jared laucks

how to make [almost] anything mas.863.12

final project_week 14++

make something that allows the robot to make something!
The focus of this week was to continue to expand our final project now knowing all of the new skills from the prior weeks. After the long way around I am back to my original proposal of an attachment for string pultrusion.

prior art
robot spraying, sprayers, robot fiberglass, fiber winding : My adhesive string pultrusion attachment will attempt to pass a line through elements of each of these points.

components
From McMaster: Timing belt pulleys, Timing Belts, Belt Calculator, From Harbor Freight: Adhesive distribution. From either our lab's stock or the Shop stock parts I plan to use a Jameco DC Motor with good torque, 1.5mm Mill Finished Alum., Misc 10-24 hardware, adhesives, and natural fibers, electronics for a DC motor board and Fabduino. The total should be somewhere between $50-$75. The frames and electronics will be made, motors, raw materials, and the air system will be bought and retrofit.

workflow
initial proof of concept used a simple laser cut set-up but the final will strive to cross from cad design to CNC waterjet fab of the frames, Milling + molding and casting might define the final outer shell. Electronics production and programming with run the motors. I would also like to add a simple interface to control glue application and motor speed overrides.

development
A second design iteration is underway and will begin production upon the arrival of my parts order. From there assembly and electronics production will be needed and then adhesive application development and testing. Once these are working finishing touches would include a cast case to house the internals and a simple interface applet. Base frame production will continue this week with spraying by the end of the week allowing the weekend to refine electronics and interface + produce something interesting. Evaluation will be based upon the functionality of the tool, strength of the material, speed, curing etc.

Break out board ready for milling.

Milling the DC Motor breakout board to be used with a Fabduino.

Program for the DC motor breakout board.

Water-jetting of the aluminum parts.

An earlier iteration tried to feed the string only between the (2) sides and fed the string through two pulleys.

Assembly of the (3) ribs. (( Top rib holding the Jameco DC motor, middle w/ standoff spacers, and bottom: the middle rib with glue spray mounting.))

Completed tool showing the nylon tube for string feed, black tube for air feed to the airbrush and the white latex tube to feed the glue mixture to the sprayer.

Completed tool mounted on the kuka.

Finished material prototype.

Close up of the material system.