Day 10: (Thu Sep 26, Week 5) Machine Design

Notes for 2024-09-26.

New Assignments

New assignment, due Tue Oct 1: detailed fabrication-ready design of an subsystem to be assigned individually.

Administrative

Who does not have laser cutter access?

Agenda

  1. Discuss project plan and design considerations in detail for each proposed machine.

  2. Assign subsystems.

  3. Brainstorm design solutions.

ZYY ARM

Main subsystems:

  1. rotary base for Z axis

  2. common shoulder and elbow design for two Y axes

  3. arm link structures

  4. pneumatic actuators, plumbing, and valve system

  5. joint feedback sensors and microcontroller electronics

  6. end effector

Design Considerations

Boom Motor

Main subsystems:

  1. base: fixed (or sliding)

  2. passive boom universal joint (yaw and roll)

  3. boom structure or tube

  4. wheel actuator

  5. wheel

  6. DC motor driver and power supply, microcontroller electronics

  7. passive terrain elements

Design Considerations

  • building at scale

  • passive boom bearings: thin-section bearing pair or turntable

  • wheel size and boom length

  • range of motion, limit stops

  • motor selection

  • motor vs joint angle sensing

  • slip rings vs tether

  • boom joint sensing

  • motor rotation sensing

Hinged Box

Main subsystems:

  1. lightweight lid and hinge system.

  2. actuation (electric or pneumatic)

  3. lightweight panel structure (solid or fabric?)

Design Considerations

  • sizing depends on arm size

  • position control vs bang bang operation

  • minimizing weight

  • hinge component selection

  • structural rigidity for hinge mounts

Machine Vision

Main subsystems:

  1. camera

  2. camera mounting (placement and support)

  3. vision processing (e.g. OpenCV), prototype: Theater Vision System

Resources

Vendors

  • McMaster-Carr (industrial supplier, our favorite sources for common parts)

  • MiSUMi (automation and mechanical components)

  • Pololu (smaller robot parts, kits, components)

  • The Robot MarketPlace (inexpensive powerful 12V motors)

  • RobotShop (large variety of robot parts and systems)

Pneumatic Components