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Figure 4: Laser cur prototype of our open 4-bar mechanism.
Prototype 2.1: Laser cut and Manual Motion
This prototype is similar to the previous in that we laser cut linkages; however, we replaced the rods with M6 screws and mounted it to a board to produce smooth motion. In the gif below you can see that the position profile of the end-effector models the position profile we determined in our kinematic analysis.
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Figure 6: Acrylic automated prototype of our open 4-bar mechanism.
Prototype 3.1: End Effector
We also iterated through the potential end effectors that we could use to lift the tab of the can. We needed something that is able to fit the opening between the tab and the lip of the can. Additionally, the end effector needs to be thin enough to slide under the tab. From these parameters, we created an end effector that is able to cup under the tab and lift the entire tab up.
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