merrill)

Machining

Circuit Design

• Joe Paradiso’s Electronics Primer Notes (Updated by Michael Sung)
• Useful Electronic Parts and Circuits Information (Scanned by Michael Sung)
• Simple Pseudo-Random Sound Generator Example
• A Funny Video of Circuit De-bugging

Problem 1: How to drive stepmotors?

• Driving Stepmotors (by Axel Kilian)
• Color Coding of Resistors (by Saoirse Higgins)
• Web Sites Used for Help with Circuit Design (by David Merril, Kyle Steinfeld):
  • http://www.findchips.com/
  • http://www.digikey.com/ (Voted “The Best Source”)
  • http://www.TI.com
• Midi Stuff:
  • https://www.tigoe.com/pcomp/code/picbasic-pro/161/
  • http://www.midi.org/about-midi/aboutmidi3.shtml
  • http://www.cs.princeton.edu/courses/archive/fall02/cs436/
• Useful Book: Practical Electronics for Inventors (Good Theory Explanations, Bad Schematics)

3D Printing and NC Machining

• Modela Instructions (by C. Scott Ananian)
• 3D Printer Instructions (by C. Scott Ananian)
• John’s FabLab Tutorials (by Difrancesco)
• Site for Making Gears with Printers of Cutters (by Axel Killian)

PCB Design

• Making a New Schematic/PCB Part in Protel ‘99 (By David Merrill)
• Making a PCB on the Modela (Instructions and Software, by CSA)
• Carving a Protel Circuit Board on the Roland Mill (Additional Suggestions from Hayes Raffle)
• Making a PCB Fixture Bed (Instructions and CAD Files, by CSA)

Forming and Joining

• Handy Page of Links to Forming and Joining Resources (Hayes Raffle)

Sensors, Actuators and Displays

• Joe P Revisited (Parutron)

3D Input

Wired and Wireless Communications

• Networking Standards Definitions (Axel Kilian with Krikorian)
• Networking Hardware Schematics, Assembly Code and ORCAD Files
• Presentation by Raffi Krikorian

Projects Presentation