Low-cost Machine Research Articles

Performance evaluation of developed reciprocating type cumin cleaner cum grader

India is famous for its pet name in the world of agricultural as the 'home of spices'. India grows 47 out of 70 varieties of spices grown in different parts of the world. Cumin seeds it comes from the field contain foreign matter like weed seeds, stems, leaves, broken seeds, stones, dirt, etc. These foreign matters must be removed to increase quality of seed in the market, storage period of seed, cost of selling and net income to the farmers as well as sellers and to perform different kinds of post harvest operations. Cleaning and grading of cumin in the marketing yard is time consuming and laborious operation because large quantity is to be handled. Some of the big traders used mechanical cleaners and graders, but the initial investment required in the purchasing of such machinery is quite high. Efforts were made to develop a low cost machine that can clean and grade the seed of cumin and can be utilized for the above operation at low investment. Effects of different machine operating parameters on its performance i.e. feed rate, speed and screen slope were evaluated for cleaning efficiency. For getting best cleaning efficiency and low power consumption, the machine should be operated at 50 kg/h feed rate, 150 rpm and 7-degree slope. The cost of cleaning is Rs. 0.31/-

Low-Cost QA Benchmark for Fused Filament Fabrication

Abstract The wide-scale use of low-cost fused filament fabrication (FFF) machines and their adoption for retail or manufacturing applications mean that there is a need to consider quality assurance in the manufacture of parts from low-cost machines. This article presents a low-cost method for evaluating the interlayer bond strength of FFF-made parts. Various tensile, flexural, and impact test specimens were designed, fabricated, and tested based on ISO standard methods, and on a new test jig to evaluate the strength of FFF-made parts. Tests conducted on the test jig were validated against those conducted on conventional testing machines. Analysis of variance was used to investigate the significance of processing parameters (layer thickness, fill density, and speed of deposition) on the mechanical properties. All the test types were observed to be sensitive to changes in processing conditions that affect the interlayer bond strength and hence the quality of the fabricated parts. Based on experimental resul...

Phase Current Reconstruction of Switched Reluctance Motors From DC-Link Current Under Double High-Frequency Pulses Injection

Switched reluctance motors (SRMs) have been considered as low-cost machines for electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid EV applications. However, the current sensors used in the system will not only increase the cost and volume but also degrade the running reliability of the motor drives. Conventionally, the current sensors are used in each phase winding individually to obtain these phase currents. To reduce the number of current sensors, a four-phase 8/6-pole SRM is applied to analyze the working states, and a novel phase current reconstruction method from the dc-link current employing double high-frequency pulses injection is then proposed. Two kinds of high-frequency pulses with large duty cycles and phase shift are injected to the down switches in each phase, respectively, when the phase currents are overlapped in the turn-on region, and the dc-link current is decomposed to reconstruct phase currents in both current chopping control system and single pulse control system. The transient performance in a closed-loop system based on the phase current reconstruction scheme is investigated. The proposed method uses only one current sensor in the dc link and requires no additional circuits. The simulation and experimental results are presented to confirm the implementation of the proposed method.

Fast, continuous, 3D printing

Additive Manufacturing Although three-dimensional (3D) printing is now possible using relatively small and low-cost machines, it is still a fairly slow process. This is because 3D printers require a series of steps to cure, replenish, and reposition themselves for each additive cycle. Tumbleston et al. devised a process to effectively grow solid structures out of a liquid bath. The key to the process is the creation of an oxygen-containing “dead zone” between the solid part and the liquid precursor where solidification cannot occur. The precursor liquid is then renewed by the upward movement of the growing solid part. This approach made structures tens of centimeters in size that could contain features with a resolution below 100 µm. Science , this issue p. [1349][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaa2397

Additive manufacturing. Continuous liquid interface production of 3D objects.

