Blog 4 - Project Development
- Feb 26, 2025
- 5 min read
Hellooooooooooooo everyone and welcome to my FINAL BLOG EVER😱😱😱 I can't believe it's been a whole year of blogs, but alas good things always come to an end😥😥(ignore the self-glaze) HOWEVER, this doesn't mean that we will stop learning and having fun on this post!
For the final blog, its a grand finale, which is showcasing my group's CHEMICAL PRODUCT PROTOTYPE🤩🤩 Through months of arduous work and prototyping, we finally accomplished our goal of creating a
Carbon Monoxide Detector with Ventilation Integration😎🥳
You might be wondering, what is Carbon Monoxide, and why is there a need for a detector for it? Well, all your questions will be answered and more in this blog!!
For today's table of contents, we have:
Our Chemical Device
Team Planning, Allocation and Execution
Design and Build Process
Problems and Solutions
Project Design Files as Downloadable Files
Personal Learning Reflection
Without further ado let's get on with the content🔥🔥
1️⃣ Our Chemical Device 🏭
What is it? 🤔
Our team designed and built an innovative Smart Carbon Monoxide Detector and Remover! 🏠🔥☁️ This device detects dangerous CO levels in the air and automatically triggers a ventilation system to remove the harmful gas, making indoor spaces safer! Our detector also provides real-time detection, and there's an LCD that shows the concentration of CO in the air at ALL TIMES☝
Problems it Solves 🛑
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a silent killer—odorless, colorless, and lethal in high concentrations. Everyday activities such as cooking using a gas stove or burning of charcoal in a furnace can produce CO. Many existing CO detectors only alert users but do not take active measures to remove the gas. Our device bridges that gap by providing both detection and mitigation.
Detects carbon monoxide leaks in homes, garages, and factories. 🚗🏠🏭
Automatically activates ventilation when CO levels rise. 🌬️🛑
Helps prevent CO poisoning, a silent but deadly hazard. ☠️
Integrates with smart home systems for automated responses. 📡🏡
Below is the final sketch of our device, showing how our mechanism works!
Hand Sketch of the Device 📝:
2️⃣ Team Planning, Allocation & Execution 🏗️
Meet the Team! 👥
Every great project is built on strong teamwork! Here’s how our team was structured:
CEO (Leader): [Luke] 🏆 – Led the team, coordinated project milestones, and ensured smooth execution.
CFO (Finance): [Ilhan] 💰 – Managed the budget, sourced components, and ensured financial sustainability.
COO (Operations): [Isaac(me) and SHerman] 🛠️ – Coordinated logistics, ensured parts were acquired, and maintained the build schedule.
CSO (Software): [Naufal] 💻 – Developed and tested the Arduino program, integrated sensors, and optimized performance.
Bill of Materials (BOM) 📜
A detailed Bill of Materials (BOM) was created to list all components required for the project. Some key items included:
Arduino board for microcontroller functions.
MQ-2 Sensor to detect CO levels.
Servo motor to control the ventilation fan.
Gantt Chart 📅
Time management was crucial! Our Gantt Chart helped us track deadlines and stay on schedule.
3️⃣ Design and Build Process 🏗️🔧
We meticulously documented our entire journey, from brainstorming 💡 to 3D printing 🖨️ and coding 💻!
Step-by-Step Development:
Research & Conceptualization – We analyzed existing CO detectors, identified shortcomings, and brainstormed improvements. 🔍📖
Designing in Fusion 360 – Created a 3D model of our device, ensuring proper ventilation and component placement. 🏗️
3D Printing & Assembly – Printed the parts using durable filament, then assembled the device. 🖨️🔩
Arduino Programming – Wrote and tested code to enable real-time CO detection and automated fan control. 💻
Testing & Troubleshooting – Ran multiple tests to ensure accuracy, optimize airflow, and improve responsiveness. 🛠️🔬
📸 Here are some pictures of my team and I during the design process! 🎥📷
My Individual Contribution 🎯
As the Software and Sensor Integration Lead, I was responsible for:
Ensuring accurate CO readings through sensor calibration. 📡
Integrating an LCD display to provide real-time CO levels. 📟
Helping out in the construction of the cardboard casing
Making the presentation slides
Making the presentation script
Here's a cheeky photo of my making the presentation slides🤣😆
4️⃣ Problems and Solutions 🛑✔️
During any sort of project/ideation, its unavoidable that problems and issues will arise! What matters is how you overcome your problems together as a group😤😤 Here are some problems that my group and I encountered, and the solutions we came up with the overcome them!
