Mendocino Motor Top 5 Constraints | Peter

Cost – Although 3D printing and raw materials are fairly cheap, the strong Neodymium magnets required to levitate the motor rod are quite pricey in the quantities that this project calls for. Along with the cost of the magnets, the solar cells and magnet wire are also fairly pricey.

Wood Working – I have never done wood working outside of construction, so one of the biggest constraints to making a wooden base will be figuring out what tools and processes are best for making the base look professional.

Weight – The weight of the rod goes hand in hand with the magnetic placement and force constraints, in that the levitating rod has to be light enough for the magnets to be able to hold the weight of the rod. One way to help accomplish a light weight rod would be through 3D printing the appropriate parts with minimal infill, essentially making the part hollow.

Magnetic Forces – The strength of the magnets are another big constraint, mainly for the same reasons discussed above in the weight constraint.

Magnetic Placement – The placement of the magnets in the base and on the rod is probably the biggest constraint of the project, due to the maximized magnetic force being dependent on distance between magnets while also having a stabilized rod that won’t fall down. In order to try and get around this constraint, I will simply have to do trial and error until I find the best placement.

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2 Comments. Leave new

  • Daniel Rankin
    March 20, 2016 8:00 pm

    Overall, it seems like you’ll have lots of opportunities to prototype certain portions of the project, making corrections as you go along. Never underestimate the importance of just making lots of small, quick prototypes to solve the problems you’re facing before you build out the final project.

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  • Elyse Skinner
    March 19, 2016 11:29 am

    I can definitely see these being challenges Pete, but I am sure you will rise to the challenge and find people that can help you with this process. For the magnetic placement I would work on starting to play with the placement as soon as possible so it isn’t a huge ordeal at the end, since that is a large part of what makes your project work.

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