Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
20 Vinyl Record Auto-Flipper
Alfredo Velasquez Bustamante
Mohammed Alkawai
Riyaan Jain
Chi Zhang design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
photo1.jpeg
photo2.jpeg
presentation1.pdf
proposal1.pdf
video
Team Members:
- Alfredo Velasquez (av28)
- Riyaan Jain (riyaanj2)
- Mohammed Alkawai (alkawai2)

# Problem Statement:
Vinyl records have experienced a resurgence in popularity due to their rich and warm sound quality, and ability to physically own and view your favourite music and artworks. However, the need to manually flip records disrupts the listening experience, making listening to vinyl records more difficult than it needs to be. To address this, we propose developing an automatic record flipper that detects when one side has finished playing and seamlessly flips the record to continue playback without user intervention.

# Solution Overview:
Our design will integrate three primary subsystems to automate the playback of both sides of a 7-inch vinyl record:
Tonearm Mover: Automates the lifting, positioning, and lowering of the tonearm to start playback and to clear the record during flipping.
Record Flipping Mechanism: Automatically flips the record to play the opposite side upon detecting the end of a side.
Turntable Rotator: Controls the rotation of the turntable to ensure proper playback speed and synchronization with the other subsystems.
We will modify an existing compact record player to incorporate these subsystems, drawing inspiration from the flipping mechanisms used in vintage jukeboxes. Our focus will be on adapting these concepts to a smaller, modern context suitable for 7-inch records.

# Solution Components:
## Tonearm Mover:
Function: Automates the movement of the tonearm to initiate playback and to lift it away during the record flipping process.
Components:
- Servo Motor (HS-318): To precisely control the vertical movement (lifting and lowering) of the tonearm.
- Stepper Motor (290-028): To manage the horizontal distance to get to the record
- Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SR04): To detect the end of the record by sensing a decrease in distance, indicating the tonearm is below it.
- ESP Microcontroller (Part # not found on ECE supply): ESP microcontroller to process sensor inputs and control motor actions.

## Record Flipping Mechanism:
Function: Automatically flips the record to enable playback of the opposite side.
Components:
- Roller Actuator (Part #W171DIP-21): To rotate the record from one side to the other.
- Side clamps (5075A25): To securely hold the record during the flipping process without causing damage.
- Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SR04): To confirm the presence and correct positioning of the record before and after flipping.
- Control Circuitry (W171DIP-21): To manage the timing and sequence of the flipping operation.

## Turntable Rotator:
Function: Ensures consistent and accurate rotation of the record at standard playback speeds.
Components:
- DC Motor with Speed Controller (Part #ROB-10551): To drive the turntable at precise speeds (45 RPM for 7-inch records).
- Rotary Encoder (Part #377): To monitor and adjust the rotational speed in real-time.
- Power Supply Unit (Part #168605): To provide stable power to the motor and associated electronics.

# Criteria for Success:
- Automatic Detection: The system accurately detects the end of a record side without user intervention.
- Seamless Flipping: The record is flipped automatically and correctly aligned for playback of the opposite side.
- Tonearm Precision: The tonearm is precisely controlled to avoid damaging the record or stylus during lifting, positioning, and lowering.
- Playback Quality: The system maintains or enhances the audio quality of the original record player, ensuring no degradation due to the automation processes.
- User Safety: The automated components operate safely, posing no risk to users during operation.

Control System and User Interface for Hydraulic Bike

Iain Brearton

Featured Project

Parker-Hannifin, a fluid power systems company, hosts an annual competition for the design of a chainless bicycle. A MechSE senior design team of mechanical engineers have created a hydraulic circuit with electromechanical valves, but need a control system, user interface, and electrical power for their system. The user would be able to choose between several operating modes (fluid paths), listed at the end.

My solution to this problem is a custom-designed control system and user interface. Based on sensor feedback and user inputs, the system would change operating modes (fluid paths). Additionally, the system could be improved to suggest the best operating mode by implementing a PI or PID controller. The system would not change modes without user interaction due to safety - previous years' bicycles have gone faster than 20mph.

Previous approaches to this problem have usually not included an electrical engineer. As a result, several teams have historically used commercially-available systems such as Parker's IQAN system (link below) or discrete logic due to a lack of technical knowledge (link below). Apart from these two examples, very little public documentation exists on the electrical control systems used by previous competitors, but I believe that designing a control system and user interface from scratch will be a unique and new approach to controlling the hydraulic system.

I am aiming for a 1-person team as there are 6 MechSE counterparts. I emailed Professor Carney on 10/3/14 and he thought the general concept was acceptable.

Operating modes, simplified:

Direct drive (rider's pedaling power goes directly to hydraulic motor)

Coasting (no power input, motor input and output "shorted")

Charge accumulators (store energy in expanding rubber balloons)

Discharge accumulators (use stored energy to supply power to motor)

Regenerative braking (use motor energy to charge accumulators)

Download Competition Specs: https://uofi.box.com/shared/static/gst4s78tcdmfnwpjmf9hkvuzlu8jf771.pdf

Team using IQAN system (top right corner): https://engineering.purdue.edu/ABE/InfoFor/CurrentStudents/SeniorProjects/2012/GeskeLamneckSparenbergEtAl

Team using discrete logic (page 19): http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/86206/ME450?sequence=1