This week, I ordered, received, and began testing all the parts for our actuating subsystem. First, the ordering process was a little tricky since despite having finalized the motor model and type, there were various unknown vendors and distributors with wildly varying pricing and delivery times. As a result, this process took longer than expected. Upon receiving the parts, I have been able to get the micro stepper motors to function and control using Arduino and the motor driver. I still need to program the precise positions along the linear output. My progress is still a little behind, but compared to the previous week’s state, I have been able to make significant process this week.
I also decided to significantly adjust our team’s schedule since the whole team has been behind schedule. The consequence in that the upcoming two weeks now requires parallel progress on various subsystems + testing.
At the end of this week, I hope to have a fully working motor and sliding mechanism, ready to attach to our 3D printed actuating components. Additionally, if this is accomplished, I will assemble all motors and drivers. However, I need to purchase a different motor driver IC in order to properly support our software-controlled motor control for actuating.