Welcome back to our weekly update on the progress of our project! As we continue our journey of development and improvement of the Optoform 40/60, Week 19 has been a pivotal moment for our team as we delve into refining our testing plans. We have been focusing on testing the potential materials of the suction tube, ordering the components needed to test our 3D printed nozzle (such as tubing, fittings, etc), and determining which components will work for our controls system. We have also improved our air jacketed nozzle, and 3D printing. A lot of progress has been made in the new CAD design of the suction tube. Join us as we explore the intricacies of our testing strategies and the exciting progress we’ve made.

Figure 1: The inner piece of the nozzle

Figure 2: The air jacket for the nozzle

Figure 3: Materials that arrived for testing the suction tube

This week, our design team made significant strides in advancing our hybrid nozzle project. During our liaison meeting, key discussions revolved around optimizing size compatibility, maintaining clearances, and enhancing flow dynamics through simulation-driven adjustments. We identified a stainless steel material for the jacket, found heaters for the new nozzle, and made crucial decisions on the vacuum tube design. The reduction in tube length and considerations about slot width balance were pivotal points.

The project remains on schedule, and we’re excited to share this journey of design excellence. QBR this week was a great opportunity to address issues including an updated removal system, workload distribution, quality control for simulations, and initiating the control system. Below you can see the 3D printed nozzle we have been working on.

Figure 1: 3D Printed Nozzle

In our latest strides, we’ve transitioned to ANSYS Fluent, a move driven by the need for a well-resolved mesh in transient heat-transfer simulations. Tutorials have been pivotal in mastering the new software. Simultaneously, our CAD efforts focus on a streamlined hybrid nozzle design, incorporating a heat jacket. Resin printing is imminent, with custom heaters being researched.

The recent meeting underscored critical points: Nozzle fitment and airflow optimization were in-depth considerations, emphasizing external simulation’s importance. Discussions delved into the heating system’s simplicity, with thermocouples for temperature control. The purpose of cold air streams and vacuum chip removal intricacies were clarified.

The accompanying image showcases directional alignments critical to our project: aligning tool bed lines, optimizing airflow angles, and ensuring the concentricity of tool plate holes with the X-axis.

Looking forward, plans include determining heating pads, continuing external simulations with ANSYS Fluent, researching tube coatings, and optimizing the overall design for efficiency. Our commitment remains steadfast as we refine the nozzle, enhance simulations, and overcome challenges. Stay tuned for more updates on our innovative journey!

Figure 1: Alignment of tool bed lines

After the ramping up of the semester, the team has hunkered down to alter the software used for the transient heat-transfer simulations of the nozzle. With the realization that Ansys Discovery was unable to perform to a high degree of accuracy with the lack of a proper mesh, the team has made the decision to move on to Ansys Fluent, which is their flagship software and the leading fluid modeling program in the industry. This new software requires a drastic deepening of our fluids understanding and utilization of the novel user interface. The team has been busy watching Ansys tutorials on how to create a well-resolved mesh as well as volume extraction.

Additionally, on the CAD side of our project, we have been designing the new hybrid nozzle as our second type of solution. This new nozzle will have a simpler distance between inlet to outlet, but it will allow us to keep most of J&J’s original design the same. The nozzle will still have a heat jacket but we are still in the process of simulating the internal flow for this new nozzle. Furthermore, both designs will soon be printed with resin and the heaters will be customized and ordered.

Figure 1: Learning Ansys Fluent

Figure 2: CAD Design

Returning from winter break, our team regrouped to face challenges head-on. Scheduling hurdles were swiftly addressed by adopting a sub-team meeting approach, dividing our focus between CAD/manufacturing, and ANSYS simulations. The aim? Creating a hybrid nozzle that merges the original’s size and shape with advanced internal flow paths and a new heater. This strategic move simplifies integration, ensuring less variation from past successes. Our innovative design remains compatible with existing insulation tubing and FESTO fittings, promising a seamless transition. With ongoing work on jacket design, CFD simulations, and nozzle bracketry updates, our post-winter comeback is marked by purposeful progress and a commitment to engineering excellence. Thank you for tuning in!

Figure 1: Spring Objectives

This week, the PolarFlow Optics team presented our progress in the IOL Diamond Turning Thermal Management project. It was great to reconnect in person with our project liaison, Nick Belanger, and J&J’s R&D Automation Engineering Lead, Rick Garcia.

