This week I worked on the new display mount for the new LED panels. Since the last displays broke, we had to buy new ones, but their design was a bit different. Based on the demo feedback, I am planning on printing the new mounts in black instead of white so it blends better with the display and improves the hologram effect.
For verification, I tested the mechanical behavior of the system while it spins. We’ve seen that the whole system has some wobble while it spins and we observed it even before we tested full speed. So we are considering adding weight to the base. I also saw that the pulleys under operation are holding up well and not breaking, especially the one connected to the motor, which was one of the initial concerns. However, after running the system for a while, the belt has become looser, most likely due to stretching. So, we either need to buy replacement belts which is an easy fix, or reposition the motor to increase tension. The first option is most likely the best since the belt would most likely stretch more if we reposition the motor.
Next week, the mount needs to be reprinted and I will address the stability issues more as we push toward full integration and pushing the system to run at higher speeds
Kendric’s Status Report for 3/28
This week I redesigned and reprinted both the smaller and bigger gear after discovering the clearance and tightness issue from last week. The updated design fits properly now, and both gears screw in securely and spin well together.I also worked on integrating the mechanical components with the motor and the rest of the system. This included attaching the gears, pulleys, and clamps, and making sure everything is aligned and stable. After assembly, everything spins well, and we’re not seeing any fit or mounting issues with the pulleys or clamps right now. Next week, I’ll focus on any small adjustments if needed and continue supporting integration as other components come together.
Kendric’s Status Report for 3/21
This week I printed both gears, which allowed us to begin testing there fit. Though, during testing, I found that the smaller gear was slightly undersized. Specifically, the clearance for the screw head used to attach it to the motor was too tight, so I updated the design to increase the clearance by 1 mm. The updated print should be ready on Monday.
Overall, progress is on track now that the initial prints are done and design issues have been identified. Next week, I plan to test the updated gear once it is printed and finalize the Raspberry Pi mount.
Kendric’s Status Report for 3/7
I spent time working on the larger pulley mounted on the shaft and the smaller pulley connected to the motor. The larger gear that attaches with the hub adapter was relatively straightforward to design since it mainly needed to match the hub’s bolt pattern and mounting dimensions. Once those measurements were confirmed, integrating the gear with the hub and shaft assembly was fairly simple.
Most of the time was spent on new designs for the smaller pulley connected to the motor. A challenge I had weeks ago was that the pulley’s dimensions are fixed and slightly too small to bolt directly onto the motor in a convenient way. Because of this, I designed an adapter piece that would allow the pulley to mount to the motor. At first this seemed to solve the issue, but after reviewing the assembly more carefully, it became clear that actually fastening the pulley to the motor would still be difficult in practice. The limited clearance makes it hard to fit screws, access the bolt locations, and assemble the parts cleanly, so the design work this week involved rethinking this design. I explored a new design that extends the distance between the pulley and the motor. This provides more room to access the bolts and assemble the parts more easily. At the same time, this change introduces new considerations around stability and ensuring the extended structure remains strong enough to handle the belt tension without bending or breaking.
Part C: Environmental Factors
Environmental factors are addressed through the use of a modular design and commercially available components. By relying mostly on off-the shelf parts such as motors, microcontrollers, and mechanical components, the system avoids the need for complex manufacturing processes and allows for parts to be replaced if they fail. This modular approach helps reduce electronic waste by making repairs easier and extending the lifespan of the device.
Kendric’s Status Report 2/21
This week I focused on refining the base design and responding to feedback about lowering the center of gravity. Since we’re spinning the motor at high RPM, stability is critical. I adjusted the layout so heavier components sit closer to the base plate and slightly widened the design to improve resistance to tipping and vibration.
I also began designing the wooden structural components we plan to fabricate. I finalized the plate and mounting locations for the motor and bearing supports so that once parts arrive, we can move directly into cutting and assembly.
We’re still on schedule. While we’re waiting on a few components, figuring out the base design now should make integration easier in the future.
Kendric’s status report for 2/14
This week was focused on refining the mechanical transmission and structural design. I joined the team for a comprehensive Bill of Materials review, where I provided technical insights regarding the mechanical efficacy of our chosen components, specifically ensuring our shaft and bearing selections can handle the dynamic loads of the spinning array.
I also redesigned our transmission system, recalculating the gear ratios (pulley sizes) to ensure we can achieve our target RPM without over-torquing the motor. Following this, I began the CAD modeling phase for the custom structural components. I have drafted the initial designs for the main system mount and the rotor hub interface, focusing on ensuring the geometry is optimized for 3D printing and maintains the strict balance requirements we need for stability.
I believe we are on schedule. Our current progress follows the Gantt chart. In fact, with the CAD designs coming together faster than anticipated, we might be slightly ahead of schedule regarding the mechanical fabrication timeline.
Next week, I intend to move from design to rapid prototyping. My goal is to run a preliminary 3D print of the mount and gear components to perform a physical “fit check” and validate the tolerances. If the 3D prints are successful, I also plan to start laser cutting components for the hologram chassis so we can begin assembly immediately.
Part B:
The Hologram solution addresses social factors by catering to the culture of the Maker Movement and the Open Source community. These social groups are organized around the values of collaborative innovation, knowledge exchange, and “learning by doing.” By providing an accessible, transparent hardware platform, the project fosters social interaction among students, hobbyists, and engineers, creating a shared space for experimentation that strengthens these community bonds. Economically, the project addresses the “digital divide” in advanced visualization. While volumetric displays are typically restricted to elite corporate or research institutions due to high cost, this low-cost implementation democratizes the technology. This lowers socio-economic barriers, allowing wider social groups to access and develop for 3D interfaces. Culturally, the product taps into a collective imagination shaped by decades of science fiction. By creating the “holographic communication” tropes found in Hollywood classics like Star Wars, the device serves as a social bridge, uniting diverse demographics through a sense of nostalgia and technological wonder. This shared cultural language allows the product to function not just as a tool, but as a social centerpiece that facilitates engagement and communication across different age groups and technical backgrounds.
Kendric’s Status Report for 2/7
I spent this week helping build out the parts list for the project. We made it very specific down to the specific screws, mounting hardware, bearings, and electrical components.
With the progress we made this week I would say that we’re on schedule right now. Getting the parts list mostly finalized puts us in a good spot to move on to early prototyping.
Next week I plan to start prototyping in Onshape. My plan is to begin modeling the pulley system, specifically the custom pulleys we plan 3d printing. Also modeling the base for drivetrain.