Monday, April 10, 2017

Lab 12

James Tompkins Part

1. Provide the computer drawing for your individual RG setup.

Picture: Computer drawing of circuit
2. Explain your setup.

 At the end of Victoria's cricuit a pressure sensor will be triggered which will allow a motor to run, releasing a ball on a ramp. The ball will travel down and land on my pressure sensor that is connected to the 555 timer and the 74192, which will then send current to the 7447 and a counter, once the counter reaches a certain number, the gate will be activated and lead to a opamp connected to a relay. On the other end of the relay, once the flip is switched, are 2 displays spelling out "HI" and then another wire connecting the motor. The motor will spin and flick the flick gauge which will then go through a diode and capacitor to give off voltage for the next circuit.

3. Provide photos of the circuit and setup.


Picture: James circuit set up

4. Provide at least 2 videos of your setup in action (parts or whole), at least one being a failed attempt.
Video 1: motor and flip gauge generating voltage


Video 2: motor and flip gauge failing to connect


Video 3: activation of the circuit

5. What failures did you have? How did you overcome them?

A error I had was the motor would not always connect to the gauge, so I extended it so it hits every time now.

Victoria Heini Part:

1. Provide the computer drawing for your individual RG setup.

Figure 1: Circuit Schematic:


Figure 2: Mechanical Component

2. Explain your setup.
The circuit is triggered by a photoresistor. When the resistor is uncovered, the voltage passing through it is amplified to about 8 volts so that the relay is triggered. The triggered relay then spins the motor, which is connected to the gears of the conveyor belt which is the component in the upper left hand of Figure 2. This then causes a domino to be pushed into a set of wheels at the top  of a ramp. this contraption roles downward until it pushes a block of of another ramp. With this obstacle gone, another set of wheels is allowed to roll down a second ramp so that it knocks over a block standing on a pressure sensor. The change in pressure on the pressure sensor, with the addition of a second operation amplifier, triggers a second relay.

3. Provide photos of the circuit and setup.


Image: Circuit Layout


Image: Entire Set-up


Image: Conveyor Belt


Image: Ram 2 with Blockage

4. Provide at least 2 videos of your setup in action (parts or whole), at least one being a failed attempt.

Video: Failed Attempt



Video: Some Minor Success


5. What failures did you have? How did you overcome them?

Initially, the pressure sensor was going to be incorporated so that other items would fall on it causing a change in pressure that could supply a voltage to another component. This proved to be difficult because making something consistently fall in the same way is more complicated than simply making something fall consistently. After fixing this, there was still a problem getting the mechanical parts to move as the should; ie., the dominoes on the conveyor belt did not cause the cart to roll, and the second cart did not successfully more the mass on the pressure sensor. The former was solved by making the cart a larger and closer target, and the second was solved by making the second cart heavier.

5 comments:

  1. Your photos do not show James. Videos are ok though. As we talked, I want to see a more complicated mechanical contraption. Circuit part is good.

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  2. I really like what you're doing. the counters and the strain gauge make for a cool design. Was it difficult to get all the components in your circuit to work? What voltages does the strain gauge need to make the circuit work?

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  3. It looks like your circuit it pretty sound however your explanation was a bit lacking. What gate are you using/are you using an inverting and non inverting amp? My only suggestion would be to make sure your voltage given off at the end of your circuit is compatible with the the person after you is trying to do with theirs.

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  4. Your photos aren't showing correctly for your circuit drawing. Cool Mechanical Component, I like that you used the 7447 and BCD counter in your circuit. My circuits ending is similar. How is the person after you integrating the strain gauge into their circuit?

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  5. From you explaination, I like the way you use ramps to start pressure sensor to start up relay. Also I like how to use photo sensor to start up motor. Your photos don't show up. I suggest you to add another mechanical part in the middle of your circuit.
    Good job

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