Help with mechanics/servos

[gtx1060=value]

So, just for a side project because i have WAY  too much free time when my code compiles, im thinking of doing like a drink mixer, im obviously have to spend the least amount of money possible because im probably going to use it at most 5 or 6 times,  i need input for control (the cheapest circuit board that doesn't require me learning too much complicated machine code, thinking of a raspberry pi, but those are expensive, and i don't know what servos/motors are compatible with it - this will be an ongoing project so please leave a follow so i can ask for help 

 

what im thinking of it just 3d printing this little bowl and then putting the control board, servos and containers there, and it would dispense into a little glass where it would then get mixed - looking to be able to put this together for 40 dollars CAD or under - budget too low? or is this too hard? 

@manikyath @deXxterlab97 @ARikozuM @Dawson Wehage

[NTDaws]

I don't know about that kind of stuff man sorry ?

[The Sloth]

arduino would be your best bet, the code is simple to run. 

[gtx1060=value]

2 minutes ago, Dawson Wehage said:

I don't know about that kind of stuff man sorry ?

could you guys tag anyone that may know? don't want to jump into this blindly and waste 40 bucks

 

1 minute ago, nerdslayer1 said:

arduino would be your best bet, the code is simple to run. 

 

[The Sloth]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

could you guys tag anyone that may know? don't want to jump into this blindly and waste 40 bucks

 

 

 

i made a Arduino robot back in highschool, the pi is way more complicated for you needs unless you are thinking of full on automation.  

[gtx1060=value]

1 minute ago, nerdslayer1 said:

i made a Arduino robot back in highschool, the pi is way more complicated for you needs unless you are thinking of full on automation.  

i was just thinking of predefined servo articulations, i would write a program and it would be constantly running, and i would just press a button or something and it would make an already predifined drink - so not fully automated

[The Sloth]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

i was just thinking of predefined servo articulations, i would write a program and it would be constantly running, and i would just press a button or something and it would make an already predifined drink - so not fully automated

 

get the arduino choose a size you need, ebay is your best bet for cheap Arduino parts. 40 usd should get you all you need for your project, problem is time it takes 1 monts to get your stuff if you order from china. 

[manikyath]

keep in mind that 3D printing watertight is very difficult, and that PLA isnt very durable (eg scewholes will wear out fast with self tapping screws, using bolts and nuts overcomes that)

 

also, make DAMN sure you stay well below 60°c with PLA, because you will warp that stuff to no end

 

EDIT: also, get an RC car motor and appropriate controller, the 3-pin RC control stuff is stupidly easy to reverse engineer

[gtx1060=value]

2 minutes ago, nerdslayer1 said:

get the arduino choose a size you need, ebay is your best bet for cheap Arduino parts. 40 usd should get you all you need for your project, problem is time it takes 1 monts to get your stuff if you order from china. 

so my idea would be lets say 2 or 3 little plastic cylinders, in them would be some liquid, and there would be some magnetic door or something on the chamber and it would open for a preset amount of time and the liquids would mix together like that, no actual mixing, just need the motors to rotate around the opening and dispense, that's it

[gtx1060=value]

12 minutes ago, manikyath said:

keep in mind that 3D printing watertight is very difficult, and that PLA isnt very durable (eg scewholes will wear out fast with self tapping screws, using bolts and nuts overcomes that)

 

also, make DAMN sure you stay well below 60°c with PLA, because you will warp that stuff to no end

 

EDIT: also, get an RC car motor and appropriate controller, the 3-pin RC control stuff is stupidly easy to reverse engineer

but can i program it? that's the question - also, the little bowl isn't for the drink, that goes down a metal spout and into a cup, it won't even touch the plastic, i just need someone to find the parts i need to accomplish this and i'll program it and stuff - i need a cheap easily programmable control board or something like that for the motor, and a motor that should be able to handle spinning 3 containers around that weigh about 600 grams - also, how would i be able to control the little door function? i want the liquids to stay in the container for as long as possible, how would i dispense the liquid like that for such a small budget?

[gtx1060=value]

14 minutes ago, nerdslayer1 said:

get the arduino choose a size you need, ebay is your best bet for cheap Arduino parts. 40 usd should get you all you need for your project, problem is time it takes 1 monts to get your stuff if you order from china. 

see post above - need help with the dispensing mechanism

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

so my idea would be lets say 2 or 3 little plastic cylinders, in them would be some liquid, and there would be some magnetic door or something on the chamber and it would open for a preset amount of time and the liquids would mix together like that, no actual mixing, just need the motors to rotate around the opening and dispense, that's it

you could rely on our good friend newton for dispensing liquid:

*insert awesome paint skillz*

 

quick explanation: the tube goes up to the top level of where there's liquid, an air vent tube splits off going up to the top of the machine, and the other end goes down to wherever the liquid needs to go, a motor can drive a screw shaft to lower the top level of the tube, fluid dynamics making it flow down trough the tube on its own, when the motor stops the fluid levels out, and the "air intake" stops a syphon effect from happening, draining the entire cylinder of delicious juices.

