Anyone need some CAD designs done?

Marky-Mark

Hi folks,
I am trying to get my own electronic packaging "shop" going as a side business for a little hobby money.· I have over a decade of experiance in packaging of micro electronic modules, units (black boxes), test fixtures, fabrication fixtures, cables and harnesses for space and commercial applications.· All drawings would be done in SolidWorks.

If you have something I can help you out with please drop me a PM.

Thank you.
Mark.


▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
12-25-07 Got SX Lite Kit Plus for Christmas

12-27-07 Bought LED's and other components
12-29-07 Realized that none of my wal-warts work with board
1-2-08 Bought power supply and turned on·board, but realized the A shell sub-D connector on laptop is actually 15 pins and not serial.
1-3-08 Decided to use old laptop with a serial sub-d, that barely meets the minimum sk-key requirements.· Got LED to BLINK!!!!!!
2008 Went through most available SX/B info and started to read through Gunther's book.

·

SRLM

Do you have some example of your work as a customer might receive it?

Marky-Mark

Hi SRLM,

all the work I have done ends up as company propriatery, so I don't have anything I can show yet.· I can create a quick drawing of a bracket or something like that to show the detail and quality I put in my products, so let me know what you have in mind.· If you have a quick part you need documented/designed I can get that done too.· Emphasis on quick as this would be a gratis service, the caveat here would be I get to use it as an example in the future.· Let me know.



Mark.



▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
12-25-07 Got SX Lite Kit Plus for Christmas

12-27-07 Bought LED's and other components
12-29-07 Realized that none of my wal-warts work with board
1-2-08 Bought power supply and turned on·board, but realized the A shell sub-D connector on laptop is actually 15 pins and not serial.
1-3-08 Decided to use old laptop with a serial sub-d, that barely meets the minimum sk-key requirements.· Got LED to BLINK!!!!!!
2008 Went through most available SX/B info and started to read through Gunther's book.

·

SRLM

Okay, here should be a simple project. A couple more thoughts though. First, a general price range would be good for something like this and other projects. If it turns out okay and I can use it, I'd be willing to purchase the design (and keep it open if part 2 is true too). Secondly, a recomendation of a good machinist (preferably internet based) who could make the parts that you draw up.

Project Guidelines said...
A robotic vehicle needs three batteries (or a fourth at a later date, to be stacked on top of the yellow one), but was only designed for one. The consenus is that the best way to place the three batteries is as shown in the photos: one in the original battery spot, the other two on the side. The problem is how to hold them in place so that they don't slide all over. Some sort of curvy bracket is needed (or two identical ones fore and aft with some bracing between) to hold the batteries in place, and tie them down to the frame (through holes on either side of the battery). Perhaps rubber feet too to keep the batteries from sliding forward. Finally, weight is a concern.

When in vehicle, the batteries are 5 inches across (port to starboard).

When in vehicle, the middle battery surface is 5/8" below the tops of the two parallel batteries (measured at the fore end of the yellow battery).

All three batteries are flat accross the breadth of the vehicle (port to starboard, with respect to one another).

The two outside (green) batteries incline slightly so that the front end (the left in the photos) is about 1/8" higher than aft.

The batteries are identical in size, and are 5 1/4" long, 1 3/4" wide in the body (a smidge more at the end caps), and 7/8" thick.

Will this work? I tried to provide as much detail as possible.

Marky-Mark

SRLM,

sorry for the delay in a reply, it has been a very busy weekend.

This is a good start but what you are really after is a mounting system and not just·a bracket.· This is a bit more involved so it will take a bit more time to get it cranked out.· I am game if you are.· As for the online machinist, I don't have anyone identified, but I do have a local guy in CO that got recomended.· If not, I got an old buddy in LBC that might still have his machine shop in business, so let me know.

I see you pasted some Project Guidelines text.· Can you tell me what this is from?

Now for the details:

1. I need to know the keep in/out areas and how much space the design can occupy. Fore, aft, and above.
2. Are there any existing mounting locations to use?
3. Is this a robotics or RC car environment?· How fast will the vehicle go?· Am I designing for hi speed crashes?
4. What is the desired cost point of the finished product you are thinking about?· Billet CNC?· Sheetmetal from a shop? Design that can be fabricated·at home?
5. Are these the only batteries that will be used or am I designing with flexibility in mind?
6. Is the design to be field servicable? With tools or without tools?
7. Can the brackets overhang on the side of the "plastic" chassis?· (my guess is no since the washers in the first photo are trimmed.)
8. Are fasteners allowed on the bottom of the chassis?· If so how much protrusion is acceptable?· (please post picture of bottom)
9. I will need dimensions of the chassis (I will model this) Please tell me the make of the chassis, maybee there is some existing models of it out there.
10. I will need some better dimensions of the batteries.· Can you provide those?
11. What weight limit are we looking at here?· Simply machined brackets or brackets that have as much weight removed as possible?

