Reflection Automation
Introduction
Ross Lyle, the chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department, has noticed that solar energy systems are not accessible to the average household. Currently, the most common style is roof mounted. These systems are very expensive requiring preliminary roof inspections and permits, which can take months. Additionally, they are often mounted in suboptimal orientation to the sun, reducing efficacy. However, there are systems in Europe that combat these setbacks such as balcony solar, a simple balcony-mounted solar panel that plugs into your wall. Our client wanted us to design small scale, affordable, easy-to-install system with key efficiency improvements, like solar tracking, for the North American market. Our team has been working tirelessly on the best design, and we are excited to showcase our product.
Acknowledgements
Our team would like to thank Ross Lyle for funding this project and providing our team with an opportunity for learning. We look forward to delivering an accessible solar panel prototype for North America.
Team Members
Calin Barber
(Team Lead)Calin Barber has been interested in design and mechanical systems for as long as he can remember. Always fascinated and wanting to understand the inner workings of machinery, Calin was excited for a chance to put his design ideas to the test. Calin also had extensive experience in the trades coming into this project: He was a 1st year apprentice in both Autobody and Sheet Metal and has been working on cars since childhood. He was excited for the chance to combine his tangible hands-on experience with his newfound knowledge and theory of mechanical systems. With a goal to provide insights in designing for manufacturing, he was excited to work with his team on a mechanical project. Calin has learned many lessons through this project and is excited to incorporate what he has learned into his next design challenge.
Gavin Ma
(CAD Lead)Gavin Ma has an aptitude for control systems and electronics for robotic systems. During his time at the Camosun Robotics Club, Gavin developed his programming and electronics skills by creating automatic movement in a humanoid robot. His role in the club also developed into a leadership position where he helped recruit new members and guide the club. Through his hard work and dedication to completing tasks on time, the humanoid robot was ready for a public showcase where it garnered lots of attention and interest. Gavin now brings these skills to this project to achieve accurate solar tracking. In his off time, Gavin enjoys sketching as well as designing logic systems in games.
Mark Golden
(Manufacturing Lead)Mark has always had a strong interest in mechanical systems and understanding how they work. In addition, he possesses a natural aptitude for building physical products. Through his time at Camosun, Mark has developed a strong foundational understanding of mechanical engineering concepts. Throughout this capstone project, he has shown the ability to accurately convey design ideas to his team. In addition, he has led most prototyping efforts, where access to materials was very limited and required them to be used in a creative way. After graduation, he hopes to find a role that will allow him to apply both his design knowledge and machining/fabricating abilities.
Makayla Silvey
(Documentation/Accounting Lead)Growing up, Makayla had a lot of questions about the physical world around her. She was always wondering how things function and why. With her curiosity and passion for problem solving, she has excelled in her studies at Camosun and in her co-op placement with the Department of National Defense. With this capstone project, she has been gaining confidence in engineering design, Arduino programming, and technical documentation. Specifically, she has taken initiative on researching and implementing different ways to track the sun. Makayla approaches all her work with a smile and a can-do attitude, and she is looking forward to working with her team to produce a final prototype.