We are feeling excited to make use of the long break to finalize our designs and work through system level simulations in preparation for testing in the Spring. We will be sending multiple design iterations to be tested in the IOL manufacturing process at the J&J Vision center in Limerick, Ireland. With support from the Research department at JJV Jacksonville, we will be testing our waste removal system locally before integrating it with our cryo-nozzle design. We will also be making use of the long break to home in on the design of our system controller.

The PolarFlow Optics team is thankful for our invaluable learning experiences throughout this past semester. Stay tuned for testing updates and final deliverables in the spring! Happy holidays! <3

This week marked the culmination of our efforts as we presented our System Level Design Review (SLDR) draft. The team collaborated on a comprehensive report, encapsulating months of research and design plans into a concise document. During the presentation, we shared our progress with peers, inviting valuable feedback. The positive reception mirrored the skills we’ve honed throughout the semester, presenting to various audiences, from classmates to coaches. With newfound confidence, we eagerly anticipate the upcoming SLDR event, ready to showcase our project’s success to our esteemed liaisons.

Tuesday was a significant day for our project – Prototype Inspection Day. We presented our overall design and progress to three groups of judges, and the feedback from each group was insightful. We received some great suggestions, and we’re definitely keeping those in mind as we move forward with the next steps of our project.

Looking ahead, the rest of the semester is all about gearing up for the System Level Design Review, which serves as a follow-up to the Preliminary Design Review. This is where we’ll dive into the details of our plan for the Spring semester.

Our prototype featured a variety of components, including the Nozzle with its Clam Shell, Lid, Inner Nozzle, and Custom Heaters. There’s also the Optoform 60 Bracketry, showcasing our Custom Bracket and Insulation Tubing Inlet. In the Waste Removal department, we included the Vacuum Adapter, Fixture to Tube, and a Custom Tube that we’re still testing out.

We’re really excited about our next steps!

Monday marked a particularly exciting milestone as we conducted our Preliminary Design Review with Johnson & Johnson in Jacksonville, Florida! Meeting our liaisons and interacting with senior engineers in person added a personal touch to our experience. Furthermore, we had the opportunity to explore the Johnson & Johnson facility, including the manufacturing floor.

The response to our presentation was fantastic, and everyone at Johnson & Johnson is genuinely excited about what our project could mean for them down the road. Due to our visit, we are feeling inspired and ready to jump into the next steps, starting with prototyping.

A big shoutout to Ricardo Garcia, Yasemar Perez, Nickolas Belanger, and everyone else who made our visit special. Your warm welcome and encouragement meat a lot to us!

In the world of product development, meticulous preparation is the key to success. In our latest strides toward perfecting our PDR presentation, we’ve made significant headway. We’ve fine-tuned our heat jacketed nozzle concept to ensure optimal performance. What’s more, we’ve successfully identified a reliable supplier for custom silicon heating pads, receiving an enthusiastic green light to advance with our project. To ensure every detail is accounted for, we’ve defined the bracketry for the nozzle, even pinpointing the specific holes within the spindle cover. Our dedication to excellence doesn’t stop there; we’ve also made great strides in designing a cutting-edge suction tube adapter. To top it off, our research efforts are in full swing, aimed at uncovering the best coatings and microstructure solutions for our suction tube. With our unwavering commitment to innovation and meticulous planning, we’re primed to take product development to new heights.

The anticipation is building as we gear up for our upcoming PDR presentation in Jacksonville – a significant milestone on our journey to innovation! Looking ahead, our next steps are laden with exciting challenges. We’re delving into the world of structural simulations to achieve a goal of keeping deflection in the plate under 100 microns. Simultaneously, we’re on the cusp of creating a negative volume for flow interaction simulations, further refining our House of Quality to ensure impeccable standards. Our commitment to excellence also extends to identifying the perfect control valve that aligns seamlessly with our process conditions, and we’re exploring the possibility of implementing a PLC system for enhanced control, connecting it with our ThermoJet. Our relentless pursuit of perfection doesn’t stop there – our dedicated research into coatings and microstructure solutions for the internal suction tube remains an integral part of our mission to stay at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. The future is bright, and our journey continues to unfold.

Figure 1: you can see our team member Evan having a breakthrough while a group pic!