Additive manufacturing processes such as 3D printing use time-consuming, stepwise layer-by-layer approaches to object fabrication. We demonstrate the continuous generation of monolithic polymeric parts up to tens of centimeters in size with feature resolution below 100 micrometers. Continuous liquid interface production is achieved with an oxygen-permeable window below the ultraviolet image projection plane, which creates a "dead zone" (persistent liquid interface) where photopolymerization is inhibited between the window and the polymerizing part. We delineate critical control parameters and show that complex solid parts can be drawn out of the resin at rates of hundreds of millimeters per hour. These print speeds allow parts to be produced in minutes instead of hours.

Fiber Encapsulation Additive Manufacturing: An Enabling Technology for 3D Printing of Electromechanical Devices and Robotic Components

Abstract The frontier in additive manufacturing has recently shifted beyond the ability to produce parts with complex geometries, to the ability to fabricate multimaterial structures. Recent work has demonstrated the capacity to 3D print structures that integrate dissimilar types of materials—such as electrical conductors and reinforcing elements along with dielectrics—enabling the rapid, custom production of highly functional electromechanical and electronic devices. This article introduces a new process, fiber encapsulation additive manufacturing (FEAM), which enables fiber and extrudable matrix material to be printed simultaneously in a single, potentially low-cost machine. One application of FEAM is the manufacturing of soft robotic components that move and sense, though a variety of other applications are contemplated. Using a prototype FEAM system, helical 3D coils/inductors of various heights and diameters were created. Leveraging this capability, a functional loudspeaker, rheostat, inductive senso...

IJIREEICE - Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation and Control

3,4 Abstract: A simple and low cost machine vision system for fault detection and identification is envisaged. The proposed system works on a Beagle Board single board computer. The system can be used to detect cracks or texture differences in classifying objects, especially in food processing industries. It essentially uses a camera for the image capture and process the image in the Beagleboneblack. Currently an online machine vision system on a conveyor line is made up of several cameras that are networked to a single computer. The camera provides the images at high rates and the software on the computer does the processing and makes the decisions to reject the product or not. The goal of this project is to design a smart board level machine vision system using a beagleboneblack with its own image sensors/cameras. The system will have its own algorithms for common machine vision tasks and will be networked to a main system to get output results.

A Robust Machine Vision Algorithm Development for Quality Parameters Extraction of Circular Biscuits and Cookies Digital Images

Biscuits and cookies are one of the major parts of Indian bakery products. The bake level of biscuits and cookies is of significant value to various bakery products as it determines the taste, texture, number of chocolate chips, uniformity in distribution of chocolate chips, and various features related to appearance of products. Six threshold methods (isodata, Otsu, minimum error, moment preserving, Fuzzy, manual method, and k-mean clustering) have been implemented for chocolate chips extraction from captured cookie image. Various other image processing operations such as entropy calculation, area calculation, parameter calculation, baked dough color, solidity, and fraction of top surface area have been implemented for commercial KrackJack biscuits and cookies. Proposed algorithm is able to detect and investigate about various defects such as crack and various spots. A simple and low cost machine vision system with improved version of robust algorithm for quality detection and identification is envisaged. Developed system and robust algorithm have a great application in various biscuit and cookies baking companies. Proposed system is composed of a monochromatic light source, and USB based 10.0 megapixel camera interfaced with ARM-9 processor for image acquisition. MATLAB version 5.2 has been used for development of robust algorithms and testing for various captured frames. Developed methods and procedures were tested on commercial biscuits resulting in the specificity and sensitivity of more than 94% and 82%, respectively. Since developed software package has been tested on commercial biscuits, it can be programmed to inspect other manufactured bakery products.

Study of CuO admixtures as antiwear additive in Machine Grease – 2

A low cost Machine Grease−2 has too poor anti-seizure properties to be used for lubrication of rolling bearings. To enhance its anti-seizure properties, a mixture of copper oxide, glycerol and ethyl alcohol was introduced into its volume in different proportions and examined using a four-ball tester. The aim of the study was to provide an answer to the question whether the copper oxide, in the mixtures proposed above, would undergo reduction to metallic copper to act as a solid lubricant in Machine Grease−2. These AES and XPS analyses showed the presence of metallic copper in the adlayer formed on the surface of tested balls, which resulted in a three- or fourfold increase in seizure resistance in comparison with pure Machine Grease−2. This confirms that, under the conditions of friction in the tester, copper oxide reduces to metallic copper which works as a solid lubricant.

