Classes >>Applications and Implications
Assignment: plan and document a final project that integrates the range of units covered:
what will it do?
The machine is a variant of the MTM Snap Machine but with another feature as a Pick & Place Machine. Basically to get its target, the machine will be able to pick electronical components from its dispenser and transport them to its place on the board for soldering.
who's done what beforehand?
I was checking in youtube similar machines for this task but although this machine already has been developed before I think the ours one is very simple to manufacture using home components and its simple and easy design allows the easy manufacturing of its parts. Here some pages where there are similar industrials and manual Pick and Place Machines.
www.tws-quadra-laser.com
http://youtu.be/-CqpbsTfVtM
http://youtu.be/BoCJFJsCXPQ
http://youtu.be/dmCVSmbuMrc
what materials and components will be required?
Basically for the case we can use whichever material as long as being rigid and resistant. For this project we thought to use HDPE as one of the best material but for this prototipe we are using MDF. This material is cheap and useful to do several testing. For the head, we used MDF as alternative material of HDPE and acrylic for the cam and the support of its servo motor. The components used in our machine are: stainless steel guide bars, worm (for the movements of the 3 axes),, 3 steeper motors for the 3 worms, one servo motor (for the movement of the cam) and several devices as bearings, flexible couplings, bronze friction bearings, nut screw,axial and radial bearings .For the automation we will use an Arduino board and a stepper drivers shield board.
where will they come from?
Basically, they will come from the locally stores but we have to import the Arduino Board and the components for the shield board
how much will it cost?
I think the total cost of the machine will be no more than $350 for the size proposed
what parts and systems will be made?
The shell or case, the table, the head, the cam mechanism and the shield board
what processes will be used?
The case and table will be made by milling with the Shop-Bot CNC machine, for the head we will use the milling process usuing the ShopBot and the Epilog laser cutter. The bridge board will be made on surface mount by soldering the components. Likewise all the designs for the case, table head and pressfit were made in Rhino program.
what tasks need to be completed?
At this point we already have the case and the table and we are redesigning the head and the cam mechanism and obviously is lacking the assembling of the machine.
what questions need to be answered?
One of the problems that is generating us headaches is the design of the cam mechanism to produce the vacuum in the hypodermic syringe. We are testing several types of cam and, we have to solve the sealing of the sucker and the tilting of the plunger when making in contact with the cam. Another problem we have to solve is the aligning of the guide shafts to make easy the work of the stepper motor otherwise they can take a lot of amperage and can burns the electronical board
what is the schedule?
For the week 17 we expect to be solved and ready the cam mechanism, for the week 18 we will have the assembling of the machine and for the last weed (before the final presentation) we expect to have the boards and the programing for the automation.
how will it be evaluated?
The project will be evaluated after it fulfills the target of getting to pick up an electronical component and carry it to its final place.