SCARA Writing Arm | "Thou Shall not Kill" | ECE342 Junior Design 2
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This project developed a two-axis SCARA robotic arm from the scratch. The goal is to make a system capable of drawing lines on paper with a variety of writing utensils while being quickly programmable via the implemented G-Code commands. The arm's embedded software is written in bare-metal C targeting the MSP430FR4133 micro-controller. The software controls the arm via a PID controller and inverse kinematics. A major milestone was when the robotic arm was sufficiently constructed such that the embedded software could provide control. Ensuring mechanical robustness and electrical circuit function were prerequisites for PID controller tuning; once the controller was tuned, finer control via software was enabled. A primary challenge was working with the structure to make it sturdy enough to where the motors had no slip. This process evoked iterative design meaning multiple guy-wire configurations and fastening techniques were implemented and tested. Future iterations of the project would see a redesign/refabrication for some sub-assemblies namely: the fasteners between the motor-brackets and linkages and the guy-wire positioning system.
Artifacts
Name | Description | |
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CAD Model & Drawings | The 3D CAD model for the robot and the associated technical drawings. | Link |
Source Code | Embedded Software | The source code for the embedded software running on the arm's MSP430. | Link |
Source Code | "GUI" | The source code for the "GUI" which runs on the computer connected to the arm; NOTE: This python script doesn't fit the typical definition of GUI, but it fulfills the requirement for Junior Design 2. | Link |
Electrical PCB Outline | The PCB File for the electrical control system. | Download |
Electrical Control Schematic | This is the Kicad schematic diagram for the electrical control system used for the SCARA robot. | Download |
Project Summary | This document provides a one page summary of the project of including a project timeline. | Download |
Summary Video | This video provides a summary of our project | Download |