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UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

LIFTING MECHANISM FOR AN AUTONOMOUS LINE

TRACKING ROBOT

This report submitted in accordance with requirement of the Universiti Teknikal

Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) for the Bachelor Degree of Manufacturing Engineering

(Robotic and Automation) with Honours

by

NORRIS EZWAN BIN MOHAMAD NOR

FACULTY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

2009

Alamat Tetap:

54-S Pauh Lima

16090 Kota Bharu

Kelantan Darul Naim Tarikh: _________________________

Cop Rasmi: Tarikh: ____26 MAY 2009____

** Jika Laporan PSM ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak berkuasa/organisasi berkenaan dengan menyatakan sekali sebab dan tempoh laporan PSM ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai SULIT atau TERHAD.

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS LAPORAN PROJEK SARJANA MUDA

TAJUK: Lifting Mechanism For An Autonomous Line Tracking Robot

SESI PENGAJIAN: 2008/09 Semester 2 Saya NORRIS EZWAN BIN MOHAMAD NOR mengaku membenarkan Laporan PSM ini disimpan di Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut:

1. Laporan PSM adalah hak milik Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dan penulis. 2. Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dibenarkan membuat salinan

untuk tujuan pengajian sahaja dengan izin penulis. 3. Perpustakaan dibenarkan membuat salinan laporan PSM ini sebagai bahan

pertukaran antara institusi pengajian tinggi. 4. **Sila tandakan (√)

SULIT

TERHAD

TIDAK TERHAD

(Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatan atau kepentingan Malaysia yang termaktub di dalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972)

(Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukan oleh organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan)

Disahkan oleh:

DECLARATION

I hereby, declared this report entitled Lifting Mechanism for an Autonomous Line

Tracking Robot is the results of my own research except as cited in references.

Signature :

Author’s Name : Norris Ezwan bin Mohamad Nor

Date : 22 May 2009

APPROVAL

This report is submitted to the Faculty of Manufacturing Engineeringof UTeM as a

partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Manufacturing

Engineering ( Robotics and Automation ) with Honours. The member of the

supervisory committee is as follows:

i

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this project is to design and develop a Gripping and Lifting

Mechanism for an Autonomous Line Tracking Robot for the ROBOCON 2009

competition. This robot will be programmed to move along a white line against a

green background. The robot base will be integrated with a lifting mechanism and

gripper to hold a drumstick to beat drums. The lifting mechanism will act as a

support for the gripper. The project involves data gathering, designing process,

fabricating and microcontroller programming. The design and fabricating phase are

involved in the development phase of the project. By using Solidworks, there are few

different designs are proposed. The best design among them will be chosen to be

fabricated. The mechanical and electronic parts for the project are finally developed.

But due to some technical problems that occur, the integration of the mechanical,

electrical and programming of the robot cannot be tested. Thus, the robot is tested

using direct current to the motor.

ii

ABSTRAK

Tujuan projek ini adalah untuk merekabentuk dan membentuk Pencengkam dan

Mekanisma Pengangkat untuk Robot Berpandukan Mengikut Garisan untuk

pertandingan ROBOCON 2009. Robot ini akan diprogramkan supaya bergerak

mengikuti garisan putih yang berlatarkan hijau. Asas robot akan dipasangkan dengan

mekanisma pengangkat dan pencengkam untuk membawa kayu pemukul dram untuk

memukul dram. Mekanisma pengangkat akan bertindak sebagai sokongan bagi

pencengkam. Projek ini melibatkan pengumpulan maklumat, proses merekabentuk,

pembuatan, dan pemprograman microcontroller. Fasa merekabentuk dan pembuatan

adalah terlibat dalam fasa membentuk bagi projek ini. Dengan menggunakan

Solidworks, terdapat beberapa rekabentuk yang berlainan telah dibuat. Kesemua

bahagian mekanikal dan elektrikal untuk robot ini telah siap. Namum disebabkan

masalah teknikal, penggabungan antara mekanikal, elektrikal, dan programming

untuk robot ini tidak dapat diuji. Oleh yang demikian, ujian telah dilakukan dengan

membekalkan arus secara terus kepada motor.

iii

DEDICATION

I dedicate this project to my mother, Normah binti Ahmad for giving a lot of support,

brothers, lecturers and friends in supporting me in finishing this project.

