Stepper Motor Research Articles

Research on Micro-/Nano-Positioning System Driven by a Stepper Motor

To achieve cost-effective micro-/nano-displacement adjustment, this paper integrates the advantages of flexible hinge micro-/nano-displacement transmission. A linear stepper motor is utilized as the driving component to design and develop a high-precision, low-cost micro-/nano-positioning system. The structure, design, and working principles of the micro-/nano-positioning platform are introduced. The scaling factor model between micro-positioning platforms and nano-positioning platforms is analyzed. Static and dynamic models of flexible mechanisms have been established. The dimensions of the mechanical structure and the selection of motors are determined. The mechanical characteristics of the micro-/nano-positioning platform are validated through finite element analysis. To address the characteristic of increasing loads during the transmission process, an intelligent control system based on current feedback is designed and developed. The integration of drive and control provides a high level of system integration. Finally, experimental calibration was conducted to test the motion characteristics of the linear stepper motor-driven micro-/nano-positioning platform. It achieved a minimum displacement control resolution of 100 nm and demonstrated a certain level of stability.

Rancang Bangun Alat Pengemas Biji Kopi Otomatis Berbasis Arduino Uno

Before coffee products are marketed, packaging is generally carried out first. Apart from protecting against damage, the packaging also aims to make it easier to carry while traveling. The conventional packaging process is quite time and energy consuming. This results in the packaging process being less efficient. With an automatic packaging system, it is hoped that it will make things easier and save time and energy. Automatic coffee bean packaging tools are built using several electronic devices. Arduino Uno is used as a controller, a load cell sensor to weigh the coffee packaging, a DS18B20 temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the packaging sealer and a proximity sensor to detect plastic packaging. In the actuator section, a servo motor is used to open the coffee bean reservoir valve (hopper tank), a DC motor is used to pull the packaging plastic and a stepper motor is used to press the packaging plastic. The plastic press is equipped with a heating mechanism using nickel wire so that the two layers of plastic can stick together. An LCD module is used to display information on the weight value of the coffee packaging, the temperature value of the sealer and the status of the packaging process. From the test results, it is known that the coffee bean packaging tool is capable of packaging coffee beans automatically. Coffee beans can be packaged in plastic with the weight and length of the packaging according to the design with a success rate of up to 87.5%

Computed Torque-NN-GWO Dynamic Hybrid Control of Manipulator Robotic Arm

Robotics involves designing, simulating, and controlling robots for various industries and daily tasks. Manipulator arm robots are precisionoriented industrial robots designed for one-plane movement. Planar robotic manipulators are used in cargo loading, assembly lines, handling radioactive materials, and military applications. In this study theoretical analysis of manipulator robot kinematics using Denavit-Hartenberg notation and the Euler-Lagrange method for a three-degree of freedom (3-DOF) system, requiring an advanced controller for accurate control. A new hybrid controller, Computed Torque Control-Neural-Network -Grey Wolf Optimization (CTC-NNGWO), is proposed for path planning of 3-DOF MR. It uses kinematics and dynamic models, computes torque magnitudes of stepper motors, and denormalizes output values from NN. MATLAB programming is used for the simulation of the theoretical result. A comparison study of CTC-NN-GWO and CTC-PSO found that CTC-NN-GWO outperforms CTC-PSO in minimizing path planning errors, the maximal value of the error of joint angular position 𝑒𝜃1 is (0.29 rad), whereas 𝑒𝜃2 and 𝑒𝜃3 are approximately (0.15 rad) and (0.07 rad), respectively, also, reducing torque magnitudes, improving the performance of 3-DOF MR. Index Terms— Manipulator robotic, Grey wolf, Neural network, Path planning, Computed torque.

