High Technology Projects
I became interested in high technology in high school. I started reading about electronics and mechanics, and shortly after that I started designing 3d models and drawing electric circuits. I found out about 3D printing right around the time that I started thinking about materials that I could use to build some prototypes. Buying my first 3d printer opened a new world of opportunities for me. With this technology, I can test my ideas quickly and at a very low cost. It allows me to learn from my mistakes and constantly improve my engineering skills while not having to use expensive machines and materials for manufacturing my projects.
Solar Tracker
In 2018 I came up with the idea of a device that will be able to evaluate the profitability of a solar power system in residential places. I knew that there were solar maps available and these maps could give a clue about the effectiveness of a solar power system. But those maps were made for sparsely-populated areas and they weren’t so accurate in accounting for the changes in the moderizing landscapes of our cities.
I spent almost 2 years working on my project and learning about electronics, mechanics, programming, and 3D design. Years later I am still commited to learning. Although I have many new solutions and ideas of how to improve this project, I decided to postpone working on it in order to further my education in other fields of science.
In 2019, I entered the solar tracker in the Polish National Olympiad of Technical Innovation and Invention in Warsaw. This Olympiad is a technical contest where young people present their inventions in 3 stages: local, county, and national. Placing second at the national level gave me a free pass to all of the best technical universities in Poland and gave me the confidence to continue inventing.
Gallery
Ultrasonic Mapping Robot
In 2022 I started working on a new device that would be able to scan the area around it, make a 2D map of the surrounding, detect obstacles and autonomously move around and find the optimal path to the destination. I used SOLIDWORKS to make 3d models, Autodesk Eagle to create electric circuit and PCB deisgn, Fusion 360 to integrate with Eagle, and Cura slicer to print all the parts on my 3d printer.
As with most of my projects the main purpose of this one was mainly to learn new valuable skills such as: how to make PCB designs and professional electrical circuits in Eagle software, how to use Atmega microcontroller with my own custom electric circuit (not the Arduino), how to do PCB etching, how to program microcontrollers using Assembler, and how to use more advanced electronics concepts in practice.
I built this project using: two DC motors I found in old toys, one servo motor to rotate a turret, two ultrasonic distance sensors to detect objects and create digital maps of the surrounding, microcontroller AVR – Atmega 328 and WiFi ESP8266 + NodeMCU v3 module. In addition to that, all the gears, mounts, and chassis was 3d printed.
Except 3d models, photos and videos, I also attached technical description of this project, that I wrote for one of the professors at my university as part of my own initiative to learn how to prepare detailed descriptions and technical documentations of my work (this documentation is unfortunately written in Polish, but it can easily be translated). To see more details click here.
Gallery
Jet Boat
After completing a few successful projects, I decided to move to a higher level of engineering which is building something that can move on water. It’s a different level, because such an object has to be waterproof, hydrodynamic, and thus carefully designed.
I decided to build a boat with a water jet engine, which sucks water from beneath the hull and uses special propellers to extract water with great force behind the boat. To control the boat I decided to upgrade my old RC controller with brand new ESP32 microcontroller, newly designed custom PCB, and custom-written software that is capable of achieving high-speed connection up to 100 meters.
So far, I’ve been able to build two iterations of this boat, with a few different jet engine designs, and yet I’m still working on a third model that will be better than previous ones that were imperfect.
You can find detailed description and technical documentation of this project here.
Gallery
Member Of A Scientific Group
In 2021/2022 I was a member of a scientific group at my university called LEM Wroclaw Motorsport. One of my tasks there was to design 3d models of different mechanical parts and manage assemblies of different components. I was also involved in various projects in workshops, e.g. testing the cooling systems of a new electric buggy, evaluating how parts that I designed in CAD software were performing in real environments, and testing new ways of casting aluminum parts using 3d printed models (Lost PLA Casting).
Gallery
RC Tank
As part of final-year university project, me and one of my friends created an RC tank with special suspension and custom electronics, fully 3d printed (main body, wheels, rollers as well as tracks). Due to the size limits of our 3d printer, we had to print the main body in 2 sections that were later glued together.
Soil Extractor
As part of my deep passion for space exploration and space rovers, I started to design a cylindrical head with a special unit that would extract a soil samples for further analysis. This device would be later on attached to a rover’s arm. In addition to that, I created a first version of a new robot gripper that could hold various tools and use them on special missions on different planets.
Hand Cart with safety brakes
I started working on a new concept of a safety cart for transporting batteries on race tracks. I was asked to do this by one of the students group at my university called PWr Racing Team. They develop race cars for students competitions. I designed this model using Inventor. The hand cart has a brake that is always on and only released if someone pushes the handle. It has four wheels with air tires to protect cargo from vibrations and shocks during operation. I haven’t finished this project yet, but the general concept is ready.
Gallery
Barrow wheel
My first project where I could learn about 3d printing potential, was when I had to replace one of the plastic barrow wheels. Due to overload, one of the wheels broke. With then-new printer, I just designed and 3d printed a new wheel using PET-G plastic.
