Induction Furnace

Induction Furnace
Project Report
APSC 2683 X1
Darrell Crooks
December 4th
2015
Design Group #8: Team Rocket
Jamie Cahoon 100124911
Daniel Halbrook 10028094
Erik Kimbley 100116410
Fred Paquette 100123279

1
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Problem at Hand
1.2 Succinct statement
1.3 Client/Users needs
1.4 Attributes with Specifications
1.4.1 Required
1.4.2 Desired
2.0 Background Information
2.1 User population
2.2 Work environment
2.3 Constraints
3.0 Problem Definition
3.1 Client interviews
3.2 Technical Theory
3.3 Specifications
4.0 Conceptual Design
4.1 Functional Diagram
4.2 Morphological chart
5.0 Preliminary Design
5.1 Design Analysis
5.2 Proof of Concept test

2
6.0 Detailed Design
6.1 Work Coil and circuit
6.2 Water pump
6.3 Cooling fan
6.4 Arduino Control
7.0 Test Results/Performance
7.1 The circuit
7.2 Water pump
7.3 Fan
7.4 Arduino
7.5 Complete safety system
7.6 Final Performance
8.0 Embedded Safety
9.0 Costing Analysis
9.1 Cost Commitment
9.2 Time Commitment
10.0 Conclusions & Recommendations
11.0 References

3
Appendix
A. Customer survey/interview
B. Sketches,Drawings / Schematics, Program Code
C. Component specifications, Embedded Safety,Function and Morphological chart

4
1.0 Introduction
1.1. Problem at Hand
Artists and engineers alike engage the imagination in many different ways to stretch the
boundaries of what is already given to create something new and useful. Artists therefore have
many different mediums around them in which they can use to express their art. One of the many
mediums in which artists are working with, is metal. Metal artist and blacksmiths, for centuries
have worked with rod iron to create larger works from weapons and tools to ornate sculptures.
There are many tools in which metal artists can work with large pieces of metal. However,when
metal artists want to apply their skills to smaller works, the original blacksmithing tools are not
practical or affordable. This is the point where the creativity of the artist ends and the ingenuity of
the engineer begins. Team Rocket wants to help the artist achieve the practicality and
affordability of casting smaller works.
1.2. Succinct Statement
Metal artists need an affordable and sustainable casting oven to mold metal of various types.
Team rocket proposes to develop a casting oven that can cast metals with a melting point of 1200
degrees Celsius.
1.3. Client/User Needs
Team rocket approached an artist in Cape Breton who works with many different mediums
including metal. The artist, Satu Kimbley, expressed need for a small casting oven that can melt
small pieces of metal, such as jewelry and hardware (door hinges, brackets etc.). The metalof
interest was iron, so the caster must reach temperatures 1200 degrees Celsius. The artist in need
would like a product that could be used indoors, during the winter, while unattended. The caster’s
weight is not an issue; the stove does not need to be moved. The customer’s preferred energy
source is electricity, however, she does not mind using hardwood as she already uses it for the
wood stove.
1.4. Attributes with Specifications
Team Rocket’s solution tackled the affordability and sustainability of a metal caster while
addressing the user’s needs. Required and desired attributes are given as follows:
1.4.1 Required Attributes:
 Automated Feeder
o Batch Time – Under 1 Hour
o Involved Batch Time – Under 5 minutes
 At least fueled by stick of hardwood
 Reach temperatures of 1200o
C
 Batch volume – 100 cubic cm
 Meets fire/stove regulations for house
 Ability to operate unattended
 Cost- Under $300
 Total space taken is less than 4 cubic feet

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 Ability to work indoors
1.4.2 Desired Attributes:
 Powered with electricity – 120V or 240V if it is electric powered
 Multi-item casting for higher production
 Comes pre-assembled for easy set up

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2.0 Background Information
To better understand the task at hand, Design Group 8 did research into the target population,
their work environment and any constraints their environment may present:
2.1 User Population
Seeing as the project is directed towards artists, the team did research into small size
metal art and what tools & systems were already available to aspiring metal artists. The results
of this research concluded that, although there are a number of metal-working systems available,
no affordable and individual sized metal furnaces could be found for small shop artistry.
2.2 Work Environment
The work environment they found for a small metal art shop, based on their client interviews,
included a well ventilated room, with access to both 120V and 240V outlets. A minimum of 4ft2
of
space available for the furnace and the shop is not likely to be attended during the melting process.
2.3 Constraints
From the description of the work environment above, Team Rocket identified a number of
constraints that had to be taken into account when designing their project. First, the furnace must be
relatively small compared to commercially available models. Second, the furnace must be able to run
unattended for its entire melting cycle. Lastly, provided the furnace runs on electricity, it must be able
to operate from either a 120V or 240V outlet.