iv

TABLE OF CONTENT

Abstract i

Abstrak ii

Dedication iii

Table of Content iv

List of Tables vii

List of Figures viii

List Abbreviations xi

1. INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Project Background 1

1.2 Problem Statement 2

1.3 Project Aim and Objectives 3

1.4 Scope 3

1.5 Project Benefits 4

2. LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Robot 6

2.2 Robot Construction 16

2.2.1 Robot Body 16

2.2.2 Power System 21

2.2.2.1 Batteries 21

2.2.2.2 Alternative Power Sources 25

2.2.3 Locomotion System 28

2.2.4 Electric motors 34

2.2.4.1 Types of Motor 35

2.2.5 Sensors 40

2.2.6 End-Effector 44

2.2.7 Lifting mechanism 50

2.2.8 Robot controller 55

2.2.9 Programming algorithm 57

2.3 Previous Projects 59

v

3. METHODOLOGY 61

3.1 Starting the Project 61

3.2 Planning 62

3.2.1 Project Planning 62

3.2.2 Collecting Project Data 62

3.2.3 Data Analysis 63

3.2.4 Sufficiency 63

3.3 Designing 64

3.3.1 Designing Project 64

3.3.2 Part Selection 65

3.4 Construction 65

3.4.1 Fabrication 66

3.4.2 Robot Assembly 66

3.4.3 Robot Programming 66

3.4.4 Testing 67

3.5 Project End 67

4. DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 69

4.1 Designing 69

4.1.1 Base design 70

4.1.2 Design of The Lifting Mechanism 74

4.1.3 Design Summary 77

4.2 Developing the Robot Structure 78

4.2.1 Robot Mechanical Structure 78

4.2.2 Electrical Circuit 81

4.2.3 Programming Algorithm 86

4.3 Integration 89

5. TESTING AND ANALYSIS 91

5.1 Line Tracking Test 91

5.1.1 Sensor and Circuit Test 91

5.1.2 Robot Line Tracking Capability Test 95

5.2 Drum Beating Test 97

5.3 Result Analysis 99

vi

6. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 101

6.1 Discussion 101

6.2 Conclusion 102

6.3 Suggestion 102

REFERENCE 104

APPENDICES 106

vii

LIST OF TABLE

Table 2.1: Type of industrial robot 9

Table 2.2: Type of skeletal structure 17

Table 2.3: Different types and shapes that a robot can be build with 19

Table 2.4: Type of disposable batteries available in the market 22

Table 2.5: Type of rechargeable batteries available in the market 23

Table 2.6: Several robot type with different number of legs 31

Table 2.7: Different type of available of DC motors 36

Table 2.8: Several distinctions based on method of control for AC electric

motors 38

Table 2.9: Types of AC motors 39

Table 2.10: Type of sensor available in the industries 41

Table 2.11: Classification of gripper principles of function according to form-fit

and force-fit options. 46

Table 2.12: Option for contact surface design 47

Table 2.13: Range of gripping option 48

Table 2.14: Gripper types categorized by principle of drive 49

Table 2.15: Types of lever class 51

Table 2.16: Element of a microcontroller based on “The Microcontroller

Beginner’s Handbook” by Lawrence A. Duarte, a PROMPT

Publications. 56

Table 2.17: Three main type of programming language 58

Table 4.1: Method used in designing 69

Table 4.2: Base design summary 76

Table 4.3: Lifting mechanism summary 76

Table 4.4: The PCB etching process 81

Table 4.5: Steps in soldering components on a PCB 83

viii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Industrial robot in car production doing vehicle under body assembly 7

Figure 2.2: The figure shows several AGVs loading and unloading good to their

respective destination 12

Figure 2.3: Strawberry picking robot is one of the agriculture robot that exists in

the world today 13

Figure 2.4: Telerobot is one of the tools used in a complicated and delicated

surgery that normal doctor use 14

Figure 2.5: A military robot equip with guns and camera vision 15

Figure 2.6: Roomba robot is one of the household robot used as a vacuum cleaner

developed by iRobot 15

Figure 2.7: Different type and size of batteries 21

Figure 2.8: This figure shows the ultra high pressure system used to develop

piezoelectric damping materials 26

Figure 2.9: Modern wind turbine for utility scale power generation 27

Figure 2.10: Photovoltaic module in sunlight generates direct current electricity 28

Figure 2.11: Autonomous robot with wheels integrated with a Personal Digital

Assistant 29

Figure 2.12: MiniROC developed using tracks as locomotion system. 34

Figure 2.13: Sequence on how a three bar magnet in a motor repel and attract 35

Figure 2.14: When rotates A (input), the rope will coil over B and thus bringing

wheel C and weight up 52

Figure 2.15: When effort applied in the input, the pulley A will rotate making it

easier to lift the weight. 52

Figure 2.16: Example of an inclined plane. When effort (input) given to weight

from left, the weight will move to right (output). 53

Figure 2.17: When block A move to right, the inclined plane of the block will push

block B and the weight upwards while block C is fixed. 54

Figure 2.18: When the knob is rotate (input), the screw A will rotate and screw B