Bioreactor development for skeletal muscle hypertrophy and atrophy by manipulating uniaxial cyclic strain: proof of concept

Skeletal muscles overcome terrestrial, gravitational loading by producing tensile forces that produce movement through joint rotation. Conversely, the microgravity of spaceflight reduces tensile loads in working skeletal muscles, causing an adaptive muscle atrophy. Unfortunately, the design of stable, physiological bioreactors to model skeletal muscle tensile loading during spaceflight experiments remains challenging. Here, we tested a bioreactor that uses initiation and cessation of cyclic, tensile strain to induce hypertrophy and atrophy, respectively, in murine lineage (C2C12) skeletal muscle myotubes. Uniaxial cyclic stretch of myotubes was conducted using a StrexCell® (STB-1400) stepper motor system (0.75 Hz, 12% strain, 60 min day^-1). Myotube groups were assigned as follows: (a) quiescent over 2- or (b) 5-day (no stretch), (c) experienced 2-days (2dHY) or (d) 5-days (5dHY) of cyclic stretch, or (e) 2-days of cyclic stretch followed by a 3-day cessation of stretch (3dAT). Using ß-sarcoglycan as a sarcolemmal marker, mean myotube diameter increased significantly following 2dAT (51%) and 5dAT (94%) vs. matched controls. The hypertrophic, anabolic markers talin and Akt phosphorylation (Thr308) were elevated with 2dHY but not in 3dAT myotubes. Inflammatory, catabolic markers IL-1ß, IL6, and NF-kappaB p65 subunit were significantly higher in the 3dAT group vs. all other groups. The ratio of phosphorylated FoxO3a/total FoxO3a was significantly lower in 3dAT than in the 2dHY group, consistent with elevated catabolic signaling during unloading. In summary, we demonstrated proof-of-concept for a spaceflight research bioreactor, using uniaxial cyclic stretch to produce myotube hypertrophy with increased tensile loading, and myotube atrophy with subsequent cessation of stretch.

MRI-compatible abdomen phantom to mimic respiratory-triggered organ movement while performing needle-based interventions

PurposeIn vivo studies are often required to prove the functionality and safety of medical devices. Clinical trials are costly and complex, adding to ethical scrutiny of animal testing. Anthropomorphic phantoms with versatile functionalities can overcome these issues with regard to medical education or an effective development of assistance systems during image-guided interventions (e.g., robotics, navigation/registration algorithms). In this work, an MRI-compatible and customizable motion phantom is presented to mimic respiratory-triggered organ movement as well as human anatomy.MethodsFor this purpose, polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) was the foundation for muscles, liver, kidneys, tumors, and remaining abdominal tissue in different sizes of the abdominal phantom body (APB) with the ability to mimic human tissue in various properties. In addition, a semi-flexible rib cage was 3D-printed. The motion unit (MU) with an electromagnetically shielded stepper motor and mechanical extensions simulated a respiration pattern to move the APB.ResultsEach compartment of the APB complied the relaxation times, dielectricity, and elasticity of human tissue. It showed resistance against mold and provided a resealable behavior after needle punctures. During long-term storage, the APB had a weight loss of 2.3%, followed by changes to relaxation times of 9.3% and elasticity up to 79%. The MU was able to physiologically appropriately mimic the organ displacement without reducing the MRI quality.ConclusionThis work presents a novel modularizable and low-cost PVA-C based APB to mimic fundamental organ motion. Beside a further organ motion analysis, an optimization of APB’s chemical composition is needed to ensure a realistic motion simulation and reproducible long-term use. This phantom enhances diverse and varied training environments for prospective physicians as well as effective R&D of medical devices with the possibility to reduce in vivo experiments.

Exploring a reversible adaptation of conventional HPLC for capillary-scale operation

This study introduces a feasible approach for utilizing a conventional High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) instrument at the capillary scale (1 - 10 µL/min). The development of an active flow splitter and an adapted UV-visible (UV–vis) detection cell are described. The system employs an Arduino Uno board to monitor a flow sensor and control a stepper motor that automates a split valve to achieve capillary-scale flow rates from a conventional pump. A capillary UV–vis cell compatible with conventional detectors, featuring an optical path length with a volume of 14 nL, was developed to address the detection challenges at this scale and minimize extra column band broadening. The system performance was assessed by a lab-packed LC capillary column with 0.25 mm x 15 cm dimensions packed with 3.0 µm C18 particles. Model compounds, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were employed to assess the functionality of all developed components in terms of theoretical plates, resolution, and band broadening. The proposed system is a profitable, reliable, and cost-effective tool for miniaturized liquid chromatography.

