fellow modders...i was hoping someone here has some robotics experience and can point me in the right direction. I'm looking to design some simple systems for my work environment that can handle small manual tasks we do in the laboratory. The simpler the better. For starters, I would like to build something that can automatically cap/uncap 1.5mL tubes and save me from succumbing to carpal tunnel (or delaying it since i play oodles of xbox). i.e. like these on the right commercial equipment for these tasks is uber-expensive and overkill. if you are in the USA and would like to possibly collaborate definetily contact me.
What about some type of can opener device. If it is screw off then just a motorized vertical spindle that graps it if its pop off then just a clamp that would hold it for say .5 sec while you pull down or longer like until you replace the cap.
Interesting. Yes those are screw-off. We do about 200 a day so a can opener mechanism would be too slow but yes something that functions similarily. I was thinking something like a drill attachment mounted to an automatic sensor? How do you envision the can opener?
Well, you can try something like a Lynxmotion Robotic Arm. I can imagine you can put a tube in a certain tube holder, and a sensor will be tripped, signalling the arm to reach over and onto the cap, twisting it off. This can't be used exactly since the arm servos are positional, although the one in the endpiece can be modified so that it screws the cap off completely or something.
Well I think maybe something with a 3-5 prong jaw that clenchs the lid while you hold the tube and maybe around 500 rpms opens or closes the lid and you could make a switch for jaws close jaws open and spin open spin closed. You could get a torque limiter in order to make sure it doesn't rip it out of your hand. You could also make some sort of sleeve to stabalize the tube on the bottom when its in the device.
comically all you really need is a cordless drill motor and one of the gator grip sockets... every time i go to a baseball game, the drink guy that serves my section has something similar for opening beer bottles (the screw off plastic top type)
Hmm. How elaborate a setup is required depends on whether or not you want it to be completely automated to save you the trouble, or if you want a hand-held device to make the job easier.
Hi thanks for the ideas guys. Yeah, I'd like to take small steps. I'll probably try something handheld with the gator grip attached to a drill motor then expand so that I can handle more throughput faster (perhaps several attachments mounted together with one motor). The robotic arm looks pretty cool though I'd like to see that in action. Once I have something that can handle the caps I'd like to see if I can put together something that can add chemical reagents automatically. Ideally I'd like to have a benchtop system that handles two or three manual steps - uncap, add reagent, cap, repeat - perhaps with 12 or 24 samples at one time.
easy, what you asking for is a mechanical automated control system (luckily thats exactly what my masters degree covers). Contact a company like Accenture or QinetiQ and ask them to develop something (you may even be able to go commercial with it). Or you could wait a year and i could develop you something for my 4th year uni project.