Application of Value Stream Mapping for Reduction of Cycle Time in a Machining Process

Lean manufacturing initiative is being followed by various organizations in the recent years which mainly focuses on improving the efficiency of operations by eliminating and reducing wastes. This paper aimed to explain the implementation of lean manufacturing techniques in the crankshaft manufacturing system at an automotive manufacturing plant located in south India.. A multi criteria decision making model, analytical hierarchy process is applied to analyze the decision making process in the manufacturing system. The objective of the case industry was to increase the export sales. Lean manufacturing system was selected to meet the company“s quality, cost and delivery targets. Crankshaft was manufactured in a single piece flow system with the low cost machines developed indigenously and the results are that the crankshafts have passed the testing, validation and approval by the customer to produce any variant in the company. After implementing lean manufacturing system, the manufacturing lead time reduced by forty percent, defects were reduced, higher process capability achieved, quick response to the customer demand in small lots were achieved.

Design and Fabrication of a Dual Powered Mini Pelletizer

Wood pellets are compressed wood particles that are used as fuel. Pellets are gaining popularity and are commonly used in some areas of India owing to the cost effectiveness. One of the major reasons is the increase in the cost of primary fuels and concerns about global climate change. For research and development work and for the production of small quantities of pellets for specific applications, it is important to have a low-cost apparatus or machine for making pellets. The paper discusses the local design and manufacturing of a dual-mode pelletizing machine. It can be powered either electrically or manually. Therefore, it can be used by both rural as well as urban dwellers. It can be a backup in conditions of power failure, and can also prove a boon in rural areas where there is no electricity. The objective of this work was to analyze, design and fabricate a model for a Dual Mode Pelletizing Machine which would be used for production of pellets on small scale and can be powered by either electrical motor or human pedaling. The Pelletizing Machine was designed, fabricated and experiments were performed to obtain pellets from sawdust, powered by electric motor as well as human pedaling.

COMPUTERIZED SPOILED TOMATO DETECTION

In this paper illustrates the improvement of a low cost machine vision system using webcams and image processing algorithms for defect detection and sorting of tomatoes The sortin g decision was based on three features extracted by the different image processing algorithms. This methodology based on the color fea tures, which used for detecting the BER from good t omatoes. Two methods were developed for decision based sorting. The color ima ge threshold method with shape factor was found eff icient for differentiating good and defective tomatoes. The overall accuracy of def ect detection attained was 94 and 96.5% respectivel y. Comparison of the results is also presented in this paper.

New advances on tracheal stent manufacturing

Abstract Several complications, including tumors, can cause the obstruction of the trachea. To prevent from suffocation, tubular implants named stents are used. Commercially available stents are expensive and not anatomically adapted, and therefore big challenges need to be faced in order to improve them. This work presents several additive manufacturing methodologies to fabricate customized tracheal stents. Rapid tooling seems to be the best option. Two different molds were manufactured using open-source low-cost machines in order to reduce costs. In addition, a high speed machine was also used to fabricate another mold. The molds produced were poured either with a non-implantable medical grade platinum silicone or with an implantable medical grade liquid silicone rubber in order to obtain the final tailored tracheal stents. Finally, a mechanical behavioral test was performed with implantable medical grade liquid silicone rubber stents. The results showed an adequate Young Modulus suitable to favor the insertion and extraction of the stent from the human trachea. Future work is needed to fully study the tracheal stents manufacturing process and be able to introduce several important steps, such as the sterilization of the product and the certification of the entire process.

A simple machine vision-driven system for measuring optokinetic reflex in small animals

The optokinetic reflex (OKR) is useful to monitor the function of the visual and motor nervous systems. However, OKR measurement is not open to all because dedicated commercial equipment or detailed instructions for building in-house equipment is rarely offered. Here we describe the design of an easy-to-install/use yet reliable OKR measuring system including a computer program to visually locate the pupil and a mathematical procedure to estimate the pupil azimuth from the location data. The pupil locating program was created on a low-cost machine vision development platform, whose graphical user interface allows one to compose and operate the program without programming expertise. Our system located mouse pupils at a high success rate (~90%), estimated their azimuth precisely (~94%), and detected changes in OKR gain due to the pharmacological modulation of the cerebellar flocculi. The system would promote behavioral assessment in physiology, pharmacology, and genetics.

