Super Glue Gun Steps

tariq.ahmad — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 19:52:56 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by tariq.ahmad on 4/13/2017 7:52:56 PM

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Super Glue Gun Build

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Super Glue Gun

1. GETTING STARTED

- Discuss original idea / episodes (use footage flashbacks)
- Talk about what we liked / didn’t like
- Why we believe it’s a good project
- Map out project goals / major design challenges
- Design drawing and sketches
- Decide major parts and begin sourcing:
  - Hot end extruder
  - Extruder motor
  - Power supply
  - Trigger/controls
  - Microcontroller
  - Automatic stand & casing

GOAL: Create product roadmap & design spec

2. EXTRUDER MOTOR

- Knowing what the hot end can do and what the PSU can supply, figure out the best way to mechanically move the glue through the device
- Source gear motors / knobbed extruder heads and work on a variety of 3D printed prototype tests.
- Find a motor that works within the constraints of the PSU.
- Isolate DC motor noise from the rest of the circuit. Work on stabilizing voltages.
- Test glue loading, idle wheel spring, and basically try and break the mechanism.

GOAL: Using a PWM controlled motor, extrude glue through the gun at both low, carefully controlled speeds and high “gushing” temperatures

3. HOT END EXTRUDER

- Discuss why we must decide this part first (certainly before PSU)
- Source and test multiple commodity extruder parts
- Do safety tests & find best / cheapest method of reliable temperature sensing & control
- Determine force required to extrude glue through gun and temperature falloffs
- Talk about solid state current control and PWM techniques
- Try and break it / burn it up to find the limits of safety

GOAL: Decide on a hot end and know all of its specs and how this will affect the rest of the project

4. POWER SUPPLY

- In this episode we figure out the best way to power our Super Glue Gun
- Decide between cord / battery powered (probably going to be AC cord)
- Test power supply with all conditions of the previously established Hot End
  - Figure out the cheapest way to provide (and control) high-voltage AC hot end power as well as stable 3.3v / 5v logic voltages
  - Find solutions that will provide the quickest path to UL/FCC certification

GOAL: Select the best switching control for hot end and logic circuits. Breadboard temperature sensor tests with MCU

5. TRIGGER / CONTROLS

- Figure out what controls and indicators the device needs and build prototypes
- Decide best way to get analog trigger input (potentiometer, hall effect, optical)
- Test the pros and cons of each method (ie, motor EMF could corrupt a hall effect sensor)
- Controls will influence product case design, so start narrowing down ideas for this and do sketches
- Begin initial tests / designs for an auto-deploying kickstand

GOAL: Translate analog trigger control to PWM DC motor driver / extruder, and see if capacitive trigger touch is affordable / easy to manufacture.

6. MICROCONTROLLER

- Decide what this MCU must do based off our mechanical tests thus far:
  - Temp sensing (be compatible with whatever we attached to hot end)
  - Analog trigger control
  - Capacitive touch sense – built in to save external circuitry?
  - Fewest external parts (crystals, PSU, EEPROM)
- Source and test multiple MCUs (well before episode films) create pro/con list
- Request help from vendors / supply side solutions?

GOAL: Select a MCU that is the cheapest possible thing that will support all of the features we’ve tested on the unit thus far (and has good availability / factory programming support)

7. CASING & AUTOSTAND

- Try and get an automatic deploy stand to work (controlled by capacitive touch trigger)
- Decide if this feature is economically feasible
- Using all previous parts, begin designing enclosures
- Fusion 360 / software collaboration?

GOAL: 3D print an enclosure that is in the ballpark of something that could be injection molded as a final product.

Tags: super_glue_gun, ben_heck