This week, we were able to integrate the new, higher torque motor with the stand and rest of the system. The new motor has sufficient torque to turn the screw of the platform jack and adjust the height of the stand. We are currently working on doing more tests with the fully integrated system as well as creating a new mount for the motor to attach the motor to the platform jack.
What are the most significant risks that could jeopardize the success of the project? How are these risks being managed? What contingency plans are ready?
Risks:
Currently, the most significant risks we are facing are the is mounting the new motor to the stand. Since the new motor is noticeably heavier than the previous one, we need to be certain that the motor mount will be able to support the weight of the motor. We also have to adjust and tune the speeds and steps we use to increase the height of the stand since there will be variations in speed when going up versus down.
Changes:
Due to the new stepper motor having different dimensions than the previous one, we had to start a new 3D print for a motor mount with these new dimensions. This cost about 60 dollars and was necessary since it is the most feasible solution to ensuring the motor is constantly in contact with the screw even when the screw’s height changes.
No changes were made to our schedule.
Unit Tests and Overall System Tests:
Unit tests we have conducted consist of testing the functionality of the linear actuator subsystem, motor control, and height and angle adjustment computations. We have conducted overall system tests of a full adjustment process – both height and angle adjustment – as well as calibration. We conducted these tests over 9 trials with the screen at starting angles and height. We found that the adjustment process took an average of 33.56 seconds, and the calibration process took an average of 6.7 seconds. The height adjustment had an error margin of about 0.95 inches, and the angle adjustment had an error margin of about 2.44 degrees.