Technical Report: 
Solar Powered Flower 
 

 
By: Rachel, Addison, Reema, and Grant 
  
 
 
 

1 
Table of Contents 
______________________________________________________________ 
 
Purpose 3 
Hypothesis 3 
Device Description 3 
Flowchart 5 
Bill of Materials 6 
Outer Flower Pot Case 6 
Pendulums 6 
Inner Frame 6 
Circuit Board 6 
Solar Panel 7 
Copper Wire 7 
Magnet on Left Leaf 7 
Capacitor 7 

Sketches 8 
Procedures 9 
Wrap Up 9 
   

2 
Purpose 
This object’s purpose is to be easily placeable anywhere in a house and require next to no 
attention for it to consistently function for its entire lifetime. 
 
Hypothesis 
The object’s purpose can be fulfilled just as well with a battery as it can be with the built-in solar 
panel. 
 
By adding a battery, a means to store energy, and an on/off switch, people can enjoy the flower 
during any weather or time of day. 
 
Device Description 
Our object is comprised of an outer shell, inner shell, three interconnected pendulums, two 
semi-circle cover pieces, a solar panel, a small circuit board, and a copper wire that starts in the 
circuit board and leads directly into a dense coil. The first subsystem is the electronics, where the 
solar panel takes in photons and outputs electrons into the copper wire. They then move through 
the coil in a circle. This then leads into the other subsystem, which is more mechanical in its 
function. A moderately strong magnet at the bottom of the left piece follows the magnetic field 
created by the movement of the electrons in the coil, causing that piece to swing back and forth. A 
very small magnet on the center piece follows the stronger magnet on the aforementioned left 
piece as to have the center piece oscillating at the same rate and in the same direction. Lastly, a 
peg on the right piece slots into a hole on the left piece, causing it to oscillate at the same rate as 
both of the other pendulums, but in the opposite direction. 
 
Orthogonal Exploded View ​Isometric Exploded View 

3 
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Above) Labeled Orthogonal View (Above) The three pendulums assembled
(Below) Assembled flower without the outer case

4 
Flowchart 
 

 
   

5 
Bill of Materials 
______________________________________________
1- Outer Flower Pot Case 
Quantity: 2 pink flower pot pieces; 2 brown covers 
Dimensions: 63mm x 45mm x 30mm 
Price: $0.20 
Function: Covers all of the mechanical pieces 
Interactions: One cover holds the solar panel in place. Inner frame rests on the 
bottom of the outer case. 
Source: ​https://www.curbellplastics.com/  
 
2 - Pendulums 
Quantity: 2 leaves and 1 flower 
Dimensions: 37mm x 100mm x 4mm 
Price: $0.25 
Function: Swing back and forth when powered 
Interactions: All three are supported by the inner frame. Each pendulum affects or is 
affected by the other two. The left pendulum is moved by the magnet. 
Source: ​https://www.curbellplastics.com/  
 
3 - Inner Frame: 
Quantity: 2 halves (top and bottom) 
Dimensions: 46.5mm x 40mm x 50mm 
Price: $0.25 
Function: Provide a frame for the inside pieces to be held on 
Interactions: Supports the three pendulums, the copper wire, the capacitor, the 
circuit board, both covers, and the solar panel. Is supported by the outer casing. 
Source:​ ​https://www.curbellplastics.com/
 
4 - Circuit Board 
Quantity: 1 
Dimensions: 10mm x 17mm x 1mm 
Price: $0.05 
Function: Manage the electronic components 
Interactions: Takes in power from the solar panel. Outputs some into the copper 
wire and some into the capacitor. Is supported by the inner frame. 
Source: 
https://www.pcbgogo.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiILsBRCGARIsAHKQWLPpAeDdOQknwaaHGho
qFQfD6t_jkkcDQjvP-wygD7dveRZIsV2eADYaAgNoEALw_wcB  
 

6 
5 - Solar Panel 
Quantity: 1 
Dimensions: 12mm x 31mm x 1mm 
Price: $0.50 
Function: Provide power to the system 
Interactions: Takes i energy from the sun. Outputs energy to the circuit board. Is 
supported by the inner frame. Held in place by a cover piece. 
Source: ​http://www.vimun.cn/en/productinfor.asp?id=204 

