Fabrication and Development of Portable 3-Axis Computer Numerical Control Machine

Machining is a prerequisite fundamental process of manufacturing without which no production can be deemed possible. Conventional machining methods were tedious, costly, time and space consuming, as well as inefficient. With development of computer and numerical control, modern day machining devices have been developed which have made the process a smooth ride. The machining processes are now controllable with the finest accuracies and save time and cost. CNC machines have been the most useful developments that have contributed to the modern day machining task. Computed Numerical Control has thus been our inspiration. This lead us to conceiving and fabricating a 3- axis CNC machine that is designed as a router but could perform several operations such as drilling, cutting, printing, milling etc. on attachment of different tools. The machine has a main driving mechanical subsystem that drives the tool through lead screws attached to motors that are driven by a microcontroller that is under our control through a computer. Any design can be drawn and fed to the Arduino microcontroller from across the world through a Java applet and the machining proceeds by calculating the coordinates of the three axes and the relative movement between the points whose combination is actually the design. The process is thus very accurate and versatile. The fabrication has been achieved by using simple and cheap materials and done in the mechanical workshop located inside the campus.

Study on an Interactive Truck Crane Simulation Platform Based on Virtual Reality Technology

The modern web-based distance education overcomes space-time restriction of the traditional teaching forms. However, being short of specifically observable and operable experimental equipment makes the web-based education lack advantages in the knowledge learning progress, which needs strong stereoscopic effect and operability. Truck crane is the most widely used crane installed on ordinary or tailor-made chassis with strong operability. This paper introduces a kind of interactive truck crane simulation platform based on the virtual reality technology, on which can complete the simulation experiment of the crane's movement. The framework and working principle of the interactive truck crane simulation platform are discussed in the paper, while landing leg and hook are used as an example to show the motion control mechanism of truck crane components. The interactive truck crane simulation platform uses the browser-based structure, Java3D, virtual reality and Java Applet, etc. to develop a Web3D virtual reality learning environment, which has the advantages of good interaction, strong sense of reality, simple update, less investment and so on. This learning environment can meet the needs that many students study online at the same time, so it has important application in the distance education of mechanical profession and remote training of vocational skills.

Study on an Interactive Truck Crane Simulation Platform Based on Virtual Reality Technology

The modern web-based distance education overcomes space-time restriction of the traditional teaching forms. However, being short of specifically observable and operable experimental equipment makes the web-based education lack advantages in the knowledge learning progress, which needs strong stereoscopic effect and operability. Truck crane is the most widely used crane installed on ordinary or tailor-made chassis with strong operability. This paper introduces a kind of interactive truck crane simulation platform based on the virtual reality technology, on which can complete the simulation experiment of the crane's movement. The framework and working principle of the interactive truck crane simulation platform are discussed in the paper, while landing leg and hook are used as an example to show the motion control mechanism of truck crane components. The interactive truck crane simulation platform uses the browser-based structure, Java3D, virtual reality and Java Applet, etc. to develop a Web3D virtual reality learning environment, which has the advantages of good interaction, strong sense of reality, simple update, less investment and so on. This learning environment can meet the needs that many students study online at the same time, so it has important application in the distance education of mechanical profession and remote training of vocational skills.