ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

1 ASSURANT CELL PHONE BUFFERING STATION (3-4 PEOPLE)

1.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

The Assurant cell phone automation line receives incoming devices onto a conveyor system, and
processes them through multiple systems in order to: (1) clean the device, (2) inspect its condition, (3) erase the
user data, (4) apply a new ID label, and (5) shrink-wrap the device to prepare for shipping out. It is possible for
the devices to stack up at any given accumulation area on the conveyance system, or if there is an error on any
downstream station. In order to overcome this potential reduction in processing rate and downtime, a buffering
station placed in the existing line is desired. This buffering station would have the capability of accepting the
devices that have been processed by the system and accumulating them in a temporary location. Once the
downstream obstruction is removed and the system is ready to accept additional devices, the buffering station
would release the phones back onto the conveyance system for further processing. This is an industry
sponsored project that involves development for a real production line and interacting with other engineers.

1.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. The station must receive incoming devices from an upstream conveyor at 20 m/min (66 ft/min).
B. The station must be able to store up to 20 devices securely.
C. The station must release the devices to an outfeed conveyor at 9 m/min (30 ft/min) upon a signal.
D. The system must not damage or shock the devices in any way.
E. The station must integrate seamlessly into the production line without disrupting the existing conveyor.
F. The station must operate with at least 99% accuracy.
G. The station should weigh less than ?? kg.
H. The station should fit within a ??? m volume.
I. The station should be sturdy and reliable, requiring little to no maintenance.
J. The system must pass final testing at the sponsor facility and be approved by a company representative.
K. The final product should be neatly enclosed and aesthetically pleasing.
L. The project budget is $500+ per team.
M. More design requirements may be added upon consultation with the sponsor company.

1.3 STRETCH GOALS

N. The system should include a simulation of the buffering process.
O. More goals may be added upon consultation with the sponsor company.

References:

https://www.assurant.com/
https://web.rutherfordchamber.org/Manufacturing/Assurant,-Inc-(formerly-HYLA-Mobile)-6997
ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

2 ASSURANT CELL PHONE INVERTING STATION (3 PEOPLE)

2.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

The Assurant cell phone automation line receives incoming devices onto a conveyor system, and
processes them through multiple systems in order to: (1) clean the device, (2) inspect its condition, (3) erase the
user data, (4) apply a new ID label, and (5) shrink-wrap the device to prepare for shipping out. Currently, the
devices arrive at one of the processing stations of the automation line. The device is conveyed into this station
in a screen-up orientation. After exiting this station, the device needs to be inverted to a face-down orientation
to accommodate a downstream ID label application process such that both labels are able to be scanned from
the same orientation. This is an industry sponsored project that involves development for a real production line
and interacting with other engineers.

2.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. The station must receive devices in a screen-up orientation with the long side parallel to the conveyor,
flip them, and replace them back on to the conveyor in a screen-down orientation with long side parallel.
B. The station must integrate seamlessly with a Shuttleworth roller conveyor moving at 9 m/min (30 ft/min).
C. The station must not slow down the conveyance speed.
D. The system must leave the UID label intact (no abrasion, etc.).
E. The system must not damage or shock the devices in any way.
F. The station must operate with at least 99% accuracy.
G. The station should weigh less than ?? kg.
H. The station should fit within a ??? m volume.
I. The station should be sturdy and reliable, requiring little to no maintenance.
J. The system must pass final testing at the sponsor facility and be approved by a company representative.
K. The final product should be neatly enclosed and aesthetically pleasing.
L. The project budget is $500+ per team.
M. More design requirements may be added upon consultation with the sponsor company.

2.3 STRETCH GOALS

N. The system should include a simulation of the inversion process.
O. More goals may be added upon consultation with the sponsor company.

