Team Members

Shameer Boursiquot, Nate Esteban, Nicholas Hansen, Danish Hashim, Jimmy Lewis, Matthew Poole, Nickolas Saavedra

Abstract

Our shaker table design prioritizes light and efficient movement through a pair of Nema 17–driven, horizontally mounted pulley systems. This actuation effectively activates our shaker table’s test samples by rapidly gliding them over a low–friction polyethylene surface. This gliding motion was optimized by attaching the shaker table tray to a 3D–printed block with a PTFE bottom, eliminating unwanted friction. Two 1/8” Neodymium magnets within the block mesh with corresponding magnets embedded in the shaker table tray, allowing for the tray’s ease of separation from the shaker while simultaneously reinforcing it for centripetal acceleration. Eliminating the need to actuate the full weight of the samples puts less strain on the motors and allows our design’s aluminum structure to support the normal force of the test specimens. The 6061 Aluminum structure is made entirely of one piece of bent sheet metal, eliminating unnecessary stress points, and giving our design a sleek, minimalist appearance. The aluminum sheet metal structure has the added benefit of safely housing all electronic and some mechanical moving components, while also being extremely sturdy, and highly reliable. A 3D–printed front panel is integrated into the sheet metal structure, housing an LCD display that reads off the speed, mode, and oscillation radius. Potentiometers and numerous tactile switches give the user an intuitive interface with the table’s numerous controls. Most of our components being off–the–shelf parts allows for ease of integration and assembly and contributes to the shaker table’s high reliability.