Mechatronic project and automation Pt.2

Prerequisite read my earlier posts: 1. "Start on a Mechatronic project and automation (Part 1)" and 2. "Navigate 6DOF CAD in 3D. In this publication I will expand on my work area of UAV".  I also recommend 3. "Mechanical Computer - prime numbers" . It deals with my workshop manufacture of gears. My mechanical and electronic projects are a great consumers of small gears - humble spur gear with prime number of teeth.   I can make variety of gear types on my purpose built milling machine, just to refresh the readers memory prime numbers in gear ratios are required for wear distribution. In my world there is no such thing as a rational number gear ratio - its all irrational.

The aim of this publication is to describe some equipment required by Mechanical, Electro-Mechanical, Electrical and Mechatronic engineers.  Those that are aware of my work primary know my expertise in mathematics and mechanical & electronics engineering, but beside those interests I am a frustrated Tool Maker, and C++ OOP programmer...throw in CAD 3D, 3DP and CNC one has a recipe for hobby for life.  That is when I am not travelling 2000km on back of my bike enjoying sleeping under the stars.

Work Shop Layout - Electronics

Starting from the left, movable 2 sided reference book case, middle assembly table with its own dedicated computer work is assembly of a stepper motor drive and controller, background is an instrument bench with:  digital soldering iron, Laptop for driving digital oscilloscope from Picoscope, transistor test rig, strain gauge amplifier and driver, DC/AC DMM voltmeter driven by the laptop, digital frequency synthesizer, PWM sweep generator. Below the Bench top there is storage for various components - shrink cabling assortment of equipment. On the right on moveble table is an Arduino programing station. Extreme Right are two UAVs being tested for electronics and communications. I will spend more time explaining that  later. Also the main picture for this article shows more detail of UAV docking stations.

Work Shop Layout - CAD, CAM

Panning to the right is my OMNI4040 4th axis CNC -CAM table.  The OMNI4040 was purchased from China but not in its current configuration. The system was improved by adding several "must" sub systems; laser edge finding, remote wireless control and improved Mach3 interface. On top of that it was modified to have a level deck and clamping system, vacuum table top, vacuum grip system and 12v work light and camera job monitoring. A lubrication system was added to provide misting system when cutting metals like aluminium. The computer software is MasterCam capable of sophisticated g-code generation. Line by line g-code execution is  accomplished by Mach3 software. The system can be operated wirelessly by a remote WiFi pendent. Next to this system is our CAD work station capable of running Rhino, AutoCAD and Inventor. Main CAD work load for mechanical objects are AutoCAD 3D, Rhino is used for organic fuselage design and Inventor is large scale assembly. Autodesk also provides free tools for generating 123CAD for stl and 3D printing files. I also use the same computer to run ADAMS like software and my own FEA analysis.  Arduino table and CAD table is also suitable for direct C++OOP code generation and has links to MATLAB and Simulink ( very old versions  as my PhD was many years ago ). In electronics and CAD/CAM area I have a python compiler that will "do that short and quick code".

Starting from the left is a "fine Gear making machine" ( I also recommend reading my post;  3. "Mechanical Computer - prime numbers" . It deals with my workshop manufacture of gears.). At far end is a lathe with a 530mm bed and mill attachment with a band saw for those quick jobs ( green ). In fore ground is our Master HPC computer running 12 nodes for intensive FEA computing ( it runs of its own network and storage "bridging" only to pass results see our publication "Our Super computing cluster" ).  Just above our HPC computer is our main 60" LCD screen that can be used to project content of any computer screen in the room. Attached to this is our own NAS server at 35Tb capacity. Any system in the room with WIDI or projection capacity can project up to a larger screen ( using WiFi n-band ).  Next to a 3D printer is a digitizer for cams ( see my post on : "Worsted Combing - Rise of Computing - part 1" ). Next a 3D printer is a HP9800 touch screen computer running gcode generator for 3D printing. Next, to the right is a 4Cylinder compressor for generating CNC mist or just air for cleaning the cutting tool. In front of the CNC machine is the 4th axis unit.

Our CNC machine makes variety of products : Carved wooden griffin, medals and  UAV components. Shown is  our wireless manual pendant. The manufacturing surface is manufactured wood used as a sacrificial surface - it has 1480 holes also drilled by the CNC machine to maintain precision.

This is a vacuum chamber (red) and 2 stage vacuum pump for holding down the work piece.  ( 2 stage vacuum pump can get down to very low vacuum levels - I also use this in my glass making electronics - story for another post )

This is my work station for CAD, under the tables are components for project. ( springs, bearing, nuts , bolts , hex keys...)

This is another rear view for the CNC machine.

This is a 3D printing area, the computer in front is a cam digitizing machine. There is nothing wasted this computer was built 20y ago and it runs windows XP with a single 1GHz core ( That is still the limit for a single core even in a multi core systems such as i7 - nothing is new in computing ). It was designed to reverse engineer the cams used in worsted comb and built by NSC Sclumberger. My design work is current technology of combing used around the world, the cams designed in Geelong were and are still; the cutting edge of that technology.  There will be an additional publication of cams but for now please read "Worsted Combing - Rise of Computing (part 1)". I expect that technology to be used in cars at some future date.

This is the 4th Axis on our CNC machine,  4 cylinder compressor and a lubricant atomizer for mist lubrication when cutting metals. There is no difference between this machine and a more expensive machine as the software and skill are the same. Bigger machine is only a measure of how much one can pay.

This is our 3D printing set up, I now use an Android to feed gcode. The red items are made by 3D printing.

Here is an example of a UAV gear box to drive two counter rotating blades.  3DP was useful to generate the gear box , but the final product was made using a CNC machine which cut the blanks and a gear cutter was used to cut 157 teeth. The option is to make the components from high grade Aluminium alloy.

This is a final view of some our workshop space. My wish list is still with me but I have enough to work on for now. Besides UAVs I still have interest in worsted comb processing.

This is a PB31 comb used for combing Australian wool clip - this is the only example of this machine as a model in the world was made to demonstrate my mastery and expertise in that area. I generated this model after leaving CSIRO where I developed  a world patent   as a CSIRO scientist Full scale combing machines can be purchased for $250k ( from NSC Sclumburger France - supplyer of textile machinery - for more information see my wiki post : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combing )  it is a key component in worsted wool production. It is also a key machine in combing of synthetic , flax and cotton. It is also key machine in working of other fibres. I will make another post in detail.

To return to my Mechatronic project , here is a detail assembly of a counter rotating rotor for our UAV helicopter. ( the posts first photo shows the full assembly of the counter rotating assembly and the drive )

I hope this is enough to get most people stated on their own projects by knowing the level of work shop/lab that is required.  My limitations are not computing or manufacturing its simply the material strength. However this is enough equipment to make proof of concept, more is just a measure of investment.

Thank you for reading my post.