Double suction pump

Compatible models: myCobot 280, myPalletizer 260, mechArm 270

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Specifications

Suction pump: used for adsorbing objects

Introduction

• Suction pump, that is, vacuum adsorption pump, has a suction nozzle with one inlet and one outlet, and one exhaust nozzle. It has the advantages of simple structure, small size, convenient use, low noise, and good self-priming ability. By controlling the suction pump kit as the end effector of the robotic arm, it performs the function of absorbing objects.

• Suction pump accessories: power cord x1, DuPont line x10, one-in-two-out connection line x1, Lego tech parts x several

working principle

• When absorbing items: the air pump starts to pump air to absorb the items and then stops, and there will be no air leakage for a short time.

• When putting down the item: the electronic valve is activated, the air release valve is opened, and the air enters the vacuum suction cup and separates from the sucked item.

·

Applicable object

• Paper/Plastic

• flat smooth object

• card etc.

Installation diagram (take the M5 version as an example):

Installation and use

• Check that the kit is complete: LEGO connectors, Dupont cable, double-ended suction pumps.

• Double head suction pump installation:

  • Structural Installation:

    1. Insert the LEGO connectors into the pre-drilled sockets on the suction pump:

    2. Insert the suction pump with the connector inserted against the end socket of the arm:

  • Electrical Connections:

    1. Select a male-female DuPont cable and insert the female end into the socket marked with a pin on the suction pump box:

       Male-Female DuPont cable: Note the correspondence between the Dupont wire colours and the pins in the diagram:

    2. The male connector is inserted into the robot arm base pins according to the correspondence given:

       Suction pump pins on the left, robotic arm pins on the right
       GND -> GND
       5V -> 5V
       G2 -> 21
       G5 -> 20

• Software driver test:

  Test that the jaws are available after installation, using myBlockly. myblockly download

  1. After confirming that the structural and electrical connections are complete, start the robot arm and open the myblockly software when the graphical interface appears.
     
  2. Modify the baud rate to 1000000
     
  3. Find Raspi-GPIO in the list on the left and select the Setup Mode module.
     
  4. Drag the module to connect under `Initialise mycobot module' and select BCM mode.
     
  5. In Time, select Sleep module
     
  6. Set the time to 1 second in order to give a buffer time.
  7. Selection of the Set Pin Mode module
  8. Setting pin 20 to OUT, i.e. output mode
  9. Selection of the Set Pin Out module
  10. Set pin 20 output to LOW, suction pump operates at low level.
  11. Select the Sleep module and set the time to 2 seconds to allow time for the jaws to move.
  12. Set the output of pin 20 to HIGH, at which point the suction pump will stop working.
  13. The final result is as follows, click on the green Run button in the upper right corner to run it.

      You can see that the suction pump is on, it runs for 2 seconds and then stops.
      The second time you run the pump, it will say this channel is already in use, continuing anyway, this is a normal phenomenon, the python development section will explain how to avoid it.

• Programming:

  Programming the suction pump using python. python download

  • Create a new python file: Ctrl + Alt + T Open the command line and type:

    gedit pump_double.py
    

    

    The name of the file can be changed as needed

  • Perform function programming:

    The code is as follows:

    • 280-M5 Version:

    from pymycobot.mycobot import MyCobot
    import time
    
    # Initialise a MyCobot object
    mc = MyCobot("COM3", 115200)
    
    # Start the suction pump
    def pump_on().
        # open the solenoid valve
        mc.set_basic_output(5, 0)
        time.sleep(0.05)
    
    # Stop the suction pump
    def pump_off().
        # Close the solenoid valve
        mc.set_basic_output(5, 1)
        time.sleep(0.05)
        # start the bleeder valve
        mc.set_basic_output(2, 0)
        time.sleep(1)
        mc.set_basic_output(2, 1)
        time.sleep(0.05)
    
    pump_off()
    time.sleep(3)
    pump_on()
    time.sleep(3)
    pump_off()
    time.sleep(3)
    
    GPIO.cleanup() # Release the pin channel
    

    • 280-Pi version:

    from pymycobot.mycobot import MyCobot
    from pymycobot import PI_PORT, PI_BAUD  # When using the Raspberry Pi version of mycobot, these two variables can be referenced for MyCobot initialisation
    import time
    import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
    
    # Initialise a MyCobot object
    mc = MyCobot(PI_PORT, PI_BAUD)
    
    # Initialise
    GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
    # Pins 20/21 control the solenoid and bleeder valve respectively
    GPIO.setup(20, GPIO.OUT)
    GPIO.setup(21, GPIO.OUT)
    
    # Start the suction pump
    def pump_on().
        # Open the solenoid valve
        GPIO.output(20, 0)
    
    # Stop the suction pump
    def pump_off().
        # Close the solenoid valve
        GPIO.output(20，1)
        time.sleep(0.05)
        # 打开泄气阀门
        GPIO.output(21，0)
        time.sleep(1)
        GPIO.output(21，1)
        time.sleep(0.05)
    
    pump_off()
    time.sleep(3)
    pump_on()
    time.sleep(3)
    pump_off()
    time.sleep(3)
    
    GPIO.cleanup() # release pin channel
    

• Save the file and close it, return to the command line terminal and type:

  python pump_double.py
  

  

  You can see that the suction pump switches on after 3 seconds and switches off after 3 seconds of continuous operation.

For more case references and running result videos, please view the use case