References:

https://www.assurant.com/
https://web.rutherfordchamber.org/Manufacturing/Assurant,-Inc-(formerly-HYLA-Mobile)-6997
ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

3 NRC1: AUTOMATED BOX OPENER (3 PEOPLE)

3.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

This project will be one part of a 3 stage manufacturing line. The goal of this part is to make a box opening
mechanism to unfold a small paper or cardboard box. The box will then be dropped on a conveyor belt, where
another station will assemble and put a product inside the box, and the last station will close the box and
prepare the product for shipment. This is shown below in a rough sketch.

3.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. The system must include a feeder system with a supply of at least 20 boxes.
B. The system must pull out the boxes one at a time.
C. The system must open each box permanently without damaging it.
D. The system must secure the bottom of each box (so nothing falls out if box is lifted)
E. The system must send the box into the next station via placement or conveyor belt.
F. The cycle time must be at least 10 parts per minute.
G. The system must include a user interface with Subsystem Control, Packaging Metrics, Errors, E-Stop, and
Code View, in conjunction with the other stations and their features.
H. The system must be able to function independently but must interface with stations 2 & 3 as desired
I. The final structure should be display-worthy, with wires neatly contained.
J. The system should be nearly self-contained (a single cable to wall power allowed).
K. The system must weight < 10 kg and be transportable by a single team member.
L. The robot must be contained within a 1 m x 0.6 m x 0.6 m volume and fit through a standard doorway.
M. Safety should be a primary consideration. This includes an emergency stop and error alerts.
N. The maximum budget is $800 per team.

3.3 STRETCH GOALS

A. Allow for different boxes/ box materials to be processed with mechanism
B. Implement a touch screen controller

Include any applicable url references

https://youtu.be/Xmrz4Kf_Wfk?si=0AX8ia11UxHxMDvN
ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

4 NRC2: AUTOMATED PRODUCT ASSEMBLY (4 PEOPLE)

4.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

Assembly is part two of three in the automated work cell group of senior design. The main goal of the group is to produce a
high-quality part (option A, B, or a new design C). Option A would produce a 3D shape from 2D parts. The idea stems from
Christmas ornament snowflakes that have a unique shape when stacked repeatedly. The design would utilize dowel pins
with a circular base from which the arm can stack the flat pieces to form a shape. Option B would be to assemble 3D-
printed parts into a shape. For visual representation of how the pieces would fit together, a box is used, but this may not be
the final product. The pieces would be printed with slots and extrusions with a slight taper; this ensures the pieces can fit
like Legos. Option C stands as a placeholder for what may come. If the end effector appears to be unwilling for either
design, a new design would be chosen as a middle ground. Whichever final design is chosen after experience with the
Fanuc, the conveyors will feed, or take the parts from the assembly station to the boxing station (part 3). The conveyor
setup and positioning is tentative and must be worked out among all members to fit within SME’s 15ft x 15ft workspace.

4.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. The system must assemble two different models of parts (selected based on user input)
B. The manufactured part must fit within Group 1’s box and meet their requirements as necessary
C. The assembly must be sturdy enough to be picked as an assembled unit, placed, and stacked
D. The system must utilize the Fanuc LR Mate 200id/4s arm available in the VET building
E. The Fanuc arm must incorporate the vision system at the end effector to some capacity
F. The system must use closed loop feedback or otherwise intelligent control
G. The system must include a user interface with Subsystem Control, Packaging Metrics, Errors, E-Stop, and Code View,
in conjunction with the other stations and their features.
H. The Karel code must be efficient and properly commented
I. The final structure should be display-worthy
J. The system should be nearly self-contained (with the exception of one power cord to a wall outlet).
K. The entire work cell must fit within the 550 mm robot reach and fit through a standard doorway.
L. The work cell must stand on its own and be transportable by the team members to Mech Tech.
M. The system must be able to function independently but must interface with stations 1 & 3 as desired
N. Safety should be a primary consideration. This includes an emergency stop and error alerts.
O. The maximum budget is $800 per team.

