2 DESIGN PROCESS

2.1 Sub-Mechanisms

We had two distinct mechanisms within our project that we continually aimed to mesh effectively in order to create a smooth opening and pouring motion.

2.2 Material Choice

Since we knew that the use of 3D printers and laser cutters in TIW were relatively inexpensive we chose to design the majority of our mechanisms with these materials. We used an acrylic sheet for our base because it is sturdy, can be cut with the laser cutter, and allows a viewer to see all internal mechanisms/view the project from both sides. We laser cut the majority of our links and gears with plywood because it was very inexpensive, accessible, and strong enough for our application. The remainder of our links, particularly those that needed three-dimensional geometry, were designed in Solidworks and printed using 3D printers supplied in TIW. Some fasteners and standoffs, the Geneva mechanism, as well as the bottle holder were also 3D printed. Finally, our bottle opener, bearings, and the remainder of fasteners such as bolts, nuts, and washers were bought off of Amazon because the shipping was very quick and the parts were inexpensive.

2.3 Actuator Development

Initially we chose a simple 12v geared dc motor as our rotational actuator. Throughout the design process we realized that our geometry required more torque so we decided to upgrade to a 5v servo. As we reached the final stages of our project we realized that we still needed a stronger actuator. In order to achieve this with the minimal time we had, we increased the voltage powering the servo to 12 volts. While this solved the lack of torque problem, the gears were now running too fast to maintain alignment. In order to solve this, we used an Arduino code to turn the servo on and off every half second.

Actuator Specifications