Final Project Journal
[scarab🐞 ]
Project Ideation
1- Tell us about the idea of your project. Why do you care about this? What were you inspired by? Include images and videos of similar projects
My project is a robot vacuum cleaner that moves around the place and cleans the ground by suction of the existing waste the shape was inspired by the scarab so I called it the scarab🐞.
It has 2 motors to move the two wheels so that the vacuum cleaner can walk, 2 motors to move the two brushes that collect waste from around the place and there is an ultrasonic sensor to prevent the vacuum cleaner from colliding with objects.
Sources of inspiration👀
Project Construction
2- Explain the CAD process of your project. How did you use the software to design your project? (List the softwares/tools/materials...etc that you used)
Software
First I designed the base and the shape was inspired by the Pharaonic scarab🐞 where I inserted a picture of the scarab and drew the outer lines of the picture.
then I made an extrude it with a thickness of 3 ml (the thickness of the wood used) and then I downloaded and inserted the components of the project from (motors _ motor driver _ and wheel _ Arduino ) and then I installed the components on the base and then I made a new sketch on the base and then I made a project to drop the components holes and then I finished the sketch and I made an extrude cut for the holes as I did I made slots to install the sides and then I saved the file in dxf format.
Second, I designed the sides.
I drew a circle with a diameter of 27 cm and cut it with a line from above and below and then I divided it from the middle (because the sheet of wood used is less long than the members of the circle) and then I made a flange from the sheet metal list measuring 12 cm (height of the sides) and then I made individuals for the curve using the unfold command from the sheet metal list and then I made a new sketch on the individuals resulting from the previous operation and then I made a project to take the outer lines of the individuals and then I drew lines Living Hinge and I used the video below where after finishing the sketch I made an extrude the living Hinge from the Surface menu for Living Hinge lines and then I made a thicken for the previous extrude from the Surface menu as well and then I made a combined command from the Solid list Then I copied the side I drew earlier to make engagements to hold the sides together Then I saved the file in dxf format.
step 1
step 3
step 2
step4
Thirdly, I designed the waste collection box 📦 where I drew 6 sides and then I drew the fan slots on the back and the slot of the collection pipe on the front side, and then I saved the file in DXF format.
Fourthly, I drew a top where I took a copy from the base and I made an offset inside to make the hole so that the box is taken out when it is filled with waste to be emptied and then I saved the file in dxf format.
Finally, I designed the parts that will be printed using a 3d printer 🖨️, namely (the part where the brushes will be installed - and the part that will connect the base hole to the opening of the waste collection box).
First: For the brush part design
I made a projection of the motor's hole (which is the part on which the brush will be mounted) and then I made an extrude for the outer circle and I made 3 angle rectangles including 120 degrees and then I made an extrude 15 ml for the circular part except for the motor's hole and rectangles and then I made an extrude for the rectangles measuring 10 millimeters and then I saved the body in STL format.
Second: Air Passage Pipe Design
I drew the hole on the base of the shape taking into account the screws fixing holes and then I installed the waste collection box on the base and then I made copies of the previous shape on the side of the box and then I connected the centers of the two shapes with lines in 3D sketch and then I loft the two shapes according to the previous 3D path and then I served the body in STL format.
Then I assembled all the parts as shown in the pictures.
3- Explain the fabrication process of your project. How did you use the machine to fabricate your project? (List the softwares/tools/materials...etc that you used)
Software
Cura,
It is an open-source slicing software for 3D printers. It opens (.stl) files of the object to-be-printed design and it produces the code which the 3D printer follows to print the model correctly.
Laser work
is a program used for producing (.rd) files that regulate laser cutting operations. It opens (.dxf) files.
Machines
3D Printer ( Prusa i3 mk2 )
3D Printer ( Prusa i3 mk2 )
Materials
PLA Materials
Plywood sheet ( 3mm thick )
I entered the DXF files on the laser work program and modified the cut ✂️and scan settings on each part (as shown in the pictures).
I entered STL files on cura and modified the print 🖨️settings for each part (as shown in the pictures).
Laser cutting process
3D printing process
All parts
Project Electronics & Power Management
4- Describe your electronic circuit. What are the input and action components? What is the function of each? How do the components integrate together to form your smart system? (List the softwares/tools/components...etc that you used)
Component List
Software
arduino uno
DC Motor
Fan
USB
Ultrasonic Sensor
on/ off switch
Wires
Wires
breadboard
Battery
Wheel
Metal Caster Wheel 20 mm
Motor Driver
Screws
The function of the circuit is if the on/off switch is on, the motors (controllers of the rotation of the brushes) and the two fans are turned on, the ultrasonic sensor reads the distances( to control the directions⬆️⬇️➡️⬅️ of the vacuum cleaner, and if the on/off switch is off, all the previous components are turned off.
I wired the circuit according to the following scheme:
5- What is your power source? How did you select the suitable power source for your project? (List the softwares/tools/components...etc that you used)
The power source 🔋of the vacuum cleaner is the battery because the vacuum cleaner is roaming around the place
Project Programming
6- Describe the code of your project. How did you program each function of the project?
Software
First:
I defined the inputs for the project, which are (4 motors - 2 fans - ultrasonic sensor - on /off switch)
Secondly:
I explained the inputs and outputs of the project
Thirdly:
I set different operating states in the main case is the on/off switch case if it is closed or opens
Then I always put the fans and brushes on and then I put in ultrasonic sensor states if the distance is less than 20 moves right if it is greater than 20 moves.
Project Integration & Testing
7- Demonstrate with text and visuals how did you integrate the project’s modules together? What are the testing results? (Include a Demo video separately, showing a proof of functionality)
First I put the two sides together as shown in the pictures then I assembled all the parts as shown in the pictures.
video 2.mp4Sharing & Collaboration
8- Did you ask for feedback? What are the ideas that others have contributed or suggested? What was someone else’s idea that you built upon? How did you help your peers? How did your peers help you?
had no idea how living hinge works so I searched 🔎on Google and found this great video.
Also during the programming of the code I did not understand the comparison part so I searched 🔎 in Google and found this code with an explanation of it in this video.
Overcoming Challenges
9- When you got stuck, what/who did you turn to? At what point did you have to pause to research or learn more before moving on? What are some mistakes, pitfalls, or challenges that others can avoid if they were doing this project?
During the design process I needed to make holes in the base and top in order to install the sides in it but when I drew this protrusion on the living hinge and I made extrude for it and then dropped it on the base I found that there was a deviation in extrude because it was drawn in 3D and not 2D so I asked for help from Mohannad and suggested to me that I make the holes at the center lines
During the laser cutting process I needed to scan the parts shown in the picture below and I found that when I select the lines to do the scanning the area is not specified so I asked for help from menna and she explained to me that each space must be closed and separate from the other and I did that already and succeeded with this method.
Before modification
After modification
While printing🖨️ the shape shown in the picture below, I made the rectangles thick of 3 millimeters, and I found that it was very weak, so I adjusted the sizes again.
Before modification
After modification
While printing the shape shown in the picture below I did not do ...... So while printing it moved from a position and the process of printing it failed 😓 🥴the first time so I modified the settings again and it succeeded 😊 the next time.
Before modification
After modification
Future Work
10- If you had more time, what is one thing you would change/ Do next in your project?
If I had more time ⏳🕜 I would have added a servo motor so that the vacuum cleaner could overcome obstacles for ease and I would have added Bluetooth Medual so that the vacuum cleaner would be controlled remotely.
And if I had more materials, I'd print all the parts to get the shape of a Kervi scarab🐞.