ECE 477 Digital Systems Senior Design Project Rev 8/09

Homework 4: Packaging Specifications and Design

Team Code Name: ___POSitron______Group No. _7____

Team Member Completing This Homework: __Jacob_Wyant______

E-mail Address of Team Member: ______jwyant_ @ purdue.edu

Evaluation:

SCORE

/

DESCRIPTION

10 /

Excellent – among the best papers submitted for this assignment. Very few corrections needed for version submitted in Final Report.

9 /

Very good – all requirements aptly met. Minor additions/corrections needed for version submitted in Final Report.

8 /

Good – all requirements considered and addressed. Several noteworthy additions/corrections needed for version submitted in Final Report.

7 /

Average – all requirements basically met, but some revisions in content should be made for the version submitted in the Final Report.

6 /

Marginal – all requirements met at a nominal level. Significant revisions in content should be made for the version submitted in the Final Report.

* /

Below the passing threshold – major revisions required to meet report requirements at a nominal level. Revise and resubmit.

* Resubmissions are due within one week of the date of return, and will be awarded a score of “6” provided all report requirements have been met at a nominal level.

Comments:

ECE 477 Digital Systems Senior Design Project Rev 8/09

1.0  Introduction

POSitron is a point of sale system that allows a customer to easily purchase any product normally sold in a convenience store with greater efficiency and receive the ordered goods at a specific pick-up point. A wooden box with a slanted top will act as the kiosk's frame. It will hold a touchscreen, keyboard, Atom board, power strip, and power adapter for the Atom. The top will be slanted so that the touch screen will be accessible to users of varying heights and the keyboard will protrude from the box in front of the screen on a horizontal surface to allow for comfortable typing.

The other portion of the project which will need packaging is an inventory management system containing four hoppers for dispensing products, a conveyor belt for transporting those goods to the pick-up location, and a slanted portion similar to what one might see at the end of check-out lines at grocery stores to serve as a reservoir for products waiting to be bagged by the customer. This will be of modular construction with the four hoppers, conveyor belt, and distribution area making up the 6 different separate sections to simplify transportation of the project and to allow each part to be constructed and tested independently.

Commercial Product Packaging

An ATM and a DVD rental kiosk are two products that share similarities in functionality with the POSitron. Both of these items are used to control a complex inventory and communicate with central databases via the internet just as the POSitron does. However, the items those machines dispense are contained inside the same packaging as the electronics responsible for user interaction and inventory management, whereas ours will not have the burden of also needing to contain the products since they will be kept in a separate dispensing area. Since all three items' packaging have essentially the same goal of securing valuables while allowing the customer to easily interface with a simple display, we can use similar ideas for our project.

2.1  Product #1

The packaging our project will most be like is that of a DVD rental kiosk for a low cost yet stylish look. These kiosks are made to be sturdy in order to protect not only the goods within, but the electronics used for customer interaction as well. It is this same concept of solid and secure, yet appealing and memorable, that we would like to bring to our project. We will accomplish this with a solid wood casing to protect the LCD screen, touch panel, and computer because it is strong enough to endure misuse and theft attempts, yet inexpensive enough to fit within the boundaries of our project’s budget. It also allows us to easily create a slanted portion to hold a screen at an angle similar to most DVD rental kiosks for the purpose of allowing easier use.

2.2  Product #2

Many of the same advantages and disadvantages can also be seen in an ATM. An ATM's packaging is also very solid to protect its components and the money within. It also has a standard appearance recognizable by customers; both of which are aspects we incorporate in our design. One feature it has that a DVD-rental kiosk does not is a small keypad attached to the device near the screen. We will be using a physical keyboard in our design for ease of use to the customers. This will allow them to search the inventory, enter usernames, and type passwords.

3.0  Project Packaging Specifications

The POSitron kiosk shall be constructed from planks and boards readily available to our teammate Ben Horst through his connections in the woodworking industry. Access to the right tools for the job and ample supplies will contribute significantly to the strength of the end product.

The kiosk will be constructed using 1x1 poplar boards for the skeleton and fiberboard paneling for the skin. It will use ¼” paneling to cover the bezel and a 12”x9” piece of lexan to protect the LCD screen. Additionally, some fans will be attached on the inside of the kiosk near ventilation holes to ease cooling of the components.

