Dustin Brandl
Team Mr. Alfonse Ms. McDonald
Systems and Engineering II
09 January 2012
Report to Mentor
Introduction
Here is a recapitulation of the first two marking periods. Each student at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology is assigned at the end of his junior year a project to complete throughout the senior year. With my partner, we are designing and constructing a VEX robot capable of completing both terrestrial and aquatic challenges. My personal design brief is to design and construct all of the electrical components of a small, remote controlled vehicle that will traverse its specified environment in order to relocate the eggs of the endangered piping plover.
Now, my partner and I have completed everything in the design process and have made decent progress in the construction portion. Thus far, we have completed a hull framework, mechanical arm, and all of the wiring. We are now working on the claw and its arm that will move it up and down; also we are constructing a piece that will rotate the claw itself on the end of the arm. In the following document, the processes that led us to this point are discussed. Also, AutoCAD drawings are included.
Body
Developmental Work
Plan of Procedures
The plan of procedures for the electrical engineer begins while the plan of procedures for the mechanical engineer is being completed.
1. Attach the PIC Microcontroller to the center of the structural hull with a screw at each corner.
2. Attach the receiver module to the left of the PIC Microcontroller with a screw in each corner.
3. Connect the receiver module and the PIC Microcontroller by plugging in the receiver module’s wire into the port labeled “R1.”
4. Connect the power pack into the appropriate port on the PIC Microcontroller.
5. Attach a servo to the inside, forward, starboard side of the hull with two screws in order to attach to the mechanical arm.
6. Connect the servo wire to the motor port on the PIC Microcontroller.
7. Attach a motor to the port, aft, projection of structure and connect it to the shaft. This shaft connects to the claw.
8. Connect the motor to the 29-motor controller and connect that to the PIC Microcontroller.
9. Connect a servo to the claw.
10. Connect the servo wire to the servo extension wires.
11. Connect the end of the servo extension wire to the PIC Microcontroller.
12. Connect a motor to each side of the aft end of the hull with two screws each.
13. Attach the shafts to the propellers to these motors.
14. Connect the wires of the motors to the 29 motor controllers.
15. Connect the 29 motor controller wires to the PIC Microcontroller.
16. Charge the battery to the remote controller and the power pack.
Lists of All Components
Supply List | ||||
Item | Description | QTY | Size | Remarks |
1 | balloon | 8 | 1.5"x2.25"x1.25" | protects motors and servos from water damage |
2 | super glue | 1 | Tube | seal the balloon |
Tools and Equipment List
Item | Description | Use |
1 | Allan Key | attach the screws to hold the motor or servo into place |
Materials list
1 | PIC Microcontroller | 1 | 4.5"x3.9"x1.1" | receives the commands from the remote controller |
2 | 7.2 V Power Pack | 1 | 1.2"x1.7"x2" | delivers power to the microcontroller |
3 | Remote Controller | 1 | 8"x8"x2.5" | Controls the VEX robot |
4 | Screws | 462 | 8-32x1/4" | holds everything into place |
Parts List
Item | Description | QTY | Size | Remarks |
1 | 2-wire motor | 5 | 1.5"x2.25"x1.25" | move the parts of the robot with unlimited rotation |
2 | Servo Modules | 4 | 1.5"x2.25"x1.25" | move the parts of the robot with restricted rotation |
3 | motor controller 29 | 4 | 1.25"x.75"x.25" | acts as an extension cord |
4 | Transmitter Unit | 1 | receives the signals transmitted from the controller |
Below are all of the drawings of each electrical component for which I am responsible. These include the items listed above.
Figure 1a
This is a 3-D view of the PIC Microcontroller. This is the "brain box of the entire VEX robot. All motors plug in to the ports on top. The power pack and the receiver plugs into the ports show on the front.
Figure 1b (top view)
Figure 2a
The Receiver module accepts the signals transmitted from the remote controller and delivers them to the PIC Microcontroller.
Figure 2b (top view)
Figure 3a
The Power pack holds an electrical charge that feeds the PIC Microcontroller. This is re-chargeable and will be charged prior to the use.
Figure 3b (top view)
Figure 4a
The 29 Motor controller is an adapter to make the motors compatible with the PIC microcontroller. With out this the motors will spin without control.
Figure 4b (top view)
Figure 5a
Servo delivers rotation to the different parts of this robot. The rotation delivered by the servo is limited and cannot make a full 360 degree rotation.
Figure 5b (top view)
Figure 6a
Motor is connected to the PIC microcontroller and moves the objects connected to its rotational piece. This rotates with 360 degrees.
Figure 6b (top view)
Summary
As stated before, my partner and I have completed all of the work concerning the design elements. The plan of procedures greatly helped me in the construction process. It allowed my partner and me to easily map out what we are going to do each day. The lists also allowed me to see what components we had at our disposal.
During construction, we are testing each component to ensure its plausibility in the final testing. We found that motors must first be plugged into the motor controller before it is plugged into the PIC microcontroller. If it is plugged directly into the PIC microcontroller, then the motor spins without any control. Also, the motors and servos cannot lift everything. The first arm we had for the claw could not be lifted; therefore we changed the arm to a smaller and lighter one.
Conclusion
Now, we must trim the drive shafts connecting the claw’s arm to the hull and the drive shaft connecting the claw to its arm. We must also construct the entire propulsion system at the aft end of the robot. We must create the most important part, the foam hull. We are leaving this part until the last because then we will be able to place the mechanical framework upon the foam hull. This way when it comes time to do the land challenge, we simply remove the mechanical framework and attach the land propulsion system which also needs to be constructed.
