[EV3] Fully Automated Candy Warehouse

[Hanso]

As part of our fully automated train layout (see more at our blog here: siouxnetontrack.wordpress.com), I have started to build a fully automated container warehouse. The warehouse should be able to store a large number of candy containers. I want to build four rows with shelves to store the containers, served by two robots that can store and retrieve the containers.

The first thing I needed is to build the vertical lift for the stacker crane. I looked at other builds and found out that there are three possible mechanisms to create the vertical movement:

1. Gears climbing a toothed bar (element 3743), a nice example can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GToA2tOVyHg
   
2. Cables pulling the lift up, an example can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCNwQVjXz60
3. Chain links, an example that uses the small elements 3711 can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQIAAb8x8MI
   

And as you may have guessed, I have tried something different. I use the worm gears (element 4716) to get the vertical movement, this is the first test setup:

 

If you stack the elements 4716 on top of each other, they should be aligned correctly to create one, long worm gear.

 

 

I just finished a first prototype of the stacker crane. The crane has two forks, in order to store or retrieve a container from either the left row or the right row. The lift can move up and down, the (horizontal) movement along the row needs to be build.

One EV3 M motor is used to move the forks either to the left or to the right. It uses a color sensor to determine the middle position.
One EV3 L motor is used for the vertical movement. A touch sensor is used to detect the bottom position.

Watch the video to see a demo:

 

More details will be added later.

Enjoy watching and please let me know what you think.

Hans

Edited July 24, 2017 by Hanso

[Myers Lego Technic]

'There are three mechanisms,.."

 

I only see one...

[Hanso]

39 minutes ago, Myers Lego Technic said:

'There are three mechanisms,.."

 

I only see one...

I was still editing (and sometimes I save the article), I think you read a first, unfinished draft ...?

Edited July 23, 2017 by Hanso

[BusterHaus]

Very nice work, Hans. You may want to check out this thread on a similar mechanism: 

 

[Myers Lego Technic]

3 hours ago, Hanso said:

I was still editing (and sometimes I save the article), I think you read a first, unfinished draft ...?

I see them now.

[AFOLegofan66]

I like this. Smooth operation!!

[Hanso]

6 hours ago, BusterHaus said:

Very nice work, Hans. You may want to check out this thread on a similar mechanism: 

 

Hi BusterHaus,

Nice thread and lots of similarity between our solutions. Because I use the longest 32L cross axles (50450), it bends quite a lot. So I needed a mechanism that completely encloses the worm gears and I came up with this and it works fine:

Thanks for your support.

Hans

Edited July 24, 2017 by Hanso

[BusterHaus]

Yeah, I figured the 32L axle would flex. Your solution to make it more stable is very good, I like it because it's compact. However, it may get pulled apart with prolonged use - I hope I'm wrong about this. 

[Hanso]

3 hours ago, BusterHaus said:

Yeah, I figured the 32L axle would flex. Your solution to make it more stable is very good, I like it because it's compact. However, it may get pulled apart with prolonged use - I hope I'm wrong about this. 

Hi BusterHaus,

That's one of the worries that I have myself, have been thinking about a compact solution to make it stronger but didn't find one yet. But to be honest, didn't spend too much time on this issue yet, time will tell ;-)

/Hans

[Bostons Brick Closet]

Cool, I love getting inspiration from these projects!

[Hanso]

I was not satisfied with the first prototype. First, the containers are kinda wobbly stored on these axles and second, the stacker crane is too massive.

So, I build a second prototype. This time with rollers to move the containers.

The idea is as follows: the stacker crane uses a platform as shown in the previous picture to move the candy container to the shelve. The shelve also contains these rollers, they are driven by the platform (by pushing the gears to the shelve gears).

In the picture you see a prototype made with PF motors:

 

And a video on Youtube shows that the principle works. However, the construction needs to be more firm. So, there is still some work to be done!

 

Enjoy, Hans

[ColletArrow]

Nice approach, and another of your projects to look forward to.

I think you would be able to add another tower in front of the moving platform, whether powered by an identical set of motors etc or just the framework necessary to keep it steady. It might help, or it might add too much friction.

Are you going to set up another layout with the renewed train, 3-axis crane and this once finished? It would be quite a spectacle!

[Jim]

Great work. Nice to see another Mindstorms EV3 creation here on the board. Looking forward to your next progress.

