Introduction: Dutch Dogfood-Dispenser
Hello everybody,
We are two ''product Design'' students of Cardiff Metropolitan University.
We've got an assignement of making an automatic dog food dinspenser system for the module Mechanical Engineering.
This dispenser will give your dog every day a certain amount of dog food at a specific time.
This dispenser is made with the colors of the dutch flag but you can also use other colors of course.
Enjoy making it.
Thank you
Step 1: What Do You Need:
- Acrylic 3mm thick (any color)
- Arduino (our case UNO)
- Arduino Software
- Adobe Illustrator CC 2015
- Set of plastic gears
- Laptop or computer
- Lasercutter
- PVA - glue
- Instant Super Glue
- Steel cilinder 6.5 mm diameter
- Stripheater
- Drillmachine
- Drill bit 6.2 , 6.5 , ...
- Circle - saw
- Sanding-paper
- Pen
- Scrash Pen
- Ruler (Triangle)
Step 2: Lasercut the Parts
Download these 3 illustrator files for lasercutting out.
Step 3: Bend Lasercut Pieces
There are some pieces that have an angle(s).
At the first picture (from left to right):
3x 135 degrees
1x 174 degrees
1x 84 degrees
Second and thirth picture.
1x 187 degrees ( really carefull, it's easy to bend it over quick, just slightly)
Step 4: The Arduino File
Copie the Arduino file:
Step 5: Cut Steel Bars
In this machine you only have to make 3 steel bars. Use the Circle-saw.
2x 150mm long
1x 40mm long
Don't forget to sand (so the glue will fit better)
Step 6: Gear-system + Electric Circuit
Gear:
You can buy this gear-system in a Maplin store.
But you have to make some ajustments.
You need to trill a whole of 6,2 in each gear.
Set them perfectly in line to each-other.
Glue the gears on the corresponding axes and
at the place were the short ax is, put the reinforced piece.
So it will not wobble.
Electric:
The electric circuit is a closed, no extirnal laptop attached to it. We use a 9V Battery as an extirnal power supply.
Next to that we have the arduino itself.
Rotating switch, goes form low to high.
Connector for the 9V battery.
ROHS Stepmotor
Stepmotordriver, it drives the stepmotor.
Pin-board, handy tool (not nesissary)
USB-kable Arduino --> PC
Step 7: Putting SMALL Peaces Together
There are like two different ways to make this dogfood-dispenser
- the small one (With normal lid, red pieces)
- the big one (extended piece with lid, transparent pieces)
For both we use ''Instant Super Glue'' for attachement.
Look if you have all the pieces.
Glue than the pieces of the:
- Cylinder
- Lid (extended or not)
- Ax stabilizer (four pieces of rest acrylic glued together)
Step 8: Putting BIG Piece Together
1.
Take the big L-shape piece with one hole.
2.
Glue the bended piece perpendiculair on the L-shaped piece.
3.
Glue the orange piece on front (see picture).
4.
Glue the (red) top with the gape to the right.
5.
Glue the back.
6.
On the outsides, glue extra structures.
7.
Check if all components are okay and glue the whole cape. Now it's closed.
See picture ( the transparent piece comes on later)
Step 9: Fuse Together
Now you have all your parts and components.
Glue them all together and you have created a fantastic dogfood dispenser.
We hope to see you soon.
Jaffa Cake
Cyriel v. d. Meer
