Fred Wordie Arduino - September 2014 (April 2015)
Shot Luck
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 1 of 8 - Pages(14, 1)
13/05/2015 11:35
13
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 2 of 8 - Pages(2, 13)
13/05/2015 11:35
Final Thoughts Due to laser cutting issues out of our own control, I am writing this before the project is fully functioning, though in preliminary testing everything seemed to be working. Hopefully in the next week we will be able to iron out all the little kinks that come with using Arduino. However, with that in mind, I found the processes of making this concept a reality very satisfying. With most of my projects this year the outcome has usually been a video prototype or an appearance model, not a fully functional item.
I think that the process of doing design related side projects without time constraints or outside pressure has allowed Yasir and I to focus on the fun aspects of building this machine, spending a little time here and there on it and not rushing the whole way in order to get it done. Hopefully next year I will again try and make an old concept a reality, in order to advance my making skills and gain experience in areas that are not deeply explored by the course.
Initial Thoughts
03
Thoughts on Attempt One
06
Attempt Two
07
Making it Work
09
Final Thoughts
12
12
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 3 of 8 - Pages(12, 1)
13/05/2015 11:35
Our progress through both the mechanics and the coding of the Arduino.
Finished Shot Luck machine.
2
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 4 of 8 - Pages(2, 11)
11
13/05/2015 11:35
Initial Thoughts “Create a machine/product that will plead to the user to be saved.”
of each be randomly assigned. However, due the wrong valves being ordered and multiple servos breaking we settled on two pre mixed drinks which were controlled by improvised valves. When a user covered the LDR with their cup, the Arduino would command one of two servos to lift a marble which would let the beverage flow into the cup. Although the machines aesthetics were rushed we still managed to get a the machine looking festive. In the end the machine was not killed and a good time was had by all.
The LCd display and tactile buttons.
The wiring inside
In a one week workshop on Arduino, we were tasked in small groups to create a machine/product that will plead to the user to be saved. As it was approaching Christmas, our group choose to create a machine that would be wanted at any Christmas party. It’s function was to give a user a random alcoholic beverage when they placed their cup in the dispensing bay. Our idea was, who would want to kill a machine that gave them free and random drinks at a party. The original plan was to use solenoid valves to control the flow of three spirits and three mixers. One
10
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 5 of 8 - Pages(10, 3)
3
13/05/2015 11:35
Making it Work As for the user experience, we hope that the DIY look and feel of the machine, due to the laser cut box, will add to the excitement of getting a random drink. To further this excitement generated by the machine, we chose to program in a fully random mode that wouldn’t display your drink recipe on the LCD screen.
Our progress through both the mechanics and the coding of the Arduino.
For this iteration we chose to have 6 different drinks: three mixers and three spirit. Three different modes were also decided upon: Normal mode, Mystery mode and Flush mode (see right). We also decided against using an LDR to activate pouring as we realised most glasses are clear and therefore would not trigger the LDR. Instead we chose to use a switch to control flow. All these things in combination made programming very difficult due to the number of inputs and outputs. However, after a lot of toiling we finally got the code working.
4
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 6 of 8 - Pages(4, 9)
9
13/05/2015 11:36
Testing code with the relay and LCD display.
The CAD model used for laser cutting
Our finished festive random drink dispenser
8
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 7 of 8 - Pages(8, 5)
5
13/05/2015 11:36
Attempt Two After deciding to continue the project in our free time, Yasir and I went about sourcing a new system to dispense fluid. We initially decided to use a gravity fed valve system due to its apparent simplicity. However, we soon realised that all cheap valves required pressure to function. Instead we decided to get simple car windscreen washer pumps. We chose these as they are corrosion
resistant and can provide high pressure. After sourcing these we next looked into vessels to hold liquid. We decided to use Poundland cereal boxes as these would hold large volumes of water, would be easy to clean and refill as well as being easy to attach pipe. We also decided to create a minimal box for the drinks dispenser. For this we went for a simple laser cut box, an LCD display and 3 very tactile switches.