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3.0 Problem Definition
3.1 Client Interviews
On September 12th
, an artist was approached,Satu Kimbley, owns and operates an art studio,
“the Red Raven”, in which she produces many works with many different mediums. She
expressed interest in having a metal molder for various small works. Satu gave some indication
for what size of metal works she would like to cast, she said, “as to the size of the product; it
could be more or less the size of jewelry items, [and] hardware (like hinges or such).” Given the
items to be cast,the caster will need to reach a temperature to melt iron. Satu also wants a molder
that could be used indoors, during the winter, unattended, so she can work on another project
while the metal is melting. The space requirement for the metal caster is 4 square feet. The
caster’s weight is not an issue; the stove does not need to be moved. Satu’s preferred fuel source
is electricity, however, she does not mind using hardwood, as she already uses it for a wood
stove.
Based on the information gathered from potential the customer, Team rocket decided to use Satu
as the target costumer. She provided enough information to develop some required attributes for
the metal caster. Our next phase will be to extract attributes out of Satu’s need for a specific
caster.
3.2 Technical Theory
Induction heating is the process of heating an electrically conducting object (usually a metal)
by electromagnetic induction. Heat is generated in the object by eddy currents (also called
Foucault currents). An induction heater consists of an electromagnet, and an electronic oscillator
that passes a high-frequency alternating current (AC) through the electromagnet. The rapidly
alternating magnetic field penetrates the object, generating electric currents inside the conductor
called eddy currents. The eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the material heat it by
resistance heating. The frequency of current used depends on the object size, material type,
coupling (between the work coil and the object to be heated) and the penetration depth. Here is a
table showing the general ranges of frequency:
Table 1: Frequency application range1
Frequency (kHz) Workpiece type
5–30 Thick materials
100–400 Small workpieces or shallow penetration
480 Microscopic pieces

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3.3 Specifications
The group arrived at the specifications that the furnace will be run off a 120V wall outlet and
generate a frequency of about 133kHz to melt metals ranging from a metaling point of 1000o
C to
around 1200o
C. These specifications were arrived at by which the power outlet available by the
end user and the frequency was arrived at based on previously built induction heaters for this
range of heater.

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4.0 Conceptual Design
4.1 Functional Diagram
The group determined the Induction Furnace would have four main inputs; Energy,
Raw Material, User interface and, Electricity. These inputs were the basis for which the
furnace can start on. Each main input is then transformed into sub-functions in the
Function diagram. These sub-functions were determined based on safety, temperature
control and sensors, and the process at which material will travel to the melting chamber
then to the mould. After these sub-functions are finished two outputs occur which are;
Casted Metal in the mould, and Data from the run.
Figure 1: Functional Diagram
4.2 Morphological Chart
The Morphological chart hast three main paths, with each being made up of 16
functions. The group arrived at these three different design paths based off the desired
and required attributes gained from the end users and finding different solutions in which
they could be solved. (Appendix C)

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Scoring Methods
The following table was made based on the three pathways.
Table 2: Conceptual Design Score
Criteria Weight Green Pathway Orange Pathway Blue Pathway
Cost 5 2 2 4
Safety 5 2 3 4
Construction
Simplicity
2 2 3 4
Maintenance 1 2 3 4
Batch Time 2 5 5 1
Batch Volume 3 3 3 3
Input Type 4 4 4 2
Less By product 2 5 5 2
Energy Source 3 4 4 2
Automated 3 4 2 1
Total Mark 95 97 84
These values were arrived at by using the following marking system,
“Weight” mark legend: 1=Not Important to 5=Very Important
“Pathway” mark legend: 1=Does Not Meet Criteria to 5=Meets Criteria

