EGR 101 was my first proper engineering experience at Duke. My team was assigned to a local Durham farmer who needed an irrigation system for his vineyard. Our team went through an iterative design process until we presented our final solution to the client. 

Our team, named "Vineyard Vibes," recognized that this was an extremely large and cost-intensive project, so after conferring with our client, we decided to build a scaled-down model as a proof of concept. Over the second half of the semester, we constructed and tested our device. We defined test criteria according to project specifications and succeeded at a passing level in all categories. 

A pond located half a mile away from the vineyard would serve as the source of water which we represented with a blue bin.  The pond water needed to be filtered, so we employed the use of a mesh dome filter with a CAD designed and 3D printed frame. The filter was then connected to a pump through a 3D printed adapter. The pump would then deliver the filtered water to the water tower which was represented by the large white bucket. Flow out of the water tower was controlled by a manual switch, so the client had the ability to start/stop the system depending on the weather. The piping that extended to the actual roots of the vines had adjustable spouts, so the amount of water at each root could be modified if necessary. In order to prevent over pumping of the pond and overflowing of the water tower, the team designed a vertical flow switch system that would shut off the pump if it reached a certain height. 

Beyond satisfying the client, I found this project to be a rewarding experience because it exposed me to the methodologies of the engineering design-build process. I gained new technical skills in CAD/3D printing and enhanced my soft skills in communication and organization.