/TurtlebotLoadHandlingActuator

Load handling actuator for Turtlebot 3 Waffle Pi

Primary LanguageC++Apache License 2.0Apache-2.0

This project was developed as part of course KONE.533 - Robotics project work at Tampere University.

Goal of this project was to design and implement working actuator for Turtlebot 3 Waffle Pi that can move and stack pallets.

Working principle

We ended up using a simple design where 3 separate stepper motors are responsible of all the moving operations of the actuator. Transfering force from stepper motor to linear motion is done with simple gear+rail system. Limit switches were added to prevent damage caused by driving gears over the limits.

Finished application video

Software installation

Step 0: Install custom OpenCR firmware to arduino IDE

NOTE: Since pull request to original repo has been merged and published as package there is no need to install custom version of library anymore.

You can follow the guide found at Official OpenCR site. Make sure you install version 1.4.19 or newer.

Follow the instuctions from LIBRARY_INSTALL.md

Step 1: Clone repo

Command: git clone https://github.com/LokSrc/TurtlebotLoadHandlingActuator.git

Step 2: Open the project in arduino IDE

From arduino IDE press File->Open. A directory dialog will pop up, use this dialog to navigate to the cloned repo path and select the file src/turtlebot3_core/turtlebot3_core.ino

Step 3: Connect turtlebot

Connect turtlebot with usb cable and select corresponding serial port from arduino IDE Tools->Port

Step 4: Verify and upload

Use arduino IDE (or other editor with arduino support) to verify and upload sketch to the turtlebot. Verify operation will compile the sketch and Upload will compile and upload the compiled sketch to turtlebot. NOTE: Verify is not required since Upload operation will also build the sketch but Verify can become handy if you do modifications to the sketch.

Verify button

Verify button is highlighted in the picture above and upload button is right next to it

Parts list

  • 3x CX28BYJ-48-08 stepper motors
  • 3x ULN2003A motor drivers
  • 4x MKSLSS5GLFT limit switches (6x if inner gripper motion is limited as well)
  • 1x Turtlebot3 Waffle Pi

Electrical diagrams

Electical diagram

3D Models

Due to licensing challenges, 3D models are not made publicly available

Project developers

Marius Niemenmaa, Aleksi Luukkonen & Kristian Klemets