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5.0 Preliminary Design
5.1 Design Analysis
Part of design analysis was to calculate the frequency at which the copper work coil
would resonate at. To determine this Team Rocket calculated the inductance and frequency off of
a potential design. To find the frequency Team Rocket used the following equation.
𝑓 =
1
2𝜋√ 𝐿𝐶
Figure 2: LC Circuit2
Where L is inductance of the coil and C is the capacitance. Using a capacitor bank of sixteen 0.27µF
capacitors. This capacitance was found to be effective in previously made coil of our size, called the
500W Royer Induction Heater4
. Inductance of the coil (L) was calculated using the following
formula.
The conclusions of the calculations showed that the inductance of the coil was theoretically 99999
Figure 3: Factors Affecting Inductance2
5.2 Proof of Concept
On October 15th
, Team Rocket met in the Carnegie building to prototype and test the
Induction Furnace we had designed. The goal was to prove that the machine could resonate at the
frequency needed of about 133kHz. This proof of concept would at least bring a piece of metal to
a temperature that would make it red-hot. If the test was successfulwe could confirm the design
works and continue perfecting it.

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The group split into two teams to complete the prototype in a timely manner. The first
team worked on making the smaller induction coils by using a pre-made one to calculate the
inductance per turn. This was then used to calculate the amount of turns needed to have 130µH
per inductor. Through some trial and error,they arrived at having two inductors both at about
119µH. The second team had the task to complete the rest of the circuit that consisted of multiple
resistors, diodes and MOSFETS. Once both parties had completed their job the inductors were
integrated into the circuit and the whole circuit was connected to the work coil to make the
induction furnace prototype. This induction furnace was then connected to an adjustable 12V DC
Power supply.
Numerous tests were conducted which resulted in damaging three MOSFETS. Team
Rocket concluded that, although the circuit was reaching a small level of oscillation, the power
supply used was providing too low wattage. This was causing one of the MOSFETS to repeatedly
short, due to the minimum power requirements not being reached. The reason why only one
MOSFET was shorting and why it was always the same one is undetermined but is assumed to be
by the shortest path of electricity, causing it to shirt first
The next steps in proving the design will work was to find a power supply that would
give a higher output to stop the MOSFETS from shorting and to put larger gauge wire into the
circuit to ensure enough current is moving from part to part.

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6.0 Detailed Design
6.1 Work Coil and circuit
The work coil consists of hollow copper piping that is coiled into 5 50mm diameter turns
to bring it to the size for the resonate frequency calculated. The circuit used is shown in the
following diagram:
6.2 Water pump
The water pump used runs at about 4L per minute which is what the team calculated to be
the amount needed to keep the reservoir of water cooled to under 50 degrees Celsius over a 5-
minute work period. The water is pumped from the reservoir to the top opening of the coil, the
water then flows down through the coil and comes out the bottom opening of the coil and is lead
back into the reservoir.
Insert picture of pump set-up
6.3 Cooling Fan
A 200mm computer fan is installed behind the circuit and it powered by the Arduino. The
purpose of the fan is to keep the temperature of the work coil’s circuit low to help prevent
overheating, followed by failure.

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6.4 Arduino control
The final main competent is the Arduino. The Arduino controls everything that happens
in the system. The Arduino is programmed to read the temperature of the water reservoir and if
the temperature is greater than 50 degrees Celsius it shuts the power off to the entire unit. The
Arduino is also programmed with a timer switch. The switch runs till 5 minutes is reached,the
amount of time needed to melt the material, and once 5 minutes is reached the entire system is
shut off again. The Arduino controls the power of the fan and the water pump so these
components are shut off if either switch is activated.

