Project 2.3.3 Automation Through Programming

Project 2.3.3 Automation Through Programming Introduction Congratulations! You have just landed your dream job. All of those hours you spent building and programming robots and gadgets when you were younger are about to pay off. Not many people are paid to play all day. The only problem is the manager told you the projects are a little behind. Boy, is that an understatement! The good news is that you are allowed to put together a team of three people to help you get the work done, and you will have access to all of the materials in the lab. Successful engineers need to collaborate and cooperate with one another. Looking around, you realize it’s time to get started.

Equipment  GTT notebook  Pencil  fischertechnik® parts, wires, interface box, base boards  Computer with RoboPro program and 3D Modeling Program (optional)  Problem sheets

Procedure 1. Your teacher will help divide your class into groups of approximately three students. 2. Read over the problems and discuss who will assume the primary responsibility for the engineering jobs. The duties are specified on each problem sheet. Everyone on the team will take part in all phases of the design process, but one person will be primarily responsible to see that the job gets done. Each team member is expected to complete and submit for evaluation a problem sheet for each task. The three engineering jobs should be changed for each task so that everyone has the opportunity to experience all three types of jobs.  Mechanical Engineer  Electrical Engineer  Computer Engineer 3. Begin working on the problems. Make sure to document your design process in your GTT notebook and complete the problem sheets provided by your teacher. Your teacher may require you to use the 3D Modeling program to sketch at least one of your problem solutions on the computer. Keep up with your progress on the problem check-off sheet. Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 1 Task #1 – Road Trip

Mission: You and your friends have decided to drive to a movie. Before you can leave home, you need to prove to your parents that you really know how to drive a car. Your mission is to prove how responsible you are by simulating your trip to the movies using the fischertechnik® parts.

Here is Your Itinerary: 4. Turn the headlights on. 5. Put the motor in reverse (counterclockwise, CCW) to back out of the driveway for 4 seconds. 6. Stop the motor for at least 2 seconds before going forward. 7. Put the motor in forward (clockwise, CW) to drive down the road toward a friend’s house for 15 seconds. 8. Upon arrival at the friend’s house, turn the motor and headlights off. 9. After 11 seconds, the friend gets in the car and it’s time to go. 10.Turn the headlights on and put the motor in drive (CW). 11.Drive down the road until reaching the theater (a 9 second drive). 12.Upon arrival at the theater, park the car by turning the motor and headlights off. Watch the world’s shortest movie. Seven seconds later, get back in the car. 13. Turn the headlights on and put the motor in reverse (CCW) to back out of the parking spot (3 seconds). 14. Stop the motor for 2 seconds before going forward. 15. Put the motor in drive (CW) and drive back to your friend’s house to drop them off (a 9-second drive). 16. Upon reaching the friend’s house, stop the motor for 5 seconds as you say goodnight to your friend and they get out of the car. 17. Put the motor in drive and drive home (a 15 second drive). 18. Pull into the driveway and shut off the motor and lights. 19. You are home again (make sure to end your program).

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: Build a fischertechnik® model of a car with one motor and one light.

Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 2 Electrical Engineer: Wire the motor and light to the interface. Don’t forget that output devices must be connected to M1, M2, M3, or M4.

Computer Engineer: Write a program that will simulate your night out. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #2 – Spinning Sign

Mission: A marketing firm has determined that more customers will enter a shop if the sign is neat and eye-appealing. To increase business you decide to design and build a spinning sign with a catchy title for outside your shop. For safety reasons, you must install an emergency stop switch for the sign. This emergency stop system should be able to be engaged by a person on the ground away from the sign.

BONUS: Add a second emergency stop switch that can be activated by a person working on the sign.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: You must design a mechanism that will rotate the sign at a slow speed. Don’t forget that the purpose of the sign is for people to read it. If the sign rotates too quickly, it will be difficult for potential customers to read. The mechanism must be completely automated (absolutely no human interaction).

Electrical Engineer: You should assist the mechanical engineer in the placement of the motor and emergency stop switch(es). Once these components are placed, connect the motor and switch(es) to the interface using wires.

Computer Engineer: While the other engineers are busy working, you must write a program that will control the sign. The program should cause the sign to rotate when the program is started and stop the rotation whenever an emergency switch is pressed. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #3 – Eager Eddie’s Earthquake Machine

Mission: Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 3 Many seismologists (people who study earthquakes) are concerned about the possibility of an earthquake shaking the daylights out of New York City. Eager Eddie, a world-renowned seismologist, has contracted with you to build an excellent earthquake machine. This machine will test the durability of models of New York City skyscrapers in the event of an earthquake. Since earthquake intensities vary, this machine must be adjustable for testing structures without much down time between tests.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: Using a rack and pinion mechanism, simulate the motion of an earthquake. Consider the following:

1. The pinion gear must be driven back and forth at least one inch. 2. Sensors must be installed to alert the program when to change the direction of the pinion gear. 3. The mechanism should be adjustable to reflect the variations in earthquake intensity. 4. The mechanism should be designed to continue its motion until the program is stopped.

