Week 17:
Applications and Implications

Assignment:
Propose a final project that integrates the range of units covered, answering:

What will it do?
The Kitty Matic will feed ½ of a cup of cat food every 12 hours.  It will do this by turning a wheel that has 4 sections each measured to be ½ of a cup, taking the food from the hopper on top through the wheel and down the shoot into the bowl.

Who's done what beforehand?
Going into this semester I had put a lot of thought into this project and what I would like it to be. When I came up with what I wanted to do I jumped right into planning and preparation for what I would need. I did not do much research and until I had a conversation with my co-worker Jeff I didn't even know something like this existed! At that point in time I started to look at what other people had done. Here are some examples: Amazon, YouTube, A Blog

What materials and components will be required?
I will need to make an enclosure for the whole machine, a wheel that will turn, a gear to drive the wheel and a gear to turn the wheel, a motor to turn the drive gear, a board to control the motor, a power source (9 Volt Battery), a place to store the food (the hopper), and a food bowl for the food to fall into.

Acrylic Sheets
PLA filament
¼ plywood
Stepper Motor
9V Battery
FR1 – for circuit board
1 uF Capacitor
Attiny44
10K Resistor
N Mosfet x 4
9V Battery Connector
2x2 pin Connector
2x3 pin Connector
2x2 Connector Socket 4POS
2x3 Connector Socket 6POS

Where will they come from?
How much will it cost?
What parts and systems will be made?
What processes will be used?

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/acrylic-glass-sheeting/shape-products-reg-clear-colorless-acrylic-sheets/p-1444441876317.htm

https://www.amazon.com/MakerBot-Filament-Diameter-Large-Spool/dp/B00I8ZHG9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495666404&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=pla+filament+makerbot&psc=1

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?search_type=jamecoall&catalogId=10001&freeText=155433&langId=-1&productId=155433&storeId=10001&ddkey=http%3AStoreCatalogDrillDownView

https://www.digikey.com/

 

What tasks need to be completed?
Writing the code for the motor.
Sealing the hopper.

What questions need to be answered?
As this point I need to answer:  How do I write the C code so that the motor turns on and moves 45 degrees every 12 hours.

What is the schedule?
By 6/1 the hopper will be sealed.
By 6/9 the code will be complete.

How will it be evaluated?
The machine will be evaluated by the food traveling from the hopper into the bowl every 12 hours.

Different Processes/Software used to create the Kitty Matic:
Software:
Illustrator
Inventor
Fusion 360
Eagle
fabmodules.org

Processes/Machines:
Makerbot 3D Printer
Universal Laser
CNC Mill
Soldering Pen