The flow of this Assignment is as follows:

  • Rationale behind the Name
  • Objective / Need and Application
  • Process:
    • Sketch / Design
    • Designing
    • 3D Printing and Laser Cutting
  • Assembling the Components and Parts
  • Firmware Building
  • Test Run / Manual Testing
  • End Result:
    • through Blender
    • through G-Code
    • through Firmware

ChitraCAR by FabLab-0 @ Vigyan Ashram:

Rationale behind the Name - चित्रCAR

We thought of making a Plotter but not constrained by the boundry.
We had a legacy and reputation of our Predecessors to uphold.

We wanted to brand our Machine and give a classy Punchline for it. We thought of many names like CarBot, Imager, RouterBot, Painton Wheels etc. But nothing sounded good.

Then we thought to get back to the basics and add the ethnic flavor to the name for its identity. As the Machine has Wheels so its an Automobile. We designed it rectangular and wheels. So it must be a Car. Although we are short of adding aesthetics to the design but its a Car though.

Another part was about drawing or plotting. So, the name कला which means Art or Skills. But the name चित्र fits perfectly as the Machine would be drawing the designs or images. So the name चित्रCAR was agreed upon by us and thus coined it.

Opening Quotes:

  • "Design is not just how it looks like and feels like. Design is how it WORKS" - Steve Jobs
  • "The fewer moving parts, the better." - Christian Cantrell
  • When you want to know how things really work, study them when they’re coming apart.” - William Gibson
  • “Normal people believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.” - Scott Adams
  • “The trick to having good ideas is not to sit around in glorious isolation and try to think big thoughts. The trick is to get more parts on the table.” - Steven Johnson
  • “There’s nothing I believe in more strongly than getting young people interested in science and engineering, for a better tomorrow, for all humankind.” - Bill Nye
  • “I have not failed, but found 1000 ways to not make a light bulb.” - Thomas Edison
  • “Knowing there is a structure, hidden or felt, to the random gives pleasure.” - Cecil Balmond

Objective, Need and Applications:

1. Group assignment:(Mechanical Design)

Details here.

This week is having the following Objectives for the Group-

  1. Design a machine that includes mechanism + actuation + automation
  2. Build the mechanical parts and operate it manually.
  3. Document the group project

2. Individual assignment:(Mechanical Design)

Document your individual contribution.

1. Group assignment:(Machine Design)

.

This week is having the following Objectives for the Group-

  1. Actuate and automate your machine.
  2. Document the group project

2. Individual assignment:(Machine Design)

Document your individual contribution.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Work and communicate effectively in a team and independently
  • Design, plan and build a system
  • Analyse and solve technical problems
  • Recognise opportunities for improvements in the design

Checklist:

Documented the machine building process to the group page ✔

Documented your individual contribution to this project on your own website ✔

Linked to the group page from your individual page as well as from group page to your individual pages ✔

Shown how your team planned and executed the project (Group page) ✔

Described problems and how the team solved them (Group page) ✔

Listed future development opportunities for this project (Group page) ✔

Included your design files (Group page) ✔

Optionally included an aprox. 1 min video (1920x1080 HTML5 MP4) + slide (1920x1080 PNG) (Group page) ✔

Need of the चित्रCAR

The machines in our Lab are constrained by the movement along X and Y axis. So, inspired from the Wall Printer and the Hand Router, we decided to overcome this constrain and buils a machine which would print / plot irrespective of the size of the image. So, we designed and made this चित्रCAR.

Applications of the चित्रCAR

This machine is not limited by the movement along the axes and thats why it offers plotting / drawing images of any scale. It has multitude of applications by making modifications in the Z axis assembly. If the Pen is replaced by the sprayer or cutters; it may offer various applicability like-

  • Deweeding in the fields
  • Picking the objects
  • Spray Painting the Signs on the Roads

Our Process / Approach

We had brainstormed about the concept and what to make for this machine and mechanical design week.
Charged after the Lecture by Neil and ideas in mind, we discussed and distributed our tasks. The various parts of our Machine week involved the areas listed below

Ideation

After Brainstorming and discussion, we decided to go ahead with making a Car which will plot / draw / print on a plain surface without the limitations of the boundary (Constrains of X and Y axis movement)

Sketch

Then we moved on with sketching the idea and decided to make it in circular shape as it will provide greater accuracy on turns and angles.

Designing

The tasks of the Chasis, X, Y and Z axis, Battery management, Coding, Interfacing and Communication, Firmware etc. were distributed amongst us and then we designed the parts for Laser Cutting and 3D Printing.

