Tag: EV3

Uses an EV3 in its design

  • Lego GBC EV3 Truck

    Lego GBC EV3 Truck

    Lego GBC EV3 Truck or G.E.T GBC EV3 TRUCK is a Lego Great Ball Contraption Module It is a utility train module for recirculation balls or filling large gaps in a table.

    The initial idea was to be trackless and uses IR Beacons for detecting the start and ends, however using train tracks as a guide has proved to be more reliable and allows the module to fit behind other modules.

    Night Lighting

    The reservoir has a custom Lego UV/Led lights, with the UV shining on the balls and the Lego light passing through a trans-colored brick to color the module.

    The Trucks headlights and taillights both light up and change their pattern depending on the direction of travel.

    Loading and Unloading

    Loading is done from an elevated bin that the truck opens via a spring-loaded trap door.

    Unloading is done by the truck tilting its tray.

    Videos

    Videos of this module in operation.

    Boxes

    Lego GBC EV3 Truck packs into a single 24x18x10″/60x46x25cm  bespoke cardboard box.

    In order to fit, it breaks into several key pieces.

    • Truck.
    • Input feed conveyor.
    • Input tower reservoir.
    • 20ft / 6m of tracks are broken into 3 piece segments.
    • 2 EV3 Batteries, 3 PF Rechargeable batteries, and 3 chargers.
    • A few curved and flexible track pieces.
    • It is also packed with a Lego GBC Reservoir Lift in Yellow.

    You can read about other boxes here Boxes for Lego GBC Modules.

    Modules

    Builds and revisions to this module.

    Version 1

    Pieces Cost Time
    1500+ $$$$ 2 Months
    • The module uses an EV3 programmed using Python (Programming Lego EV3’s)
    • The front and rear IR sensors are used for collision detection.
    • The bottom color sensor is used for start and end validation.
    • The loading mechanism is triggered by the truck and fed by a slow conveyor.
    • The unload module is a reservoir that will return balls at 1 ball per second.

    Version 2

    Pieces Cost Time
    1500+ $$$$ 1 Week
    • Add an anti-jam flap to chain lift and adjust chain speed.
    • Add gears to drive motor and racks to track for better traction.
    • Update the software to slow the truck down on shorter runs.

  • Lego GBC Scrolling Display

    Lego GBC Scrolling Display

    Lego GBC Scrolling Display was my first module built, it had its origin in watching a bunch of GBC YouTube videos and wanting to come up with a mechanism that was both original and provide a technical challenge.

    It took 4 months of experimenting to come up with a working design that I considered show ready.

    Early prototype

    It took 4 months of experimenting to come up with a working design that I considered show ready.

    This video is about 2 months into the build where the design forced balls onto the the pin belt.

    Printhead

    The print-head forms the core mechanism of the printer.

    It uses 4 EV3 motors to operate 5 dot pins and the dropping mechanism.

    • Motor 1 is for dots 1 and 2.
    • Motor 2 is for dot 3.
    • Motor 3 is for dots 4 and 5.
    • Motor 4 is for the drop and load.

    Each letter of the Alphabet is encoded in a dictionary that represents them as dots, for instance, A = (11110,00101,11110) or L = (11111,10000,10000) in this way the program knows how to drive the motors to print a letter.

    Night Lighting

    Lego GBC Scrolling Display looks great at night and the words can be easier to read.

    It uses some of my custom Lego UV/Led lights to light up the start reservoir and balls path.

    The EV3 is also lit up so the program running is visible.

    Boxes

    Lego GBC Scrolling Display packs into a single 24x18x10″/60x46x25cm  bespoke cardboard box.

    In order to fit, it breaks into several key pieces.

    • Print-head.
    • Conveyer belt, this actually splits in the middle and is compressed together.
    • EV3 Brick.
    • Print-head feed conveyor.
    • Input Lift module.
    • Various ramps and cables are packed in a top box.

    You can read about other boxes here Boxes for Lego GBC Modules.

    Videos

    Videos of this module in operation

    Awards

    My Scrolling Display module won a “Staff Favourite Award” at BrickFair NJ 2017.

    Modules

    Builds and revisions to this module.

    Version 1

    Pieces Cost Time
    3000+ $$$$ 4 Months

    Version 2

    Pieces Cost Time
    3000+ $$$$ 2 Months

    Entirely Re-engineered with the exception of the print head.

    • Longer belt to show full LEGO GBC.
    • More reliable input and recirculation sections.
    • Taller to allow easier clearing of lost balls.
    • Made ev3 visible so people could watch program.

    Version 2.1

    Pieces Cost Time
    3000+ $$$$ 2 Weeks
    • Added an NXT to automatically cache balls.
    • Changed the belt liftarms to black.