Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout
haven't archived this post yet. have a subscription? use the importer!

Content

Here's next week's video, early for Patrons!

This is what happens to the balls after they fall from the Screw Drive I made a couple of weeks ago, and they will go somewhere else next.

The next part of my 'drop-in robot navigation module' is coming next, I currently have navigation working so it's looking good. 

Files

Previews only

Coanda Effect Staircase?

I wanted to build an engineering concept to demonstrate the Coanda Effect as part of my Great Ball Contraption. I decided that pushing balls up stepped and angled sections would be a good demonstration of the Coanda Effect. This will take the balls fed from the previous screw drive stage, and pass them onto the next stage. I started by finding suitable fans and EDFs that had enough force to push ping pong balls upwards. I then 3D printed some test curved pieces to hold the EDF and see if the air would follow the path as the Coanda Effect states. This seemed to work pretty well, so I printed three of them and built them into a cascade. Lastly I needed to make a chopper that would only allow one ball through at a time - this runs from a geared DC motor. You can support me on Patreon or buy my Merchandise: *************************** Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/xrobots Merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/james-bruton *************************** Affiliate links - I will get some money of you use them to sign up or buy something: *************************** Matterhackers 3D printing supplies: http://www.matterhackers.com?aff=7500 Music for your YouTube videos: http://share.epidemicsound.com/xrobots *************************** Other socials: *************************** Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xrobotsuk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xrobotsuk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/xrobotsuk *************************** CAD and Code for my projects: https://github.com/XRobots Huge thanks to my Patrons, without whom my standard of living would drastically decline. Like, inside out-Farm Foods bag decline. Plus a very special shoutout to Lulzbot, Inc who keep me in LulzBot 3D printers and support me via Patreon. HARDWARE/SOFTWARE Below you can also find a lot of the typical tools, equipment and supplies used in my projects: Filament from: https://www.3dfuel.com/ Lulzbot 3D Printers: http://bit.ly/2Sj6nil Lincoln Electric Welder: https://bit.ly/2Rqhqos CNC Router: https://bit.ly/2QdsNjt Ryobi Tools: http://bit.ly/2RhArcD Axminster Micro Lathe: http://bit.ly/2Sj6eeN 3D Printer Filament: http://bit.ly/2PdcdUu Soldering Iron: http://bit.ly/2DrNWDR Vectric CNC Software: http://bit.ly/2zxpZqv Why not join my community, who are mostly made up of actual geniuses. There’s a Facebook group and everything: https://www.facebook.com/groups/287089964833488/ XROBOTS Former toy designer, current YouTube maker and general robotics, electrical and mechanical engineer, I’m a fan of doing it yourself and innovation by trial and error. My channel is where I share some of my useful and not-so-useful inventions, designs and maker advice. Iron Man is my go-to cosplay, and 3D printing can solve most issues - broken bolts, missing parts, world hunger, you name it. XRobots is the community around my content where you can get in touch, share tips and advice, and more build FAQs, schematics and designs are also available.

Comments

Anonymous

these experiments have a lot to do with the ping pong ball itself, its not going to work with a heavy ball but I think a bit heavier ball would help

Anonymous

I wonder if the occasional ball being thrown out is because you have in effect two coander surfaces (well three if you count the ball itself) compounded in the shutes which act in opposing directions, so if the ball is slightly off centre it gets caught in a stream of air rising up the side edges and flung laterally. It might be interesting to try to create a thin smoke stream to help visualise the air flow and move it from the centre path sideways a little, though I suspect the turbulence might dissipate the smoke too quickly.

XRobots

It might work, although it felt like it was right on the edge of lifting the mass sometimes.

XRobots

I think I could try the motor lower down and vertical fins to stop the air twisting, but there are probably other design changes I'd rather make because it's very loud and uses lots of power!

Anonymous

Your last comment about noise and power made me wonder if you could supply air only when required.... Fore example fire compressed air through nozzles only when a ball is present, perhaps optical break beam or even cheap tof sensor to detect presence then fire solenoid valves ? Throw and arguing into the mix to hold the valves open for adjustable time. Maybe...

Anonymous

Sorry autocorrect ! fore = for. , Arguing = Arduino

Anonymous

It worked really well from your airbrush, could you try that in conjunction with the ‘ramps’?

XRobots

Yes I was considering that, so it's synced with the gate at the top perhaps. I'm also considering just making it horizontal so it doesn't need so much force, but still demonstrates the Coanda effect.

Anonymous

You can run the ducted fans in reverse, effectively removing the motor obstacles. You’re getting a stall effect where the motor ends, causing the balls to loose momentum slightly before each cascade, leaving each motor to make up for the lost work the previous motor was shorted. The compressed air would be quieter, though, you’re right

Scott Cress

And here we have James playing with his balls again. 😄 Seriously though, that first fan might have worked, and these "edfs" will work better if you funnel and duct the air better. Use a smoke generator to view the air currents. Compare the air currents between the Air compressor and a 3D printed funnel for your fans.