Posted on

Sizhe Chen’s Status Report for 2/10

The majority of this week was dedicated to preparing and attending presentation sessions and finalizing the semester’s schedule. Additionally, I did some research on the feasibility of magnetic levitation online and researched different devices that we could use for the final project. I am tasked with the detection and locking system aspect of the project, so I delved into researching how to connect hall effect sensors to an Arduino by reviewing existing projects online. I believe I am confident to conduct actual experiments by next week.

We are on track with our schedule in terms of researching as we have created a comprehensive list of possible components. However, we have encountered delays in feasibility testing due to the delayed arrival of the magnetic levitation devices. We plan to conduct these tests promptly upon their arrival on the new scheduled date of 2/14.

Moving forward, our goal for next week is to complete testing of the magnetic levitation device and make decisions regarding the devices to be utilized in our final product.In the meantime, I aim to start the creation of a GitHub repository for the team to commence work on building software components as it does not depend on any physical device. Additionally, I will begin testing hall effect sensors for go piece detection next week.

Posted on

Team Status Report for 02/10

Our most significant risk is the feasibility of magnetic lavation device, which have to be resolved through hands on testing. Unfortunately, we have to delay the feasibility test because our expected maglev kit test unit delivery was delayed. Thus, for this week, we have to mainly focus on researching the similar solutions for our individual sections (gantry, detection, feeding).

Currently, all of our systems aside from maglev seem promising from the research and documentation we have found. Thus, there are no plans for changes to our design so far.

Schedule wise, we have moved the feasibility testing for the maglev kit from this week to next week.

Posted on

Shuailin Pan’s Status Report for 2/10

Aside from finishing up detailed schedule and attending proposal presentations this week, I mainly did research on the Arduino software and circuit design for controlling solenoid and stepper motor. The video that I was mainly studying are the following two:

I am currently on schedule for researching to design and feasibility of the go piece feeding system. However, testing for maglev feasibility has been delayed due to delivery issues and we plan to move the maglev testing to next week.

For next week, I plan to mainly perform tests and gather data required for the design of the Go piece delivery system:

  • Test for the forces required to push to separate magnets directly sticking together horizontally.
  • Test for the forces required to push to separate mock Go pieces (magnets surrounded by non magnetic materials) sticking together horizontally.
  • Create a physical prototype barrier as the Go piece (magnet) holder to test for feasibility of pushing to separate and displace the Go pieces.
  • After finding out the average forces required to separate pieces sticking together, test for the feasibility of using a solenoid or stepper motor to separate the magnets.
  • Figure out the go piece holder’s structure and motor placement after deciding the kind of motor used for piece feeding.
Posted on

Chiev’s Status Report for Feb.10

This week, I made progress on the capstone project by diving deep into the technical aspects of constructing an xy-axis gantry system for maneuvering game pieces on the board. My research led to a detailed implementation plan involving the use of two stepper motors (likely NEMA 17) equipped with actuator sets, which will facilitate the movement of the top-level magnetic levitation kit. These motors will be controlled by stepper motor controllers (A4988) that are, in turn, connected to an Arduino CNC shield module. This module is specifically designed for the Arduino UNO board, enabling precise control over CNC machines. The final piece of the puzzle involves programming an Arduino UNO board to create a control interface, ensuring the gantry can move efficiently from point A to point B.

My progress remains on track according to the original schedule. Looking ahead to next week, I aim to focus on identifying the necessary components for the xy-axis gantry, including the selection of specific SKUs that meet our project’s requirements. This phase will involve thorough investigation into the factors influencing component choice and culminate in the preparation of a comprehensive list of materials alongside a budget estimation. This next step is crucial for moving forward with the project and ensuring that all parts are ordered in a timely manner, keeping us aligned with our project timeline.