[Hanso]

20 hours ago, ColletArrow said:

Nice approach, and another of your projects to look forward to.

I think you would be able to add another tower in front of the moving platform, whether powered by an identical set of motors etc or just the framework necessary to keep it steady. It might help, or it might add too much friction.

 

Thanks ColletArrow. I don't know if you mean this with adding another tower:

 

I tried to make the one-tower-version (the previous prototype) more firm, but came to the conclusion that it wouldn't be possible without adding a second tower. And that works fine, as you can see in the video:

 

The next step is to add Mindstorms motors and sensors and check if I can get the stacker crane stop at the right positions. To be continued ...

20 hours ago, ColletArrow said:

Are you going to set up another layout with the renewed train, 3-axis crane and this once finished? It would be quite a spectacle!

The warehouse will not be part of the layout that we're going to show at Lego World 2017 in Utrecht (NL). In comparison with last year, the train controlled by an EV3 is new and the delta robot is new (to load the wagons). Furthermore, one of my colleagues has upgraded the candy dispenser so that is kind a new too.

Apart from the Lego buildings, the software has been completely redesigned. And as a small reminder: our project "Sioux.NET on Track" has as purpose to learn more about C# and the .NET framework. The Lego is only to make the learning more fun ... ;-)

 

Enjoy, Hans

Edited August 2, 2017 by Hanso

[GroundskeeperWillie]

This is a great mechanical solution that also looks really cool. It nicely avoids a ton of motors and control elements that would be necessary if each platform had to be controlled on its own. Well done

I was worried at first that the up/down movement would not be fast and accurate enough but that looks really smooth as well.

[Hanso]

11 hours ago, GroundskeeperWillie said:

This is a great mechanical solution that also looks really cool. It nicely avoids a ton of motors and control elements that would be necessary if each platform had to be controlled on its own. Well done

I was worried at first that the up/down movement would not be fast and accurate enough but that looks really smooth as well.

Thanks GroundskeeperWillie for the nice compliment.

Needless to say that I enjoy building this, but these kind of replies are always very stimulating.

Meanwhile, I have added two LDD sketches of the platform with the rollers.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Hanso

[ColletArrow]

Much better. I was wondering if you could achieve the steadying with one 'powered' tower, and one just providing a supporting framework, but this version seems to be better; if you have the parts to power both sides then why not go for it? I'm now looking forward to seeing it in the usual neat, smart colours, and implemented in your next layout!

[Hanso]

Added some pictures to our Flickr page (click on the picture for teletransporting).

[Hanso]

For the horizontal movement, I have designed a rail with the toothed bars (3743) sideways. When I use the gears 32198, it exactly fits:

 

Later, I made an updated version that uses two gears 32198. By this means, the gears grab the toothed bars as a claw:

 

Edited August 2, 2017 by Hanso

[shadow_elenter]

very inspiring, I love your mechanical solutions!

[Hanso]

Video and photos of the toothed rack rail for the horizontal movement has been uploaded to our Flickr page.

 

And an  LDD impression of the warehouse-to-be (the final version will have these shelves on both sides of the rail):

Edited August 4, 2017 by Hanso

[Hanso]

With the bricks I have, I have build a part of the warehouse. One of the things I wanted to know: is the stacker crane high enough to reach all four levels?

Well, I found out that the crane was just one brick height too low (or the shelves too high ;-) to make it work. I solved this, by changing the lead screw nut (hope that is the right word). The original designed version was (at least) two bricks in height:

When I could reduce the height of this lead screw to one brick, the height of the 32 axle would be exactly enough to get the platform to all four levels.  An extra difficulty was too make sure that one gear should be static, the other three should be able to rotate in order to align with the worm gears.

And I managed, this is the result:

 

It was rather a puzzle (and I didn't know upfront if there would be a solution). Solving such a puzzle is always very satisfying ;-)

Enjoy,
Hans

Edited August 4, 2017 by Hanso

[Aventador2004]

Great! I love waking up and seeing new updates on this project. It seems not to get the attention it needs.

[Hanso]

7 hours ago, Aventador2004 said:

Great! I love waking up and seeing new updates on this project. It seems not to get the attention it needs.

Thanks, Aventador2004, for the kind compliment.

Two more photo's for your pleasure (click to enlarge):

 

 

Enjoy, Hans

[ColletArrow]

Looking good! I really can't wait to see this in action.