STONYPOINTHSROUNDROCKISD

DesignProblemMarbleSorter
Project3.3.1VEXandRobotC

JonathanBaker,MarcusDespres,DanielMoran
4/8/16

TABLEOFCONTENTS
DesignBrief
FinalDesignPictures
RobotCCode
Reflections
References
Appendices
DispenserBrainstorming
SorterBrainstorming
BinsBrainstorming
DesignModifications

DESIGNBRIEF
ClientCompany:

NationalRecreationandParkAssociation(NRPA)

TargetConsumer:

Society

Designer(s):
Problem
Statement:

TheNationalRecreationParkAssociation(NRPA)has
askedyourteamtodevelopasolutiontoagrowing
problemintheirparks.Theassociationhasplaced
dumpstersforrecyclablematerialthroughouttheparks.
Theyhaveasortingfacility;however,theyneedadevice
thatwillsorttherecyclablematerial.

DesignStatement:

Design,model,andtestadevicethatwillseparate
recyclablematerials.

Problem
Statement:

1.Separationprocessmustbefullyautomated.
2.Mustsuccessfullyseparatecommingledrecyclable
materialsintoindividualholdingbins.
3.Recyclablematerialsinclude3differentin.material
spherestotaling15.Examplescouldincludesteel,
aluminum,wood,opaqueplastic,andclearplastic.
4.Mustbeefficient2minutemaxforcompletionof
sortingprocess.
5.Mustnotbelargerthan24Lx12Wx18H
6.Mustmakeefficientuseofmaterials.

JonathanBaker,MarcusDespres,DanielMoran

FINALDESIGNPICTURES

DISPENSER

SORTER

BINS

COMPLETE

ROBOTCCODE
#pragmaconfig(Sensor,in1,lightSensor,sensorReflection)
#pragmaconfig(Sensor,in2,lineFollower,sensorLineFollower)
#pragmaconfig(Sensor,dgtl1,greenLED,sensorLEDtoVCC)
#pragmaconfig(Sensor,dgtl2,yellowLED,sensorLEDtoVCC)
#pragmaconfig(Sensor,dgtl3,redLED,sensorLEDtoVCC)
#pragmaconfig(Sensor,dgtl4,eoer,sensorQuadEncoder)
#pragmaconfig(Motor,port1,flashlight,tmotorVexFlashlight,openLoop,reversed)
#pragmaconfig(Motor,port2,ServoA,tmotorServoStandard,openLoop)
#pragmaconfig(Motor,port3,ServoB,tmotorServoStandard,openLoop)
#pragmaconfig(Motor,port4,ServoC,tmotorServoStandard,openLoop)
//*!!Codeautomaticallygeneratedby'ROBOTC'configurationwizard!!*//

taskmain()

{
while(1==1)
{
turnFlashlightOn(port1,127)
setServo(port2,127)
wait(1)
setServo(port2,0)
setServo(port4,0)
wait(2)

if(SensorValue[lightSensor]>=230&&SensorValue[lightSensor]<=290)//opaque
{
setServo(port3,100)
setServo(port4,127)
turnLEDOn(dgtl1)
wait(1)
setServo(port4,0)
turnLEDOff(dgtl1)
setServo(port3,0)
}

if(SensorValue[lightSensor]>=305&&SensorValue[lightSensor]<=370)//clear
{
setServo(port3,100)
setServo(port4,60)
turnLEDOn(dgtl2)
wait(1)
setServo(port4,0)
turnLEDOff(dgtl2)
setServo(port3,0)
}

if(SensorValue[lightSensor]>=450&&SensorValue[lightSensor]<=1000)//wood
{
setServo(port3,100)
setServo(port4,127)
turnLEDOn(dgtl3)
wait(1)
setServo(port4,0)
turnLEDOff(dgtl3)
setServo(port3,0)
}
wait(3)
}
}

Pseudocode:

Infiniteloop

Firstservomotoropensgate

Delay.25seconds

FirstServomotorclosesgate

Delay3seconds

DuringDelayscanwithlightsensor

IflightsensoriswithinthisrangethisledturnsonandBinsturn

IflightsensoriswithinthisrangethisledturnsonandBinsturn

IflightsensoriswithinthisrangethisledturnsonandBinsturn

Secondservomotoropenslightsensorgate

Delay0.5seconds

SecondServomotorclosesgate.

Delay0.5seconds

REFLECTIONS
A)Howwelldidyouaccomplishyourobjectives,discussyoursuccessforEACHofthe6
constraints
(Constraintsfromthedesignbriefare:(1)Separationprocessmustbefullyautomated.(2)
Mustsuccessfullyseparatecommingledrecyclablematerialsintoindividualholdingbins.(3)Recyclable
materialsinclude3differentin.materialspherestotaling15.Examplescouldincludesteel,aluminum,
wood,opaqueplastic,andclearplastic.(4)Mustbeefficient2minutemaxforcompletionofsorting
process.(5)Mustnotbelargerthan24Lx12Wx18H(6)Mustmakeefficientuseofmaterials.
)
?
(1) Tomakesuretheseparationprocesswasfullyautomatedweusedservomotorsrunningonan
infiniteloopprogram.Thisresultedingreatsuccessbecausetheyhelpedourdispenserand
sortersectionssortandreleasemarblesquicklyandefficiently.
(2) OurSuccessinsortingthemarblesintodifferentbinscameafterthechangingofouroriginal
idea.Werealizedthattwogateswouldnotworkoutverywellandtherewereconstantproblems
soweallagreedonusingalightsensorasthereleasinggateforthemarbles.Withonlyonegate,
thesortingwasmuchfasterandprovedtonothaveasmanyproblems.
(3) Oursuccessinsorting3differentcolorsofinchmarblescamefromusingaflashlighttohelp
ourlightsensorpickupdifferentvalues.Atfirstthevalueswouldalwaysdifferdaytodayandwe
wouldhavetochangethecodeinordertosortcorrectly.Theflashlightideakeptthevalues
consistentandaccurate.
(4) Sortingthemarbleswithin2minuteswasnotaproblemforourgroupbecausewesettime
periodsbetweensortsasshortaspossible.
(5) Tomakesureourfinaldesignwassmallerthanthemaxsize,ourgroupmadesuretouseasfew
partsaspossibleforourdesign.Theuseofastraightpathforthemarblestotravelacross
loweredmaterialusageandsizeofthefinaldesign.
(6) Withthelimitedamountofmaterialswecoulduse,ourgrouphadtobeeconomicinourdesigns
withtheuseOccam'sRazortoensureeffectiveuseofmaterials.

