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Automated Percussion System for Steel Tongue DrumÂ
Automated Percussion System for Steel Tongue DrumÂ
("Drum Player")
("Drum Player")
Started as a test of designing a device around existing fragile hardware. With the goal of designing a device that can play a hand drum.
Started as a test of designing a device around existing fragile hardware. With the goal of designing a device that can play a hand drum.
The Drum
The Drum
A mini Panda Drum was used as the basis for this project.
The Audio Processing Software:
The Audio Processing Software:
An online spectrogram was used to determine the frequency of each note on the drum.
A Matlab Program was written to sample the frequencies from MP3 files that correspond to the drum notes.
The Matlab Program writes the notes detected to a structured text document.
The Player Controller:
The Player Controller:
An Arduino program was written to communicate with a computer over serial connection.
With the help of generative AI a program was created to control the Arduino from a computer by sequentially sending it the contents of the previously generated structured text document.
The Hardware:
The Hardware:
Arduino Nano R4
Arduino Nano R4
The micro controller board being used for playing the drum.
The Solenoids
The Solenoids
These 12V DC solenoids are used to strike the drum, they are powered then released and quickly powered again to quickly strike the drum. Eight are used, one for each note.
The Relays
The Relays
A SunFounder 5V 8 Channel Relay Shield Module is used to control the switching of the solenoids.
The Body:
The Body:
The drum was 3D scanned and a 3D model was made.
Series of designs, from left to right; the first used to confirm proper solenoid placement, used to confirm solenoid positioning, used to confirm offset height from drum for proper striking.
Final Render
Final Render
The final form of the player, the body holds eight solenoids above the notes they need to strike, each solenoid is outfitted with a TPU tip as to not damage the drum and holes have been added to not dampen the drum sound.
The Device in Action
The Device in Action
Possible Improvements
Possible Improvements
The solenoids currently get quite hot when idling, perhaps this could be addressed with a different solenoid model. The relay clicking is quite loud, while a cost effective prototyping option transistors should be used in an updated device. Controls currently sit next to the body, develop a control box for the system, a custom PCB was designed however was not manufactured due to budget constraints.
Possible PCB Design
Core XY Gantry Design
Core XY Gantry Design
This was a personal project I undertook with the goal of designing a core XY gantry to better understand motion and electo-mechanical systems.
This was a personal project I undertook with the goal of designing a core XY gantry to better understand motion and electo-mechanical systems.
As a personal project I plaid all rolls in this project from design to manufacturing. The largest hurdle in the design process was determining how to tension the strings that are being used as an alternative to traditional belts. The solution as shown below was a pulley that could be slid across a slot.
As a personal project I plaid all rolls in this project from design to manufacturing. The largest hurdle in the design process was determining how to tension the strings that are being used as an alternative to traditional belts. The solution as shown below was a pulley that could be slid across a slot.
Slot and Pulley For Tension
Slot and Pulley For Tension
This simple design allowed the tension of the strings to be adjusted by sliding the pulley along the slot.
Linear Actuator
Linear Actuator
Completed as a first step in a foreseen future project focused on constructing a CNC based wire wrapping machine for the manufacturing of large coils. The linear actuator developed for this project has demonstrated potential.
Completed as a first step in a foreseen future project focused on constructing a CNC based wire wrapping machine for the manufacturing of large coils. The linear actuator developed for this project has demonstrated potential.
Initial Model
Initial Model
The initial model of the actuator is quite simple, consisting of two motor mounts and one central carriage.
Assembled Test
Assembled Test
The assembled actuator was driven with a micro-controller and exhibited the expected motion albeit with an annoying sound likely due to improper tolerances and the use of linear ball bearings in contrast to the designed Teflon bearings.
The larger project of a coil winding machine has been put on pause while I am completing my Electrical Engineering degree however the first rough model can be seen below.
The larger project of a coil winding machine has been put on pause while I am completing my Electrical Engineering degree however the first rough model can be seen below.
Coil Winding Machine Draft
Coil Winding Machine Draft
This draft is dependent on a base and back board for components to be mounted too. In future revisions I would like to remodel it to be built around aluminum extrusion for better modularity and to avoid manufacturing custom plates.
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