FregoBot

HomePage | RecentChanges | Preferences |

FregoBot

This page describes the progress of the FregoBot. Also look at the page in the InventionDB describing the algorithms we have working on it. 

----

The platform for this robot is a custom built Frego(Fred's Lego) platform cut from 1/4" acrylic. We plan to incorportate all of the logic contained within a brain of this size:

Corel Draw file: http://www.cs.uml.edu/~mpenta/91.548/UGradHandyLego/UnderGrad/Fredgo3.cdr The Handy board sits in the middle of the Frego platform and is securely held in place with reinforcing straps. This Frego platform allows us to leverage the many sensors in the lab that are already mounted with Lego pieces. However, the motors require something more substanial.

Frego platform with various LEGO bricks attached

Frego platform with HandyBoard

The motors are mounted beneath the board using a separate plate which is attached with 1/4" spacers to the Frego plate using screws. The lower plate has two brackets for each motor. The front bracket secures the motor in position and is attached to the lower plate with epoxy. In addition, the back bracket supports the weight of the motor and prevents it from twisting off the front bracket. The back bracket is secured with cotter pins and is easily removable to swap motors when the need arises. The entire motor mount is removable which allows the robot to be reconfigured with different motors. (Perhaps ones with quadrature encoders, or maybe laser guided rockets)

Photos of the motor mount are forthcoming. Corel Draw Motor Mount file: http://www.cs.uml.edu/~mpenta/91.548/UGradHandyLego/UnderGrad/UnderGradMount.cdr

The wheels are carved out of acrylic and fit the shaft of the motors exactly. In manufacturing the wheels, we discovered that they didn't fit the shaft correctly and determined that this was due to the platten not being level. Cleaning the beneath the laser bed improved the situation, although we later discovered that the real cause of the problem was that the laser was mis-aligned. The Laser Guy came by, and poof, it was fixed, and now we have wheels that work. Plus the laser cutter works even better now.

Corel Draw Wheel file: http://www.cs.uml.edu/~mpenta/91.548/UGradHandyLego/UnderGrad/Wheel.cdr

Notes For Cutting more Frego Platforms:

The Frego platform as a single job took around 3.5 hours to cut. It would be more efficient to treat each side of the platform as a seperate job. This would keep the laser from having to move over the large non-Frego area in the center of the platform.

Contributers