A. Final Project

Slide

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Video

Video

What does it do?

I made the machine that makes the artworks automatically by dropping the liquid colored inks on the paper. I called it, Geodrop. The Drop position is controlled by using CoreXY platform which is the slider mechanism applying to 3D printer and Pen Plotter.
Because I’d like to confirm that the machine works simply, I’ve programed to control to start and stop dropping the colored ink. The end effector doesn’t move.

But if you’d like, you can customize its function by programming, driving the stepper motor, and changing the speed of DC motor pump.

Who’s done what beforehand?

Drawing Machine is also the drawing machine that draws the abstract artwork by using stepping motors. And Pen Plotter uses the same positioning technique, using CoreXY system. But I’ve never seen the example of applying the GPS data-based controlling system to those machine and it’s also one of the outstanding features for Geodrop.

Links - the outcomes that someone achieved beforehand
Drawing Machine
Pen Plotter

What did you design?

Firstly, here are all systems which I made for my final project:
Table / End Effector / CoreXY system / Computing Board / Programming / Logo

Design by Fusion360

Systems	Parts	Materials	Process	Week	Data Files
Table	All parts without a drawer	Veneer Plywood	CNC Router	Computer Controlled Machine	Parts_Table.f3z Week7_1.dxf Week7_2.dxf
	Drawer	MDF	Laser Cutting	Computer Controlled Cutting	Drawer.dxf
End Effector	Support parts	Plastic	3D Printer	3D Scanning and Printing	Pump Holder.stl Pump_Holder.f3d
CoreXY System	Outer frame	MDF	Laser Cutting	Computer Controlled Cutting	Frame_Side.dxf Frame_Top.dxf Outframe.f3d
	Support parts	Plastic	3D Printer	3D Scanning and Printing	Corner1.stl Corner1.f3d Corner2.stl Corner2.f3d Y Parts.stl Y Parts.f3d
Computing Board	Main Board and others	Cupper Board	SRM-20	Electronics Input Output	Main: Line.rml, Out.rml, Main.sch, Main.brd Power Supply: Line.rml, Out.rml, PS.sch, PS.brd Motor Driver: Line.rml, Out.rml, MD.sch, MD.brd
Programming	Program to control DC motor pump	Arduino IDE	-	Embedded Programming	Code - Light Sensor.ino
Logo	All parts	Seal paper	Vinyl Cutting	Computer Controlled Cutting	Week3.ai Week3.svg

Computing Boards

① Motor Driver Module
To drive a DC motor pump and two stepper motors(BoM).

② Main Boards
To control motors(BoM).

③ Power Supply Module
To supply the power to the main board(BoM).

2020/10/21 Added the diagram of board connection

See the below diagram. Power supply board (PSB) supplies Vcc 12V and Vpullup 5V of Motor Driver Modules (MDMs) and I/O Pins of Satshakit are connected with MDMs to control I/O pins of MDMs with High and Low. Light sensor are connected with Satshakit and send the sensing data to Shatshakit.

2020/10/21 Added the appearance of my final product

Here is the appearance of my final product.
I’m surprised that it’s almost the same as the 3D design drawn by Fusion 360.

Core XY system are shown. Next time, I’d like to make a design considered the position of a tube.

Actually I was not considering where the light sensor should be put. So temporarily it is fitted with the shaft part of CoreXY…

2020/11/24 Put the light sensor on the table

To sense the light by the light sensor, the light sensor has to be put outside of the drawer. So to take the light sensor out of the drawer, I made a hole at the back of the drawer.

And then, I pulled around the light sensor and put it on the front of the drawer. The back surface of the light sensor is fixed by a tape.

2020/10/26 Programming

I’ll explain the programming code to control a DC motor pump according to the sensing value from the light sensor.

The code is below;

Code - Light Sensor

const int DriverA_1 = 14;
const int DriverA_2 = 15;
const int plus_sensor = 2;
const int sense_sensor = A2;
const int minus_sensor = 4;
//const int DriverB_1 = 10;
//const int DriverB_2 = 11;
char key;
char S = 's';
char B = 'b';
char C = 'c';

int value = 0;
int threshold = 100;

void setup() {
  pinMode(DriverA_1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(DriverA_2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(plus_sensor, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(sense_sensor, INPUT);
  pinMode(minus_sensor, OUTPUT);

  digitalWrite(plus_sensor, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(minus_sensor, LOW);
  //pinMode(DriverB_1, OUTPUT);
  //pinMode(DriverB_2, OUTPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {  
  if (Serial.available()) {
    key = Serial.read(); 
    if(key == S){
      Serial.print("Start!");
      Serial.println("");
      while (Serial.read()) {
        value = analogRead(sense_sensor);
        Serial.println(value);
        if (value < threshold){
          motor(HIGH, LOW, 150);
        } else {
          motor(HIGH, LOW, 10);
        }
      }      
    } else if (key == B){
      Serial.print("Back!");
      Serial.println("");
      motor(LOW, HIGH, 3000);

    } else if (key == C){
      Serial.print("Stop!");
      Serial.println("");
      motor(LOW, LOW, 3000);

    }
  }
}

void motor(int a1, int a2, int d){    
  digitalWrite(DriverA_1, a1);
  digitalWrite(DriverA_2, a2);
  delay(d);
  digitalWrite(DriverA_1, a2);
  digitalWrite(DriverA_2, a2);
  delay(d);
}

When the value given from the sensor is higher than the threshold value (= 100 in above code), the motor pump drives quickly whereas it is lower than the threshold value, the pump drives intermittently.

