My DT project involved the development of an automatic watering system for my client’s balcony plants, which solves his problem of being unable to water them when he is away on trips or vacation. Throughout the design process, I have encountered various problems, but by far the most significant was during the Design and Production phase. The circuit’s complexity meant I had to reprogram and retest the function several times to ensure that it functioned as intended. I also added a new component to modulate the voltage to the pump, which required a specialist high current potentiometer as the standard sizes were prone to overheating.
I had to perform calculations and measure the voltage-resistance characteristics of the water pump in order to select the potentiometer of suitable amperage. It was also necessary to asses the voltage-pump flow rate characteristics of the pump to decide on the most suitable range of resistances.
You’re portfolio is the best I’ve seen by far! I agree you have gained skills in the area of problem solving and critical thinking and you’re technical skills in soldering and programming. However, there are several methods to reduce the amount of soldering and connections, such as a SHIELD. If you could attempt the product again, what would you do differently?
It’s really interesting seeing the circuit board. Good incorporation of the pictures to support your statements!
I used this circuit for my major project too – and I agree it is a tough one to get to work. Do you think this complexity means you should have chosen a different circuit?
Either way, the fact that you continued to test the circuit and try new components really shows how resilient you are. How admirable!