Gate Reviews

Your team will hold a gate review with your guide at the end of each semester. This page should document any information needed for the review, as well as outcomes.

MSD I: Reflection and Readiness for MSD II Work

• Use this space to organize information for your review. Key elements are listed here
• Your team should complete a self-critique and report the results here.
• Note: lack of readiness means your team will have a critical design review at the end of the first phase of MSD II. This is typically a result of significant unanswered feasibility questions with no clear path to solution. 

Expectations

• All team members present and prepared to report on team and individual status.
• All team MSD deliverables are complete and uploaded, and ready to be graded.
• Guide is present and prepared to evaluate all items included in the review.
• Review should take about an hour.

Status Review

Current state of the project

• Summarize expected performance vs. requirements (include snapshot of current requirements document here, along with a link to the live document.)

• Address any issues raised during your Detailed Design Review. These will generally fall into one of three categories
  • Issues that have been addressed and the team is closing them out. (GREEN, team is ready to proceed to build and test)
  • Issues that have not been addressed yet, but the team has a clear path to a solution. (YELLOW, team expects to be ready for build and test, and a Critical Design Review may be held in MSD II Week 2)
  • Issues where the team has not been able to identify a solution or a clear path to a solution. (RED, team is not ready for build and test, and a Critical Design Review will be held in MSD II Week 2)

• Compare your current project plan/schedule to your original plan/schedule.
  • Has the scope of your project changed?
  • How and why did your schedule change?
  • What have you learned from these changes?

The team decided that a on-demand concrete mixing system would be out of the scope of this project. Feasibility testing proved that such a subsystem would take too much time and development to allow for the successful completion of all the other subsystems. This pushed our schedule back about 3 weeks, which we think we can makeup during the Winter break. From this setback we learned we need to be very realistic in what we pursue and do a better job of developing subsystems in parallel. It is easy to get caught up in the testing of a particular subsystem but owners of other subsystems must make sure they are still keeping their work on track despite any additional workload that may come from testing.

• Review individual team member status.
  • Did you deliver on your personal responsibilities?
  • Did you use your MSD I plan effectively? Was it realistic? If not already addressed above, what did you learn from this and how have you applied this toward a meaningful and realistic MSD II plan?

Our original MSD I plan wasn't very realistic. Unfortunately we probably bit off more than we could chew by adding additional subsystems and functionality to the design, while understating how much work it would be to get the base subsystems working. So our initial scope was too large for the size of our team. We don't think this was all a waste though, as we uncovered some interesting future work that could be done for the printer. Specifically an on-demand mixing system certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility but would require more work than we can give it at this time. To make MSD II successful we have narrowed our scope and removed some subsystems from our design.

• Compare your current risk assessment to your original.
  • Have you closed out your most important risks?
  • Do you have remediation plans for remaining risks?
  • Have any of these risks manifested themselves as problems?
  • How did your risk assessment change? What can you learn from this?

Review your team's MSD II schedule (if not done during DDR)

• Your schedule demonstrates that you can deliver a functional prototype to your customer by your final phase demo.
• Your schedule incorporates lessons learned from your MSD I reflection.
• Spring-finish teams should include a vision for their Imagine RIT exhibit.

