In this phase of the project the team had to create a payload for the mechanized arm that followed the criteria of a 1.5" x 1.5" x 1.5" cube and had a least a volume of 1 cubic inch. The team first created four individual sketches and chose the best payload design.  The best payload design was then sketched in solid works/Onshape and was prepared to be 3D printed in its physical form.

During this phase of the project, a grasping mechanism to pick up and hold the payload that was designed during phase 1 of the project.  This phase will incorporate concepts of degree of freedom analysis, mechanism classification, and graphical linkage synthesis. Each team member will create a hand sketch, and after deciding which one to continue forward with, the environment for the claw will be fully dimensioned. From there, a GLS file can be created, which would pave the way for a 3D model and, ultimately, the final, physical model. 

This phase of the involved creating a lifting mechanism ("arm") to lift the grasping mechanism and payload that were designed in the previous two phases. This phase is incrementally more difficult than Phase 2 since it requires you to perform calculations to ensure your lifting mechanism is designed with enough mechanical advantage that that the provided servo can actuate it. Degree of freedom analysis, graphical linkage synthesis, instant centers, and mechanical advantage are all concepts that are integrated into this phase.

This phase involved creating the rotation mechanism (“shoulder”) to move the lifting mechanism, grasping mechanism, and payload designed earlier in the project. This design will incorporate gear train calculations to allow the servo to rotate the required amount to get to the desired drop off spot.