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Our manufacturing process consisted of different iterations of each part of the project. We decided to buy a sheet of perforated hardboard to test out our walking beam and modify our ground link placements. The perforated hardboard facilitated the assembly and prototyping process, and it gave us the ability to test around our parts. One major step in the manufacturing process was testing our link dimensions, which varied throughout the project. Our work depended heavily on laser cutting because we tested various thicknesses to check for link strength, and we often had to recut our links because of interfering dimensions and changes to our desired output motion. This also meant that we had to spend time press-fitting and assembling our project multiple times. Our reloading mechanism was also manufactured with laser-cut acrylic, but this part of the assembly was much simpler as since the only changing dimension was the length of the lower fan that made contact with the slider and rotated the top fan. Additionally, 3D printing our chute slider was probably the most time-consuming part of the manufacturing process. 3D printer availability and long print times delayed a lot of the assembly process, and we even had some prints fail under high tension whenever we tested them out. In general, using PLA saved us much more time and money than using SLA or Onyx, and its mechanical properties held out well when we adjusted the CAD and printing orientations. Lastly, the final positioning of our mechanisms was done using similar dimensions from the hardboard and was laser-cut for precision. Our z-axis positioning was simplified by inserting long bolts through the base plates and securing them in place with nuts.
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