This repository contains the code for the graphical user interface through which an operator is able to configure an adjustable automated fixture by inputting only the necessary geometric properties of a solar absorber. The fixtures' stepper motor rotation angles are calculated and then actuated using an arduino.
In a production facility manufacturing significant quantities of multiple variations of solar absorbers from multiple orders it is considered important to minimize the setup times while maintaining high product quality. Thus an automated configurable fixture for a laser welding machine is designed as a solution to this problem. The final purpose is to completely replace the current manual setup method with the designed reconfiguragle fixture. Through field observations the technical standards the design has to satisfy were determined, which involve geometric limitations and required range of motion. The final design was developed and optimized using CAD. The proposed design is shown below (only four corners of a solar absorber are shown on the table).
The necessary components for the proof-of-concept prototype testing were either one of the two stepper actuated bars and any one of the rotating panel-stops. The final assemblies are shown in the following photos.
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The stepper motors where operated using HY-DIV268N-5A drives, and the zero position was determined using SS-5GL limit switches (shown in the previous last two pictures). The arduino use for testing of the fixture is connected to 3 stepper motors and 3 limit switches at a time (two for one bar and one for a rotating panel-stop) the wiring diagram is shown below. Before every configuration procedure the fixture elements are homed (return to home position) determined by the limit switches' positions. Also, the limit switches act as additional hard safety in case of out of inserted values or forced motion beyond allowed limits.
The adjustment of the fixture is achieved by inputting the products required dimensions in the fields of the graphical user interface of the generated executable (see installation instructions), as shown below.
The required product specifications and features required as input in the main window (left window) are depicted in the following figure for vertical and horizontal solar absorber type respecitively, which is also inputted through a checkbox.
With this information the required fixture elements' displacements,
stepper motor rotation angles, and lastly required steps and directions
are calculated. For this calculation, before the generation of the
executable the physical parameters shown in the following figure have to
be measured from the actual assembly and inserted as global constants in
the constructor of the Configuration class in the file
configuration_utils.py.
Once all of the above is done, by pressing Send in the main window a
text file containing the steps for each of the eight motors is generated
in the directory of the executable. This is inserted as input in the
arduino which in turn moves each motor.
In addition, by pressing Offsets a second window appears in which can
be specified correction offset for every motor, in terms of product
dimensions, in case there is repeated misalignment or additional manual
correction is required. The values of the offsets window are
automatically saved in a .dat file. The values of the main window can
be saved in a file named according to the inputed product code as a
.cfg file by pressing Save and any such file can be loaded by
pressing the Load button thus eliminating repetition when setting up
production for a known product. Over the buttons area are shown messages
everytime an action is performed or an invalid set of parameters is
specified thus eliminating human error.
- Automatic generation of fixture configuration stepper motion.
- Information/warnign messages.
- Capability of compensating constant error though the use of offsets.
- Storing of any configuration and offsets.
- Protection against failure thanks to limit switches positioned in both start and end of elements paths.
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Clone this project locally.
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Generate the executable bundle by running:
python -m PyInstaller -w -F main.py
inside the project directory.