Original

Work: Product Proposal

Introduction and Statement of Purpose

One of my goals in ISM was to utilize this year learning about Electrical Engineering, so I can
decide if this is the right field for me. I plan to take advantage of this opportunity by learning about
electronics from my mentor and applying my knowledge in my original work where I plan to create
a schematic of a power supply and then make a 3D model of it. With this original work idea, I want
to learn more about the different components used when creating a schematic and understand how
electricity is traveling through the circuit. This is important in being an electrical engineer, as if you
do not understand how the electricity is traveling or how the components are interacting with each
other, it can be very difficult to get a job done and you may overlook an important feature that can
cause the entire circuit to blow up.
By creating the schematic and circuit, I plan on motivating children to go into the STEM
field when they grow older and teaching my peers and other adults about the complexities relating
to engineering - more specifically Electrical Engineering. Even though I am creating a schematic and
circuit that is too complex for many people to understand (as they have no prior knowledge), I plan
to teach people during Final Presentation Night by giving an overview of important equipment and
components that go into making a schematic and circuit. With the documentation that I am doing,
people are also able to read and understand how I created my original product, and they will get a
better idea of electronics. Also, during Final Presentation Night, I plan on having a circuit made out
of Play-Doh to encourage little kids that even this field may seem difficult, it can also be fun at the
same time. The reason I chose to make a schematic and circuit has to do with the fact that the other
ideas I had did not work out. I had thought of making a device that helped the issue of electricity
theft or an LED light that flashes accordingly in an emergency; however, the ideas were impractical,
as they would take too much time and money to complete. Also, this idea allows me to impact the
lives of people specifically, as if I had created a product that helped with electricity theft or created
an LED light that flashes in an emergency, many people would not buy the product, as they do not
need it. Even though they cannot use the schematic and circuit I create, they can learn the basic
concepts associated with it.

Review of Skills and Research

In order to have a successful original product, I will have to research more about schematics
and the components that are used in a schematic. This is because I am unfamiliar with the purpose
of many of the components and do not know how they interact with each other in a circuit. To get
the most out of my ISM experience, I want to learn about all the parts of a circuit; this will help me
in future engineering classes that I will have to take. I will also need to research the different
software that I will need to create the schematic and 3D model for the circuit. By researching the
different software available to me, I can choose a program that is user-friendly especially since I do
not have much experience with creating schematics and 3D models. Another benefit to researching
the programs is that I can make sure that the program allows for product manipulation and does
not have one specific function that would prevent me from accomplishing my task.
When making this schematic and circuit, I will need to make sure that I have a lot of
patience, as there will be a lot of revisions being made to my original schematic design to make sure
that everything is accurate considering this is my first time every making a schematic. Patience is a
very important trait in an electrical engineers’ life, as when designing products, it will not be perfect
on the first try. There will be many revisions made, and it can be a long process where you just want
to give up; however, if you stick it out, the end result can be very satisfactory. I hope through
working on this product that I can develop more patience, as in the future, this trait will come in
handy especially when you get longer products that require more attention. Other skills I hope to
develop is a technical understanding of how electronics work. Whether I decide on becoming a
manager later on in my life or not, having a good technical foundation will allow me to understand
exactly how a circuit works; however, with a weak foundation, I will be confused when someone
asks me a question, or I might make a careless mistake that can be detrimental. With a strong
technical foundation, you are also able to explain your ideas clearly and solve complex problems.
Lastly, this project will allow me to be an effective communicator and active listener. When learning
from my mentor, it is important that I listen to the feedback he gives me and not space out, as the
feedback is just helping me make my project better. Also, when I do not understand a concept, I will
have to ask thoughtful questions in order to get straightforward answers, and make sure that I do
not ask a question that my mentor may have just answered. Holding back questions will only
prevent me from reaching my full potential with this product.
With these skills, I will have the necessary tools to be successful on Final Presentation Night
where I plan to showcase the knowledge that I learned throughout the year in ISM. I plan to go into
detail of the process that I went through when creating the schematic and circuit board, so that
someone who might be interested in the field or topic could understand. The details of my process
will also be a part of the documentation that I will do as part of my original work, as many
engineers today are required to record their process which is just another skill that electrical
engineers possess.