The Study in the Application of Nanotechnology Digital Printing in Clothing Pattern Design

Nanotechnology, in the 21st century, is the biggest driving force in the development of technology and industry, which has its wide range of applications. In traditional industries, nanotechnology can be applied to the development of digital printing ink. Digital printing appears as a new printing technology in the 1990s, the 20th century. And in recent years, along with the trends of a global energy saving and carbon reduction, the concept of producing green products with low-carbon, water saving, energy abating, pollution decreasing attributes has arisen. The introduction of digital printing to textiles brings the speed, flexibility, wide areas of color selection, environmental protection and the potential of cost saving etc; the technology becomes a major breakthrough in the textile printing industry. The industry is committed to the technology of environmental friendly digital printing and goes toward to a new pattern of bright future in fashion design. While the globe puts effort to develop digital printing, the core technology should not only focuses on how to come up with high-speed, large amount, low-cost machines, but also the R & D to the making and applications of digital printing, which has a great impact on digital printing quality. At the present, the digital printing ink of the reactive ink / acidic ink is applied to cotton fabrics and the fabrics containing hemp content. The printing process is from the fabric pretreatment → inkjet printing →solid color processing → washing → drying. Moreover, sublimation transfer ink is applied to fabrics containing polyester fiber content; but it cannot be fully colored the fabrics of general 100% cotton and silk, which is the biggest drawback of this sublimation transfer ink. Therefore, this study, primarily through the Nanotechnology with green environmental protection and reduction of carbon from Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd., captures the moral of the cultural patterns of the local characteristics by the techniques of changing, modeling, designing, and arranging on the patterns of dress design. And it uses computer graphics software, Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator, to draw and trim the separate pattern and the foursquare consecutive pattern for the completion of fashion pattern designs. And it applies the features of the nano pigment ink on the fabrics of cotton, hemp, silk, and polyester fiber to interpret the artistic style of the local through digitized programming language. The importing of nanotechnology refills new sources of industrial competition. This study expects to explore the nanotechnology digital printing and combine with the design of the clothing pattern transforming on the designs, grinding pigment molecules to nano ultra-fine level with reduced light scattering phenomena and good light purity. Fully demonstrating the features of natural bright color, the endurance of pigment water and the light fastness will be able to create a lager space of application and market in the digital printing industry.

Comprehensive Evaluation of the Dynamic Performance of a 6/10 SRM for Traction Application in PHEVs

Switched reluctance machine (SRM) has been viewed as a low-cost machine with concentrated windings on the stator and no magnetic source on the rotor. Owing to the higher torque-production capability with lower ripple, an SRM with a higher number of rotor poles is a potential candidate for traction applications in hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. However, since external phase commutation and rotor-position detection are necessary to run the SRM, its control can be challenging. In case of an SRM with a higher number of rotor poles, each phase is energized more frequently in one revolution, and the current conduction time is shorter due to the smaller interpolar gap between rotor poles. This paper investigates potential control complexity owing to the higher number of rotor poles, self-starting, and fault tolerance of the machine. A 5-hp drivetrain with a three-phase 6/10 SRM has been developed for traction application. Conventional current and speed controls have been implemented to experimentally evaluate the dynamic performance of the new family of SRMs. It has been shown that the 6/10 SRM is capable of operating even if two of its phases develop a fault. Moreover, the 6/10 SRM is capable of starting by itself with an initial hard alignment when only two phases are operating.