with the opposing thread will rotate upward thus lifting the weight

below. 54

Figure 2.29: Visual navigated vehicle system using white line recognition 59

ix

Figure 2.20: The miniature mobile robot Khepera 60

Figure 3.1: Basic operation flow chart. 61

Figure 3.2: Project planning elements. 62

Figure 3.3: (a) Solidworks software for mechanical design; (b) PCBexpress

software for electric circuit board design. 64

Figure 3.4: MPLAB programming software for microcontroller programming. 66

Figure 3.5: Detailed process flow chart. 67

Figure 4.1: Designing as an iterative procedure 68

Figure 4.2: Base design 1. 70

Figure 4.3: KHEPERA by LAMI (Laboratoire de Microinfomatique) 70

Figure 4.4: Base design 2. 71

Figure 4.5: Autonomous light finder robot 71

Figure 4.6: Base design 3 72

Figure 4.7: Y-shape wall climbing robot 72

Figure 4.8: Catapult design 73

Figure 4.9: Catapult used in medieval era using the simple machine lever. 74

Figure 4.10: Spinning Tower Design 74

Figure 4.11: Totem pole 75

Figure 4.12: Elevator Design 75

Figure 4.13: Rotating restaurant tower. 76

Figure 4.14: Sensor circuit 84

Figure 4.15: Comparator LED-LRD circuit 84

Figure 4.16: Power regulator circuit 84

Figure 4.17: Circuit connected to battery 85

Figure 4.18: Subprogram for line tracking: defining variables 86

Figure 4.19: Subprogram for line tracking: programming for the sensor 87

Figure 4.20: Final integration of robot mechanical structure 89

Figure 5.1: The center of the sensor is placed on the white line 91

Figure 5.2: Moving the sensor from left to right 92

Figure 5.3: LDR L1, L2 and L3 is on the white line 92

Figure 5.4: LDR L1, C and R1 is on the white line 93

x

Figure 5.5: LDR R1, R2 and R3 is on the white line 93

Figure 5.6: LDR R3 is on the white line 94

Figure 5.7: Robot at starting point 94

Figure 5.8: Robot sensor placing on the white line checked using the comparator 95

Figure 5.9: This figure shows that the robot diverted to the left side 95

Figure 5.10: Robot turn to the right 96

Figure 5.11: Initial condition of the lifting mechanisms 96

Figure 5.12: The first lifting mechanism movement 97

Figure 5.13: The second lifting mechanism rotates 97

Figure 5.14: The third lifting is used to beat the top and bottom drums 98

Figure 5.15: The middle drumstick beat the drum 98

xi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ASIMO - Artificial Intelligence Robot

SGV - Self Guided Vehicles

AGV - Automated Guided Vehicles

UGV - Unmanned Ground Vehicles

SCARA - Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm

RAM - Random Access Memory

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NiCd - Nickel Cadmium

AC - Alternating Current

DC - Direct Current

Pv - Photovoltaic

kW - Kilowatt

kWh - Kilowatt per hour

MW - Megawatt

LED - Light Emitting Diode

LDR - Light Dependent Resistor

FKP - Fakulti Kejuruteraan Pembuatan

UTeM - Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka

ROBOCON - Robot Contest

1

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter focuses on the introduction of the project. Introduction of the project

includes the project background, problem statement of the project, objectives, project

scope, and the benefits of the project.

1.1 Project Background

A robot is a device consisting of a motor and a computer-controlled mechanism that can

be programmed to do a variety of tasks and works automatically. Once the robot is

programmed, it can perform its tasks without any human supervision. There is various

type of robots available today. They are divided into three main types which is the

experimental robot, special purpose robot and the general purpose robot. The general

purpose robot is divided into the industrial robot and the service robot. The autonomous

robot that will be developed in this project is a service type of robot under the general

purpose robot type.

The two main focus of this project are on the navigation of the robot and the design and

development of the lifting mechanism for the robot. The robot is an autonomous type

where it will be pre-programmed using microcontroller program. The robot will move

from one point to another to perform specified tasks. The design of the lifting

mechanism of the robot depends on the task given. The robot will hold drumsticks so it

can beat drums with it. The lifting mechanism will be used to lift the drumsticks so it is

at the level where the drumstick can reach the drums. This is to enable the robot to beat

2

the drums. The robot will have to travel from starting point to the location of the drums

to beat the drums.

This autonomous robot will be navigated using line following method. The line

following is based on sensors that will sense and react to follow a line as a way or a road

for the robot to move from one point to another. The line is acts as a guide for the robot.

The line is a white tape with 30mm wide and located on a specific field built from vinyl

sheet which is dark in color. The contrast color of both the white tape and the dark color

field will factor for the robot to move along the white line.