• Plans for Break

  Task Description	Start by	Duration	Complete by	Sequence	Impact	Time Required	Member
  Duet configuration file	12/15	3 weeks	1/20	After gate review	Allows the Duet to work with our motion system	6 hours	Anthony
  Code for motion control	12/21	3 weeks	1/20	After gate review	Interfacing between Duet and linear rails	10 hours	Anthony
  Calibration system design	1/2	2 weeks	1/15	After MSD II starts	Calibrating the printer on every start up is required	10 hours	Anthony
  Contact stepper motor suppliers for torque curves	12/5	1.5 weeks	12/15	After stepper motor testing	Necessary information for the stepper motor selection	2 hours + response time	Derek
  Finalize stepper motor selection for Extruder	12/15	0.5 weeks	12/19	Need more information on stepper motors to make the selection	Is necessary for an extruder design that can reliable extrude concrete	3 hours	Derek
  Order stepper motor	12/19	4 weeks	1/9	Need the stepper motor before the extruder mount can be designed	This will determine the final dimensions/weight of the extruder	1 hour + delivery time	Derek/Nico
  Finalize stepper motor mounting design	1/09	1.5 weeks	1/20	This will be a critical portion of the final design	This will determine the final dimensions/weight of the extruder	3 hours	Derek
  Redesign internal bearings of extruder	12/10	4 weeks	1/7	Needs to be worked in parallel to the auger	Is necessary for an extruder design that can reliable extrude concrete	6 hours	Derek
  Update extruder auger design to be more efficient	12/10	4 weeks	1/7	Needs to be worked in parallel to the bearing design	Is necessary for an extruder design that can reliable extrude concrete	6 hours	Derek
  Update the nozzle design to be modular	1/7	3 weeks	1/21	Needs to be designed post completion of the auger and bearing update	Is necessary for an extruder design that can reliable extrude concrete	6 hours	Derek
  Design Bed attachment system	12/8	1 week	12/15	After gate review	Allows bed to be level with extruder	3 hours	Tyler
  Create CAD for design	12/8	2 weeks	12/22	After gate review	Finalizes BOM for frame	12 hours	Tyler
  Create BOM and purchase parts	12/15	1 week	12/29	After CAD completion	Gets parts delivered	2 hours	Tyler
  Parts shipping	12/20	3 weeks	1/25	After parts purchasing	Delivery time	3 weeks	Tyler
  Frame assembly	1/4	1 week	1/25	After parts arrive	Allows for testing, not required to be done over break	1 week	Tyler
  Check Lowes Inventory Status of Sakrete Type S	12/9	1 day	12/30	After gate review	If product is hard to obtain material, team will have to focus on Type N as the final option	1 hour	Meghan
  Keep Gantt Chart updated	12/8	6 weeks	1/25	This effort will continue throughout break	Ensure team visibility of status of tasks for each member	6 hours	Meghan
  Keep any test plans executed are uniformly documented and recorded in test plan file	12/8	6 weeks	1/25	Complete as new tests and data are developed.	Provides team and stakeholders visibility of the test plans	10 hours	Meghan
  Perform gravity concrete flow testing	1/9	1 week	1/16	After test parts arrive	Tests feasibility of a gravity fed system from reservoir to extruder	6 hours	Meghan
  Conduct Tubing Crush and Bend Radius Testing	12/14/2020	2 weeks	12/28/2020	After Gate Review	This will determine the tubing material selection for the peristaltic pump allowing for preliminary design to be completed	10 hours	Nicola
  Finalize Preliminary Pump Design	12/14/2020	12/27	01/05/2020	After Tubing Testing	Allow for a manufacturing strategy to be created and begun	15 hours	Nicola
  Test Pump with water	Once parts are acquired	1 week	Start of MSD II	After Pump Design is finalized	Better understand how pump functions	10 hours	Nicola
  Design Hopper	12/28/2020	3 weeks	1/14/2020	Once tubing material for pump is selected	A Reservoir system to store mixed concrete prior to printer using is necessary for the functioning of the printer	15 hours	Nicola
  Order Pump Materials	12/272020	1 week	1/20/2020	Once preliminary design is complete	Allow for system testing at the beginning of MSD II	2 hours	Nicola
  Order Hopper Materials	1/14/2020	1 week	1/20/2020	After Preliminary design is complete	Allow for system testing at the beginning of MSD II	2 hours	Nicola
  Publish Hopper Drawings	1/14/2021	1 week	01/25/2021	Once preliminary design is complete	Allow for a manufacturing strategy to be created and begun	5 hours	Nicola
  Manufacture Hopper	Once Drawing are complete	1 week	02/01/2021	Once Drawings are complete and material is recieved	Allow for system testing at the beginning of MSD II	15 hours	Nicola
  Manufacture Pump	Once Drawing are complete	1 week	02/01/2021	Once Drawings are complete and material is recieved	Allow for system testing at the beginning of MSD II	15 hours	Nicola
  Research Duet Firmware (Reprap) and Gcode	12/9	5 weeks	1/20	Needed for next phase	Will give the team the knowledge needed to program the printer	5 hours each	Everyone

  
  Plans for Next Phase

  Between now and the end of the semester the team hopes to complete the peristaltic pump design as well as finalize some bills of materials. We do not expect to do much more testing or prototyping for the rest of the semester. In order to prepare for MSD II some subsystems will be worked on over the 6 week winter break. Anthony will be working on the electrical subsystem. As mentioned before, the Duet needs custom configuration files for the connected motors and since we will be having a new extruder stepper motor, we will need new configuration files. In addition, certain minor subsystems such as the user interface and the calibration system can also begin to get designed since we now have a good idea of the direction we are going with the project. Wiring diagrams can also begin to be drawn up but subject to change; they will not be needed until the frame is assembled. Any related code will be researched and by the start of next semester we will have a solid understanding of the scope of the Duet within this project.

  
  

  As a team, we would like to be prepared for the start of the spring semester term. This includes preparation for MSD II and any left over tasks from MSD I. Below are individual tasks the team will work on to help our team achieve these goals.

