MDL-Drill

• 

  Closed belt buckle, which is what MDL-man will be wearing

• 

  View of handle for drill that attaches to lid of the larger bevel gear

• 

  Underside of lid with the matchsticks after the inner box is pushed out

• 

  View of interior gear mechanism, showcasing the bevel gears and gear train

• 

  View showcasing the box in its open and functioning position, the drill is fully extended out and the lid is off

• 

  View of closed box showcasing the surface where the match can be lit

• 

  Underside view showcasing the mechanism allowing the buckle to attach to his belt

Inspiration

While analyzing the problem statement, our team was deliberating on the constraints placed upon us. Not only was MDL-Man lacking his sense of vision, but he was also locked up in a dungeon. Especially challenging was the fact that the device had to be concealed on his person. We investigated public documentation of MDL-Man (looked at the MDL Instagram posts), and studied the clothing he wears. We identified a belt buckle as a highly viable point of concealment. After researching several destructive mechanisms for the locked door, a hand-powered drill gave inspiration due to how easily it could be replicated and how easily it could be accessed.

What it does

While MDL-Man's hands are bound by ropes, there is a false lid that makes it very easy for him to slide off of the buckle. Then, there is a knob on the top that can be pulled out and can slide to the left. This causes the drill bit to protrude out of the buckle. MDL-Man can then push the belt buckle out of the pegs it is attached to and remove it from the belt. The second lid can be removed and a matchstick on the bottom of the lid can be struck against the phosphorus strip on the side of the buckle. The lid can then be rotated and the drill bit can be spun. MDL-Man can then drill through the door or the lock and escape.

How we built it

Initially, dozens of preliminary sketches were drawn, depicting various features and mechanisms to be incorporated into the device. Then, engineering drawings were made with specific dimensions of the features on the device. Using these drawings, the CAD of the final design began using Autodesk Inventor Pro. The various parts were divided among the 4 members of the group. Throughout the CADing process, there were several revisions in the dimensions due to minor corrections to the placement of certain features such as holes and axles. Once all the parts were done, they were assembled into a single assembly file. Once everything was fitted, we tested the mobility of all the moving parts. This modular process made it easy for us to adapt to any change in our design without making any drastic changes.

Challenges we ran into

Initially, we aimed to include a worm drive mechanism to transfer the rotational movement of the hand into the rotational motion of the drill bit. However, we later discovered that It would not be possible to use a worm drive in the way that we intended because the larger worm gear cannot be used as the input gear and the smaller worm must be used as the input, as it will lock up otherwise. By discussing with mentors, we overcame this challenge by using bevel gears which allowed changing direction perpendicularly while still allowing for greater increases in rotational speed. That left us 6 hours to start from scratch one of the most confusing parts of our design. Using assemblies and managing the different constraints to control the degrees of motion was also a major headache at first. It seemed that no matter what we did, the parts would either always find a way to move or end up in the wrong spot.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of our ability to fit the entire moving gear system in a highly compact space. It was a challenge to work with such a small space, yet we still managed to create a working idea that is theoretically feasible to print. We are proud especially of how we adapted to the change in our plans, and even though we may have been less experienced, we fought through barriers with the gears and assemblies.

What we learned

We learned about how to use gears to transform the direction and speed of rotation for any mechanically powered device. We learned about the benefits of using a spur gear system, a worm drive system, and a bevel gear system.

What's next for MDL-Drill

Currently, the light source is of very limited use since it holds only two matchsticks inside. Our next step would involve using something akin to a dyno torch where there is a flashlight that is powered with a mechanical input that spins a small generator. This would make it a rechargeable and reusable device with no battery life, allowing MDL-man to see no matter how long he is drilling for.

Built With

• autodesk