Entropy Machine
A useless machine that expresses chaos through order. Among the intricate gears lay a luminescent sphere that records the path of order that gave birth to chaos.
Tools:
Solidworks; 3D Printing
Roles:
Design, CAD, and Assembly of gears
Why Entropy Machine?
This is a story about chaos and order. Among the intricate interactions of gears lay a luminescent sphere that captures the cause and effect of something orderly that turns into something unpredictable. As the gears turn and drive the triple pendulum surrounding the sphere, they cast a retraceable trail of light upon its surface, thus creating a seemingly random pattern.
Capturing Pendulum Path
The central sphere is coated in luminescent paint with a light source attached at the tip of the pendulum. As the machine goes through the motion, the path of the pendulum is captured by the sphere.
The mechanism is powered through a step motor that is mounted on the based and connected to the drive train to increase the torque.
There are three major tracks that provide rotational motion for the pinions attached to different levels of the sphere. They transfer energy to the gears and eventually to the spinning pendulum.
Brainstorming
Initial Modeling/Testing
In the initial Modeling stage, we tested out the different mechanisms that would potentially make up the final design.
Construction
Based on the model, we started our fabrication and assembly process. We used 3D printing technology in producing the custom designed gears and rails.
This video illustrates the driving mechanism of the triple pendulum that creates the chaotic motion and makes up the central part of the machine.