  Task Description	Start by	Duration	Complete by	Sequence	Impact	Time Required	Member
  Task Description	Start by	Duration	Complete by	Sequence	Impact	Time Required	Member
  Wiring diagrams			February	After MSD II starts and frame is set up	Connects everything to the Duet	5 hours	Anthony
  Calibration system design			February	After MSD II starts	Calibrating the printer on every start up is required	2 hrs/week	Anthony
  User interface system			February	After MSD II starts	Provides information to user	5 hours	Anthony
  Determine extrusion rate and linear speed of extruder	1/25	1 week	2/1	After MSD II starts and extruder design is complete	This will be necessary to define printing parameters and extruder capabilities	4 hours	Derek
  Test extruder on the printer frame	2/1	2 weeks	2/14	XY frame and extruder needs to be complete	This is a critical step in implementing this subsystem into the printer	4 hours	Derek
  Test Pump and hopper together with concrete	02/01/2021	1 week	02/08/2021	After parts are manufactured	Ensure pump functions as expected and any minor tweaks that need to be made can be made	8 hours	Nicola
  Calibrate pump rate with extrusion rate	02/08/2021	4 days	02/11/2020	Once pump and hopper are tested together and extrusion rate is better understood	Allow for pump to be properly integrated with full system	8 hours	Nicola
  Test Hopper, Pump, and extruder together	02/12/2021	1 week	02/19/2021	Once Pump is calibrated to extruder and software to control pump is written	Checks the three systems together before adding in the variable of motion	8 hours	Nicola
  Test Hopper, Pump, extruder, and linear motion together	02/20/2021	1 week	02/27/2021	once pump is tested with the extruder	Tests that all systems are working in tandem	8 hours	Nicola
  Revise test plans from decisions made over break			First Class Back	After work designated for break is complete	These may need updated dependent of the individual task completed over break.	1 hour	Meghan
  Update Risk Assessment Status			End of Phase 5	After Risks are raised or mitigated	Rising risks must be addressed as a team and documented the corrective action taken.	3 hours	Meghan
  Collect data for benchmark testing			End of Phase 5	Once design is finalized	This will provide a benchmark for the expected and desired engineering requirements to me tested against.	20 hours	Everyone
  Assemble frame			February	Once parts come in	Allows testing of XYZ axis and integration of other subsystems	2 hours	Tyler
  Test X, Y, Z motion			February 14th	After frame is assembled	Completes engineering requirement	4 hours	Tyler, Anthony
  Monitor for wear			End of project	After frame is assembled	Ensure design is rigid and rugged enough for continued use	Continuous	Tyler
  Assist in design and assembly where needed			End of project	After frame is mostly finished	Since the frame is mostly done I am more free to assist in other topic and setup	Continuous	Tyler

Team Self-Critique

Deliverables Checklist and Website Status

• All documents must be uploaded to your website in advance of the Gate Review.
• The team should not use gate review time to conduct a detailed examination of specific deliverables unless related to discussion items in the status review.

MSD II: Project close-out

• Use this space to organize information for your review. Key elements are listed here

Expectations

• All team members present and prepared to report on team and individual status.
• All team MSD deliverables are complete and uploaded, and ready to be graded.
• Guide is present and prepared to evaluate all items included in the review.
• Review should take about an hour.

Status Review

Current state of the project

• Summarize actual performance vs. requirements (include snapshot of current requirements document here, along with a link to the live document.).
  • Which requirements were unmet, and why?
  • How robust is your final design?
  • Did you meet your project budget?
  • What was your customer's assessment of the work you delivered to them? Were they satisfied?

• Compare your current project plan/schedule to your original plan/schedule.
  • Did the scope of your project change during MSD II?
  • How and why did your schedule change during MSD II?
  • What have you learned from these changes that you can apply to future projects?

• Review individual team member status.
  • Did you deliver on your personal responsibilities?
  • Did you use your MSD II plan effectively? Was it realistic? If not already addressed above, what did you learn from this and how can you apply it to future projects?

• Review your current risk assessment and problem solving status.
  • Have you closed out your most important risks?
  • Were there risks that you did not anticipate? If so, what do you think the reason is?
  • Did any anticipated risks manifest themselves as problems?
  • How did you use your problem solving process during the semester?

Deliverables Checklist and Website Status

• All documents must be uploaded to your website in advance of the Gate Review.
• The team should not use gate review time to conduct a detailed examination of specific deliverables unless related to discussion items in the status review.
• Is prototype hand-off complete, is the team's workspace cleaned up, and have all tools been returned?

Lessons learned, etc.

• Does the team have any other lessons learned that were not addressed above?
• What advice would you give to future teams?