Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Sorting Steel Balls

Ethan wrote:

>
> I'm looking for some ideas on how to sort some steel balls.
> I need to do about 4,000 per day.

If it were me, I'd use a digital microgram scale with an RS-232 output
(some have a parallel output for a printer). The CNC component
would be picking the ball up from the scale, and placing it into
the appropriate bin (thus you might want to use a router for this
pick-and-place function).

I am sure you can get an appropriately delicate balance, but
if not, perhaps in conjunction with the weight of the ball,
your robotic arm can press down with a lazy but progressive
spring, and when the scale 'trips' to the next smallest digit
increment (which your computer can do, since it is simultaneously
running your XYZ program whilst reading the scale), estimate the
additional force that the spring added by noticing the vertical
Z axis travel (at the point of triggering the next digit).

Of course if you have dirty balls, then all bets are off....

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2nd suggestion:
If it is sufficient merely to sort them without capturing the
numeric weight, you might consider an efficient sorting algorithm
(like a Quicksort), and the 'comparison function' is a teeter-toter
knife balance which can be extremely discriminating between "less than"
"equal to" or "greater than". You might consider then marketing
this device to Science Centers around the world to amuse the
crowds!

regards
Doug Fortune
http://www.cncKITS.com NEW -> 1KW 75VDC Gecko power supply kits














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