Automated

Electromagnetic
Crane
Greg DeKing
Fran Simmonds

Principles of Design

Functionality
Mechanical Design
Sensor Design
Embedded Design
Cost
Problems
Questions

Functionality
The Automated Electromagnetic
Crane locates, acquires, and
removes steel blocks from a target
area to a designated container in
an uninterrupted sequence.

Specifications

Runs in fully automated mode.

User may pause operation and
move blocks.
All blocks are relocated after every
grab operation.
Closest-to-bucket order of pickup.

Limitations

All blocks must be fully inside

target area.
If a block is dropped the drop
operation will still proceed.
Blocks must be of a conductive
material with a strong magnetic
field.

Designer imposed
constraints

High success rate.

Sensors.

Low cost.
Stationary.
Battery power.

Components

HC12
Duramag ER1-071 Electromagnet
3 12V Stepper Motors
8 74151 8-1 Mux
OPB 745 Optoisolator

Duramag ER1-071
Electromagnet

Part Number

Diameter

Length

Thread

12
VD
C

24
VDC

110
VDC

ER1
-071

ER2071

3/4

1-1/4

10-32

Tap
Dept
h

Lead
Location

3/8

3/16

Lead
Length

Watt
s

*Holding
Value

Net
Weight

Lbs.

24"

1.5

1.7 oz.

Motors

12V Airpax stepper motor

2 12V NMB stepper motors
Stepper interface boards

Optoisolator

Inductive spike caused from

switching magnet off.
25.5 Volt magnitude.
Separate 12V source.
Magnet on/off controlled by
optoisolator circuit.

Mechanical Design

Mastercam side view

Mechanical Design

Tower Support

Mastercam -- top view

Sensor Placement

Sensor Design

Conductive rings separated by

non-conductive material
Inside rings of row in series
Outside rings of column in series

Sensor Function

Input signal applied to inner ring

Block completes circuit
Corresponding mux control
HC12 reads voltage hit

Interfacing

MULTIPLEXER SYSTEM

Sensor Map

37 bytes.
Each byte 1 Column.
Each bit represents row number.
Sensor sweep will fill sensor map
one row at a time.
When all 37 columns for each row
complete next row will begin.

Embedded Design
begin

Loop

next

read AD
store AD in TEMP
change MUX controls
ITERATION += 1
bit test bit 0
branch {bit not set} to next
set bit MAP_POINTER + BIT_POINTER
MAP_POINTER += 1
Shift TEMP
Test ITERATION
branch {less than 8 } to loop
ITERATION = 0
Test MAP_POINTER
Branch { less than 37 } to begin
BIT_POINTER += 1
Test BIT_POINTER
Branch {less than 8} to begin
BIT_POINTER = 0

Foreseeable Problems

Multiplexing of I/O.
Blocks contacting multiple sensors.
Two Blocks on same sensor.

Cost

Electromagnet $40.00
Motors
$15.00
Circuit Boards $30.00
Muxs
$15.00
Aluminum
$60.00

Total

$180.00

Questions

Any Questions ?