156A Finals Week

Progress Since Week 10

• Finalized first iteration of small scale prototypes

Current Concerns (decreasing priority)

• Set up the Stepper Motors and synchronize them

• Modifying the code to adjust to stepper motors

• Testing the code to the hardware

• How do we power the end effector?

• Stabilizing the Z-axis

• Cable material - remove the crimping

Student Feedback from Final Presentation

• Further elaborate the social and environmental impact of the project for general audience

• In future presentations, include COGs and cost to build

• Consider safety mechanisms for weather exposure to electronics

  • Elaborate the already existing technology and distinguish what we are building onto

Instructor Feedback from Final Presentation

• Consider using cables mounted from ground to UTM to pull tool into ground

Feedback from Meeting with Sponsor

• Farmbot documentation

  • Github is the standard for documenting open source projects. I will ultimately be hosting your work there.

• Short term milestone notes

  • Desired Outcome: Understand and document how you attempt to answer these questions for a cable-driven system:

    • UTM Function: Will the UTM perform its functions (seeding, weeding, etc.)?

    • UTM Positioning: Will the UTM be in the right place?

    • Systems Integration: Will the system change in durability/reliability/affordability?

  • Nearterm milestones

    • UTM Function

      • Identify the functions that don’t work with cable system (by testing them)

      • Design something you think might solve this

      • Test your design (e.g. with a prototype)

    • UTM Positioning

      • Design cable positioning system

      • Test positioning accuracy w/out UTM

      • Test positioning accuracy w/ UTM

      • Test positioning accuracy w/ UTM connected

    • Systems Integration

      • Document

        • Change in system lifetime, operating conditions

        • Changes in components/wiring, position of electronics box, solenoid valve, etc.

Upcoming Goals

Weeks 1-3 Winter Quarter

Motors

• Look into how to synchronize multiple arduinos

  • Integration of aerial motor system into existing linear FarmBot code

  • Modify code for integration with Stepper Motors

• Reiterate testing of motor code on existing small scale prototype

• Modify function of motors within the small scale design

Universal Tool Mount

• Draw a free body diagram and calculate reaction forces

  • Finalize the FBD from last quarter

• Design Universal Tool Mount connection to the cables

Small Scale Prototype

• Buy new materials for cables and readjust configuration of spools and pulleys based on observations from risk reduction

Budget

Balance as of 12/11/2020: $2429.58