Prototyping

3D printing

We 3D printed the pipe connectors for both our PC frame and aluminum tubes.

Designs (aluminum poles):

• the T-shaped connectors will be used to connect the aluminum tubes together and also act as an air outlet to channel air directly into the shirt
• the longer L-shaped connector, will be used to channel air into the shirt from the bottom, to ensure effective drying

Designs (PC rack):

• these connectors are meant to connect the PC tubing to form a rack which would hold our aluminum poles

Design (Claw hand):

• As we wanted our rods to be removable to make it easier for our user to insert their shirts, we designed a two-way claw connector that would be connected to both the PC rack as well as the aluminum poles

Challenges:

• The PC pipes were too flimsy, and although attaching 3D-printed connectors improved stability, we remained doubtful about their ability to support the aluminum poles along with the weight of wet clothes
• As we wanted a tight fit between the connectors and the PC pipes, we designed them with the necessary clearance. However, the prints kept cracking upon insertion, as the stress aligned with the grain direction of the print. Despite multiple attempts, we weren’t able to resolve the issue fully.
• The claw connectors also kept on cracking as we inserted the aluminum rods multiple times

Our failed prints 🙁

Building Aluminum Frame

After much consideration, we decided to build our rack using the aluminum frame available in the lab, as it was more stable, sturdy, and readily available—saving both time and effort compared to using PC rods.

The building process:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finished product:

After a hard day’s work 🙂

Materials

We also sourced for 5kg load sensors with HX711 to measure the change in mass of the shirts, along with Arduino kits and heating elements for our prototypes.