SunbYte: an autonomous pointing framework for low-cost robotic solar telescopes on high altitude balloons

The design and usability of a fully autonomous robotic control system (SunbYte - Sheffield University Balloon “lYfted” TElescope) for solar tracking and observational applications onboard high-altitude balloons are addressed here. The design is based on a six-step development plan balancing scientific objectives and practical engineering requirements. The high-altitude solar observational system includes low-cost components such as a Cassegrain-type telescope, stepper motors, harmonic drives, USB cameras and microprocessors. OpenCV installed from ROS (Robotic Operating System), python and C facilitated the collection, compression, and processing of housekeeping and scientific data. This processed data was then transmitted to the ground station through the launch vehicle’s telecommunication link. The SunbYte system allows the brightest spot in the sky, the sun, to be identified, and a telescope pointed towards it with high enough accuracy that a scientific camera can capture images. This paper gathers and presents the results from primarily two missions with the High-Altitude Student Platform (HASP, NASA Balloon Program office and LaSpace). Additionally, a discussion will be made comparing these with an earlier iteration flown with the German-Swedish “REXUS/BEXUS” programme coordinated by the European Space Agency. By capturing and analysing a series of tracking images with the location of the Sun at the calibrated centre, the system demonstrated the tracking capabilities on an unstable balloon during ascent. Housekeeping sensor data was collected to further analyse the thermal and mechanical performance. The low temperature increased friction in the drive train and reduced the responsiveness of the harmonic drive actuation system. This caused some issues which require further work in future missions, for example, with SunbYte 4 and its work when flying with the HEMERA ZPB (Zero Pressure Balloon) program.

Simulation and modeling for controlling stepper motor with tuned PID by GWO: comparative study

The current work aims to simulate the operation of the electric motor in one of the most important industrial applications, which is printers, by adopting stepper motors (SM). The performance of the motor is also improved by adopting traditional control systems and adjusting them using the gray wolf optimization (GWO) advanced algorithm. It works to adjust the parameters of a conventional controller. Simulation to reach an appropriate design with high performance, which is obtained by adopting the integral time absolute error (ITAE) function to get rid of the error for transient cases. Transfer function was adopted to represent the engine and two methods of control were used, traditional and advanced optimization. Results demonstrated the possibility of improving performance by adopting both methods with a clear superiority of advanced optimization. Response of SM without controller for close loop shows the values of each rising time equal 130.440 ms, overshoot equal 0.505%, and undershoot equal 1.077%. Response of SM for close loop with proportional-integral-derivative controllers (PIDC) shows the parameters, performance, and robustness of PIDC also the values of overshoot=9.16%, settling time=0.406, and rise time=0.0628 s. Results were developed by using GWO-PID over the previous cases by reducing values of overshoot to zero, rise time, and settling time to 0.00145 and 0.0027 respectively.

Analysis of energy harvesting on 3-DOF mobile tetrahedron-based sun tracker

Abstract The use of solar panels to be placed on mobile platforms is still not able to absorb maximum solar energy. Therefore, we need a sun tracker system that is able to respond to disturbances from above, such as the movement of clouds, and also disturbances from below, such as movements from mobile platforms. The proposed mobile tetrahedron-based sun tracker is capable of fast and continuous response to movement and movement from various directions, with an effective control algorithm that will be able to keep the solar panels always perpendicular to the sun’s rays. This mobile tetrahedron-based sun tracker is a 3-DOF parallel construction with a stepper motor as the actuator. This sun tracker is installed on a moving platform and is capable of tracking the sun in a 3-DOF parallel manner. Test results with PV polycrystalline silicon with normal operating specifications of 5V/2W, show an average voltage measurement of around 2.62V and an average current of around 190.613mA. The average power produced is around 0.798W, with peak power reached around 11:40-12:00, while the lowest power was recorded at 07:00-08:00 and 17:00-18:00. The research results also obtained that the total electrical energy collected for one full day using a sun tracker was 9.571Wh (higher 7.166% than fixed PV).