I am sure I will have more questions

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
12-25-07 Got SX Lite Kit Plus for Christmas

12-27-07 Bought LED's and other components
12-29-07 Realized that none of my wal-warts work with board
1-2-08 Bought power supply and turned on·board, but realized the A shell sub-D connector on laptop is actually 15 pins and not serial.
1-3-08 Decided to use old laptop with a serial sub-d, that barely meets the minimum sk-key requirements.· Got LED to BLINK!!!!!!
2008 Went through most available SX/B info and started to read through Gunther's book.

·

SRLM

No problem about the delay. I'm in no rush.

The project guidelines are my own. I just put them in a quote to make it a little more clear exactly what's in the project. As for the design, I was thinking a w shape would work fine. Make two and connect them by a pair of bars (or four with two cross braces). As a side note, I do have access to a full machine shop (at my university), but I've never used it for any metal projects or milling.

1. There is 1" of clearance from the top of the (green) battery to the bottom of the frame. This is in general across the top of the batteries. For the last 1/2" of battery (aft) there can't be anything. The space already has two screws in it. If needed, you could use the space in front of the yellow battery on the bottom. That is about 9/8" of an inch from the front of the battery.
2. No existing mounts are available. Some holes through the deck would be fine.
3. This is a robotics application. Crashes will probably happen, but you can plan for no contact with the battery mounts. If they were to actually hit something, the vehicle is lost anyway (in pieces!) Therefore, you only need to plan for the forces involved in acceleration.
4. I was thinking of milled metal with tapped holes for the connections. However, I don't really have any particular requirements. Cost? The whole assembly should probably be less than $50 (if that is a reasonable number to pull out of the air.)
5. These are the only batteries that I'll be using. They're pretty much a standard size (with perhaps a little non-conformity between makes).
6. I'm not quite sure where you're going with the field serviceable. The batteries would be semi-permanently mounted and removed only for replacement. If it uses screws, it should probably use Philips.
7. The brackets preferably should not overhang, but if necessary a half inch or so would be acceptable. There is nothing to the side anyway, so it would only be infringing on the clearance. The washers are trimmed for the frame above.
8. Fasteners are definitely allowed on the bottom, but the should be as smooth as possible. It's certain that the bottom will scrape ground on a regular basis, so nothing should protrude enough to get caught. I don't have a particular maximum, but as little as possible.
9. It's an E-Firestorm RC car. Here is a picture. For chassis measurements, I can give you some basics, but I can't measure the curves and some of the finer details. What I can get I've listed at the end of this post.
10. I suppose I should mention that the curved sides of the batteries have a diameter height of the battery and the curve is a full half circle. The width (1 3/4" inch) is across the full width of the battery. I just realized that my yellow battery is about 1/8" shorter than the green ones. Tomorrow, I'll go take a look at some other batteries of the same style and compare measurements. I'm pretty sure that they're consistent in width and height, but length might vary based on the capacity.
11. For weight the design should probably use aluminum, and be fairly light. I don't have a limit (beyond the somewhat ambiguous "light"), but I'm reaching the maximum load on the frame, so I don't want to add too much more.

Some holes provided on the top of the brackets would be useful for mounting a board. It doesn't really matter where the holes are positioned in the design so long as there is some reason (such as x inches apart...) since I'll be custom making the board anyway. Just a thought. The design needn't be too fancy, as it would just put the rest of the project to shame (aluminum angle hand cut and drilled). Finally, a cost estimate (for the design) would be appreciated before we get too much further. If you don't want to post it, feel free to PM me.

The body dimensions. I found my calipers, so measurements are fairly accurate:
Width where the batteries are: 5.7"
Depth of side walls to floor (on edge parallel to green batteries): 0.28"
Depth of center well (which yellow battery resides): .55"
Width of center well (inside wall to wall): 2.00"
Distance between inside wall and outer wall (inside wall to wall): 1.64"
Wall thickness: .1"
Horizontal distance("projection") of the slope down from the side wall to the lowest point: 1.42"

Post Edited (SRLM) : 4/28/2009 2:16:07 AM GMT

SRLM

More pictures.