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Autonomous Robots with Four Bar Lifting Mechanism
Anchor 1
Objectives
Design and build two autonomous robots capable of lifting and moving solar panels from roofs of varying angles.
Outcomes and Contributions
Solar panels needed to be removed from roofs, replaced at an exchange station, and reinstalled. The two robots shown in Figure 1 were able to accomplish this task autonomously. I was responsible for designing, validating, manufacturing, and building the four-bar lifting mechanisms of each robot. I began by identifying the pivot locations for each linkage of the four-bar mechanism. Next, based on the torque specifications of available motors and the weight of the gripper, mechanism, and payload, I determined the optimal gear ratio to operate the mechanism. Having performed the necessary calculations to validate the design, I manufactured the required components and assembled them. Finally, I handed over the robots to my teammates to program. Ultimately, both robots were successful in accomplishing the objective.
Technical Details
The grippers were 3D printed using PLA, while the base, gears, and linkages were laser cut from acrylic. These materials were selected since they were cheap, plentifully available, and lightweight, lowering the required current draw of the motor. Speed ratio calculations determined the gear ratio to be 1:21. This setup was chosen to reduce the size of the gears required. Detailed calculations and analysis about the entire system can be found in our final presentation below.
Fig. 1 - Completed Robots
Fig. 2 - Demonstration of Robot Completing Task
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