Mechanisms: Compound Machine Project

Compound machine project: Create a compound machine that can lift a 500 gram weight 12 inches off of a table-top.

Criteria:                                                                                                                Constraints:
-Must be composed of at least 3 simple machines                                      -Limited to 3 design and build days  
-Can only have human-input in one location                                                  -Can only use Fischertechnik and Vex equipment
-Must fit within an 24” x 24” x 24” space
-Must lift 500 grams 12” off of the table’s surface

The solution: 
-Simple machines used: lever, inclined plane, and pulley
-Function: ball starts rolls down a lever, then an inclined plane, the tape measure falls when the ball hits a support rod, launching the weight upwards twelve inches
​-To improve mechanical advantage: students shortened the length and added height to inclined plane and added more wheels to the pulley system

Control Systems: Claw-bot Challenge

Claw-bot challenge: design a claw-bot and write code to follow the given course

Criteria:                                                                                                                 Constraints: 
-Start in the "start" box                                                                                       -Cannot go off course
-Move forward four floor tiles (24’’x 24’’)                                                         -Can only use Optical Shaft Encoders after machine has started moving
-Turn left 90 degrees                                                                                           -Limited to 5 days to complete building and coding
-Move forward two tiles
-Stop fully in the ending floor tile
-Make flashlight blink 3 times

Task:
-Clawbot must follow path shown to the right, each floor tile being 24”x24”x24” 
-Flashlight must blink three times once stopped completely in “FINISH HERE” tile
-May only use Optical Shaft Encoder, no other sensors after machine has started moving 

The solution and design:
-R: right                                                                        
-L: left                                                                                
-Yellow:        Optical Shaft Encoders(2)-measures rotation of 
                      gear to measure distance traveled           
-Green:         60 tooth gear (8)- attaches rotation of encoder to
                      match wheel movement                      
-Black:          393 Motor (2)- starts movement of wheels  
-Light Blue:  Cortex (1)-where all sensors were plugged in,
                      where code is uploaded
-Purple:        VEX flashlight (1)- blinks 3 times 
-Dark Blue:   4 inch diameter wheel (4)- lets machine travel

Solution Program Explanation: 
-Code moves the claw-bot 4 tiles forward, turns it 90 degrees to the 
left, moves it forward 2 more squares, makes flashlight turn on and 
off 3 times
-Motor speeds and encoder values differ due to two different motors with two different encoders that vary slightly in value    
-lines 1-8 move the claw-bot forward 4 tiles
-lines 10-12 turn claw-bot 90° counter-clockwise
-lines 14- 21 move claw-bot forward 2 tiles
​-lines 22-31 blink flashlight on and off 3 times at the brightest setting