Summary
For the last several weeks, my team work on Step 6, 7, and 8 of the Capstone Project. The purpose of Step 6/7 was to design or a functioning porotype according to the blueprint sketches and design specifications from the the past steps. Once it was built we would test our prototype and compare its results to simulation experiments we ran in the past to check for accuracy. Another aspect of these steps was creating a 3D model of our final product with animations. It had to be as realistic as possible and applied to real world physics. It would be accompanied by an accurate 2D blueprint and 2D animations. The purpose of Step 8 was to market and summarize all the work that has been completed during the Capstone Project. We made posters and flyers to market our product. For summarization portion, we had to make a technical poster that summarizes our product and a final report paper that compiles all the information that we discovered during the project.
Step 6/7
Step 8
Concepts
Microgrid - an independent self-sustaining large scale circuit that can operate off the main power grid. This will be the main focus of Capstone project and what we will be learning about for the next quarter year.
Solar Panels - A photo voltaic module that use sunlight to create energy. Solar panels will be one of the main energy producers for our theatrical design.
Wind Turbines - A device that takes KE from the wind and turns it into electrical energy.
Lithium Ion batteries - Lithium Ion batteries will be how our microgrid will store energy created.
Regulator - A device that balances the amount of DC power that is going into a system, prevents batteries from overloading
Power Converter - A device that changes DC power (direct current) to AC power (alternating current)
Volts - a measure of electric force
Amps - a measure of electrical current
Ohms - a measure of electrical resistance
Kilowatt hours - the amount of kilowatts used in an hour
Kilowatts - a measure of electrical energy
Solar Panels - A photo voltaic module that use sunlight to create energy. Solar panels will be one of the main energy producers for our theatrical design.
Wind Turbines - A device that takes KE from the wind and turns it into electrical energy.
Lithium Ion batteries - Lithium Ion batteries will be how our microgrid will store energy created.
Regulator - A device that balances the amount of DC power that is going into a system, prevents batteries from overloading
Power Converter - A device that changes DC power (direct current) to AC power (alternating current)
Volts - a measure of electric force
Amps - a measure of electrical current
Ohms - a measure of electrical resistance
Kilowatt hours - the amount of kilowatts used in an hour
Kilowatts - a measure of electrical energy
Reflection
Skills that I expressed during Step 6, 7, and 8 were collaboration and work ethic. For these steps I made sure as the team leader to split up all of the work equally, to prevent over working and ensure work was completed on time. Additionally, I finished all the work that I had assigned for myself and helped my team mates for when clarification was needed. During these last several Capstone Project steps I spent a lot of extra time to complete assignments and produce a high quality product. I spent most of my Thanksgiving break working on product marketing and meet my mentors with another teammate to build our porotype. I would also communicate often with our team mentors for design advice and technical assistance.
However, skills that I could have improved upon during these step was my team communication and time management. As the Capstone project has gotten closer to its due date I began to slack on my team communication. This would include sending semi-daily team reminders or asking for progress on assignments. I would send only one or two reminder/check-ins a week instead of my usual three to four per week. Earlier in the project, when my group began working on Steps 6-8 there was a lack of good time management. We waited too long to start on the writing portions for Step 6/7. Down the line this caused us to work on these assignment in the last two weeks before the due date.
However, skills that I could have improved upon during these step was my team communication and time management. As the Capstone project has gotten closer to its due date I began to slack on my team communication. This would include sending semi-daily team reminders or asking for progress on assignments. I would send only one or two reminder/check-ins a week instead of my usual three to four per week. Earlier in the project, when my group began working on Steps 6-8 there was a lack of good time management. We waited too long to start on the writing portions for Step 6/7. Down the line this caused us to work on these assignment in the last two weeks before the due date.