Methodology
1. Before I can start creating the schematic, I will need to fill out the pros and cons list for the
different software that I can use in order to determine which will be the most useful and cost
 efficient. While researching the different schematic software, I can also research the 3D
modeling software determining the pros and cons for each one to help in the selection process.
2. Before I can come to a decision on which software to use for 3D printing, I will first have to
contact the places that I know have 3D printers to see if they have a certain software that I will
have to use in order to 3D print. Then, I will finalize the place that I am printing. (reference the
list I created on information that I will need to give and questions I will have to ask)
3. Using the component checklist, I will research the purposes, pros, and cons of each
component and decide which will be effective in creating a power supply. I will also document
the process I went through in deciding which schematic software to use, which 3D modeling
software to use, where to print my 3D model, and the components I used as well as why I
chose to use the products I did.
4. I will create a rough sketch for the schematic. To do this, I will need to reference previous
power supply schematic designs and understand how the electricity is being transferred (can
ask mentor to explain this process as well). I can also refer to these schematics when making
my own schematic, but I will be changing components to match my list and creating it based
off how I want the electricity to transfer and the size that I want to make my power supply
(depends on what the power supply will be for like phone, computer, etc.).
5. Once I create a rough sketch, I will show my mentor my idea and explain what is happening in
my circuit. Then, I will make any necessary corrections with the feedback my mentor gives me
and document the process I went through in creating the rough sketch with the corrections I
made (indicating the reason behind the changes). Also, I will document how the circuit works
in step-by-step detail, so that someone with little knowledge of circuitry could still
understand what is going on.
6. Next, I will work with my mentor in finalizing my schematic design and make sure that
everything on the schematic makes sense and is in its appropriate place. Once finalized, I can
move on to creating a 3D model of what the circuit would actually look like.
7. Before going straight into the 3D software, I plan to create a detailed drawing of how the
circuit should actually look like. This includes adding dimensions and indicating where there
might be cut outs or extrusions in the design. On the drawing, I will also put a scale, so
someone knows how big the actual size of the circuit would be compared to the size of the
prototype. Also, I will create a sketch of what the exterior of the power supply will look like
(what the circuit board will go into). Then, I will document all the steps I took in creating the
sketches, including why I picked the sizes I did and show my mentor my sketch of the circuit
board to make sure that it is the same as the schematic design and that everything is in the
proper place.
8. After creating a detailed drawing of both pieces to the power supply, I will go into the 3D
modeling software and replicate the design making sure that all the dimensions match and
the pieces are in the exact places that they should be. Then, I will show my mentor how the
 model looks and ask him if everything looks right or if any changes should be made to the
design of the circuit.
9. While working on Step 8, I will call the 3D printing place (that I decide on) to make sure they
remember that I will be coming in soon to print my 3D models. Make an appointment if
necessary.
10. I will make any final revisions to my models and document how I created my 3D models. This
includes a detailed step-by-step instruction of what I did using my 3D software, so that
someone else could go create the models if they wanted to.
11. Once I send my 3D models to print, I plan to work on revising my documentation so that it
sounds sophisticated, but not to the point where it is difficult for someone else to understand.
This also includes proofreading for any grammatical errors or incorrect punctuation.
12. Finally, I will pick up my 3D models once they are done printing and make any necessary
touch-ups, so that they are Final Presentation Night ready. Also, I will reread my
documentation one more time and print out the papers as well as the schematic design. I will
add the documentation, schematic design, and sketches to my portfolio in a manner that is
easy to follow.