Development of a hierarchical computer numerical control milling machine control unit using low-end PIC microcontrollers

The acquisition of automated manufacturing equipment in developing nations can be expensive. Hence, this article presents the development of a computer numerical control milling machine’s control unit using low-end PIC microcontrollers. The design employs a hierarchy of five low-end PIC microcontrollers connected to a PC. A single master PIC acts as a link between a PC and four slave microcontrollers via a RS232 serial port. One slave PIC is interfaced with the electronics of the spindle drive. The three remaining slave PICs are interfaced with the electronics of the x-, y- and z-axis drives. The low-cost milling machine’s control unit has been constructed and tested. A circle–diamond–square test confirms the functionality of the machine and demonstrates that it does not accumulate error along a milled profile path.

Design, analysis and prototyping of a low‐cost monopole machine

This study presents the design, analysis and prototyping of a low-cost monopole machine capable of battery charging. The designed monopole machine encompasses a rotor disc including eight permanent magnets with the same magnetising direction and a stator consists of a magnetic core and three windings: power coil winding, trigger coil winding and recovery coil winding. This machine includes an electronic circuit as a trigger and a magnetic circuit that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy and vice versa. The machine captures energy in the form of back-electromagnetic force generated by a collapsing field in the stator and rotor to avoid wasting energy and stores it in a battery. To simulate the machine, electromagnetic and electrical analyses were conducted simultaneously to predict the design parameters and machine performance: three-dimensional finite element analysis via Vector Field Opera, and MATLAB/Simulink. To validate the simulation results accuracy, the machine was fabricated and tested. Experimental data were compared with simulation results, and showed good agreement with that of simulation.

Attitudes towards mechanized Cut-to-Length technology among logging contractors in Northern Italy

While motor-manual short-wood harvesting still dominates Italian forest operations, there is a growing interest to introduce mechanization in order to reduce logging costs and increase work safety and comfort. Against this background, a survey was conducted for determining the attitudes of North Italian logging contractors towards mechanized Cut-to-Length (CTL) technology and to evaluate the potential of machine simulators when introducing mechanized harvesting for prospective users. A total of 90 persons were interviewed, after they tested a forwarder simulator; 74 interviews were valid and accepted into the study for statistical analysis. This sample was younger and contained a larger proportion of employers compared with the overall population of North Italian logging contractors. Respondents are aware of the significant potential of mechanized CTL technology, and of its notable safety benefit. People working with firewood seem to be keener than the others. The main obstacles to the expansion of mechanized CTL technology in Italy are financial, rather than technical. Harvester manufacturers trying to increase their sales in Italy may want to focus on simplified low-cost machines, suitable for application to general purpose prime movers and especially designed for firewood contractors. They should also target younger contractors, who are more familiar with computer technology. Forest machine simulators can help introducing CTL technology to Italy, but one needs to think about new ways to deploy them.

알터네이터 스풀 고속 검사를 위한 자동화 비전시스템 설계

본 논문에서는 자동차 핵심부품 중 하나인 알터네이터 수풀의 육안검사를 대체하기 위한 머신비전시스템을 설계하는 데 목적이 있다. 플라스틱 사출물인 알터네이터 스풀의 경우 일반적으로 미성형, 찍힘, 뜯김, 크랙 등의 불량 유형이 발생한다. 스풀을 고속으로 전수검사하기 위하여 설계의 실패 사례를 예로 들었고, 이를 통해 최적의 고속 자동화 머신비전 시스템을 설계하고 2차 협력 업체인 중소기업을 위해 저비용 검사 시스템에 초점을 맞추고자 한다. 3차원 설계 소프트웨어인 Pro-Engineer와 CATIA가 사용되었다. 개발 제작 될 시스템은 산업현장에 적용하여 절대적 판정의 안정성을 도모하고, 생산성 향상을 위한 사이클 타임을 충족하는 데 기여할 수 있다. This research aims to design on an automatic machine vision system to replace eye inspection of alternator spool which is one of the key automotive parts. The alternator spool, plastic extrusion part would have various defects like unfinished, crack and burr. Through the design failure examples the optimized fast machine vision system will be designed to inspect all spools also focuses on the low cost machine for the middle sized company as 2'nd automotive supplier. 3-dimensional design softwares of Pro-Engineer & CATIA were used and the system were built based on the design. The system will contribute to satisfy the cycle time and can inspect each part in an absolutely accurate method, which is sufficient for industrial applications.