The final prototype was built in a shop in Pickering, Ontario by the design team. The frame was constructed using 80-20 extruded aluminum. This kind of frame was chosen for its lightness, strength and for the ease of assembly.
Next the three linear actuators were put together, with honey-combed scrap aluminum pieces. These scrap pieces were cut to size and holes were drilled so that the main assembly could be created.
Once these were in place, the system was tested using the separate controls for each actuator. The result was a success. Next using more scrap aluminum, the motor was mounted on the end of the frame so that the link will be able to rotate.
After this stage, the prototype was transported from Pickering to Oshawa, where it would be easier to test the machine, and complete the electronic components.
The final element to constructing the prototype involved wiring the, actuators, motor, controller and all other necessary parts together and programming them so that the machine ran automatically. The final product was tested according to the test plan, and met all requirements.
The difference between designing a process, and a product, is that a product is a singular object, whereas a process looks at much more of the life cycle of a product.
The design process is a long and complicated process. The team has created an actual prototype to demonstrate the design developed over the last eight months. The aim of this project, briefly, is to create a process for winding composite filament around a robot arm link and joint, binding them together as one part. There are many complications with a problem such as this, and when designing any process, there are many different aspects to consider, such as human supervision, input and output of materials, as well as the main feature of the design.