4.3 STRETCH GOALS

P. The arm cannot rely on “open loop” programming and must be somewhat intelligent in its actions
Q. The manufactured parts can be stacked without the weight of the parts breaking them.
R. If a single end effector is compatible, be able to identify what type of part is present at the vision system and
assemble option A or B respectively.

Include any applicable url references Fanuc LR Mate 200iD/4S National Robotics Challenge
ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

5 NRC3: AUTOMATED PACKAGING MACHINE (3 PEOPLE)

5.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

The Automated Packaging Machine is the third station in a 3-part assembly line to automate the assembly and
packaging of products. This station will take a preassembled object and load it into a pre-opened box for
shipping. The system will consist of the use of a gantry to prep a box with the packing material, pick the product
from a conveyer belt, and load the product into the box. The gantry will then move out of the way for the
actuators to close the box and tape it. A conveyer will bring the box in from the box folding station. The product
will then be picked up by the gantry and loaded into the box. The actuators will close the box and tape it as it
moves along the conveyer.

5.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. The system must move the box and product in a controlled manner (with sensor feedback).
B. The system must insert the product into the box with >99% accuracy.
C. The system must consistently close the boxes with accurate tape application.
D. The system must not damage the product or the boxes.
E. The system must include a user interface with Subsystem Control, Packaging Metrics, E-Stop, Errors, and
Code View, in conjunction with the other stations and their features.
F. The final structure should be display-worthy.
G. The system should be self-contained (electronics and wires neatly enclosed, no tethers).
H. The system must weigh < 20 kg and be transportable by two team members.
I. The system must be contained within a 0.6 m x 1 m x 1 m volume and fit on a tabletop.
J. The system will be modular to be easily disassembled to fit through a standard doorway and easily
repairable.
K. The system must be able to function on its own but also interface with stations 1 & 2 as required.
L. Safety should be a primary consideration. This includes an emergency stop and error alerts.
M. The maximum budget is $800 per team.

5.3 STRETCH GOALS

N. The system can load packaging material into the box before loading the product, spilling < 5%.
O. The system can palletize the finished goods.
P. The User Interface can be touchscreen and easy to use.
Q. The system is able to resume after an emergency stop rather than restarting.

References Actuator Box Closer Gantry Conveyer

ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

6 PATTY PACKER (5 PEOPLE)

6.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

The meat industry grosses $1 trillion annually in the US alone and is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by
2027 (Statista Market Forecast). Raw meat packing and processing is a difficult task, as time and safety are of
the essence to prevent bacterial growth and maintain freshness and quality of product as well as reach high
throughput. Meat processing involves skinning/defeathering the dead animal, cutting and deboning the meat,
grinding (if applicable), quality control, packing cuts of meat onto trays, and shrink-wrapping the trays before
sending them to market. In some places, this is still done by hand, which can be slow and risk contamination of
the meat and inconsistency in product packaging. Because of this, the industry is turning towards automation,
increasing speed, sterility, and product quality, but also cost. A single burger-packing robot can cost $650,000
exclusive of the rest of the system. An affordable and efficient automated solution could have monumental
impact on the meat processing industry, by decreasing costs and increasing throughput and reliability.

6.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. The system should pack cuts of meat or burger patties from a conveyor into Styrofoam trays, 6 per tray.
B. The system should securely wrap the trays.
C. The system must not cut or damage the meat in any way.
D. The system should minimize human interaction (refilling trays/wrap/etc. is allowed).
E. The system must operate with at least 95% accuracy.
F. The full system must include a user interface with E-stop, display for current operation parameters (units
produced, production rate, error alerts, system status).
G. The final structure should be display-worthy.
H. The system should be nearly self-contained (electronics and wires neatly enclosed) but may use standard
110V AC power.
I. The system must weigh < 20 kg and be transportable by two team members.
J. The system footprint must fit within a .75 m x .75 m x 1.5 m volume and fit through a standard doorway.
K. Safety should be a primary consideration. This includes an emergency stop and error alerts.
L. The maximum budget is $1000.

