Project 3
Gathered and Analyzed Wirebending Data to Minimize Error
The UW Programmable Matter Lab is currently designing a machine capable of bending Aluminum wire into complex 3D shapes. The machine was still fairly early in development, so precise testing to understand how it behaved was essential.
I was tasked with identifying and modeling all possible sources of error, and modifying parameters to minimize this error. I gathered and analyzed extensive data, controlling many potential variables, and created models that showed how errors changed with every relevant parameter as well as which factors could be considered negligible.
With this data, I was able to reduce the average error between the intended and actual bend angle to less than half a degree. I also showed that the remaining error was primarily due to random variance in the material structure of the wire. These improvements allowed the machine to create much more complex shapes, no longer limited by compounding errors.