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7.0 Test Results/Performance
7.1 The circuit
The first test of the complete circuit took place over the fall study break in the Carengie Circuits
lab. The team constructed the compete circuit and hooked it up to a DC power source available in the lab.
Team Rocket connect an Oscilloscope to read if there were any oscillations occurring in the circuit. Once
the DC power supple was turned on the team could see solid oscillations on the oscilloscope for a few
seconds, accompanied by a sound coming from the coil, which was heard in videos of previous work
systems. After a few seconds a different sound was heard, this sound was a MOSFET shorting. The team
determined that the short was caused by the power supply. The power supple was not providing enough
voltage accompanied by enough amps to meet the minimum requirement the MOSFET was built for.
Numerous tests similar to this were conducted with minor changes,such as: adding a capacitor, changing
leads to the coil, and shortening wire length. Even with these changes it provided the same result.
Team Rocket decided to completely rebuild the circuit in a more compact way, with higher gauge
wire to insure the circuit will be able to have the proper current flowing through it. Another change was
made to the circuit, instead of using a direct DC power supply the team was not using a DC transformer
connected to a bridge rectifier which is then connect to the rest of the circuit. Numerous tests were done
resulting in the same problems as before,MOSFETS were being shorted, so the team decided to purchase
MOSFETS that have a wider range of working settings.
Once the newer MOSFETS were installed the team continued testing, this time with slightly
different results. The bridge rectifier was shorting. The bridge rectifier being used was rated at 20A so the
team decided to buy multiple 50A bridge rectifiers to ensure that this should not happen again as the
circuit should never be drawing more than 50A. Once the new bridge rectifiers arrived they were installed
testing continued. To our surprise these new bridge rectifiers shorted immediately, the team did not
understand why this was happened but under further inspection it turned out a MOSFET was shorted and
caused a greater load on the bridge rectifier than if the circuit was working, causing it to short.
Once the new MOSFET and bridge rectifier were installed the tested that followed was
successful. The oscilloscope was reading an oscillation and the circuit was able to run with shorting. The
problem was that,the coil was not able to heat up any metal, and the estimated frequency the circuit was
generating was in the MHz, roughly 50 times higher than the frequency needed. Multiple tests were
conducted again with a few changes such as:shorter higher gauge wire, and a more compact circuit. The
results were the same.
7.2 Water Pump
A very simple test was conducted to see if the purchased water pump would work, and provide a
steady flow of water for cooling the work coil. The test was conducted by filling the water reservoir half
way and submerging one tube coming off the pump that was attached to the intake. The pump was then
attached to a power supple and turned on. Once power was given to the pump it began flowing at a rate
that was perfect for the cooling desired.

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7.3 Fan
The fan also only need a very simple test which was to connect a power supple and see how
strong the intake and exhaust of the fan was. Once power was given it was seen that the exhaust of the fan
was strong enough to provide adequate cooling to the circuit.
7.4 Arduino
To test the Arduino, the team first had to write a code program that would firstly, start a timer
when initiated. If this timer ever exceeded the allotted time given it would shut the power off to the whole
system. Secondly it needed to have a temperature shut off, that when a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius
or higher was read it would change the current time value to that of a value higher than the allotted time
causing the system to be completely shut off. Once this code was completed testing could commence. The
first test was to see if the timer alone functioned. To test this a small light was being power through the
control of the Arduino. Once turned on the Arduino would allow power to the light and then after 15
seconds the Arduino would cut power to the light and it would shut off. The timer switch was successful.
The next step was to see if the timer switch worked accompanied by the temperature switch. To allow for
this test a greater time was given to the timer switch, so that the team could able enough heat to activate
the temperature switch. Once the Arduino and light were powered the temperature sensor was simply
heated up with hot air. Once the temperature sensor was triggered the Arduino shut off power to the light,
making the temperature switch as success also.
7.5 Complete safety system
The final test it to bring all of the safety systems together. The first step was to get a small power
source for the Arduino. Simply taking apart a small USB to wall charger did the job. The next step was to
connect the power of the other devices to a switch which was controlled by the Arduino. Once that was
done, the power had to be drawn from the input power to the transformer, so two small wires were
attached to the outlet that draws power from the wall and then lead to a smaller transformer which powers
the pump, fan and the switch. Once that was complete everything had to be connected. The temperature
cut off already had a premade place on the Arduino so that was no problem, the only parts left to connect
were the pump and fan. Luckily the fan already had power cords that fit perfectly with the rest of the
power set up and also has a small connecter that allowed the team to attach the pump. Once everything
was connected power was applied and everything ran perfecting, including the timer switch and
temperature cut off.
7.6 Final Performance
The final test was conducted November 26th
in the Carengie basement shop. The first step was to
install all of the systems into the metal computer case the team used for the chassis. All of the safety
controls were housed in the hard drive bay attached to the back of the case. The fan was attached in front
of them. Once everything was secured power connections were made. The circuit was installed in the
front of the case followed by the water reservoir behind it. Once everything was in place the oscilloscope
was attached. Also a voltmeter and amp meter were attached to make sure the circuit was staying in a say
power range. Once everything was ready the system was powered on. All of the safety systems performed

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as before. The circuit then started to run. The voltmeter read off in range of 20-25 volts which is what the
team was looking for, but the amp meter was only reading around 4 amps, which was odd. After a few
tests the amp meter reached up to 20 amps, which was a good amount the team was looking for but, after
the test was turned off the results were never able to be replicated. An adjustment to the capacitor bank
was made but it did not affect the final results.

