Week 10 - Machine Design

 

group assignment

 

   automate your machine

   document the group project and your individual contribution

 

Cake Ploter Machine Design

 

The architecture of the solution was raised, and I made the following diagram, that could be a reference for the project.

 

 

       

 

The motors layout, as you can see in the following diagram.

         

Our machine, has to solve these movements:

 

• X-Y axis. As said before, we choose the CoreXY configuration.
• Z plane
• Drain for material of Extruder

 

We use the gestalts to control X-Y axis and also Z axis.

 

The drain movement for the Extruder will be controlled by stepper motors, commanded by  an Arduino Uno board, plus a Shield

For the COre XY movement, notice the equations of motion that had to been implemented during programming phase.

 

    

 

 

My friend Jorge Rivera and me were doing some experiments with arduino and stepper motors, to understand the operation of them. We learn a lot.

 

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Programming considerations

 

(The files linked here, are part of the group assignment)................................................................................................................................

 

• Python and Gestalt libraries were had to be installed.
• We use the Single Node configuration for the Z axis.
• The movement of the extruder is controlled by a processing  program that runs from Arduino IDE. It is continuosly asking to receive a command to be translated into movement by stepper motor:  Command for the Stepper motor '1' - Forward,  '2' - Stop,  '3' - Backward.
• We needed to develop a program that reads the commands from a csv file.

 

 

Integration and Testing

 

(The files linked here, are part of the group assignment)................................................................................................................................

 

Integrating all parts ands looking our first ideas becoming reality was very gratifying. In this pictures and video, a brief of all activities that cover the integration process of our project, and also the first tests.

 

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Integrating electronic parts have also besides technical considerations, sthetic ones, cables should be, as much as possible be structured in the connections, and not visible. And parts like the syrunge's hose needs a space and clearance when moving

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Finally our video of all the process including test, courtesy of Jorge Huang