Ok so. For the first project log, I'd like to outline my approach on this project. Always approach a plotter project carefully, they spook easily!

Approach

- Leisurely Engineering, following a relaxed version of the engineering design process I've helped develop at work.

I'll keep the design phase focused at a system level, rather than on a subsystem level as an ordinary complete design process would follow, as I don't want to spend 5 years building this thing, after all, each step is part of an iterative process, and I'll need to quickly iterate on subsystems by prototyping and testing rapidly once I get into the detailed design phase of the system.

• Initial Phase - Customer Needs and Requirements definition.
• 2nd - Concept Generation, Concept Deisgn Review
• 3rd - Concept downselect, Preliminary Design Review
• 4th - Detailed Design, Detailed Design Review
• 5th - Order Materials
• 6th - Fabrication & Assembly.
• 7th - Testing & Validation.

Phase I

Customer Needs and Requirements.

I've spent some time pondering exactly what I'd like to end up with, and as a person, what I like. This will factor heavily into design decisions moving forward. Initially I'll start off with a vision statement that's purposefully vague and subjective, and then come up with my needs and the technical requirements those needs drive to shape my design space, and give myself cool metrics by which to evaluate my concepts.

Vision

To build a plotter that can quickly, accurately, display to a large audience my drafting work in a novel, stylistic fashion.

Like this one: http://juerglehni.com/works/viktor

Needs / Wants

This bulleted list captures what I need and want from the system when complete

• Capable of Rendering Drawings
• Fast
• Accurate
• Stylish
• Cool to watch.
• Portable (easy to setup, tear down, transport)
• Useable by untrained persons, in various environments (indoor, potentially outdoor)
• Robust
• Replicable
• Low Cost
• Open Source
• Fun
• Able to demonstrate to others principles of physics and engineering.
• Project timeline : 4-6 months till complete in between other work.

Next Log I'll focus on requirements, metrics, and get into the system concept generation phase.