Robot Cup Holder

Hi, I'm Lily R-W. I designed this Robot Cup Holder for a school project. I made an Arduino robot that can be controlled using a mobile phone, and a computer through bluetooth, with an attachment piece that works as a cup holder. Below, I included the process I used, and you can follow my process and create your own Robot Cup Holder.

Supplies needed to make the Robot Chassis:

• Adobe Illustrator/ any program like adobe illustrator
• A laser cutter
• 3mm thick MDF wood
• Paint (optional)
• Wood Glue

Circuit Supplies:

• Arduino Uno
• Bluetooth Module
• 2 Servo Motors
• 2 Motors
• Wires
• Power Harness
• Motor Controller
• Battery Pack
• 3 AA Batteries
• 2 Wheels
• Screws and Bolts
• Power Drill
• Soldering Iron (If necessary)

Attachment Piece supplies:

• 3D Printer or Laser Cutter
• Paint (Optional)
• Autodesk Fusion 360 or Adobe illustrator (or programs like it)
• Maker case (if laser cutting)

(Before you begin the designing of your robot chassis, you make wish to take inspiration from an example, such as the image above. The Image above is the design and style I decided and created for my robot chassis. Yours doesn't have to be exactly like mine, experiment with the design, but remember to make sure your design follows the requirements, I also attached a pdf of my design)

Chassis Requirements:

• Design the robot body (chassis) to accommodate movement of the robot with only two wheels (for example some sort of glider)

Begin by making a rough design of the Chassis Body for your robot on paper first, so you can experiment with different designs as well as have the basic idea down before designing the chassis in Adobe Illustrator (or a similar program) Some parts you may use a 3D printer for such as the glider. (For my glider I used a file that was shared with me from my instructor)

Figure out the measurements of your robot before hand. The measurements depend on how big or small you want your robot. However, keep in mind the attachment piece's dimensions. For example: an average cup holder is around 76.2mm in diameter and 101.6mm in height. Also keep in mind the measurements of the finger tabs to hold the pieces together.

After getting a rough design down on paper, you may begin designing your chassis in Adobe Illustrator or another program like it. Remember that it's okay if your design changes from the original rough design on paper, just make and changes to the measurements or other adjustments if needed.

The recommended art board dimensions 400mm length/height x 600mm width

Once you finish designing, cut out your parts for the robot chassis using a laser cutter, paint the pieces (optional) and prepare your circuit.

Once your parts for the robot chassis have been cut out, and painted if desired, you'll want to start on the circuit and begin assembling your robot. I recommend leaving the wheels off the motors until your chassis is fully assembled.

I followed a basic Arduino Robot Wiring Diagram given to me by my instructor, that was already assembled, for this step you may need to connect the wires through soldering, or other means.

Once you have your circuit assembled, plan out on the base (the bottom piece) of your robot where you want to place the circuit and trace the general area of which piece is, as well as where the holes are so you can screw it into place later. After you have generally placed your circuit and traced the general area of where the pieces are, you may now use a drill to drill out the holes that you marked down.

Once you have drilled your holes for the screws, place your circuit pieces and line them up as closely as you can to what you initially traced, and to where the holes you drilled are (It's okay if only two screws are holding your circuit piece in place rather than four). Use whatever screws you feel would work, I believe I used 12mm screws, and screw in your circuit pieces to your robot base, and hold the screws in place by screwing a nut at the bottom of each screw.

One your circuit is assembled, you may begin to assemble your chassis. Make sure your pieces fit together as much as they can, make adjustments if necessary, and then use wood glue to glue each piece together.

For your glider, depending on what type of glider you created, and whether you 3D printed or Laser cut it, you can either screw it in, or glue it on while assembling your chassis.

Once your chassis is all glued together and assembled, and your circuit has been screwed into the base, you may begin designing and making your attachment piece.

For you attachment piece you can use either Adobe illustrator to laser cut your cup holder, or Autodesk Fusion 360 to 3D print your cup holder (or programs like those). It's totally up to you, for mine I used maker case to make the general box shape for the cup holder, then put it in Adobe illustrator to add the circle where the cup would go and then laser cut it.

An average cup holder is around 76.2mm in diameter and 101.6mm in height. I made my general box 150mm wide which was the same width for my chassis, and then for the height made it 102mm.

Then I put it in adobe illustrator to add the circle with a diameter of 76mm to fit a cup. I didn't add designs to my attachment piece but you could do so if you wish.

Once its been cut with the laser cutter you can assemble it with would glue, or if 3D printed, you can then just attach it to the chassis and the circuit.

I unfortunately ran out of time before I could attach the attachment piece, and program it. Above is a video of how it would've attached if time permitted.

To attach the cup holder attachment, the linear gear would be screwed into the chassis at the back, and glued to the bottom to the attachment piece.

To program the robot, I would connect the Arduino to a computer to upload the code provided to me by my instructor.

Some problems I came across was running out of time for the programming and attachment of the cup holder piece, as well as forgetting to put a gap for the circuit in the sides of the body to fit the wheels. As well as time management regarding painting time.

The issue I was able to overcome was the gap for the circuit in the sides of the body to fit the wheels, I measure how big the gap should be, drew a rough basis of where I wanted it to be and then did the same on illustrator and used the laser cutter to cut it out.

If I had more time, I would make sure I could program and attach the attachment piece. What I would change next time, is making sure I take a little less time painting, and plan everything better so that I could get everything done on time.

However overall, I am proud of my design on the chassis, and my overall plan, even though I didn't have enough time to finish it.