Blog Posts

Blog Post #19: Final Poster and Video

As this semester comes to a close the team is finally wrapping up the project! Here’s a final look at the project video and poster presented at the FDR. The team would like to thank Dr. Jackson, Dr. Rinaldi, Dr. Latorre, the IPPD staff, as well as David Sante and Dr. Stapleton for guiding the team throughout this whole process. Have a great summer!

React3D Project Promo Video

Final Design Presentation Poster depicting final design and overall design process throughout the semester

Blog Post #18: The End of the Road!

This week marked the conclusion of Team REACT3D’s journey. The team presented the final prototype to various faculty in-person and virtually during the Final Design Review (FDR). Participants that attended in-person were able to interact with the reactors and conduct a colorimetric reaction.

Presentation setup including kit packaging, a functional reactor, and previous iterations of designs.

Faculty feedback was taken into account and will be implemented by the next group of students. In the future, the UF Chemical Engineering Department plans to incorporate these reactor designs into an existing kit.

Members of Team REACT3D at the FDR presentation. From left to right: Lezhou, Valentina, Mikiya, Yusef, Sherlyn, Ivan (not pictured).

The team would like to thank all faculty members, IPPD staff, and UF for giving us this opportunity and guiding us through this journey. Thank you for tuning in! Go Gators!

Blog Post #17: Kit Testing Time!

This week the team was hard at work doing some user testing. We were set up at the Chemical Engineering Student Center, where students and professors could come in and do some tests run of our lab kit. If you want a closer look, keep an eye on our blog for our Final Design Presentation in the upcoming weeks. 😉  

(From left to right) Yusef, Sherlyn, and Dr. Funkenbusch testing the lab kit. 

Blog Post #16: Almost There

React3d has been extremely busy. From ordering new parts to continue testing, to re-writing the GUI code to make it perfect and 3D printing like crazy, the team has been working non-stop to get the final prototype ready to go in the next couple of weeks. This week the team focused on getting students signed up to come in and test their reactor to see how easy it is to assemble and to assess the clarity of their manual. We had a meeting with our coach in person, and it was great to talk about our design and communicate without a screen in the middle.

From left to right: Dr. Jackson (REACT3D Coach), Mikiya, Sherlyn, Valentina, Lezhou, Yusef 

Blog Post #15: Prototype Inspection Day Part 2!

React3D had their Prototype day #2 this week! They were able to meet in one room and together they presented to multiple faculty and staff. Their presentation was full of videos and pictures of their current prototype to try and get the audience to see all the parts of the kits, as well as their functionality. They got a lot of positive feedback, and great questions to continue improving the finishing touches of their reactor. These upcoming weeks are going to be challenging and very fast-paced but React3D cannot wait to deliver their final prototype. 

Team REACT3D all together for Prototype Inspection Day

Blog Post # 14: Its Crunch Time!

This week the team is hard at work making improvements to their designs! Sherlyn made some progress testing new chemical concentrations, while Yusef and Lezhou tested the new 3D printed designs. Ivan and Mikiya were hard at work soldering the circuit design onto a protoshield for testing. Everything is coming together! 

Here’s Ivan soldering some new connections on the protoshield

BLOG POST#13: THE GRIND CONTINUES

This week Team REACT3D made a lot of progress on their project. They were able to get a lot of feedback from their sponsor, Dr. Rinaldi; they re-designed the 3D printed reactor and its components, and they continued to improve their circuit! Valentina and Sherlyn tested their reaction and made a lot of progress to ensure the reaction is safe to distribute. The team has been remarkably busy these past few weeks but is incredibly happy with the progress they have made. They are excited to continue improving their final product and to get feedback next week during QRB2.

Team REACT3D working hard in the lab!
Valentina and Sherlyn having fun with chemicals (safely)

Blog Post #12: More Progress!

This week, the team made a lot of headway in chemical reaction running. By changing concentrations of different reactants, a much faster reaction time was obtained. Moreover, new chemical reactions compatible with our colorimetric sensor were identified and are going to be tested in the following days. Also, a lot of successful testing was done with the tube fittings and the motor-impeller assembly. As a highlight of our week, the team managed to create a final circuit design with all the sensors, pumps and motors and the results looked quite promising.

Circuit design prototype with sensors, motors and pumps.

BLOG POST #11: PRODUCTIVE LAB MEETINGS!

This week the team made a lot of progress! Sherlyn and Valentina got to test different concentrations of chemical reactions. Ivan, Yusef, and Mikiya worked on calibrating color sensors and testing the new reactor designs.  The team definitely made a lot of progress in all aspects of the project and there is still a plenty to go. Stay tuned for our next week’s update!

Small-scale Crystal Violet and Magnesium Hydroxide Reaction

Blog Post #10: Prototyping Continues!

This week, Team REACT3D had Qualification Review Board (QRB) 1 and updated faculty members on their progress. The team took the feedback given and began pursuing alternate designs. In addition, REACT3D 3D printed additional designs and met for prototyping. A lot of information was learned, including how to make better designs for SLA printing and the importance of prototyping small subsystems. The team made great progress, but there is still plenty to do! 

(left to right) Ivan, Mikiya, Lezhou, Yusef, and Valentina prototyping parts and sensors.