Updates

This month’s focus was on finally pushing out our final prototype and making sure that the necessary parts were modeled correctly. By the end of April we were able to succeed in our goal of finishing the CAD models for our prototype. Now as we rap up this semester’s efforts, we have spent the majority of this month on tweaking measurements as well as finishing testing out the locking mechanism. We have also altered our final model to be primarily made for a small classical guitar which MyPossibilities have provided for us. All that’s left for this prototype is to consolidate the wiring of the electrical parts as well as making sure that the motor fits securely onto the adapter and not chip away any of the surrounding materials.

The primary goals for next semester is to finish testing our prototype and making any necessary design adjustments accordingly to further reduce any bulk. Another major goal is to make our design extensible for multiple guitars, allowing for varied methods of playing. We realized at the end of this semester that there are many possibilities for the capo mechanism to be improved so that is also one of the focuses for next semester.

The goal for this month is to continue the CAD modeling process for our design. Due to specific design constraints as well as time constraints, we decided to design our Guitar Adapter to be tailor made for one specific guitar. The guitar being a classical guitar which was given to us by MyPossibilities to use as a reference for the adapter. The CAD model for the guitar is nearly finished, and now part of the team has moved onto figuring out how to implement the wiring and cable management onto the neck of the guitar, while the other part of the team is focusing on fleshing out the clamping mechanism. The mechanism itself (shown in the first picture below) is a good baseline, but is having fitting issues due to the measurements not being accurate enough.

The goal for this month is to finish up the remaining portions of CAD modeling and begin printing out the final design to be fitted with the electronic components of the design.

This month’s focus was on taking the new design we created last month and finding a practical way into implementing it. Through discussing with MyPossibilities, we decided on implementing our design as an EXTENSION of the already existing prototype model. We decided to go with this major design decision due to time constraints as well as the fact that the general idea of having something grip onto the neck was something that worked. Our major design focus from now on is focusing on attaching the existing adapter firmly onto the body of the guitar.

As Spring break starts, our goal is to start dividing up the roles for the CAD Design and work through getting a mini prototype of the clamping mechanism for the body before we go ahead and 3D print the entirety of the model. The goal is to have a completed base modeled as well as have a finished 3D model of the clamping mechanism to send in for 3D printing. By the time the 3D printed model comes in, the goal is to fix any inherent issues in our design and have enough time to be able to print one more prototype clamping mechanism. From there, the goal until the end of the semester is to get the final prototype completed.

This month was focused on improving upon the stability of last semester’s design. Specifically, the issue we had to work on fixing was distributing the weight of the adaptor from the neck of the guitar to the rest of its body. We spent time going through multiple different renditions of a full body attachment for the existing adaptor and came up with a cardboard prototype (Fig 1). We plan on utilizing clamps (similar to the ones found in phone holders) in order to fasten the adaptor to the body of the guitar.

We spent time reworking our project plan as well as finalizing our Gantt Chart (Fig 2) for the rest of the semester. Our next step is to work on our design presentation and finalize our design concept. We will also start the creation of the improved CAD model for the adaptor and begin testing different clamping mechanisms to ensure that the new adaptor stays in place.

This month was focused on 3D printing and testing the prototype that was designed last month. It also consisted of implementing changes as issues arose with the print and assembly of the design. There have been several errors in the parts that were uncovered, that being the distance of the screw holes to the edge of the print, stability posts not matching up to the corresponding holes, and other minor print and design issues. The circuitry continues to function as intended from last month and no changes are planned for its design or size currently.

The next step is to continue iterating the design and make improvements to the comfortability of use and function of the prototype, especially with regard to its assembly. Future improvements would reduce the overall size and increase the comfort of using the device on the guitar.

Progress:

Last month, we received and mounted the new acrylic sheet. As requested, the new sheet is smooth for any art that may require a smooth surface (such as pencil sketches) compared to the previous textured sheet. Wiring continues and the code is being written. The linear actuators work and move in sync.

Mounting:

While mounting, we have also designed and printed surface mounts for the table with more stability and support. The design allows for the frame and the middle mount. On top of that, the prints for the linear actuator have been finalized and printed. These parts are now ready to be implemented.

The electrical box has also been mounted. We have planned out where each component (power supplies, circuits, stepper motor, etc.) within the box will be to ensure that they are easily accessible for maintenance. Below is the a diagram of how the circuits will be mounted within the box.

Goals for December:

This month, we plan to complete the table. We have ordered and received all required hardware and electronics. We will complete the wiring and programming processes that we have previously began, as well as zeroing the linear actuators. After the electronics are complete, we will assemble the table for further testing.

This month was focused on implementing the designs and plans we had conceptualized in the previous month. Including making a rough draft of the new CAD model guitar adapter and reducing the size of the circuitry to later make it into a printed circuit board (PCB). The reasons for these improvements haven’t changed from the originally intended purpose which is:

1. Increase the stability and security of the guitar adaptor when clasping it to the guitar neck
2. Increase the servo motor strength by purchasing a new motor and updating the circuitry to power the new servo
3. Decrease the size of the electronics to fit into the new device housing shown in the most recent iteration of the CAD model
4. Increase the durability of the size adapter mechanism with a single screw through the base of the device

Current CAD Model:

Current Circuit Design:

This month has been spent putting into action the goals that we set to achieve at the start of the semester. We are on track to finish these goals and have a functioning prototype with the improvements implemented by the end of the Fall 2022 semester.

During this month we have finished the planning and sketching phases of the prototype improvements our team has decided to implement. Our team visited the My Possibilities facility in Plano and got a better understanding of how the given criteria apply to the HIPsters and their needs.

Planned prototype design improvements:

Reasons for improvements:

1. Unstable when clasping the neck so add a neck brace for stability
2. The servo motor is too weak for pressing strings so a new servo with more torque was ordered
3. Electronics need a larger housing than the current prototype offers so the brace will act as a compartment for those systems
4. The size adapter mechanism is unstable and hard to use so a new single screw system will be implemented

Overall, this month has been a time of laying the foundations for our actions over the rest of the fall 2022 semester. We are hopeful that the prototype will be functional by the end of this semester with all of the additional improvements fully implemented.

The table is nearly completely designed through sketches and mechanical prints. Those sketches are currently being imported into a 3D printing software. With a couple more tweaks, parts will be ordered and 3D printed with help from our mentor Danyal Syed. We have also began wiring the rotation mechanisms and the remote!

This month, we visited My Possibilities! The visit exemplified the common cause of both MyPossibilities and UTD EPICs to be of service to the community.

Goals

Our goal this month is to complete designing the art table. Basic parts such as the corner brackets and the frame have been completed by the prior group. Specifically, we are looking to design the mounting pieces for the linear actuator and the table itself. With the beginning the wiring, we are hoping to lay out the base.