Indigo Technologies

July - December 2024

Seal Test Stand

Goals:

Create a test stand for the dynamic stator seal on the motor
Sweeps the stators past each other through their range of motion
Test water ingress as well as seal degradation over time

Takeaways:

Learned a lot designing a whole system of parts by myself
Lots of GD&T work and feedback on the many drawings
Summation of many of the skills I learned at Indigo in one project

Ring Deflection and Stress Analysis

Simulation results from testing the seal ring over a wide temperature range to make sure the selected alloy was well suited for the application

Motion Ratio and Torque Calculation

I calculated the motion ratio of the linkages in the assembly to determine the torque needed to actuate the stators with the external motor

Manufacturing Drawings and GD&T

I created drawings with GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis and fixed fastener calculations to make sure all the parts can fit together after machining

Camera System

Using my previous knowledge in FPV racing drones, I chose camera and designed, 3D printed and soldered together a camera system for use in water ingress detection

Black Oxide Coating

I coated all of the 4130 steel parts with a cold black oxide coating to help reduce rusting from being submerged in water for long periods of time

Testing!

After assembly, it was time for long term testing. My co-op unfortunately ended right as I was finishing the project, so I wasn't able to see the long term results

Dyno Safety Panels

Goals:

Create ergonomic enclosure for the motor dyno that are easy to use and still allow for easy access to internal components
Design and implement cooling system to keep components at a safe level
Update dyno CAD with new changes being made in real life

Takeaways:

Slotting all of the holes and creating correct tolerances is very helpful for assembling large pieces like these
Make sure to account for the weight of the panels and hinges having play

Motor Mount Jig

I created motor mounting jig and calculated beam deflection, moment, and shear stress to guide component selection, did hand calculations and FEA, factor of safety of over 12