A Novel Remote-Tracking Heart Rate Measurement Method Based on Stepping Motor and mm-Wave FMCW Radar

A Novel Remote-Tracking Heart Rate Measurement Method Based on Stepping Motor and mm-Wave FMCW Radar

Design and Implementation of Precise Position Control for High-Power Stepper Motors and Grating Rulers Based on STM32

Abstract In common closed-loop feedback stepper systems, grating ruler displacement sensors are often used for linear displacement detection. To improve the precision positioning of the motor platform and meet the requirements of high-precision automated measurement, this paper proposes a high-power stepper motor 57J1880-450 based on STM32. The control system uses a grating ruler measurement platform to feedback displacement to the processor for displacement compensation, aiming to achieve high-precision closed-loop control of the linear motion platform. Experimental results have shown that the designed linear motion platform has a high-precision positioning function and can be applied to some motion positioning control systems.

Compact computer controlled biaxial tensile device for low-temperature transport measurements of layered materials.

A biaxial tensile device for the transport study of layered materials is described. The device is mounted on the standard 24 pin zero force connector and can be moved between various setups. The compact design of the device makes it suitable for a wide range of studies. In our case, it is placed inside a 50mm diameter chamber in the cryocooler and is used in the temperature range 9-310K. A sample is glued in the center of a polyimide cruciform substrate, the ends of which are connected to a tension system driven by four computer-controlled stepper motors providing tensile force up to 30 N. Computer simulation results and their experimental verification show that tensile strain along one axis depends on the tensile load along the perpendicular direction, and this dependence turns out to be relatively strong and exceeds 40%. The operation of the device is demonstrated by studying the effect of deformation on the electrical conductivity of the layered compound 2H-NbS2.

Wall Painting Robot

Abstract: The automation of wall painting processes has garnered significant attention due to its potential to enhance efficiency, safety, and quality in the construction industry. This project focuses on developing an Automated Wall Painting system for both interior and exterior surfaces. The system employs readily available components such as Arduino Uno, NodeMCU, L293N HBridge Motor Driver, DC Motors, and other essential elements to achieve its objectives. The system comprises two primary components: the base and the support. The support component houses essential elements such as photoelectric seansors, paint spray mechanism, spray motor, and reservoir. Meanwhile, the base component incorporates four wheels, each driven by a DC motor, an obstacle sensor, and a 12V DC lead-acid battery for power supply. Upon activation, the system initiates the stepper motor, which drives the linear motion necessary for the support's back-and-forth movement along the wall surface. Simultaneously, the spray motor activates to ensure synchronized operation with the support motion, facilitating uniform paint application. This project addresses the challenges associated with manual wall painting, including labor intensiveness, safety concerns, and repetitive tasks. By automating the painting process, it aims to streamline operations, reduce labor dependency, and improve overall efficiency in construction projects. The system's simplicity, portability, and predictable performance make it a viable solution for enhancing productivity and safety in wall painting applications.

DIY Ventilator using Arduino

Abstract: This document shows the summaries of the several tests we have taken. Breathing occurs in the human lungs. Every time they inhale, they push a system that triggers motivation and the exhalation process. It is really reasonably priced. This can be used when a patient's vital condition is in jeopardy and they are suffering from the harmful consequences of lung or breathing problems. It usesa stepper motor component to propel the ambulance bag. Heartbeat levels are low during breathing, although this component can be. The levels of respiration and heartbeat are displayed on the LED screen. A ringer is included in the system to sound alert in the event that any anomalies related to a patient's critical condition or breathing problem are discovered. In addition, to prevent over- or under-air pressure, the ventilator should be able to track the patient's blood oxygen saturation level and exhale lung strain. The Arduino-powered ventilator that we are developing here satisfies all of these requirements, making it an affordable and dependable do-it-yourself ventilator that can be useful during a pandemic

RANCANG BANGUN TRAINER ROBOT LENGAN UNTUK PRAKTIKUM ROBOTIKA PADA PRODI S1 TEKNIK ELEKTRO FAKULTAS TEKNIK UNIVERSITAS TADULAKO

