Week 9: Mechanical design

Experience: Planning the machine

Objetive:

Explain my individual contribution to the project

Links:

Core XY

The purpose

The purpose we say for the machine is to make an automated irrigation system, especially for small plants

CoreXY theory

The CoreXY theory tells us that we can move a head in the X and Y axes using 2 fixed motors and a system of pulleys with ropes. We decided to use this theory for the movement of the machine

Our interpretation

This diagram shows our interpretation of how the spindle will move by rotating the steppers in different directions

Reusing parts

We decided to reuse parts of an old wooden 3D printer that was about to be discarded in the FabLab

Stepper motors

We used 2 stepper motors similar to those seen here

Distribution of tasks

While the rest of colleagues would work on the documentation and design of the structure, I was required to test the steppers

Design of the structure

This is the structure they designed for laser cutting, has individual spaces at the bottom to place the plants

Assembling

Quickly the partners designed and cut the structure

Measurements

The armed structure measures approximately 60x60x50 cm

A little of my help

This step did not correspond to me, but I helped to mount the wheels. We had some discrepancies in how efficient this mechanism would be

Head movement

Here we also had to agree, when using a part of the printer unarmed or design a new

Back to my homework

As part of my assignment, I started the tests with the steppers, for this I helped the Peruvian electronic César Cruz, who accompanied us for some months

First stepper working

We got the first stepper to operate at 12v

Stepper driver

We used the stepper drivers that came in the unarmed 3D printer

Second stepper

We connected the second driver and both motors worked well at different speeds and directions

Code

This is a preview of the code I made