Jeremy at FirstBuild pulled a couple of vacuum molds for the light diffuser on the Trilife cellular computing project. Here’s a video showing a softened thick PETG sheet forming over the triangular mold: Next you let it cool, then you tap it to knock it off, and then pull the mold down as in this …
Author Archives: cindy.harnett@louisville.edu
Pop up 3D structures printed on stretched fabric
Amy discovered some good settings for getting 3D printed materials to stick to spandex. We can print flat, thin structures and have them control how the fabric bends and folds. We can also use the fabric’s tension to warp them into 3D shapes. This concept has a lot in common with our microscale pop-up structures. …
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Recent Student Deeds
Four independent study students finished projects in Spring 2015. (A) Tayce Lassiter tested a differential impedance circuit on paper microfluidics, and also built a metal case to keep out noise.(B) Juan Espinosa, our GE Edison student, carried on an embedded systems project on a self-filling water pitcher for the fridge. He also motivated the ECE …
Cyber plumbing with ANSYS Fluent
Flows can be driven using metallized surfaces in an electric field. This research area is called “induced charge electrokinetics.” It originated in the world of metal colloids, saw some applications in microfluidics in the 90s, and has seen more intense research over the past 10 years. This paper is a good introduction to flows around …
First Build makes an impression
FirstBuild is helping make a molded plastic diffuser for the Trilife cellular computing project. The MATLAB file (rainbow colored inset) got CNC milled into a Modulan tool for vacuum forming thanks to Jeremy Turner and Randy Reeves at First Build. We are looking at PETG for the plastic that will be formed over this mold, because …