So the speed of the motor could be changed with the value from the sensor.
Click the below link to the video!

Video1 - Drive a motor without Ink

I also tried drive the motor with blue ink.

Video2 - Drive a motor with Ink

What materials and components were used?

End Effector

Parts	Spec.	Buy or Make	Cost (JPY)	Amount (PCS)	Total Cost (JPY)
Syringe support parts	Plastic by 3D printing	Make	-	1	-
Colored liquid ink	Watercolors 12 colors	Buy	645	1	645
					645

CoreXY System

Parts	Spec.	Buy or Make	Cost (JPY)	Amount (PCS)	Total Cost (JPY)
Stepper motor	NEMA-17	Buy	2883	2	5766
Shaft	SUJ2 φ 4.0 x 400 mm	Buy	1390	4	5560
Timing belt pulley	φ 5 mm, 16 Gears	Buy	135.8	10	1358
Linear Bush	LM-8UU φ 8 mm, H = 24 mm	Buy	279	8	2232
Collar	φ 5 mm, L = 5mm	Buy	86	10	860
Belt	3m	Buy	1260	1	1260
Screw	M3 x 40 15 pcs	Buy	549	1	549
Nut	M3 110 pcs	Buy	429	1	429
Washer	M3 34 pcs	Buy	399	1	399
Spring Washer	M3 610 pcs	Buy	419	1	419
Support parts at side slider	Plastic	Make 3D printing	-	2	-
Support parts at corner	Plastic	Make 3D printing	-	4	-
Outer frame	MDF	Make Laser cutting	150	3	450
					19282

Computing Board

Systems	Parts	Buy or Make	Cost (JPY)	Amount (PCS)	Total Cost (JPY)	BoM
Main Controller	Satshakit cnc	Make cnc	1826	1	1826	MB.csv
Power Supply Modules		Make cnc	499	1	499	PS.csv
Motor driver modules		Make cnc	1556	3	4668	MDM.csv
					6993

Table

System	Parts	Spec.	Buy or Make	Cost (JPY)	Amount (PCS)	Total Cost (JPY)
Table	Veneer Plywood	Processed by CNC Router	Buy	3000	2	6000
	Top board		Make		1
	Leg1		Make		2
	Leg2		Make		2
	Circle_Handling		Make		2
	Circle_Support		Make		2
	Pole_Handling		Make		2
	Pole_Support		Make		2
	Pole_Rolling		Make		2
	Support Part		Make		2
	Support Block		Make		4
	Drawer	MDF	Make Laser cutting	150	1	150
						6150

Logo

Systems	Parts	Spec.	Buy or Make	Cost (JPY)	Amount (PCS)	Total Cost (JPY)
Logo seal		Processed by Vinyl Cutting	Make		1
	Seal paper	100 x 50cm	Buy	540	1	540
	Laminator	100 x 50cm	Buy	540	1	540
						1080

Total Cost = 27157 yen

Mmh, too much cost…

*Exchange rate: 1 USD = 108.620 JPY (2020/4/3 23:44 Ref.)

Where did they come from?

Please see What materials and components will be used? part.

How much did they cost?

Please see What materials and components will be used? part.

What parts and systems were made?

Please see What will you design? part.

What processes were used?

Please see What materials and components will be used? part.

What questions were answered?

Q. Did you make a pump to extrude the ink by 3D printing?

A. No. I bought DC motor pump due to the time saving.

How was it evaluated?

• What percentage did I complete to make my final project?

WiFi Communication: 0 %

I wanted to add the WiFi function to the machine, but I couldn’t because I had no time to do that. As I talked to my instructor, I decided to focus on finishing making a table first.

Data Conversion: 0 %

I planed to convert GPS data to XY coordinate data, but I couldn’t due to the same reason as WiFi communication.

Output control (CoreXY, Pump): 30 %

The pump could be worked properly. But the coreXY doesn’t work because the program that I was tried to use is for the other motor driver.
For the next step, I’d like to work coreXY platform by revising and embedding a program.

Table: 100 %

Completed to make a table. For the next step, I’d like to design the deferent shape of the legs of the table. They would be unique ones!

• Beauty of appearance of my final project

The appearance of the ink drop machine was very good. Table’s appearance was perfect. I was impressed that it’s completely the same with its 3D design made on the computer. The drawer on the table has the functional design thanks to the idea of all the instructors and students in Kamakura.
But the design of core XY need to improve more because the rail shafts should be covered and hidden by the materials made by wood like MDF. I wanted to harmonize the design of core XY with that of the table.

What worked? What didn’t?

The machine can only extrude the ink and control its amount by clicking ‘s’ (means to start extruding) and ‘f’ (finish extruding) on the keyboard, but don’t move around the extruder. WiFi communication also does not work.
In the future, I’d like to sense the GPS data like longitude and latitude by the other devices like smartphone and send it to this ink drop machine, and draw the artworks based on the geometrical data by using this machine.

What are the implications?

As an pen plotter is used by the artist to make an art, this machine would collaborate with the artist. Its artwork would be more generative, complex, random like the abstract art and the generative art.

• What if WiFi connection could be added?
  People around the world could participate to make an artwork. It needs to think the application which they can take part in.