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8.0 Embedded Safety
In regards to embedded safety,Team Rocket assessed the risks involved with the operation of the
induction furnace. The functions were assessed and rated for their inherent risk and possibility of failure.
Team Rocket accomplished this by first identifying all functions related to the design and then determined
the possible methods of failure for each function. An effect was attributed to each method of failure and it
was assessed for its criticality.
The levels of criticality from least dangerous to most dangerous were established as:
None (No danger to product, person or equipment. Not highlighted on risk assessment table).
Damage to end product (Not highlighted on risk assessment table).
Damage to equipment may result (Highlighted in yellow on risk assessment table).
Damage to equipment (Highlighted in yellow on risk assessment table).
Personalinjury or fire may result (Highlighted in red on risk assessment table).
Through this process,design group 8 was able to determine the most critical failures associated with their
design. These critical failures included the effects of a molten metal spill and the structural failure of the
copper coil. Here personalinjury or fire could occur. These critical failures could be reached if either the
melting chamber breaks,the mould assembly is not properly attached, the mould assembly overflows or
the software fails for the timed switch.
Appendix C contains the complete risk assessment chart.

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9.0 Costing Analysis
9.1 Cost Commitment
Table outlines the cost associated with the production of the metal caster. The table
shows the quantity of the particular item, the donated cost, the purchased cost and the planned
cost. Note: all the items have been either purchased or donated at the time of this analysis hence
there is not planned cost.
Table 3: Component Cost
Part Quantity Donated
Cost
Purchased Cost Planned Cost
Arduino UNO R3
ATmega328P
1 $4.92
Mini DC12V Water Pump 1 $6.99
Digital DHT22 AM2302
Temp Sensor
1 $6.29
3/8” ID Clear Vinyl Tubing 3ft $1.47
Brass Draw Catches 2 $6.69
Narrow Brass Hinge 1 $1.20
1/2” hose Clamps 4 $5.96
Fibre Glass Sheet 8 ft2
$4.09
473ml Fibre Glass Resin 1 $22.99
9mm Copper Tubing 102cm $4.01
Fire Clay 2lbs $1.60
Computer Fan 1 $6.55
Water Reservoir (Paint Can) 1 $5.99
Computer Tower 1 $55.00
Resistor, 10k Ohm 1W 5%
Axial
2 $0.39
Resistor, 470 Ohm 2W 5%
Axial
2 $0.48
Diode, Zener 12V 5W Axial 2 $1.40
MOSFET, N-Channel 200V
48A50-220
8 $8.20
Diode, Ultrafast 400V 8A
T0220Ac
2 $2.20
Capacitor, Capfilm 0.22μF
20% 560VDC
20 $1.19
Copper Wire/Ferrite Core
Inductor. L=119μH
2

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Transformer, Min=10VDC,
Max=40VDC
1 $250.00
Aluminum Heatsink, 2 $3.58
Bridge Rectifier 50A 600V 2 $9.96
Ceramic Crucible ID4.4
cm,
OD4cmx
14cm
$20.00
Large Capacitor 20000μH 1 $39.39
Ferrite Core 2 $1.40
3/16in x 3/4in Flathead bolt
+ nut
7 $8.26
1/4in x 1in Fine Socket Bolt
+ nut
8 4.88
6/32 x 5/8 in roundhead Bolt
+ nut
30 $15.00
#4-40 Bolt + nut Round
Machine
12 $4.80
2 ¾ in steel Hose Clamp 1 $1.27
7/8in x 3/4in rubber feet 4 $7.80
½in x15 ¾ x 15 ¾ 1 $2.45
Sub Total $323.23 $193.17 $0.00
Total Project Cost $516.40

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9.2 Time Commitment
The Table outlines the time committed to the project, as well as expected time needed to
complete the project. Values are the total number of hours spent on an aspect,which is the sum of
hours committed by individual group members.
Table 4: Time Allotted

