Redesigning the Electrospinner (Week 2)

Last Wednesday, after our Engineering Lab, we received the K'Nex pieces we needed to begin building the original design of the electrospinner, shown below:

The major design components that we wish to modify and optimize are:

• the collection area and the height of the collector
• the tray and grounding wire
• distance between gears

Since then, Nikita and I have been focusing on the height and collector component of the electrospinner. The first thing we did was redesign how the copper mesh (which we are using to collect the nanofibers) is held up. We created a holder (shown below) with one side open, in order to allow the nanofibers to land on the mesh without any interference. This assembly can be removed easily from the poles of the electrospinner, allowing the nanofibers to be easily removed. Also, should the copper mesh need to be replaced, the blue rods can be removed and the two pieces can be separated to easily remove the mesh.

The second thing we redesigned was how the collector was held in place. What we used was a simple bracket coming up from the base and held stable by the two bars next to it. The collector would simple rest on this. The yellow bars can be replaced should the height of the collector need to be changed.

The only other change we made was a minor one, in which we raised the base of the electrospinner to allow easier access to the tray that would be underneath it, as well as to make replacing any parts easier.