Robotic arms are a type of robot that is currently developing rapidly in industry, this has caused robotics technology to become one of the mandatory subjects taught in universities. In the Undergraduate Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tadulako University, the robotics course is a mandatory subject studied by students, especially students who take the weak current concentration (TEN). This research aims to provide students with an understanding of how to control a robot arm. The design of a robot arm system with 4 degrees of freedom is made using several types of control such as control using Arduino IDE software, push buttons and potentiometers. The results of testing the robot arm trainer after controlling it with three types of control were successful. In the first control using the Arduino IDE software control it shows that the direction of rotation of the motor rotates according to the program target given, in the second control using a push button it shows that the speed and acceleration are directly proportional to changes in motor degrees, then in the third control using a potentiometer it shows that the degree mapping on the potentiometer is directly proportional to the degree of the stepper motor. However, in the test there were differences in degree values ​​when the motor rotated which caused the resulting data to be inaccurate. This is due to a mismatch in tooth size between the belt and the stepper motor gear, causing wear on the belt.

Control program for the dosing system of dry bulk feed components

The development of intensive farming technologies is impossible without the introduction of modern technologies. The problem of compound feed production in the voiced aspect can be solved not only through the development of new machines and equipment, but also the introduction of modern control systems. The article presents an analysis of existing dispenser control systems. Based on the analysis of programs and control systems, it was revealed that almost all programs are designed to work in limited conditions, some of them do not take into account a number of factors affecting the accuracy of the material supply. Therefore, a control program for a twin-screw dispenser is proposed. When developing the management program, we started from the technological process of dosing. The possibility of controlling two augers was taken into account: first, a large auger (driven by an asynchronous electric motor) turns on and feeds the main part, then it turns off and the second small auger (driven by an asynchronous or stepper motor) turns on, which carries out the filling of the remaining part. In this case, signals about the amount of material supplied are transmitted from weighing sensors (strain gauges). The proposed control program for the twin-screw dispenser is developed for the TM241C24R PLC in the Structured Text (ST) programming language, one of the languages of the IEC61131-3 standard, in the EcoStruxure Machine Expert programming environment. The control is displayed on a liquid crystal display. The main screen displays basic information: the parameters of the electric motor, the recipe and the readings of the weighing sensors. The program allows you to control the operation of dispensers in several modes. In automatic mode, each dispenser supplies only one component. In manual control mode, the dispensers are started and stopped by the operator from the control panel. In this case, it is possible to set the rotation speed of the dispenser shaft. In the dosing mode with two augers, one component is dispensed with two augers. The proposed program will improve the accuracy of dosing in automatic mode.

Performance Improvement of a Limaçon Gas Expander Using an Inlet Control Valve: Two Case Studies

Renewable energy-based compact energy-generation systems based on the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) can be employed to meet the ever-growing thirst for affordable and clean energy. The overall performance and effectiveness of ORC systems are constrained by the low efficiency of the gas expander, specifically the positive displacement expander, which is responsible for energy conversion from the working fluid. This low-efficiency scenario can be significantly improved by employing a control valve to regulate and restrict the flow of the working fluid into the expander. A control valve can effectively curve the loss of costly compressed and energized working fluids by allowing them to expand in the expander chamber before discharging through the outlet port. They can thus be used to regulate the amount of energy yield and output power. In this work, two direct drive rotary valves (DDRVs) operated by a stepper motor (SM-DDRV) and rotary solenoid (RS-DDRV) are suggested, and the behavior of the valves is examined. The effect of friction and temperature on the valve response is also studied. Additionally, the effect of inlet control valves on the overall system performance of the limaçon expander is assessed. Thermodynamic properties such as the isentropic efficiency and filling factor are also computed. The effect of leakage due to valve response delay is analyzed at different inlet pressures. The performance indices are compared to the expander performance without any inlet valve. The SM-DDRV setup results in a 14.86% increase in isentropic efficiency and a 220% increase in the filling factor, whereas the RS-DDRV performs moderately with a 2.58% increase in isentropic efficiency and an 80% increase in the filling factor compared to a ported expander. The SM-DDRV provides better performance indices compared to the RS-DDRV and without valve setups. However, the performance of the limaçon expander with the SM-DDRV is sensitive to the inlet pressure and degrades at higher pressure. Overall, the valves proposed in this work present key insights into improving the performance characteristics of gas expanders of ORC systems.