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10.0 Conclusions & Recommendations
The design of the prototype satisfied the objectives of the design team,for the most part. Had it
worked, it would have met the desired and required attributes of the client. A resonant LC circuit is
capable of melting various kinds of metal quickly and efficiently with little knowledge required of the
user.
Unfortunately, the LC circuit didn’t function correctly. No melting occurred throughout the project. The
design team realized early on that achieving a stable and consistent resonating coil was paramount to
succeeding in the project. Troubleshooting was done by examining current, voltage and inductance along
the various parts of the circuit, coil, and power source. Although small changes were seen when the
capacitor bank was moved closer to the coil, the difference was not significant and did not make it work.
Two parts of the circuit were particularly problematic: the bridge rectifier and MOSFETs. These two
components shorted quickly and continually. This meant constant replacement which was costly in terms
of time and money. It also meant that it was difficult to do a variety of tests or make valid determinations
when tests were carried out.
The recommendation regarding the LC circuit would be confirming each aspect of the circuit in parts
before putting them together. A suitable power source would enable the designer to determine whether the
circuit itself had failures. The power source used fell below the MOSFET’s threshold requirement of 10V.
When a new power source was added, it consisted of severalcomponents, including the bridge rectifier.
Adding these new components without confirming the functionality of the LC circuit meant a designer
would be unable to appropriately conclude where the issue lay. But without a new power source,the
MOSFET’s would blow. This meant another DC source was needed to fully test the LC circuit before
changing the power source.
Another recommendation would be to find a commercially available crucible or have one fabricated for
the project. Since time was of the essence,this would have to be sourced early on, from someone capable
of showing results. The design team approached a local clay expert, at The Clayground of Wolfville, but
were provided with inaccurate advice. The advice suggested that placing the clay on the outside of the
form would not cause issues. When the clay dried around the form it tightened and cracked. Approaching
a reputable craftsperson would have prevented such results.
Had the LC circuit functioned, then the operating unit would have highlighted any other issues with the
usability of the prototype. According to literature, the timing set on the Arduino to cut-off the power and
the rate of water-cooling should have been approximately sufficient. Testing a working apparatus would
have allowed us to modify the rate of cooling and the cut-off time as needed, which is easily
accomplished.
Another issue which had yet to manifest was the potential for residue build-up due to the impurities in the
coolant depositing on the inside of the coil. This could be eliminated by conditioning the water.
Since the product was intended to be used with a mould, a variety of moulds could be made available with
the prototype to increase functionality at little additional cost. The mould provided with the prototype is
long and cylindrical. A flatter, wider mould would be a suitable secondary option.
In conclusion, such a prototype should only be pursued by those with a background in electronics, those
with available funds and sufficient troubleshooting capabilities. We approached severalmembers of the
Department of Engineering to seek advice, including the professor of circuits, a professor with a
background in industrial engineering and the professor of the course, Professor Crooks. Though their

23
advice was given with a noteworthy generosity, the design team was unable to rectify the problems with
the resources and time available.

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11.0 References
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_heating
2. http://physics.info/circuits-rlc/
3. http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-15/factors-affecting-inductance/
4. https://markobakula.wordpress.com/power-electronics/500w-royer-induction-heater/

