Practical 4A: 2nd Acrylic

 Practical 4A

Week 5

Teammates Present: Trumann, Shawn

Written By Shawn

Date: 16 Nov 21, 17 Nov 21 & 18 Nov 21

Location: Fablab @ T11 & ECTC

Objective: 

1. To develop a presentable prototype using acrylic 


Learning points from previous acrylic prototype (Practical 3A)

1. Acrylic solvent glue should be used instead of  GOOP glue (silicon glue)

    - To give a nice glue. (no glue marks on prototype)

2. Change in procedures to glue the prototype (to improve ease of gluing pieces)

3. Use of different color acrylic (luminous green for top portion containing electrolysis fluid and tinted black for the bottom portion containing wiring)

4. Use of set square or piece with 90 degree angle to ensure pieces that require perpendicular gluing is glued at a 90 degree angle

Notes:

  • Ensure all acrylic pieces that are intended to be glued using acrylic solvent is sanded using a higher grit sand paper, then a lower grit sand paper with water to ensure a very smooth gluing surface.
  • Gluing process
    1. Sand contact surfaces till smooth using wet sanding.

    2. Measure the required pieces and location for pieces and mark the location at 2 ends using a marker or pen. (use 90degree set square if required)

    3. Use masking tape to ensure acrylic does not move during gluing process (secure the acrylic pieces together).
    4. Double check and confirm measurements after taped.
    5. Apply a thin layer of MTC 90 using a syringe.

Videos:







Materials Required:

Item & Quantity

Specifications

Remarks

Sheet of luminous green acrylic x1

At least 50 cm x 50 cm

Thickness: 3mm

Recommended to use see through acrylic

Sheet of tinted black acrylic x1

At least 50 cm x 50 cm

Thickness: 3mm

Any color acrylic 

Syringe with needle x1

10mL with 0.3mm needle

For acrylic solvent

MTC 90 x1

150mL

Acrylic Solvent Glue

Set Square x1

90-degree angle

2 pieces of acrylic glued at 90 degrees used as set square



Sand Paper x2

Smooth & rough

 

DI Water

100mL

For wet sanding of acrylic and water leak testing

Masking Tape x1

-

For solvent gluing process


1. Start by laser cutting the files

.dxf files

2. Preparation of pieces

Glue pieces of same name together at the red line area as shown in Figure 1 & label accordingly.

Only stick pieces with the same name together!

eg. A1 glue with A1 to form A1

Pieces with same first letter have the same dimensions. (Eg. A1 size = A2 size = A3 size)


Figure 1: Initial pieces gluing



 3. Assembly process (gluing process using MTC 90)


  1. Glue piece b1 to piece d then piece d to piece b2 with a 7mm overlap for the pieces

  1. Glue piece b3 to piece d then piece e to piece b4 with a 7mm overlap for the pieces

  1. Glue piece f1 (Cylinder located at the bottom) to the connected pieces in step 1

  1. Glue piece c1 to the connected pieces in step 3

  1. Glue piece c2 to the connected pieces in step 4

  1. Glue piece in step 2 to the connected pieces in step 5


  1. Leave prototype to set for a day. Seal the bottom holes with laboratory films and block the tubing of the vent valve. Use a dropper and drip water in to the prototype looking for any leakage points.


Actual water testing using dropper:
    8. If the leak test is unsuccessful, find the leakage points and add more GOOP. Then perform a second leak test.  

    9. If leak test is successful, glue piece LID onto the connected pieces in step 8 (with valves facing out)

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