Materials
Materials include but are not limited to:
• Schematic Making Software (will choose to use one of the following)
o Digikey.com (free)
o Schematics.com (free)
o EAGLE at Autodesk (free)
o Upverter.com (free)
o Icircuitapp.com (free)
o KiCad (free)
• 3D Modeling Software (will choose to use one of the following)
o Autodesk Inventor (free)
o SolidWorks ($4000 but can get a month free trial)
o Blender (free)
o SketchUp (free)
• 3D Printer (will choose to print at one of the following locations)
o Heritage High School Library (free)
o Frisco Public Library (free)
o TSoG Lab (free)
o Staples (must design product for price estimate)
o The UPS Store ($60-$400)
• Laptop with Microsoft Word on it (for the documentation)
• Computer Paper, Rulers and Pencils (for creating the sketches)
Total Cost: Roughly $0-$450
Conclusion
Based off the detailed analysis of my original work idea, I have a solid plan of what I am
doing. However, implementing this plan may not be as easy, as it seems. To accomplish this task
well and in a timely manner, I will have to make sure that I follow my calendar and do not drift
away from the schedule that I have set for myself. If I do this, I am confident that my original
product will turn out how I have envisioned it; however, if I do not, I fear that it will be evident that
I slacked off, or I may not even have the product done in time for Final Presentation Night.
As mentioned before, making this product is not only going to help me develop patience and
have a good technical foundation, but I will also become a better listener and communicator. Even
though this product may not be used in the future, the skills I develop from creating the schematic
and circuit will help me in the real world. This product is mainly a way for me to showcase
important skills that I will need if I decide to pursue electrical engineering in the future. Even
though this may be the case, I believe it can be beneficial for aspiring electrical engineers who do
not know much about electronics. This is because I will be talking, about commonly used
components, the process that I went through when making and revising the schematic and circuit,
and why I choose the resources I used, during Final Presentation Night. Because this does not
benefit the community as a large, I plan on giving basic information related to electrical
engineering, as many people do not really know what electrical engineers do considering the field is
very broad and entitles many things. If I introduce basic content before talking about the
complexities relating to schematics and circuits, it will be easier to follow along. I also plan on
having a voltmeter and other instruments for people to come and use, so they can get a hands-on
experience with circuitry at my table during Final Presentation Night. I even plan on making a small
circuit using Play-Doh (where the Play-Doh lights the LED up) for little kids become interested in
electrical engineering. Overall, I hope with the help of my mentor and my mom (who is also an
electrical engineer) I can create an original work that motivates children to go into the STEM field
when they are older while also teaching my peers and adults about electrical engineering and the
complexities of the field.

 Original Work: Calendar

Week of March 11
• Discuss original work with mentor before March 17 (includes contacting mentor if I do not hear back
from them before March 13)
o Ask if he has any resources that might help me complete this project
o Also ask what software he recommends I use to create the schematic and 3D model (share the
list of the different software with him)
• Contact regarding 3D printing (including cost and time) and finalize where I will 3D print by March 19

Week of March 18
• With the checklist containing different components I want to use, narrow down options to what I will
include in my schematic by March 21.
• Begin documentation by including the reason behind the components I chose

Weeks of March 25-April 1

• Draw a rough sketch of a schematic before March 27 and show it to my mentor (and ask for them to
make any necessary corrections) before March 31. Ask any questions relating to electricity
(everything is transferring as it should)
• Once mentor makes corrections, make revisions and start finalizing schematic. Show mentor newly
fixed version before April 6.
• While creating schematic, document thinking process and why revisions were made

Week of April 8
• Make any final revisions to schematic and finalize schematic design by April 13
• Meet with mentor on/before April 11 to finalize

Weeks of April 15-29

• Create how the final product of the power supply is supposed to look like (what the circuit would be
going into. e.g. phone charger) by April 19
• Finish creating the actual 3D model for the circuit by April 25 and meet with mentor before April 28
to make sure everything on the 3D looks accurate and in the right place.
• Call the place that I am 3D printing on April 21 to let them know I will be coming in next week
• Make final revisions before sending the 3D models to be printed on April 28
• Once 3D models sent, finish typing up the rest of the process and finish by May 2. Ask mentor if there
is any important step or errors that I should add/fix

Week of May 6
• Reread documentation for any grammatical or punctuation mistakes
• Print out final copy of documentation (including the schematic design) and put it all together in my
portfolio
• Sand/Touch-up the 3D models

May 18, 2018

• Final Presentation Night
 Original Work: Supporting Documents

Schematic Software: Pros and Cons

Software Pros Cons
Digikey.com
Schematics.com
EAGLE at Autodesk
Upverter.com
Icircuitapp.com
KiCad

3D Modeling Software: Pros and Cons
Software Pros Cons
Autodesk Inventor
SolidWorks
Blender
SketchUp

Places to 3D Print
Place Contact Date Response
Heritage High School Library
Frisco Public Library
TSoG Lab
Staples
The UPS Store

3D Printing Questions and Information to Give
Questions to ask before deciding on a place
• Is there a particular software I will have to use if I 3D print here?
• Will my 3D model be printed within a week time frame?
• What material do you use and is there only one color to choose from?
• How much will it cost if I 3D print here and when will I have to pay (if applicable)?

Information that I will need to inform the place about
• The reason behind 3D printing

• When I need to have this 3D printed by

• Contact Information (so I will be alerted when the product has finished printing)

Components List (not limited to these components, as these are just the most
commonly used ones)
 Component Purpose Pros Cons Will Use

Amplifier

Resistor

M.O.V.
(Metal Oxide
Varistor)

Capacitor

Wires

Transformer

Voltage
Regulators

Inductors

Fuse

Diodes