The inventory management system will be supported by a ¾” maple veneer plywood plank. ¼” MDF panels will be used for the dispenser front panels with 3/8” poplar dowel rods as uprights to contain the products. This will all be constructed using 1 1/2” screws, 1” screws, super glue and wood glue.

PCB Footprint Layout

The PCB we will be using will go along with our inventory management system which has no size restriction and readily available power. Therefore, the limiting factor on our design choices is cost with availability and size kept in close consideration. For our two multiplexers (model 74HC/HCT4051) we chose the through-hole model because they are 19 cents less than surface mount multiplexers even though they take up slightly more space. Our transformer, the T-1150, was chosen from a large number of possibilities that would meet our power needs because it was the most affordable and has very small dimensions. The port to connect the microcontroller with the Atom board will be RJ45 in order to connect with a CAT-5 cable. Finally, the model MC9S12NE64 80-pin Freescale microcontroller was chosen over the 112 pin model because we found some information that guides the process of connecting that model to the RJ45 jack necessary for ethernet communication. The total area of this board should be about 18 in2 (3”x6”).

4.0  Summary

Like with ATMs and DVD rental kiosks, our project will be of sturdy design with special attention put on ease of use for the customer. This will be accomplished with the assistance of experienced carpenters with the right tools, and result in a product which is both mobile and sturdy enough to protect the valuable electronics within. The PCB board contained within will be cost effective with a high focus on reliability.

List of References

[1]  “Automated teller machine.” [Online]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_teller_machine

[2]  “Redbox.” [Online]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redbox

[3]  “How Redbox Works.” [Online]. Available: http://www.redbox.com/HowItWorks.aspx

[4]  “MASSCOOL FD08025S1M4 80mm Case Fan - Retail.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150007

[5]  “Lexan GRA0112001000 Sheet Stock.” [Online]. Available: http://www.drillspot.com/products/455962/Lexan_GRA0112001000_Sheet_Stock

[6]  “Datasheet - T-1150 - "U" INTERFACE TRANSFORMER.” [Online]. Available: http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/268401/RHOMBUS-IND/T-1150.html

[7]  “MC9S12NE64 Data Sheet.” [Online]. Available: http://www.freescale.com/files/microcontrollers/doc/data_sheet/MC9S12NE64V1.pdf

[8]  “MC9S12NE64 Data Sheet.” [Online]. Available: http://www.freescale.com/files/microcontrollers/doc/data_sheet/MC9S12NE64V1.pdf

Appendix A: Project Packaging Illustrations

Above: full view of kiosk

Above: side view of kiosk

Above: top view of kiosk

Above: Conveyor Belt

Above: front view of the conveyor belt

Above: top view of the conveyor belt

Above: hoppers for dispensing various products

Above: side view of hoppers

Above: top view of single hopper

Above: the reservoir, serving as the final destination for the desired products

Above: front view of the reservoir

Above: top view of the reservoir

Appendix B: Project Packaging Specifications

Materials

3/8” poplar dowel rods
Particle boards (MDF)
1/2"x3/4" poplar planks
1"x1" poplar planks
1/2” MDF paneling
maple veneer plywood
1 1/2" square screws
1" screws
4 Case Fans - $1.29 each
12”x12” lexan sheet - $3.99

Tooling Requirements

Table saw
Tub drill
Drill press
Screw gun
Circular saw
Wood glue
Super glue
CNC mill
Ruler
Square
Measuring Tape
Chop Saw

Weight Estimate

20 lbs

Cost Estimate

$29

Appendix C: PCB Footprint Layout

J1 - Power source

J8-J12 - Motors (4 dispenser, 1 conveyor)

U1 - 8:1 Sensor Select Multiplexer (5 inputs used)

U2 - 2x1:4 Motor Select (only use one of those two 1:4 multiplexers the chip has)

J2 - Microcontroller

J13 - Sensor emitter power/gnd

J14-J18 - Sensor detectors signal/gnd

T1 - Power transformer

J3 – Ethernet connection

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