Problem 1: Sensor Reliability and accuracy📉
Issue: Our smoke sensor (MQ-2) is not selective and responds to various gases and alcohol. Furthermore, our sensor is not able to detect concentrations at a lower level
Solution: We calibrated the sensor in a controlled environment and adjusted the code to filter out noise. 🔬 For any future upgrades, we would switch to sensors more responsive to CO such as the MQ-7.
Problem 2: 3D Printed Components Durability 🚫
Issue: The 3D print was made out of PLA plastic, and PLA plastic may degrade over time, especially in environments exposed to high temperatures and high CO concentrations
Solution: Use PETG or ABS instead of PLA for better heat and chemical resistance🔥🧪👍
Problem 3: Exposure of Mechanism🌀
Issue: The mechanism is very exposed which ruins the overall aesthetic of the product.
Solution: Cover the internal wiring of the system such that only the sensor, LCD and mechanism at the windows are exposed. 🌠
5️⃣ Project Design Files 📂
All essential design files are available for download! Click the links below: ⬇️
🖨️ 3D Print Files (.stl)
💻 Arduino Code (unfortunately WIX does not support the file type so ill just paste the code here for you to copy:))
#include <MQ2.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
#include <Servo.h>
#define SMOKE_THRESHOLD 50 // Smoke level threshold in ppm (set to 50 ppm)
#define SENSOR_PIN A0 // MQ-2 analog output pin
#define SERVO_PIN 9 // Servo motor control pin
// Initialize LCD (I2C Address: 0x27, Columns: 16, Rows: 2)
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2);
Servo myservo;
MQ2 mq2(SENSOR_PIN);
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
lcd.begin();
lcd.backlight();
myservo.attach(SERVO_PIN);
myservo.write(0); // Initial position of the servo (0 degrees)
mq2.begin();
}
void loop() {
int lpg = mq2.readLPG(); // Read LPG concentration
int smoke = mq2.readSmoke(); // Read smoke concentration
Serial.print("LPG: ");
Serial.print(lpg);
Serial.print(" ppm | Smoke: ");
Serial.print(smoke);
Serial.println(" ppm");
// Update LCD display
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("LPG: ");
lcd.print(lpg);
lcd.print(" ppm");
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("Smoke: ");
lcd.print(smoke);
lcd.print(" ppm");
// Control servo based on smoke level
if (smoke >= SMOKE_THRESHOLD) {
myservo.write(70); // Move to 70 degrees if smoke is higher than 50 ppm
} else {
myservo.write(0); // Move back to 0 degrees if smoke is below 50 ppm
}
delay(1000); // Delay to stabilize readings
}
6️⃣ Personal Learning Reflection ✨
Wow, what a journey this has been! 🚀 Throughout this project, I gained valuable insights into teamwork, engineering, and problem-solving. 🛠️🤓 The 2 modules, ICPD and CPDD that i've taken over the past 2 semesters have really given me a more in-depth view on the world of engineering and production.
My Key Takeaways:
✔️ Collaboration is crucial – Working with my teammates taught me the importance of clear communication and shared responsibility. 🤝
✔️ Technical skills matter – I improved my skills in Arduino programming, sensor calibration, and 3D modeling. 💻🖨️
✔️ Resilience is key – Facing unexpected problems is inevitable, but persistence leads to solutions! 💪
✔️ Project management is essential – Using a structured plan like the Gantt chart kept us on track. 📅
This project marks the end of an era in my academic journey, but also the beginning of many more innovations ahead! 🚀🌍 I hope this blog serves as an inspiration for future engineers and innovators! 🔥
👋 Signing off for the last time, but always innovating! 🎤💥
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