 

to refill, you could have a "reset" button (or manual crank) to raise the mechanics back up, and then just top it off.

[gtx1060=value]

2 minutes ago, manikyath said:

you could rely on our good friend newton for dispensing liquid:

*insert awesome paint skillz*

 

quick explanation: the tube goes up to the top level of where there's liquid, an air vent tube splits off going up to the top of the machine, and the other end goes down to wherever the liquid needs to go, a motor can drive a screw shaft to lower the top level of the tube, fluid dynamics making it flow down trough the tube on its own, when the motor stops the fluid levels out, and the "air intake" stops a syphon effect from happening, draining the entire cylinder of delicious juices.

 

to refill, you could have a "reset" button (or manual crank) to raise the mechanics back up, and then just top it off.

i plan on doing something like this for candy, would something like this work too?? obviously it's a solid, i will be using this for the fluids, but i also need one for solids  - also, there's 3 containers, they have to spin around to the point of dispensing, would that mean i need 3 or even 6 motors?

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

i plan on doing something like this for candy, would something like this work too?? obviously it's a solid, i will be using this for the fluids, but i also need one for solids  

with solids, you're better off creating a rotating disk at the bottom with holes for the candy to fall into and blabla.

 

you know those "put candy in and rotate the handle" machines? well.. that mechanism

[gtx1060=value]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

with solids, you're better off creating a rotating disk at the bottom with holes for the candy to fall into and blabla.

 

you know those "put candy in and rotate the handle" machines? well.. that mechanism

multiple containers tho, and it's automated, as in not pressing teh button but like a timer of some sort

[manikyath]

2 minutes ago, gtx1060=value said:

multiple containers tho, and it's automated, as in not pressing teh button but like a timer of some sort

well motors, motor controllers, and a pi or arduino.

 

EDIT: HANG ON BRO, I GOT THIS.

[manikyath]

for the candy, this will do (probably a bit excessive of an implementation )

[TheRandomness]

-Thread moved to Hobby Electronics because a drinks mixer isn't exactly related to the tech everyone expects here

[ARikozuM]

@TheRandomness is a moderator, too? Is Albert Einstein's ghost (or rather "ghoost" as he would have said) going to be mod as well?

 

This project seems like a good way to venture into mechanical use of programming, but I fear that this will be more hassle than it'd be worth. I only say that because you'll have to supply the machine with the "ingredients" that it will be mixing and assuming the "cups" will be what it uses to carry to a central bowl, well... you may as well just put the "ingredients" in the bowl yourself. 

 

If you'd like something perhaps more useful, check out Instructables.com. They have a few Arduino projects like an RC lawn mower and "power laces". Last one brings back memories of that stupid Nike (?) shoe that you "pumped".

[gtx1060=value]

1 hour ago, manikyath said:

for the candy, this will do (probably a bit excessive of an implementation )

lego mindstorms costs so much tho - and to do that in a small form factor is impossible, maybe some electromagnetically activated doors and then just a program to kill the electricity to those magnets for a millesecond or 2?

[gtx1060=value]

2 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

@TheRandomness is a moderator, too? Is Albert Einstein's ghost (or rather "ghoost" as he would have said) going to be mod as well?

 

This project seems like a good way to venture into mechanical use of programming, but I fear that this will be more hassle than it'd be worth. I only say that because you'll have to supply the machine with the "ingredients" that it will be mixing and assuming the "cups" will be what it uses to carry to a central bowl, well... you may as well just put the "ingredients" in the bowl yourself. 

 

If you'd like something perhaps more useful, check out Instructables.com. They have a few Arduino projects like an RC lawn mower and "power laces". Last one brings back memories of that stupid Nike (?) shoe that you "pumped".

this is just for fun and to occupy myself while huge queries or running or my code compiles

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, gtx1060=value said:

this is just for fun and to occupy myself while huge queries or running or my code compiles

What about making a game? Horror, right now, is pretty stale and what does come out, to be truthful, sucks... 

[gtx1060=value]

1 hour ago, manikyath said:

for the candy, this will do (probably a bit excessive of an implementation )

how would i program a rc car motor again?

[gtx1060=value]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

What about making a game? Horror, right now, is pretty stale and what does come out, to be truthful, sucks... 

can't do graphics  i struggle even doing CAD as manikyath knows

[ARikozuM]

Just now, gtx1060=value said:

can't do graphics  i struggle even doing CAD as manikyath knows

Who said anything about advanced graphics? There are legitimately scary games that use subtlety to impose fear upon you. 

 

Actually, never mind.