B)Whatwouldyourteamdodifferentlywithyourdesignsolution(min3things)andwhy?
First,toenhanceourdesignsolution,wewoulduseanarrowchannelformarblestopassthrough
becausewehadproblemswiththewoodenmarblesbeingtrapped.Next,wewouldusean8inshaft
attachedtothewormgeartoensureithasamoredefinedpathoftravelwhenitismovedbytheworm
gearsystem.Lastly,wewouldconnecttwobatteriestotheVEXcortexsotheMarbleSorterwouldnot
runoutofelectricityasquickly.

C)Dotheresultsfulfilltheproblemstatement,ifnotwhatwasmissing
(Theproblemstatement
fromthedesignbriefisTheNationalRecreationParkAssociation(NRPA)hasaskedyourteamtodevelopa
solutiontoagrowingproblemintheirparks.Theassociationhasplaceddumpstersforrecyclablematerial
throughouttheparks.Theyhaveasortingfacility;however,theyneedadevicethatwillsorttherecyclable
material.)

?
Theresultsfromourmarblesorterfulfillagoodamountoftheproblemstatementbecauseitsorts3
typesofmaterialsintoseparatebins.Whatismissingistheabilitytosortallkindsofmaterialsthatmay
beneededtoberecycled.Forinstance,metalisawidelyrecycledmaterialbutoursorterwasnot
programmedtosortmetal.

D)Ifyouhadmoretime,whatwouldyoudodifferentlyorwhatwouldyouadd
.
(Giveaminimum
ofonethingforeachPART:Dispenser,Sorter,Bins)

First,Ourwoodmarbleswouldalwaysgetstuckinthechannelandtofixthiswewouldhavehadto
makeitwider.Next,ourwormgearsystemneededalongershaftinordertohaveamoreconsistent
path.Lastlytheflashlightwasplacedtoofarfromthelightsensorwhichcausedourvaluestovaryeach
day.Itneededtobemovedrightnexttothesensorforaccuratemeasurementsoflight.

REFERENCES
LightsensorandFlashlightonsides
K.(2013,December22).POEMarbleSorter.RetrievedMarch03,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV92YD1_Sd4

LineFollowerunderneath
Johnson,T.(2013,May13).FastestVexMarbleSorterGranburyHighSchool.RetrievedMarch03,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbOEmqHfaqo

LineFollowerontop
Products.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
http://www2.powayusd.com/pusdphs/engine/projects/default.html

LSGate
Lopez,J.(2015,October11).PLTWFastestMarbleSorter.RetrievedMarch07,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1Ga0WmfXQ

LSonbottom
Stahlmann,N.(2013,June23).POEMarbleSorter.RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTKjJHmpeLA

MarbleSorter.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary18,2016,from
http://bpabrinton.weebly.com/marblesorter.html

Lindstrom,J.(2015,May18).FastestVexMarbleSorterPLTWChampion.RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7kstvMNOho

Johnson,T.(2013,May13).FastestVexMarbleSorterGranburyHighSchool.RetrievedFebruary18,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbOEmqHfaqo

Stahlmann,N.(2013,June23).POEMarbleSorter.RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTKjJHmpeLA

Products.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
http://www2.powayusd.com/pusdphs/engine/projects/default.html

VEXMarbleSorter.(2014,July17).RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzvKMy7Pp20

Spinbins
MarbleSorter.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary18,2016,from
http://bpabrinton.weebly.com/marblesorter.html

GearCups
Lindstrom,J.(2015,May18).FastestVexMarbleSorterPLTWChampion.RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7kstvMNOho

Chains
Stahlmann,N.(2013,June23).POEMarbleSorter.RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTKjJHmpeLA

Slidingbuckets
Products.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
http://www2.powayusd.com/pusdphs/engine/projects/default.html

VEXMarbleSorter.(2014,July17).RetrievedFebruary21,2016,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzvKMy7Pp20

APPENDICES

DISPENSERBRAINSTORMING

DECISIONMATRIX

INITIALSKETCHES


FINALSKETCHES

SORTERBRAINSTORMING

INITIALSKETCHES

DECISIONMATRIX

FINALSKETCHES

BINSBRAINSTORMING
INITIALSKETCHES

DECISIONMATRIX

FINALSKETCHES

PARTSLIST

4ChassisBumper2x2x25
1CChannel1x5x1x25
2Bar1x25holes
2Gusset,PivotC
6Gusset,Angle
5Gusset,Plus
2Bar1x25Cutshort(8)holes
1Plate5x5holesholes
3ServoMotor(traded1
6PillowBlockBearing
1Wormwheel
2WormGears
7Lockbar
1BearingFlat
1lightSensor
11x25barcutshort
25x15plates
130toothgear
1Opticalencoder
13wiremotor
3dixiecups

DESIGNMODIFICATIONS
<Includeallyourteamsdesignmodificationshere.>