Development

Here we will document our thought process and prototype development 🙂 Pls click on the individual tabs to find out more!

2025
Initial ideation

We began by brainstorming potential project ideas and discussing their feasibility with our professor. Among the concepts we explored were an automatic clothes folding machine and a portable clothes dryer.

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Finalising our idea

After exploring various options and evaluating their practicality, we ultimately chose to design and build an automatic clothes drying rack that addresses the challenges of indoor drying.

 

Week 1: Experimentation

We conducted tests using a leaf blower to determine the most effective air outlet placement for drying a wet cotton shirt. Our results showed that directing airflow from both the top and bottom significantly improved drying efficiency.

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Week 2: Prototyping

We roughly prototyped our rack using PVC rods available in the lab and discussed various design possibilities for the actual prototype.

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Week 3: Material testing

We tested the materials that we had bought and decided on what modifications to make to improve our prototype’s effectiveness. This included replacing the fan and selecting lighter aluminum tubes that better matched the airflow system.

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Week 4: Building prototype

We designed and 3D printed various connectors for both aluminum and PC tubes. After multiple iterations, we chose to build the rack using aluminum instead of polycarbonate to enhance structural stability and overall durability.

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Week 5: Prototyping and Experimenting

We drilled holes in the aluminum pipes, tested the heating element, and calibrated the load sensor.

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Week 6: Upgrading our protype

We downscaled our prototype to simplify testing and assembly of the components.
Additionally, we designed a belt and pulley system for the motor and completed the coding to integrate all components seamlessly.

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Week 7: Testing our prototype 🙂

After downscaling our prototype, we assembled and integrated all the individual components. We then tested the system and recorded readings to assess its efficiency. We also optimised our design to improve performance and enhance user-friendliness.

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Week 8: Overcoming Obstacles and Optimising Outcomes

This was the week our prototype went haywire—load sensors gave inaccurate readings, and the screen and fans kept crashing. Despite the chaos, we resolved the issues and even added upgrades like the Auto-On and Auto-Off features.

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Week 9: Our Final Product

Presenting the Dryinator — your ultimate one-stop solution for all your drying needs!

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