1) Design a machine that includes mechanism + actuation + automation 2) Build the mechanical parts and operate it manually. 3) Actuate and automate your machine.
Learning Outcomes
1) Work and communicate effectively in a team and independently 2) Design, plan and build a system 3) Analyse and solve technical problems 4) Recognise opportunities for improvements in the design
Individual Assignment
This weeks aim was to build a machine as a group with the available resources in our lab. We decided to build a 2d CNC Plotter. We divided the work between 5 of us and my part was to design the Y-axis of the 2D plotter.
Designing
The designing part was done by 3 of us. We all used Fusion 360 for designing each individual part, so that we could combine it later to obtain the final model. My contribution was to design the X-axis and Y-axis houseing. In our fablab inventory we had 8mm thick smooth rod and 6mm thick acrylic sheets, so keeping these values as the parameters I designed the houseing.
The design was in such a way that the top and bottom piece of the housing are acrylic sheets and linear bearing will partialy go inside the slots on the acrylic sheet and this assembly is tightened using 4 screws. The end plate on the Y-axis is where the belt will be locked.
Unfortunately we couldn't get the linear bearing, so I had to change the design and 3D print a component that can freely move though the smooth rod. I then designed a bearing like component that can be attached to each other and to the acrylic sheet like a lego block.
I then 3d printed to check the fit. luckily it worked well!!!!
Click on the link to the file.
Group Assignment
VIDHYA - CNC PLOTTER
As the name suggests, the plotter machine obviously draws or plots a drawing as per given instruction. It can draw most of the basic shapes, texts and even cartoons. It's operation is similar to the way a human hand writes. It is basically a 2.5 axis CNC machine, it has two stepper motors on both X & Y axis and a servo motor at Z axis. The pen is connected on the arm that makes the Y-axis, the servo motor that moves the pen up and down makes the z-axis.