6.3 STRETCH GOALS

M. The system could ensure quality control by rejecting parts of inappropriate type, color, size, and/or weight.
N. The system could function 100% without human intervention for tray loading, etc.

References: Industry Showcase Manual Robot Automated System

ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

7 BALL SKETCHER BOT (4 PEOPLE)

7.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

Across the globe, people enjoy decorating Easter eggs, receiving
autographed sports balls, or printing their company logo on stress balls or
sports balls for party favors or advertising material. Decorating balls or
other round objects could be turned into a lucrative side hustle if the
process could be automated. The goal of this project is to develop an
automated system to draw logos, patterns, words, etc. on small balls as
souvenir items.

7.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. The machine must draw on 2.2” diameter balls with a permanent marker.
B. The machine must be able take any 2D vector image, map it, and draw it on a ball.
C. The machine must demonstrate drawing at least 3 different designs of varying difficulty, including a
pattern, a smiley face, and an MTSU Engineering logo.
D. The machine must not draw obscenities.
E. The drawn design should be correct (shape as intended, no shakiness of marker, no misprints)
F. The system must include a user interface with start and stop buttons, upload page, progress bar, and
image of intended print.
G. The final structure should be display-worthy.
H. The system must be self-contained (electronics and wires neatly enclosed, no tethers).
I. The system must weigh < 5 kg and be transportable by a single team member.
J. The system must fit within a .5 m x .5 m x 5 m volume.
K. Safety should be a primary consideration. This includes an emergency stop, error alerts, and prevention
of hand injury via either automatic stop within the operating workspace or a casing around the workspace.
L. The maximum budget is $500.

7.3 STRETCH GOALS

M. The machine could draw on other round objects such as light bulbs and eggs.
N. The machine could draw in multiple colors at a time.

References: Balls EggBot Sphere-o-Bot

ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

8 SUB1: ROUV SEA SAMPLE COLLECTOR (4-5 PEOPLE)

8.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

Nearly 80% of the world’s oceans are unmapped and unexplored. In recent decades, submersible vehicles have
been at the forefront of oceanic exploration but have some defining drawbacks. The key difference between a
submersible and a submarine is the submersible is dependent on a
surface vessel for fuel, data interpretation, and a lifeline, as many
submersibles are designed to dive for less than 24 hours. Despite the
lack of continuous run time by submersibles, they are far more practical
for ocean exploration than submarines, as they have a home base to
report back to, extract data, and refit before going back down. Our goal
for this project is to create an unmanned exploratory submersible
conventionally called a Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROUV),
capable of receiving and transmitting data collected from a safe depth.

8.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. ROUV must be able to dive and surface at will, using ballast & vertical thrusters at speed > 0.5 m/s.
B. ROUV must be able to traverse the floor of a body of water at speed > 1 m/s with clarity of vision, and if
needed make micro adjustments to position itself for data collection.
C. ROUV must have a forward facing camera and an actuated claw for sample collection.
D. ROUV must be able to collect and store 5 items up to 0.5 kg weight each.
E. ROUV must save data to .csv files, including time, speed, depth, pressure, magnetic heading, roll, pitch,
battery life remaining, and camera footage.
F. ROUV must be operable by a radio controller up to 20 m away.
G. ROUV must have a battery life of at least 0.5 hr before requiring charging.
H. ROUV should be self-contained (electronics and wires neatly enclosed, no tethers).
I. Safety should be a primary consideration. All electronics should be waterproofed and ROUV sealed to JIS
8 / IP 68 submersible standards up to 5 m depth.
J. ROUV must fit within a 0.7 x 0.5 x 0.5 m envelope and be transportable by a single team member.
K. The final structure should be display-worthy.
L. The maximum budget is $800.

