Filament Strengthener

Abstract

This filament strengthener design project focuses mainly on the concept of strain hardening/ cold working. The team designed a multi-pole, adjustable and continuous multi-wheel system that includes both loading and unloading phases in order to stretch an ‘ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene’ filament that is infused with carbon nanoparticles. The team will utilize three stepper motors and will power them through a single motor driver. The motors will be located on top of the three adjustable posts in order to demonstrate the two phases that will stretch the fiber through the process of controlled speed. Additionally, as the filament undergoes continuous deformation, the team will closely monitor the tensions at both phases by implementing a load cell that will be housed in the two mini-posts in between the adjustable posts. The load cell will be attached to a pulley fitted in a slot as such that the pulley may slide vertically. This design will dampen any sudden changes in speed of the motors on the load cell sensor. The team’s main objective was to design the system in order to demonstrate the concept of strain hardening and was going to use a special fiber to validate the concept during the final presentation.