Battery Handling FMS (3-DOF Manipulator + Round Table)

This project involved the complete, end-to-end design, fabrication, and commissioning of a small-scale Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS). The system consists of a custom-designed 3DOF robotic arm and a motorized rotary indexing table.

I managed the entire project lifecycle, starting with the mechanical design and 3D modeling in SolidWorks. After client approval, I generated DXF files for sourced CNC-machined components and 3D-printed the remaining plastic parts in PLA on my own 3D printer. I then sourced all mechanical/electronic components, built the full robot, and fabricated a custom control box to operate the system.

The mechanical system was fully modeled in SolidWorks for design verification. The 3DOF arm provides X (linear traverse), Z (vertical lift), and gripper axes. The Z-axis is driven by a NEMA stepper motor on a lead screw and guided by linear rods. The rotary table is also stepper-driven to allow for precise, indexed part presentation. A key part of the design phase was researching and sourcing the correct bearings, lead screws, and NEMA stepper motors to meet the system's load and precision requirements.

I built a custom, standalone control box to house the system's electronics. The core of the system is an Arduino Mega, which controls all axes via a CNC Shield. This shield simplifies the management of the stepper motor drivers. For the user interface, I integrated a 16x2 LCD screen with a rotary encoder. This allows the operator to select different routines and run the FMS without needing to connect a computer. I was responsible for all programming, from basic motor control to developing the full operational logic and the menu on the LCD.