1.2 Problem Statement

For the past years, several line following autonomous robots had been built and

available in the laboratory but so far none of them is suitable to perform the tasks stated

in the ROBOCON 2009 rule book. In the rule book, it is stated that the robot gripper will

need to hold at least one drumstick to beat all the three drums. The problems that need to

be concern are:

(a) Unsuitable robot base size

The line following robot base made for the previous ROBOCON is not suitable to be

used for the current ROBOCON theme that it require a smaller sized robot. The

maximum size of the robot base is 420mm × 500mm.

(b) Programming algorithm

The available line following robot is only programmed for the task of ROBOCON 2008

and not programmed for the task of ROBOCON 2009.

3

(c) Unsuitable lifting mechanism

The existing lifting mechanism is not proper to lift the drumstick and to complete the

task of beating the drums.

1.3 Project Aim and Objectives

The aim of this project is to build an autonomous line tracking robot with a lifting

mechanism holding 3 drumsticks. This is according to the specifications of a traveler

robot to compete in the ROBOCON 2009 competition.

To achieve this, these objectives need to be fulfilled:

(a) To design and develop an autonomous robot consisting of a lifting mechanism

and a line following robot base for ROBOCON 2009

(b) To develop electric circuit hardware that is able to integrate the sensors and

electric motors with microcontroller for the robot base

(c) To program the robot to achieve line following task

1.4 Scope

The scope of this project includes:

(a) Lifting device

The lifting device will be build depending on the task of ROBOCON 2009. The lifting

device should be able to lift the drumstick to the point of reaching the conter of the drum

so that the drumstick can beat the drum. The lifting device can lift two drumstick at one

time to cut the time of beating all the three drums.

4

(b) Line following robot base

The line following robot base will be built with focusing the precision of the movement.

The speed will also be the main issue when building the robot base.

(c) Electronic circuit

An electronic circuit is built with the function that integrate the sensors and major

consideration for ease of repair

(d) Programming

The robot programming will be developed according to the ROBOCON 2009

requirements of a traveler robot will different strategies to achieve the defined task

1.5 Project Benefits

The project is beneficial to several entities including:

(a) Industries

The autonomous robot can be an early stage for mobile industrial mechanical robot arm.

This technology can automate and thus reducing the use of forklifts or pallet jack that

need man power to operate it.

5

(b) Environment

This robot only uses battery power to operate it. It does not consume oil or petrol like a

forklift does. It is environment friendly and safe from any hazardous chemical.

(c) People

In the future, the mobile robot technology wills benefits people’s lives that are going to

become more futuristic, surrounded by automated machines.

6

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE RIVIEW

This chapter focuses on the data collecting from various resources for the project.

Previous project that almost resembles this project is also discusses here.

2.1 Robot

A book Published by Macmillan, 1985 entitle ‘Introduction to Robotics’ written by

Arthur J. Critchl tells that in Czech language, the word “robota” means a worker

providing compulsory service, forced labor, or work. The robot is built with the

capability of performing a various type of human tasks. It is a mechanical device that is

capable of being programmed to do a task automatically. Once it is programmed, the

human operator do not need of operating the machine because the robot only needs

supervision from time to time and not the whole time. Most robots are built that

resembles an anthropomorphic (human-like) appearance. It is a special combination of

motors, solenoids, wires, and assorted electronic odd ends. It is a mechanical that is

integrated with electrical components. Most robots nowadays have five important

capabilities which is:

(a) To move from one point to another point.

(b) To be able to handle any sorts of objects.

(c) To be able to reprogram

(d) Built multifunctional

(e) Practical and efficient for different environments

7

The creators of robot have long creating and manipulating with the idea of robots, a term

that can broadly be defined as an artificial human being. In the past years, humans only

fantasized about them but today, many types of robots are a reality built to serve

mankind. For example, there are industrial robots, toy robots that entertain us,

exploration robots, medical robots, robots used in agriculture, to increasingly humanoid

robots being created for the service sector, whether helping with the manufacturers in

some industry, to do some chores in the home or as caregivers for the elderly and the

handicapped. Given below are some of the types of robots that have been conceived:

(a) Industrial Robots

Figure 2.1: Industrial robot in car production doing vehicle under body assembly

(courtesy of

http://people.msoe.edu/~alhubaila/images/Industrial_Robotics_in_car_production.jpg)

Most of the industry today utilized robots in manufacturing products. Any job that

involves accuracy, speed, repitative, endurance, and reliability is done by robots. This is

8

because humans are fatigue. The use of robot in the industry is increasing to increase the

productivity of products. Industrial robots are an electro-mechanical device that

comprising of mechanical structure of cast and fabricated construction. It is also an

independent servo system that is able to power each axis. It is integrated to a computer

based controller used to control the program for the robot. All programs can be stored in

the hard drive and RAM of the robots that is available. Most of them have hand tooling

or a gripper system integrated along the robot arm. There are different types of industrial

robots available which is common in the industries. These types are