Intelligent control of microwave vacuum drying based on online aroma monitoring

Astragalus is a common medicinal food that has many benefits for the human body. Some medicinal components in the astragalus would decompose or volatilize at high temperature. Therefore, vacuum drying at a low temperature is a common post-harvest processing for the astragalus. The components and the internal structure of the astragalus change along with the planting range and the harvest year. Therefore, only trained experts with years’ experience can adjust the vacuum drying parameters properly based on their aroma perception, which is backward in the industrial age. In this study, astragalus aroma in microwave vacuum drying was online measured with an electronic nose. Volatiles were verified with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Drying temperature was PID controlled to maintain constant values. Microwave power was automatically regulated through a Triac circuit. Vacuum degree was adjusted instantly with a step motor. The physical and chemical quality changes of astragalus in drying process were investigated at various temperature and vacuum conditions. To optimize the drying effects, an Artificial Neural Network-based predictive control was designed to adjust the vacuum degree intelligently. The astragalus from Dingxi City, Gansu Province, China was conducted for experiments. By applying different control strategies, the astragalus quality was greatly improved, including more contents of total polysaccharides，astragaloside, total flavonoid, total saponin as well as the enhancement of beany flavor.

Self-Adaptive Incremental PCA-Based DBSCAN of Acoustic Features for Anomalous Sound Detection

In modern industry, maintaining continuous machine operations is important for improving production efficiency and reducing costs. Therefore, the smart technology of acoustic monitoring to detect anomalous machine conditions earlier before breakdowns works as part of predictive maintenance and is applied not only in industry fault detection but also in safety monitoring and surveillance systems. This paper proposes a self-adaptive unsupervised machine learning algorithm with dimension-reduction technology to detect anomalous sounds after extracting acoustic machine features. Technically, the automatic EPS calculation algorithm-based genetic algorithm optimizes the automatic clustering algorithm’s configuration for incremental principal component analysis and density-based spatial clustering algorithms with noise. IPCA is enhanced by the sequential Karhunen–Loeve (SKL) algorithm, and the condensation algorithm works as the second layer of the algorithm to reduce the number of effective components. This architecture could select an optimized set of parameters based on different test environments and keeps performance quality with fewer computational requirements. In the experiments, 228 sets of normal sounds and 100 sets of anomaly sounds are used. The sound files are collected from the same machine type (stepper motors) at a real plant site. We compare the proposed algorithm with K-means++, one-class SVM, agglomerative clustering, DCGAN and DCNN-Autoencoder, and this new algorithm performs best, with an AUC of 0.84 and the shortest execution time. The algorithm is generic and can be applied to detect anomalies in machines to provide early warning to people to avoid serious accidents or disasters.

FABRICATION OF ORDERS BY SCARA ROBOT WITH RFID TECHNOLOGY

In today’s world of automation, recognizing and processing parcels in a particular area of zone is a crucial task. One such task is pick-and place operation, which is well- known for its challenges. The main theme of this operation is to sort products into different areas based on their representative fields. To address this issue, we have a SCARA robot that is known for its liner momentum motion of 4 degrees of freedom. This robot is well-suited for pick-and- place operations and can perform operations in two axes. Moreover, it is cost-effective and efficient. The SCARA robot is connected to the Arduino Mega, which is run by servo motors and controllers. The fabrication of an Arduino based Parcel diverter system involves the creation of a system that uses an Arduino Mega microcontroller to sort and divert parcels based on their destination. The system is designed to take input from Radio frequency identification device that detects the parcels and direct them to their appropriate destination using a series of mechanical diverters. The fabrication process includes the design and assembly of the mechanical components, the programming of the micro controller, and the integration of the sensors. The resulting system provides a reliable and efficient way to sort and direct parcels in a variety of industrial and logistical applications. Key Words: Conveyor, Arduino Mega, IR/Thermal sensors, stepper motor, micro step driver SCARA robot, RFID system, DC Vacuum pump and DC Motor.