Student Made Mock Blender

This Project is to help students learn the fundamentals of electronics by teaching them how to make a mock blender with less than $100. When we were kids ourselves we always wondered how a blender worked and so we decided to do just that with our project; help teach kids and students how a blender works along with other skills that are needed for the blender to work.

• LED ($4.99) - www.amazon.com
• In tandem with the operational element, the motor, it is a good idea to have a visual element as well. This will help debug the circuit if there are issues during construction. Also, an indicator light is very helpful in verifying the operation and position of the toggle switch.  
• An LED is just a simple light that turns on in the presence of electricity.
• Resistor (2 1k ohms and 2 470 ohms) ($10.99) - www.amazon.com
• This is a 9V DCV motor. This type of motor (DC) means that this circuit can run off of a battery. Therefore the motor has two ends, a positive and a negative end. Depending on the configuration the motor can either spin clockwise or counterclockwise. 
• Potentiometer ($9.99) - www.amazon.com
• There is a very high chance that you have used a potentiometer before. For example, if you have used a speaker with a volume knob, that is a potentiometer. 
• As you may or may not be familiar with, most modern blenders have multiple settings. Usually, these settings are related to the speed of the blender itself. For example, blending ice typically requires more power than blending a milkshake would. Therefore a potentiometer works to control the speed of the motor itself. Think of a potentiometer being analogous to a valve for a hose. Depending on how to open the valve to the garden hose, more water can flow. This is almost exactly how a potentiometer works. Based on the physical position of the potentiometer, more energy can flow allowing for the motor to spin faster/slower.
• 9V Battery ($6.89) - www.amazon.com
• A battery is very self-explanatory, there is a very high chance (especially if you are reading this) that you have encountered some version of a battery before. Electronics such as game controllers, remote controls, RC helicopters, phones, tablets, cars, laptops, flashlights, etc, all use some form of battery. The most common variant of the battery is the alkaline battery. These are the type that you buy in the grocery store and plug into your TV remote or XBOX controller. Luckily, this type of battery is also the same type that you are going to need for this project. For this project, we need 9 Volts which is significantly higher than the typical 1.5 Volts that you get from AA or AAA batteries. So ensure you are purchasing the correct battery as depicted.
• 9V Battery Holder ($8.99) - www.amazon.com
• Now that we worked out which battery we will need. We will now need a component that allows for the integration of the battery into the circuit. This is where the battery pack comes into play. This component attaches the battery to some wires. These wires can then be connected to the system allowing for the power in the battery to travel into the circuit.
• 22 gauge wire ($9.98) - www.amazon.com
• The wire is a very important aspect of any electrical circuit. For example, in most circuit diagrams wire is not depicted. However, wire is instrumental in providing pathways for electricity to travel. Going back to the water analogy, wires are the pipes in any system. By adjusting their length the energy can be delivered to a predetermined location. Therefore, in between the components in this circuit, there will be wires that bridge the components together. The components themselves do not have connections long enough to be able to be within our chassis.
• Toggle Switch ($6.99) - www.amazon.com
• This is the main power switch of the entire system. Think of the switch on the back of a desktop or any kitchen appliance. This component is the main toggle for energy entering the system. If this switch is in the off position, the circuit is de-energized and no component can function. Conversely, if the switch is in the on position, electricity can flow and therefore the blades and lights can turn on. Aside from the obvious benefit of the blender being able to turn off and on, this switch is very important in terms of safety. Being able to kill the system at the flick of a switch, pun intended, is instrumental for a reliable system.
• Cardboard
• A blender involves more than just the internals that makes it work. For example, our body consists of very important organs that allow us to survive. But, without a skeletal structure, we would be blobs incapable of function. Therefore we need to build a chassis of some sort. Using cardboard, you are going to create a shell for the internal components to be attached to. This will provide the structure to look like a blender.
• Plexiglass ($7.99) - www.amazon.com
• Despite not being a functional component, blenders tend to have a transparent vessel. This allows the user to be able to tell whether or not the contents of the blender are completely mixed. To simulate this, plastic sheeting will be used to create a pseudo vessel. This allows you to be able to see the motor spinning within the blender. As opposed to, believing the system is functioning as intended.
• Breadboard ($6.69) - www.amazon.com
• The Breadboard will be used to build and hold the circuit that will power and run the motor that turns the blade of the blender. Wires go through the breadboard and connect to each component: the motor, battery, LED, potentiometer, and toggle switch.
• Hot glue will also be needed to adhere the pieces of the blender body together. Make sure you have adult supervision while using hot glue.
• Total Price: $83.49

• Begin by assembling the circuit.  What continues will be the description of how to create the circuit using a breadboard.  Assuming you are privy to using the other methods, assemble the electric circuit from the circuit diagram.  
• To do so, insert the components into the breadboard as depicted in the picture.  While it is possible to do some creative wiring, it is highly recommended to exactly copy the circuit from the pictures (both the final circuit and circuit diagram).  To insert components into the breadboard firmly insert the lead of the components into the board. 
• NOTE* The orientation of the LED matters.  The longer end of the LED represents the positive end and the shorter represents the negative end.  Ensure that the flow of electricity travels from positive to negative, failure to do so could result in a faulty circuit. 
• The Circuit Schematic shown can help you find where everything is wired and make sure you have the right values for resistors so use it while assembling the circuit.

• Once you are certain the circuit is completed, it is time to verify that the circuit works as intended.  Therefore, insert the 9V battery into its housing.  Once that is done, the circuit should still remain off, as in the motor should not move nor should the LED turn on.  Now, flip the switch on the circuit, now the LED should turn on.  The motor may or may not move depending on the position of the potentiometer.  Vary the position of the potentiometer and verify that the motor is speeding up/slowing down.  If you cannot tell, it is helpful to add a strip of tape to the shaft of the motor.  Also, the sound of the motor can help in determining the RPM of the motor.
• If the circuit works as intended, Congratulations, you may move on to the next portion of the blender.

• To create the blender, you can be as creative as you like. The goal is to create a housing that can hold the internal electronics. Essentially, you can create something as simple as a box, or something as complex as a real blender base. If you need help or a reference, use the image below as a guide. These are known values to be able to fit the breadboard. When creating the base, here are some things to note:
• Ensure to have cutouts for the potentiometer, the switch, and the led. 
• Make sure the top portion has enough clearance for the motor to rest and spin.
• The PETG (PlexiGlass) is very easy to cut into shape, so attach everything with hot glue or any adhesive.
• The Engineering Drawings shown can help you with the building of the blender and can help you find where everything can go along with the necessary dimensions needed for each part.