Thoughts on Attempt One I learnt a lot about Arduino and mechanics throughout this project. I also learnt a lot about patience, due to so many things going wrong or just not working like they should. Although I was happy that we got the machine
working, it was sad for it not to live up to our group’s expectations. Therefore Yasir and I decided that we were going to remake it. Hopefully we would be less rushed and be able to improve on the design through the remaking of it. 6
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 8 of 8 - Pages(6, 7)
7
13/05/2015 11:36
Attempt Two After deciding to continue the project in our free time, Yasir and I went about sourcing a new system to dispense fluid. We initially decided to use a gravity fed valve system due to its apparent simplicity. However, we soon realised that all cheap valves required pressure to function. Instead we decided to get simple car windscreen washer pumps. We chose these as they are corrosion
resistant and can provide high pressure. After sourcing these we next looked into vessels to hold liquid. We decided to use Poundland cereal boxes as these would hold large volumes of water, would be easy to clean and refill as well as being easy to attach pipe. We also decided to create a minimal box for the drinks dispenser. For this we went for a simple laser cut box, an LCD display and 3 very tactile switches.
Thoughts on Attempt One I learnt a lot about Arduino and mechanics throughout this project. I also learnt a lot about patience, due to so many things going wrong or just not working like they should. Although I was happy that we got the machine
working, it was sad for it not to live up to our group’s expectations. Therefore Yasir and I decided that we were going to remake it. Hopefully we would be less rushed and be able to improve on the design through the remaking of it. 6
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 8 of 8 - Pages(6, 7)
7
13/05/2015 11:36
Testing code with the relay and LCD display.
The CAD model used for laser cutting
Our finished festive random drink dispenser
8
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 7 of 8 - Pages(8, 5)
5
13/05/2015 11:36
Making it Work As for the user experience, we hope that the DIY look and feel of the machine, due to the laser cut box, will add to the excitement of getting a random drink. To further this excitement generated by the machine, we chose to program in a fully random mode that wouldn’t display your drink recipe on the LCD screen.
Our progress through both the mechanics and the coding of the Arduino.
For this iteration we chose to have 6 different drinks: three mixers and three spirit. Three different modes were also decided upon: Normal mode, Mystery mode and Flush mode (see right). We also decided against using an LDR to activate pouring as we realised most glasses are clear and therefore would not trigger the LDR. Instead we chose to use a switch to control flow. All these things in combination made programming very difficult due to the number of inputs and outputs. However, after a lot of toiling we finally got the code working.
4
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 6 of 8 - Pages(4, 9)
9
13/05/2015 11:36
Initial Thoughts “Create a machine/product that will plead to the user to be saved.”
of each be randomly assigned. However, due the wrong valves being ordered and multiple servos breaking we settled on two pre mixed drinks which were controlled by improvised valves. When a user covered the LDR with their cup, the Arduino would command one of two servos to lift a marble which would let the beverage flow into the cup. Although the machines aesthetics were rushed we still managed to get a the machine looking festive. In the end the machine was not killed and a good time was had by all.
The LCd display and tactile buttons.
The wiring inside
In a one week workshop on Arduino, we were tasked in small groups to create a machine/product that will plead to the user to be saved. As it was approaching Christmas, our group choose to create a machine that would be wanted at any Christmas party. It’s function was to give a user a random alcoholic beverage when they placed their cup in the dispensing bay. Our idea was, who would want to kill a machine that gave them free and random drinks at a party. The original plan was to use solenoid valves to control the flow of three spirits and three mixers. One
10
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 5 of 8 - Pages(10, 3)
3
13/05/2015 11:35
Our progress through both the mechanics and the coding of the Arduino.
Finished Shot Luck machine.
2
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 4 of 8 - Pages(2, 11)
11
13/05/2015 11:35
Final Thoughts Due to laser cutting issues out of our own control, I am writing this before the project is fully functioning, though in preliminary testing everything seemed to be working. Hopefully in the next week we will be able to iron out all the little kinks that come with using Arduino. However, with that in mind, I found the processes of making this concept a reality very satisfying. With most of my projects this year the outcome has usually been a video prototype or an appearance model, not a fully functional item.
I think that the process of doing design related side projects without time constraints or outside pressure has allowed Yasir and I to focus on the fun aspects of building this machine, spending a little time here and there on it and not rushing the whole way in order to get it done. Hopefully next year I will again try and make an old concept a reality, in order to advance my making skills and gain experience in areas that are not deeply explored by the course.
Initial Thoughts
03
Thoughts on Attempt One
06
Attempt Two
07
Making it Work
09
Final Thoughts
12
12
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 3 of 8 - Pages(12, 1)
13/05/2015 11:35
13
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 2 of 8 - Pages(2, 13)
13/05/2015 11:35
Fred Wordie Arduino - September 2014 (April 2015)
Shot Luck
ShotLuckk ppj.indd Spread 1 of 8 - Pages(14, 1)
13/05/2015 11:35