I intend to use this project board and the 18x picaxe to drive my four digit seven segment display. Using all eight outputs, I intend to use four of them to drive the 4511 BCD and the other four power the four individual digits. The benefit of using the PICAXE system is that programs are downloaded via a direct cable link straight into the microcontroller. I will program the picaxe with the use of programming editor, which can be downloaded from the picaxe web-site. Using the program language basic I intend to create a programme that will allow the time to be displayed.
Filed under: Final Design
This video shows how I want the clock case to look. When the clock is turned around you can see where I plan to put the electronics.
Filed under: Mass Production
Clock Casing
The casing for my clock if put into mass production would be injection molded. This involves forming the mold which could be done by electrical discharge machining (EDM). This process allows prehardened molds to be shaped so that no heat treatment is required. The process uses a shaped electrode normally made from graphite or copper. This is lowered into the mold surface which is immersed in paraffin oil. A voltage is added which sends electrodes between the mould and the tool which causes erosion of the mold surface in the inverse shape of the electrode. Once the molds are formed these are closed and heated plastic can then be forced into them using the pressure of the injection screw. The plastic then takes the shape of the mold.
A lot of consideration and thought needs to be put into the design of the molded parts of the clock. This ensures that the parts will not be trapped in the mold and that the molds can be completely filled before the molten resin solidifies. This compensates for material shrinkage and minimises imperfections in the parts.
For this design the casing would be made in two parts, these two parts are called the core and the cavity. To ensure the mold does not get stuck, the direction from which the core and cavity are removed from each other need to be angled. Due to the bucket like shape of the casing, after the molding process the casing is likley to shrink in its mold. Pins would be the popular method of withdrawing the mold from the core. Other methods for withdrawing the mold are but air ejections, and stripper plates.
A mold can produce several copies of the clock cassing part at the same time, the number of coppies is known as cavitation. For the production of this clock casing a multi -cavity tool would be used.
Filed under: Final Design
This is my final design drawn in pro desktop. The idea is to go for a design that is minimalist in its looks but as sleek as possible in its design. As I am aware of the amount of time I will spends on the electronics and programming for the clock, the aim for the casing was to have a simple design that is as appealing as possible.
I aim to design a clock that is fully functional and aesthetically pleasing. It will be able to display the time in the UK and in Australia. I will make this using a picaxe project board with an 18x picaxe chip. The 18x picaxe chip will be programed using picaxe programming editor. I will develop this program so that it displays the time in both the UK and Australia.