Laser Cutting and 3D Printing

The designed parts were cut on Cardboard and MDF and printed in CNC machines for trials

Assembly

After the successful trials and troubleshooting, we finally started assembling the various parts and the चित्रCAR slowly took its shape

Trial Runs

Then, we took various trials of drawing the alphabets, shapes on the चित्रCAR

About चित्रCAR

चित्रCAR means an Automobile / Car which can Draw. चित्र is a Hindi Word for an Image. We had also thought of KalaCAR which means a Car which has Art/Skills.

Ideas like making a CarromBot which can play Carrom or atleast pick, place and Shoot a Striker, a De-Weeder etc. were thought.

We have explored the CNC machines in our Lab. and found that they are big in size and limited by the movement along X and Y axis. We also were inspired by the projects and machines of previous year like the Plotter that operates by hands and a plotter which prints on the walls. This tempted us to think of making something which could be mobile, smaller in size and free from constrains.

Thus, the Idea of making a small robot which would draw on the plain surface popped up and we agreed on the same. Two of the memvers were not proficient enough in Designing, Coding and technicalities of the components as well. So, the group had to think of something where everyone would be able to contribute. The Artie 3000 which is an educational robot was also referred.

Process / Flow of Machine Making:

चित्रCAR in the Making in the Light of Snaps and Videos.

Idea Generation / BrainStorming Session:


Discussion over the Decision of Machine

Every member was asked about the Idea and the machine that should be made in this week. The Ideas were noted on the Board and thought was given about how it could be made.

Initial Sketch of चित्रCAR


Sketching the Idea of चित्रCAR on Paper

The Idea was penned down on the NoteBook. The Mechanism and Actuation was decided. The design and position of Chasis, Wheels and Z axis were sketched.

Trial on DIY Robot Kit in the Lab:


Trial of the Idea using Robot Assembly and DC Motors

The Idea needed to be tested for feasibility and practicality. Thus, the Idea was tested on the available DIY Kit of a Robot in the Lab. DC Motors were used for Power. Z Axis was made using a Sketch Pen and attached to the Servo Motor temporarily. the rest of the components were used from the Kit.

Designing of the Components of Machine


Designing and 3D Printing of the Components to be used in the Machine

Various parts of the machine were then Designed by the members and for trials again, they were laser cut on the MDF material and some parts were 3D printed like the Z axis Linear Servo Actuator mechanism, Wheels, Motor Brackets, Castor Wheel Brackets etc.

Fabrication of the Parts of Machine



Initially the Chasis and Wheels were Laser Cut on the MDF material. The brackets for holding the wheels was designed and 3D printed. The Z axis was 3D printed and the Servo Motor Linear Motion ASctuator was downloaded from the Thingiverse. It was modified and altered according the design of the machine.

Assembling the Components and Parts:


All the components were then Assembled on the Chasis of the चित्रCAR.

Electronics:

The Components used in the Machine are:

Circuit Diagram

Electronics involves the Battery Management System, Use of Microcontroller and Connections.

Firmware Building:

Arduino was used to communicate with the Machine.

Interfacing and Communications:

Interfacing and Communication involves the Communication between the Machine and the Computer. It also involves giving instruction to the machin through G Code generation. We have used blender - a open source software for giving instructions to the machine.

Test Run:

After all the Trials and Errors, the Codes and the Components were tested. We tried drawing Simple shapes like Square, Circle and moved on to draw complex designs like star.

Video Gallery:

ChitraCAR by FabLab-0 @ Vigyan Ashram:

Amazing Team - The Fantastic Five

A TEAM means Together Each Achieves MORE. This stands true for us as we come from diverse academic disciplines and hence this week helped everyone of us with a Learning experience. All of us touched different aspects of a machine from Conceptualizing Idea to Designing, Assembling to Interfacing and Communication as per our expertise in respective fields.

Anand S Tale

(Chassis and Wheels) Handled the Designing and 3D Printing of the Shape of Chassis, XY Axes and Wheels

Mohit Ahuja

(Firmware Building) Remotely handled the Firmware building

Pavan M Kuchar

(Z Axis and Documentation)Designing, Printing the Mechanism for Z-Axis movement and Group's Webpage Documentation

Rahul Kanojia

(Interfacing and Communications)Handled the Firmware and Interfacing and Communication

Vijay S Karale

(Battery Management System and Electronics Troubleshooting)Took Care of the Powering the Machine and Troubleshooting the Electronics.

Pradeep Kumar Rao

(CAD and CNC Operation) Fab X Student who supported us with CAD and CNC operation like Laser Cutting, Drilling, 3D Printing and Assembling

Original Files: Downloads

Original Files of the various Codes, Designs used for making of the ChitraCAR can be downloaded from here.

FabLab Address

FabLab-0
Vigyan Ashram, Pabal
Pune, Maharashtra, India
P: (09730543120)