Team Members
Lyle Hayes-Macaluso, Andrew Michael, Matthew Zammataro, Kaio Bui, Gavin Drawdy, Anton Nguyen, Jackie Le
Abstract
To achieve our hedgehog concept of maintaining the functionality of the imaging chamber at a low cost, we created a product with a modular design. This design utilizes thermoset threaded inserts and Teflon tape to fasten and seal the imaging chamber. By not using permanent adhesives, the user can replace each piece of the chamber individually. This is especially important since the acrylic walls can lose their optical properties over time when exposed to water or when scratched in use. Another important feature that improves the product’s reliability over time is the construction of the light sheet window. By making the window out of two panels, the thinner section is replaceable when it no longer has desirable optical properties. Also, since the outer panel is mainly for structural purposes, it will most likely not need to be replaced as often as the inner panel and will serve a longer lifetime. Also, since Teflon tape is used to seal the gaps between the chamber walls, the manufacturing tolerances do not need to be as tight, meaning a replacement part can be manufactured faster when it is needed to continue an experiment.