This week, given that our implementation of the piece movement system using magnetic levitation is proven unfeasible, we designed our new solution using electro magnets that can drag the piece along the designated path.
Also, since the stepper motor kits arrived, I started assembling the NEMA 17 linear actuator gantry system. During the assembling process, there are some assembling tools missing, which makes the process a bit behind schedule, but can definitely be caught up in the upcoming week since it’s an easily solvable issue: I need to go to ansys hall to find an electronic screwdriver with enough power to mount end plates to the actuator. Besides that, I completed the process of driving a stepper motor with arduino and A4988 stepper motor driver. Due to the fact that the CNC shield module has not arrived, an integrated testing with 2 stepper motors with x-y gantry system is not feasible at the time.
On the week after spring break, my major task will be to integrate the stepper motor with the x-y gantry. Up on finishing, our team will have a solid basis on controlling the movement system. The rest is just to mount a electro magnet to the top of the xy gantry to make the movement system complete. I will finish assembling the two NEMA 17 linear actuators with stepper motor and experiment with more delicate control of the stepper motor using arduino code that satisfies our criteria for the movement system.