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Appendix
A. Customer survey/interview
On September10th, 2015 our group discussed potential clients for an environmentally-friendly
and economic casting oven. We decided to pursue three avenues,a casualuser, a hobbyist and a
commercial user.
On September 11th, 2015, a causal user was approached,Zhu Minli, a student and homeowner
who expressed interest in the idea. Unfortunately, her interest was based on being able to extract
additional income on aluminum cans over and above the recycling centres return of $0.05 per can.
Though the smelter can add value to aluminum, it cannot raise the cost of raw aluminum ($0.97/𝑙𝑏2
)
above that of cans ($1.52). Her other use of it, to minimize the storage area used by the cans,already
exists.
A hobbyist, Simon Bellevue, a local mechanic, was interviewed on the 12th of September. Simon
expressed interest in a smelter, but had limited use for it and was more interested in a cheap model that
could run on a typical fuel source rather than on otherwise unusable agricultural waste. Simon provided
severaldesired attributes which our team may discuss further into the development of the design, but at
this stage we are seeking required attributes of use to our target customer.
On September 12th
, two potential artists were contacted. One artist,Grant Haverstock,who works
solely with metal in his artwork, expressed brief interest in a metal caster. A follow up to his initial
interest on September 14th
was received with no reply. Therefore,we have not acquired any further
attributes for our product from this potential customer.
The second artist approached, Satu Kimbley, owns and operates an art studio, “the Red Raven”,
in which she produces many works with many different mediums. She expressed interest in having a
metal molder for various small works. Satu gave some indication for what size of metal works she would
like to cast,she said, “as to the size of the product; it could be more or less the size of jewelry items, [and]
hardware (like hinges or such).” Given the items to be casted,the caster will need to reach a temperature
to melt iron. Satu also wants a molder that could be used indoors, during the winter, unattended, so she
can work on another project while the metal is melting. The space requirement for the metal caster is 4
square feet. The caster’s weight is not an issue; the stove does not need to be moved. Satu’s preferred fuel
source is electricity, however, she does not mind using hardwood, as she already uses it for a wood stove.
Based on the information gathered from potential customers, Team Rocket has decided to use
Satu as the target costumer. She provided enough information to develop some required attributes for our
metal caster. Our next phase will be to extract attributes out of Satu’s need for a specific caster.
Sincerely,
Team Rocket

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B. Sketches, Drawings / Schematics, Program Code
Software Flow Diagram for Arduino Control:

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C. Component specifications, Embedded safety, Function and Morphological chart
Parts list:
Item Part Amount
1 32*36cm Fiber glass 2
2 Fire clay Mold, Depth = 10 cm Dia = 9 cm 1
3 Ceramic Crucible,
Diain = 4 cm Diaout = 4.4 cm L = 14 cm
Funneling with centered hole Dia = 0.5 cm
1
4 Copper Tubing Work Coil,
9 mm Copper tubing, 5 turns, 6.6 cm Dia
1
5 Plastic Water reservoir,
L = 16 cm W = 16 cm H = 16 cm
1
6 Water Pump,
4 L /min
Mini DC12V 3M Micro Quiet Brushless Motor Submersible Water Pump
1
7 Computer fan,
L= 120 mm W = 12 mm D =25 mm, 500 -1500 RPM
1
8 Sheet Metal Chassis
80*80cm 1/8 thick sheet to be cut
4 vents – Aluminum
1
9 Resistor,
10k Ohm 1W 5% Axial
2
10 Diode,
Zener 12V 5W Axial
2
11 Resistor,
470 Ohm 2W 5% Axial
2
12 MOSFET,
N-channel 200V 48A50-220
2
13 Diode,
Ultrafast 400V 8A T0220AC
2
14 Capacitor,
Capfilm 0.22µF 20% 560VDC
20
15 Copper wire/Ferrite core Inductor,
Inductance = 119 µH
2
16 Transformer,
Min = 10VDC Max = 40VDC
1
17 Aluminum Heatsink,
L = 5 cm W = 5 cm D = 2 cm
2
18 Brass Hinge 1
19 Large Capacitor Dia= 6 cm, H = 13 cm, 20000 H 1
20 Arduino Uno L = 7 cm, W = 5.5 cm 1

29
21 3/16 Flathead bolt + nut 7
22 Bridge Rectifier L = 2.4 cm, W = 2.4 cm, H = 0.8 cm 1
23 ¼ * 1 Fine socket Hex + nut 8
24 6/32 Flathead screw + nut 30
25 4/40 Screws + nut 12
26 6 cm Tension clip 1
27 2.5 cm Dia 2 cm H rubber Feet 4
28 ½ in 40*40 cm plywood to be cut 1
29 500ml Carbon Fiber Resin 1

31
Function Diagram:
Morphological chart:
Criteria Weight Green Pathway Orange
Pathway
Blue Pathway
Cost 5 2 2 4
Safety 5 2 3 4
Construction
Simplicity
2 2 3 4
Maintenance 1 2 3 4
Batch Time 2 5 5 1
Batch Volume 3 3 3 3
Input Type 4 4 4 2
Less By product 2 5 5 2
Energy Source 3 4 4 2
Automated 3 4 2 1
Total Mark 95 97 84
Table 1: Conceptual Design Score
“Weight” mark legend: 1=Not Important to 5=Very Important
“Pathway” mark legend: 1=Does Not Meet Criteria to 5=Meets Criteria

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