There have been no other requests for fabrication or support at this point. The details on the plan moving forward are explained more explicitly in this week's group post.
Fabrication of the bends required on the solar panel ribs and tabs appeared straightforward at first, but required precision for decent replication. Specifically, bending the edges of the rib inward to allow for flush attachment to the frame required a sharp bend, which placed great stress at one point on the material. The application of heat to the material via propane torch prior to bending appeared to ease the process and allow the material to deflect more without cracking, but was ultimately found to be unnecessary. Testing found that the bends could be made while the material was cold, but with a very small amount of error tolerable; over-bending the edge by even three or four degrees would crack the material, rendering the rib useless. However, honing in on the specific angle permitted by the material allowed fabrication to proceed quickly and in a mostly reliable fashion. Much of the bending process relied on the user's ability to identify when the material was about to be bent too far, which may present a hazard when attempting to hand off the task.
The first test bend, with a wooden block placed in a vise.
The wooden block showing insufficient strength to bend the aluminum.
Fabrication of an aluminum block to bend the material.
The aluminum block placed in the vise.
An example of stress fracture in the bend section of the aluminum rib.
A completed rib.
Tabs followed the same process, but did not include the center section like a rib.
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