Overall Design:
The overall design of the CookMate has been evolving since its conception four months ago. The size and shape of the frame, the placement of various parts and design of the pot rotation mechanism have all been iterated upon numerous times, in order to achieve a design that is both effective and feasible to produce. An image portraying the current design of the CookMate can be seen below.
The housing of the CookMate is composed of three main components: aluminum extrusion, acrylic paneling, and the fasteners used to join the aluminum extrusions. At the time of writing, both the aluminum extrusions and the fasteners have been ordered from CPI Automation, and are being shipped. The fasteners include various brackets, drop-in T-nuts and screws. The design of the housing's aluminum frame is a key factor in the construction of CookMate, as the weight of the cooking vessel and its contents as well as the ingredients carousel mechanism must all be supported by the frame.
Rotation Mechanism Redesign:
The pot rotation mechanism has recently been redesigned. This redesign was necessary in order to achieve a more robust and feasible design. The pot rotation mechanism's goal is to transfer the power from a DC motor to rotate the cooking vessel in the machine. As such, the the mechanism must be robust enough to withstand the weight of the cooking vessel and the reactionary forces from the motor. Images of the newly redesigned pot rotation mechanism can be seen below:
The updated design of the pot rotation mechanism features several machined aluminum parts. Firstly, there is the stepped aluminum shaft. These steps on the shaft will each rest upon bearings in order to allow the shaft to rotate upon its axis. Next, there are three aluminum blocks which serve to hold the bearings on the stepped shaft in place. Each of the three aluminum blocks will have threaded holes to allow them to be secured to the CookMate's aluminum frame.
Next Steps:
The order for the aluminum extrusions and fasteners has already been made. As soon as it is delivered, construction on the CookMate's frame can begin. The detailed CAD drawings for the four machined aluminum parts have been created and reviewed, which only leaves machining the parts out of aluminum stock. Once the housing and pot rotation mechanism have been assembled, the components from other subsystems such as the inductor from the heating subsystem can be installed as well.
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