Electrical Engineer: Work with the mechanical engineer to place the motor and sensors. Once placed, you connect the input and output devices to the interface box using wires.

Computer Engineer: Create a program that will control Eager Eddie’s Earthquake Machine. The program should meet the following requirements:

1. When a sensor is activated, the motor should reverse its direction immediately. 2. The motor should maintain this direction until a second sensor is activated. 3. When this second sensor is activated, the motor should again reverse directions, and so on and so forth. 4. The program should repeat this process until the program is manually stopped. 5. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #4 – Terry Traffic Tamer

Mission:

Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 4 From your traffic control center, you see on a video monitor that a busy intersection is backing up in one direction. Your mission is to install a traffic light control system in the traffic control center that will enable you to keep traffic moving smoothly.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: You must build a model of a traffic light with green, yellow, and red lights. When Terry presses a switch, the signal should change from green to yellow to red. After the congestion has been eased, Terry should be able to press the switch again to turn the signal from red to green.

Electrical Engineer: You must work with the mechanical engineer and computer engineer to wire the three lights and switch.

Computer Engineer: While the other engineers are busy working, you will write a program that will control the signal light. The program should be written so that the green light turns on when the program is started. When a switch is pressed, the yellow to red light sequence should begin. The yellow caution light should turn on for two seconds. When the same switch is pressed again, the light should change from red to green. The WAIT FOR INPUT function block will come in handy in the program you develop. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #5 – This is Your Exit

Mission: Traffic doesn’t run smoothly at an expressway off ramp. A traffic signal light must be installed to correct the problem. This signal light should automatically turn green when vehicles exiting the expressway pass over a sensor embedded in the road. The sensor will detect electromagnetic forces in the vehicle’s electrical systems.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: You must design and build a signal light with green, yellow, and red lights. When a vehicle passes over the sensor, the signal should change from red to green. After the vehicle has passed through the intersection, the signal should turn from green to yellow to red.

Electrical Engineer: You must work with the mechanical engineer and computer engineer to wire the three lights and sensor.

Computer Engineer: While the other engineers are busy working, you will write a program that will control the signal light. The program should be written so the red light turns on when the program is started. When a reed switch senses a magnetic

Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 5 field (the vehicle), the signal light should change from red to green, then back to red. The program should allow seven seconds for one vehicle to exit. Write the program to allow more time if more than one and 10 or fewer vehicles are exiting. In the yellow to red light sequence, the yellow light will stay on for two seconds. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #6 – Grandma’s Getting Old

Mission: Grandma is too old to get up and down the stairs on her own. Your task is to design an elevator that Grandma can sit on to ride up and down the stairs. Grandma needs to have a switch that is mounted on her chair to start the ride up or down when she is settled in and ready.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: You must design an elevator that Grandma can start that will automatically travel from the first or second floor. The angle of the stairs is 30°.

Electrical Engineer: You must work with the mechanical engineer and computer engineer when wiring the limit switches, Grandma’s start/stop switch, and the elevator motor.

Computer Engineer: While the other engineers are busy working, you must write a program that will run the elevator up and down the stairs. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #7 – Channel Markers Mission: The Coast Guard needs to place new channel markers at the entrance to a very popular channel. One green light will be placed on the left side of the channel, and one red light will be placed on the right side of the channel. The lights should blink alternately; when the red light is on, the green light should be off. When the green light is on, the red light should be off. The blinking markers will be controlled entirely by computer.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer:

Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 6 Your job will be to set up the lights and the mechanism that makes the lights blink. You will construct a motorized turntable with a magnet on top (at the edge) which will rotate to activate the input-sensing reed switches placed opposite (180°) each other.

Electrical Engineer: You will connect the two reed switches to the interface. Next connect the motor that will rotate the turntable to the interface. Computer Engineer: When designing the program to control the blinking lights, you must keep in mind the following: 1. The motor must rotate continuously from the start of the program. 2. You may not use any “Wait” function blocks; use the software to turn off the first light when the second light turns on. 3. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #8 – Pick and Place

Mission: You are a robotics engineering team at Got’em Little Manufacturing Company. At the end of the manufacturing process, the robot picks up the manufactured parts and places them in containers for shipping. Your job is to build and test the automated system. To begin the task, your team must decide how many sensors the robot will use. The system should use at least one analog sensor.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: You must design a robot that picks up and places parts. At one end of its travel, the arm will pick up a little manufactured part. At the other end, it will drop the little part into a bin, return to the starting point to pick up another little part, and so on.

