A Product I Love
Art and Engineering Combined: Electrolytic Etching
I like etching and want to do it safely without a lot of dangerous chemicals. Several years ago after reading a book about non toxic printmaking, I tried electrolytic etching. My results were mixed. Once I learned about corrosion in materials science class, I decided to try it again. At first, my results were still subpar, and then when I set up the anode and cathode correctly, the results were quite decent. I am not using traditional hard ground and instead tried three different alternative grounds made for traditional etching with acid. These grounds did not stick to the plate as well as necessary for precise artistic etching. I believe with more research in suitable grounds, varying the salt water concentration, and voltage differential, even better results can be achieved.
Electrolytic Etching Experiment Presentation
Fluid Dynamics Class Project
The final class challenge was to design and 3D print an object using Markforged Onyx material to fall through a 5-in diameter pipe filled with 3 inches of oil and 6 feet of water in 30 seconds. The team that had the closest descent time to 30 seconds would win. After much deliberation, research, and calculations about what shape would reach the desired velocity, we created a series of interlocking tori. While our design was exceptionally accurate at reaching the desired velocity in water, it did not have enough momentum to overcome surface tension and pass the oil water boundary. We lost the contest.
Design Explanation and Analysis