This project involved designing and integrating a mechanical truss launcher and an electronic control system. Our team developed a lightweight, rigid truss structure paired with a custom-built motor driver and Simulink controller, enabling precise angular positioning and ball launching. The result was a functional and reliable mechatronic system that combined real-world hardware with software control.
We first designed a lightweight triangular truss system to launch a small ball. After exploring various concepts, we iterated through three designs, optimizing for strength, weight, and moment of inertia. The final design passed SolidWorks simulations and real-world force tests, confirming it is structurally sound and effective.
Key challenges included minimizing deflection while ensuring the truss remained easy to fabricate. Real-world testing revealed that the weakest point was the motor shaft connection, not the truss itself. Despite some discrepancies between simulation and physical tests, the final prototype met the performance requirements.
For the electrical section of this project, we developed a motor control circuit and Simulink-based control system to rotate and launch the truss mechanism. Using an H-bridge driver and NAND gate logic, we achieved directional PWM control. Buttons were implemented to trigger loading and launching phases, with LEDs indicating system readiness.
Thermal management, logic stability, and accurate motor positioning were key focus areas. Though hardware issues like Arduino pin failures and velocity limits introduced challenges, the final system reliably reached and held target angles, setting the foundation for a consistent launch.