Electrical Engineer: You must work with the mechanical engineer and computer engineer to wire the appropriate input and output devices to the interface.

Computer Engineer: While the other engineers are busy working, you must write a program that will control the robot. Once the program has been started, the robot will move to the pick-up point. A sensor will signal the robot to stop and pick up the part with its electromagnet. The robot will then move to the opposite end of its travel where it will drop the part in the bin. The robot will repeat this process. Insert text for:  Team members’ names Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 7  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #9 – Tekrocks Bridge Mission: You are an employee of Terrific Teddy’s Engineering Company. Terrific Teddy has requested that you develop a solution to the following problem. The Techville Railroad Company would like to install a bridge to cross the Tekrocks River. Terrific Teddy has researched many possible designs and has decided to install a turntable bridge. You must design, create, and program a working model of this turntable bridge. The bridge will allow trains to cross the river when it is in the closed position and will allow boats to pass when it is in the open position.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: The bridge should be rotated by a motor. The rotational motion of this bridge should be slow and controlled. The bridge should be no less than four inches in length. You must simulate the land on each side of the river that the bridge will connect. No part of the bridge should touch the land at any time. A one-half inch gap should be placed between the bridge and the land. Electrical Engineer: Your first mission will be to place two photocells on the bridge. One will be used to sense when the bridge is in the open position, and another will be used to sense when the bridge is in the closed position. Switches will be used to start the opening and closing process. Computer Engineer: You have the job of creating a program that will control this bridge. The bridge should start in the closed position. When a button is pressed, the bridge should rotate until it reaches the open position. When another button is pressed, the bridge should rotate back to the closed position. Your program should use the input from

Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 8 photocells, or, if available, a potentiometer, to sense the location of the bridge. The bridge should not rotate more than 90 degrees in any direction. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands

Task #10 – Edison’s Bulb Mission: You have been hired by the Thomas Edison museum to create a display for one of Edison’s first light bulbs. The bulb is extremely valuable and delicate.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: The museum would like the bulb to remain lit for as long as possible. Your job is to install a heat sensor (thermistor) near the bulb that will sense any changes in heat. The museum has requested that you install a fan to cool the bulb. Electrical Engineer: You have one of the most important jobs in this project. One mistake could result in the destruction of the precious light bulb. Be sure you connect all components properly. Computer Engineer: You must design a program that will control the temperature of the light. If the light becomes too hot, the program must turn off the light and activate a fan to accelerate the cooling of the light. When the light reaches an acceptable temperature, the program must repeat, turning the light back on.

In order to know where to set the limits, start by opening the “Test” dialog box. Turn on the light. Let the light stay on for a minute or so. Watch what is happening in the Analog (AX) gauge. The value should start dropping. As the thermistor gets warmer, the value gets lower. After a minute or so, record what the lower value is. Turn off the light and turn on the fan (which must run clockwise). Record the highest value for AX. Set your limits just inside your upper and lower values.

Task #11 – Freight Elevator Challenge

Mission:

Project Lead The Way, Inc. Copyright 2010 GTT – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 – Project 2.3.3 – Automation through Programming – Page 9 You are an employee at a fischertechnik® factory. Your job requires you to deliver parts to various floors of the factory. Since a lifetime of climbing up and down stairs doesn’t sound attractive to you, you seek an alternative. Luckily, you have found a solution to this problem. Before a full-sized freight elevator can be built, a fully functioning scaled model must be built.

Duties: Mechanical Engineer: The fischertechnik® factory has three floors, so the elevator must have three stops: ground level, floor one, and floor two. The scale model must meet the following requirements:

1. The ground floor should be no more than 1/2 inch from the base. 2. The first floor must be exactly three inches above the base. 3. The second floor must be exactly six inches above the base. 4. The elevator floor must be large enough to fit two lights side by side. 5. A section of each floor must be built for an elevator landing stop. This section of floor must be large enough for two lights to fit side by side.

Electrical Engineer: While the mechanical engineer is busy building the elevator, you will design the wiring for this elevator. Each floor needs a sensor to detect the approaching elevator. The sensors should be installed so that when one is activated, the elevator will be level with the corresponding floor. Additional sensors must be installed on each floor for people to call the elevators. You are responsible for connecting all wires.

Computer Engineer: While the mechanical and electrical engineers are busy working, create a program that will control the elevator. Be extremely cautious with your design; you don’t want to trap people in the elevator. The program must meet the following requirements. 1. When a button is pressed on any of the floors, the elevator should rise or descend to that floor level unless the elevator is already at that floor. 2. Using input from installed sensors, you must program the elevator to stop at the selected floor. 3. The elevator must be ready for use at all times, so your program must be repeatable. 4. Insert text for:  Team members’ names  Program title  Explanation of commands