6 - Copper Wire 
Quantity: 14m/45ft of 32 gauge wire 
Dimensions: 15mm x 15mm x 2.5mm 
Price: $0.84 
Function: Create an electromagnetic field 
Interactions: Takes in energy from the circuit board. Creates a magnetic field that 
attracts the magnet on the left leaf. Is supported by the inner frame. 
Source: 
https://bulkwire.com/magnet-wire?gclid=CjwKCAjwq4fsBRBnEiwANTahcJK6ue1Ag4
7T-MedKQEv_TP3t8CfjVMbdK_Ap5-2rzBETRQ7GvLWQBoCf_sQAvD_BwE  

7 - Magnet on Left Leaf 

Quantity: 1 
Dimensions: 5mm x 3mm 
Price: $0.60 
Function: Cause the left leaf to oscillate 
Interactions: Attracts to the electromagnetic field created by the copper wire. Is held 
inside the left leaf. 
Source: 
https://buymagnets.com/shop/48/Neodymium-Magnets/Neodymium-Disc-Magnets/N
eodymium-Disc-Magnets-N42-Plated/?_vsrefdom=GAW&kw=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiILsB
RCGARIsAHKQWLMgoKUH4eQaA0lf6iTgluQwpiMzQ0njgOyTX4Jns9OrKLfeEKkdzk
waAsGoEALw_wcB  

8 - Capacitor 
Quantity: 1 
Dimensions: 7mm x 12mm 
Price: $0.03 
Function: Store energy 
Interactions: Can input energy from or output energy to the circuit board. 
Source: 
https://www.digikey.com/products/en/capacitors/aluminum-electrolytic-capacitors

7 
Sketches
Below are the sketches made to illustrate the different parts of the object, and include 
measurements in millimeters. 

8 
Procedures 
Inside the flower are mechanical levers connecting the upper and middle body parts to a small 
permanent magnet hanging just above a coil of very fine copper wire. The coil is offset slightly 
such that the magnet hangs directly over one side of the coil. The small solar panel is made by 
Putian Weite Electronics Co. ,Ltd. From their website, the device uses a low light, amorphous 
silicon type solar cell. VIMUN SC-3012-2A, 29.44mm×11.6mm×1.1mm, 4 cells. These specifications 
were given, 2.0 Vos, 9.0 UAsc, 1.5 Vop, at 200Lux.p. In order to make the device work, you must 
place the flower in sunlight to trigger the solar panel. The sun charges the flower and the flower 
then dances using the sun’s energy.  
 
The different parts are secured together by plastic. Each petal moves inversely to the other; if one 
petal moves, so does the other. One of the petals has a larger base and has a magnet, making it a 
pendulum. The solar panel allows its power to come from light that sends pulses of electric 
current through the coil. The electric current pulls the magnet toward the coil and swings the 
pendulum. The coil, magnet, and plastic pieces are contained within a black plastic inner frame. 
To keep the solar panel and wires from being displaced, the frame keeps them in place and are 
secured with a top cover. All of the frame is contained within a pink plastic outer shell. 
 
Wrap Up 
The results of our analysis on the solar powered flower We concluded that there was a circuitry 
issue since we were not able to replace the solar panel with a battery. The object functioned 
normally when the solar panel was intact, but when we replaced the power source with a battery 
and made the same connections to the coil as in the original, it did not create a magnetic field. We 
were able to identify that the object uses a combination of electromagnetic fields and mechanical 
interactions to produce its intended function, moving a plastic flower back and forth for the 
enjoyment of the viewer. We were able to successfully define the features and functions of each 
piece. If we were to do this project again, we would come up with different options for our 
redesign. If we had more options to try and allowed more time for it, we may have had more 
success with our redesign. Our groups did well with teamwork and met our deadlines on time. 
We made sure to get work done when we planned to, and updated our Gantt Chart accordingly 
throughout the project. 
 
(below) Orthogonal sketch of the redesigned flower. The additions are labeled. The original pieces 
retain their standard sizes.  

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