Date of Award

2021

Degree Type

Capstone Project

Abstract

Team 8 was approached and tasked with the development of an autonomous outdoor pool skimmer. The development included the design, building, and motorizing of this skimmer. It is widely known of pool owners that it is a time consuming hassle to clean pools. Many times throughout the day, there always seems to be some sort of debris on the surface or at the bottom of the pool. In addition, a sum of companies pay people to clean pools for them. The finished product could help combat these issues and help companies save money and instead put the money towards improvements within the facility. To suit the needs of consumers, this product must be able to clean a 30' by 50' rectangular pool in two hours on one charge, the entirety of the skimmer should be produced by a 3D printer, and the skimmer should be powered through an electric recharge or solar power. Also, the consumer should be able to switch from autonomous mode or wireless remote control.

This report consists of an overview of the two semesters, design specifications that the skimmer will meet, as well as the final product for the autonomous pool skimmer. The literature search taught Team 8 different methods to make the skimmer function and numerous concepts to implement into our design. Next, the group made up 120 different designs of skimmers or concepts to equip into the apparatus. To narrow this list down to our top concepts, Team 8 performed a QFD (Quality Function Deployment) comparison of all the designs at hand. The preliminary design of the pool skimmer was then produced and modeled in the program Inventor. It can be seen later in the report but it consists of two hulls connected with a board that houses the electrical work. On both sides of the skimmer, there are wheels for assistance in navigating the pool. An engineering analysis was performed to ensure the design will function properly. For example, equations of buoyancy, drag force, torque, and charge were calculated. The parts of the skimmer were then 3D printed, and put together using inserts, clips, and a strong adhesive. The Team used a Raspberry Pi and the Python language to program the raspberry pi to make the motors run and be able to sense an obstruction in the way of the skimmer using an ultrasonic sensor. Through various redesigns and tests, the team was able to produce a final product which was able to run autonomously in the water. After  finalizing the project, Team 8 has discussed what improvements need to be made and are able to provide feedback on the project as a whole.

Comments

Sponsor: Dr. Bahram Nassersharif

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