A working elevator model controlled by the Arduino system

Senior years of secondary school with focus on electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or technical lyceum. If the elevator model is controlled mechanically (without electronics and Arduino), it can be implemented even in lower grades.

• Advanced skills in Fusion360 or Inventor (independent sketching, including bindings and dimensions).
• Basics of designing printed circuit boards using the EAGLE program. Soldering, fitting and reviving printed circuit boards (DPS).
• Fundamentals of Arduino microcomputer programming.

Based on theoretical knowledge from the subject Robotics, Microprocessor Technology or Automation about the principle of operation of an elevator-type conveyor and using the practical skills acquired in subjects dealing with modeling in CAD systems, students will design in the Inventor or Fusion360 environment the individual parts of the elevator model that will transport material (cylinder) to the given floors in the warehouse.

They will learn about 3D printing, print individual parts on a 3D printer, and assemble a model of the elevator, which at this stage will operate manually.

Then they will practice the design of a circuit board for the connection of electrical engineering in the EAGLE program, which they then manufacture, install electromotors, sensors, switches and connect everything according to the diagram they designed.

In the last stage, they will connect the model to the Arduino microcomputer and creates a program to control the elevator model remotely with the use of software.

• Using the skills of the students that they acquired in various subjects while studying at school and linking knowledge to the implementation of a model situation.
• Teach students to create a model of a real object and work with a 3D printer, i.e. print individual parts on a 3D printer, after previously converting the model objects into a file suitable for the printer, slicing, saving Gcode, setting print parameters (temperature, supports, filling, etc.).
• Improvement of knowledge in electronics in the production of printed circuit boards (using the Eagle program) and how to control a stepper motor and a servo motor and magnetic sensors.
• Practice assembling electronics, connecting electronics, programming using the Arduino microcomputer.
• Application of knowledge from Invertor or Fusion360 programs.
• Obtaining a functional model of the elevator, which will help the students and younger classmates to understand the principle of operation more easily.

The possibility of manufacturing circuit boards, IT classroom, software according to the list, electrical workshop tools, parts according to the list, 3D printer.

More in the file list_of_materials_SW.xlsx.

• Preparation – 3 hours
• Modeling – approx. 40 hours
• Introduction to 3D printing – 1 hour
• Preprinting adjustments - 3 hours
• 3D printing – 50 hours
• Adjustment of the printed parts before the assembling – 1 hour
• Design and realization of circuit boards – 10 hours
• Assembling and installation of the electronics – 5 hours
• Programing – 3 hours

The times are given for individual work on the project, if the work is divided into a group, the times will be shortened according to the number of students involved.

It is possible to skip the modeling part and directly slice the individual parts from the attached .stl files.

Parts printed without brim, with 15% infill, supports used for 2 parts (see presentation).

• Design of individual mechanical parts in CAD program Autodesk Inventor or Fusion360 according to drawings of individual components. You can choose between .dwg and .pdf format, files can be shared or printed, each student works on a different part of the lift or they can create in pairs if there is a whole class. This part of the project can be omitted if the attached .stl or .gcode files are used as a basis for 3D printing.
• Design of the electrical connection of the Arduino microcomputer and the elevator kit (possible in several levels):
  • In the easiest option, connections at the level of wires that lead from individual motors and sensors to the inputs and outputs of the Arduino.
  • At a higher difficulty, it is possible to design a so-called "shield" for the Arduino printed circuit board (DPS) and to design a PCB for the base, to which all the necessary wires from motors and sensors (including power supply) will be connected. Instructions for working in the EAGLE program are listed in the filelist_of_materials_SW.xlsx.
  • At the highest difficulty, it is possible to design another DPS with microswitches, which can be used to increase the variability of programming.
  • This model can also be expanded as needed with other elements - for example, an encoder, LCD or OLED display, etc.

The grooves in the mechanical part "Base" and in the part "bar" are intended for storing wires.

• Designing supports for printing, placing objects on the printing mat and slicing .stl files and creating G-codes.
• Printing of mechanical parts on a 3D printer - Prusa type
• Production of printed circuit boards (DPS) for the possibility of connecting the educational model of the elevator and the microcomputer ARDUINO.
• Assembly of individual printed mechanical parts of the educational model of the elevator (gluing of individual parts using instant glue) - see photo - assembly procedure.
• Assembly of stepper motor and servomotors to printed mechanical parts.
• Assembly of 4 Hall probes: gluing the mechanical part "bar" to the post. of these sensors on the guidepost and sticking a small magnet on the platform.
• Connection of all wires (from motors, from magnetic sensors and from microswitches) to the connecting PCB.
• Testing the connection of individual parts (motors and sensors)
• Programming the functionality of individual parts of the device and programming the operation of the entire learning model of the elevator.