Group 25 Conclusions and Future Work

In conclusion, this mechanism was a challenge to design, but was nevertheless fun to work with. It was very exciting to see each piece come together along the way until we had a fully operational, smoothly running machine that executes the exact task we designed it for. Throughout the process, we learned a few things about the design and manufacturing process. In future designs, we can implement a “measure twice and cut once” operation. We sometimes found ourselves cutting links twice because of a slightly mismeasured length. Also, we could pursue a more futuristic design that is self-operating using a motor rather than a hand crank. Perhaps using acrylic instead of wood in this design would fit the mechanical art theme. We could also perhaps add a sensor so that the robotic arm sweeps when it notices dirt on the table, rather than the sweeping motion being perpetually linked to the dumping, and vice versa.