8.3 STRETCH GOALS

M. ROUV batteries can be recharged by mounted solar panels when vehicle is surfaced to extend dive time.
N. ROUV could report live data to shore and build a 3D map of the area it is exploring.
O. ROUV could have a three joint claw arm, cutting arm, or multiple arms for sample retrieval.
P. ROUV could have distance sensors on all sides that alert shore of possible collision.

Include any applicable url references

https://www.buytwowayradios.com/blog/2011/02/the_ip_and_jis_specification_for_waterdust_resistance.html
https://www.instructables.com/Make-Your-Own-Underwater-ROV/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remotely_operated_underwater_vehicle
ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

9 SUB2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO (5 PEOPLE)

9.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

In large shipyards, the costs associated with lifting a large seafaring vessel out of the water for inspection are
immense. Renting the slot at the dock, paying for the labor, expertise, and heavy equipment usage necessary for
the inspection as well as the associated opportunity cost of the ship being out of service starts at a minimum of
twenty-thousand dollars and climbs much higher. One way to mitigate these expenses is to have a remote-
controlled submersible perform the inspections without having to remove the ship from the water. This will
reduce costs by lowering the frequency of docking and lifting the ship and increase safety due to the ability to
have more frequent inspections due to the lower inspection cost. While there are limited few existing options
for a similar product, they are exceedingly expensive, and the Titan 2 will fill a cost efficiency-based hole in the
market. The submersible will have full X-Y-Z axis travel and be controlled using an RC airplane style remote
which controls the rudder/propeller assembly. The submersible will also have a separate functionality to travel
directly up or down independent of the X or Y axes. It will have a camera attached to the front fascia which
transmits video wirelessly to a display monitored by the user. There will be a light attached to the front to obtain
a clear image when underwater. The submersible will have the ability to log problematic locations on the ship
hull for user review. The main purpose of the Titan 2 will be to perform more frequent contact-free inspection of
ship hulls to avoid unnecessarily lifting large boats from the water for inspections and the hefty costs associated.

9.2 DESIGN CONSTRAINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. The submersible must be able to move in all directions (forward, backward, right, left, up, down).
B. The submersible must be able to function despite varying water conditions such as salinity, particulate,
acidity, depth/pressure, and temperature.
C. The submersible must have a camera that wirelessly transmits video to a display for operator vision.
D. The submersible must have variable buoyancy control.
E. The submersible and its electronics must be watertight to IP-68 standards.
F. The final structure should be display-worthy.
G. The user interface with the submersible will be a customized RC controller with steering controls,
acceleration controls, buoyancy control, orientation controls.
H. The submersible must be self-contained (electronics and wires neatly enclosed, no tethers).
I. The submersible must weigh < 15 kg and be transportable by a single team member.
J. The submersible must be contained within a .20 x .50 x .20 m3 volume and fit through a standard doorway.
K. Battery life must support 30 minutes of operation.
L. The submersible must have an analog or digital means of labeling problematic areas.
M. Safety should be a primary consideration, including: an E-stop, environmental (protecting aquatic life),
electrical failsafe, remote control signal warnings, emergency surfacing, and emergency control-lost
location functionality
N. The maximum budget is $1000 per team.
ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries

9.3 STRETCH GOALS

A. Self-driving/automation: computer vision system, obstacle detection, obstacle avoidance
B. Robotic trash collection mechanism: The submersible could pull additional weight, capture desired
materials, and include a gyroscopic leveling system
C. Invasive Fish Removal: machine learning vision system able to identify correct fish, safely capture and
transport fish, pull additional weight plus any extra force from fish resisting arrest, gyroscopic leveling
system
D. Water Testing: salinity, acidity, temperature, turbidity
E. Sonar: underwater mapping, aquatic population density measuring, cave search & rescue operations
F. Phone Application for user interfacing with submarine

URL References

1. https://www.rcshipyard.com/tech/
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEanKJhZvA0
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLEH8RJsYgI
ENGR 4580/4590: Mechatronic System Design/Automation System Design Project Summaries