Mechanical Music

I'm inching closer to the test run, remaining items are finishing the speed sensor, installing the spray nozzles in the valves, and rigging up a water tank.

Yesterday my wife made a vinyl template so I could electro-etch my name into the machine.

The valves have been wired and the machine is almost ready for a test run!

Check out a brief video here: Pavement Printer Valve Cycling

Comments

Event Preparation

I've been working on the machine for this Friday's STEM+Families event at Van Buren Elementary. Looking forward to inspiring the children! My wife helped out and made vinyl letters: Paint is curing:

The Pavement Printer is an Arduino powered printer that produces temporary words and images using water. The machine was built to inspire people in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math), particularly with younger individuals. 9 electrically controlled nozzles are actuated by an Arduino Nano to create the images. The water is pressurized and pushed thorough the nozzles using compressed CO2, the same gas that is used in draft beer systems. Speed, and hence spray duration, is calculated by detecting the magnetic field of 6 magnets bonded to one of the wheels; a hall effect sensor detects these magnetic fields as the wheel rotates. The machine has progressed since it's inception one month ago to a rolling platform, and will begin testing very soon! This project was inspired by Nicholas Hanna, the creator of the Trike Writer. You can learn more about him and his machine here: http://nicholashanna.net/

Pavement Printer

Search This Blog