This paper presents a senior design project, titled modular conveyor belt system with robotic sorting, completed in a B.S. Engineering Technology program. The main objective of the project is to design and implement a modular conveyor belt system with a sorting robotic arm that can be used in several different settings. The second objective is to maximize the system efficiency by minimizing both the sorting time and the power consumption. Senior design students researched the effects of a modular link belt with chain/gear conveyor system and reported its benefits over the prefabricated belts. Students also explored the functionality of a sorting robotic arm that worked in tandem with targeted conveyor belt system.
This senior design project is expected to enhance applied research efforts to reduce the overall operation and handling costs of an autonomous material transportation systems. Students initially planned to design a fully autonomous conveyor belt system that would be flexible enough to be implemented in any industry regardless of the materials being handled, however due to the complexity of the system, a prototype conveyor belt with a limited robotic sorting system was built using all 3D-designed and printed materials in the engineering technology laboratories.
Although senior students have already completed machine language, network theory and computer architecture courses, the actual programming of a functional prototype conveyor belt and robotic arm also included challenges that will be reported in the paper. The conveyor system is encased in a 3D-printed filament frame having a dimension of 15x5x5 inches with smoothed curved edges in both the front and the rear sections. Since all the system parts were planned to be printed in 3D printers, students have had the liberty of using custom shape or design as no manual labor was required. The total printing time for all the parts including the links used for the belt took approximately more than 100 hours since all individual links were printed separately. Accessing to multiple 3D printers in the department helped students to expedite their material production needs. The main gears were printed using a slower and more condensed printing mode as they would be constantly moving.
3D-design sketches, functional block diagrams, project Gantt chart, actual belt and robotic arm system pictures, and bill of materials are provided. The finished product is now being used as demonstration purposes in control systems technology glasses that provide a better understanding of conveyor belts, a significant part of the manufacturing industries.
Dr. Reg Pecen is currently a Quanta Endowed Professor of the Department of Engineering Technology at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Dr. Pecen was formerly a professor and program chairs of Electrical Engineering Technology and Graduate (MS and Doctoral) Programs in the Department of Technology at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). Dr. Pecen served as 2nd President and Professor at North American University in Houston, TX from July 2012 through December 2016. He also served as a Chair of Energy Conservation and Conversion Division at American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). Dr. Pecen holds a B.S in EE and an M.S. in Controls and Computer Engineering from the Istanbul Technical University, an M.S. in EE from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wyoming (UW, 1997). He served as a graduate assistant and faculty at UW, and South Dakota State University. He served on UNI Energy and Environment Council, College Diversity Committee, University Diversity Advisory Board, and Graduate College Diversity Task Force Committees. His research interests, grants, and more than 50 publications are in the areas of AC/DC Power System Interactions, distributed energy systems, power quality, and grid-connected renewable energy applications including solar and wind power systems. He is a senior member of IEEE, member of ASEE, Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society, and ATMAE. Dr. Pecen was recognized as an Honored Teacher/Researcher in “Who’s Who among America’s Teachers” in 2004-2009. Dr. Pecen is a recipient of 2010 Diversity Matters Award at the University of Northern Iowa for his efforts on promoting diversity and international education at UNI. He is also a recipient of 2011 UNI C.A.R.E Sustainability Award for the recognition of applied research and development of renewable energy applications at UNI and Iowa in general. Dr. Pecen established solar electric boat R & D center at UNI where dozens of students were given opportunities to design solar powered boats. UNI solar electric boat team with Dr. Pecen’s supervision won two times a third place overall in World Championship on solar electric boating, an international competition promoting clean transportation technologies in US waters. He was recognized as an Advisor of the Year Award nominee among 8 other UNI faculty members in 2010-2011 academic year Leadership Award Ceremony. Dr. Pecen received a Milestone Award for outstanding mentoring of graduate students at UNI, and recognition from UNI Graduate College for acknowledging the milestone that has been achieved in successfully chairing ten or more graduate student culminating projects, theses, or dissertations, in 2011 and 2005.
He was also nominated for 2004 UNI Book and Supply Outstanding Teaching Award, March 2004, and nominated for 2006, and 2007 Russ Nielson Service Awards, UNI. Dr. Pecen is an Engineering Technology Editor of American Journal of Undergraduate Research (AJUR). He has been serving as a reviewer on the IEEE Transactions on Electronics Packaging Manufacturing since 2001. Dr. Pecen has served on ASEE Engineering Technology Division (ETD) in Annual ASEE Conferences as a reviewer, session moderator, and co-moderator since 2002. He served as a Chair-Elect on ASEE ECC Division in 2011. He also served as a program chair on ASEE ECCD in 2010. He is also serving on advisory boards of International Sustainable World Project Olympiad (isweep.org) and International Hydrogen Energy Congress. Dr. Pecen received a certificate of appreciation from IEEE Power Electronics Society in recognition of valuable contributions to the Solar Splash as 2011 and 2012 Event Coordinator. Dr. Pecen was formerly a board member of Iowa Alliance for Wind Innovation and Novel Development (www.iawind.org/board.php) and also represented UNI at Iowa Wind Energy Association (IWEA). Dr. Pecen taught Building Operator Certificate (BOC) classes for the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) since 2007 at Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri as well as the SPEER in Texas and Oklahoma to promote energy efficiency in industrial and commercial environments.
Dr. Pecen was recognized by State of Iowa Senate on June 22, 2012 for his excellent service and contribution to state of Iowa for development of clean and renewable energy and promoting diversity and international education since 1998.
Dr. Ulan Dakeev is an Assistant Professor in the Engineering Technology Department at Sam Houston State University. His areas of research include Virtual & Augmented Reality, renewable energy (wind energy), quality in higher education, motivation, and engagement of students.
Faruk Yildiz is currently an Associate Professor of
Engineering Technology at Sam Houston State University.
His primary teaching areas are in Electronics,
Computer Aided Design (CAD), and Alternative Energy Systems. Research interests include: low power energy
harvesting systems, renewable energy technologies
and education.
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