2017-07-16

Solar Tracker Series 1 for one PV-module

The design was developed by the NiBI team Nils Björkman, Niklas Lundberg and Kiran Naganalli in 2015.

The video below shows the prototype of a compact 2-axis Solar tracker developed by NiBI, based on a request, by a potential customer in 2015. The customer originally wanted 8 pieces of this solar tracker machine for educational purposes in a Solar energy lab. The solar tracker was designed to be installed on a terrace with easily accessable controls. The customer also requested that the structure should be built of wood.

 

The significant innovative features in this design are:

 

- The azimuth bearing design, developed by NiBI. The bearing consists of 16 small plastic wheels. In the final design, these wheels should roll on a steel surface, in the prototype they are rolling on a plywood sheet. The design allows a hole in center, where cables can run. It is also very stable, due to the large distance between the supporting surfaces, (in comparison with a center bolt design).

- The electronics and adjusting screws are protected inside the cabinet, which is coated with thin steel sheet metal. 

The solar tracker controller and the elevation linear motor used in this project were bought as ready-to-use modules.

Drawings

We are happy to be able to share some of the drawings for inspirational purposes.

There is no guarantee from our side that the drawings below are ready to be used without further improvements.

 
 

2017-02-26
Thermoplastic Injection Molding Machine experiment

In the video below is a lab type injection molding machine presented. We experimented with using the hydraulic shop press to inject ABS plastic into a mold made of wood.

2016-09-01

A number of customers are operating their HyperGarden flower pots, manufactured and sold by NiBI 2014-2016.

It is a small hydroponic flower pot for soil-free growing, used for growing herbals, flowers, etc. It can be used both indoor and outdoor and watering is made automatically with a timer module. The water which is not absorbed by the LECA-growing medium (which is used instead of soil) flows back to the water tank by gravity. Both a cabled version (socket connected via transformer) and a solar-powered (cable-free) version were manufactured.

Check the video below to see it in operation!

                                       

Volume water tank: 3 liter

Volume leca growing medium: 2.8 liter

Size: 180 x 180 x 280 mm

Colors: White or black

Pump: 3W 12V DC Brushless submersible pump, transformer 230VAC/12VDC/Electronic timer module.

User's Guide HyperGarden C1-12V SWE (PDF)