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Automated Drink Maker

Design Concepts

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Our Team - Carnegie Mellon University MechE

Laura Reichard

Denis Alpay

Helen Wang

Sebastian Levy

Anaya Bhammar

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Problem Statement

  • What is the problem?
  • Current drink making machines are relatively not very customizable
  • The drinks are not portable for the users.

  • Why is it important to solve?
  • Sealing capability allows user to bring drink to places.
  • Pre-make drink and store more easily
  • Safety: prevent contamination getting into the drinks

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Existing Approaches

  • There are no current products on the market that has the ability to prepare custom drinks and seal it in plastic pouches. However products that do these separately exist. Our goal is to combine these concepts in one unique product.
  • Many different cocktail machines exist in the market. They all make use of similar working principles. Their point is to move the beverage from a container, measure it and dispense.
  • Several household plastic sealers also exist. They are usually sold in combination with vacuum sealers and their purpose is to extend the life of foods.

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Barsys 2.0+

Barsys 360

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Mission Statement

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Mission Statement

To create a novel drink making machine for household use that can store and prepare a number of drink recipes and package those drinks in sealed pouches.”

Opportunity Statement

The product will gives the user the ability to create packaged drinks that they can take anywhere with them

Primary Market

Homeowners

Secondary Market

Other places that offer drinks. Bars, conferences, weddings, activity clubs etc

Assumptions

Lower budget compared to the existing products

Save users’ time

Safety - protect the drinks from suspicious materials

Stakeholders

FDA, User,

Manufacturer/ Producer

Retailers

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Our Primary Market is Home Users who would like to make drinks at home and our Secondary Market is other places that offer drinks (bars, college parties, social events, etc)

Home Owners

College Students

Families

Other individuals

who want to take drinks on the go

who trust drinking sealed drinks

who want a quick and easy way to make drinks at home when having guests

who want to tailor their drink of choice to their preference

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Demonstration

For our final demo, we would like to engage with the audience to custom make their own drink

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Customer Requirements

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  • Survey conducted ~ 50 responses
  • First find: There is a GREAT market for our product

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Customer Requirements

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  • Second find: Need a product that’s easy to clean
  • Third Find: Need a product on the smaller scale

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Target Specs

Requirement 1: Drink Maker is easy to clean

Metric: Parts can be separated and cleaned without damaging machine

Requirement 2: Drink Maker is customizable

Metric: User shall be able to enter custom recipes in to the system.

Requirement 3: Drink maker is compact in size + Aesthetically Pleasing

Metric: The maximum dimensions of the product shall not exceed 10 x 15 x 20 inches (fits in a cabinet)

Requirement 4: Drink maker makes drinks fast

Metric: The system shall be able to prepare and package a drink in less than 3 minutes.

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Needs Metric Matrix

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Metric #

Need #

Metric

Units

Importance (1-6)

Comp A

Comp B

Marginal

Ideal

1

1

Ease of Maintenance

list

5

8

5

8

9

2

2

Customizable

list

4

5

5

5

6

3

3

Compact

#

3

5

6

6

7

4

4

Efficiency

#

1

7

8

6

9

5

3

Aesthetically pleasing

subjective

2

5

9

6

10

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Functional Decomposition (Hierarchy)

12

Stores Liquids

Store Materials

Make a packaged or unpackaged drink.

Packages Drink

Stores Electronics

Secures Container

Release Container

Seals Container

Moves Ingredients

Retrieve Ingredients

Dispense Ingredients

Mix materials (?)

Takes user input

Engages with User

Displays Status

Store Presets

Select Ingredient volumes

Mixing Status

Sealing Status

Measures Ingredients

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Functional Decomposition (Concept Flow)

13

Select Cup or Pouch

Select Recipes or Volumes

Hold Cup

Store Liquids

Hold Pouch

Retrieve Liquids

Open Pouch

Measure Liquids

Fill Container

Return to original position

Release Container

Move Container

Seal Pouch

User Interface

Stores Materials

Measures liquids

Packages Drink

Moves liquids

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Functional Decomposition (Black Box Flows)

Stores Materials

Moves Ingredients

Packages Drink

Engages with Users

Electricity

Ingredients

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Concept Generation

All our concepts grouped together by sub-function.

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Concept Generation

Chosen concepts to run through our decision matrix (screening matrix).

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Critical Sketches by Subsystem

Storing

Moving/Measuring

Sealing

UI

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Screening Matrix - Storing

18

Concepts

Criteria

Ref

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Feasibility

0

1

0

1

1

-1

-1

-1

0

1

-1

Maintenance

0

0

0

1

-1

0

1

-1

-1

-1

1

# Ingredients

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Repeatability

0

0

0

0

-1

1

0

1

1

-1

-1

Safety

0

0

-1

0

1

1

1

1

1

0

1

TOTAL

0

2

0

3

1

2

3

1

2

0

1

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Decision Matrix - Storing

19

WEIGHT

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

3

5

15

5

15

3

9

5

15

5

15

4

3

12

5

20

3

12

3

12

3

12

1

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

2

3

6

5

10

4

8

3

6

3

6

4

5

20

3

12

4

16

5

25

5

20

56

60

48

61

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Using Drink Bottles

Upside Down Bottles

Wooden Barrels

Proprietary Steel tanks/plastic bottles

Right Side Up

Feasibility

Easy to Clean

Qty of Ingredients

Repeatability

Safety

TOTAL

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Storing Ingredients - Chosen Concept

  • 6 clear, rectangular tanks
  • Tanks will stand upright
  • Tanks can easily be switched out using a door-like enclosure for easy cleaning

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Screening Matrix - Moving

21

Ideas

Criteria

Ref

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Feasibility

0

1

1

-1

0

-1

0

-1

-1

1

-1

1

Efficiency

0

1

1

1

1

0

0

-1

1

-1

1

1

Accuracy

0

1

-1

1

-1

1

1

1

0

1

1

-1

Repeatability

0

1

1

0

1

-1

0

1

1

1

0

-1

Safety

0

0

1

-1

0

1

-1

0

0

-1

-1

0

TOTAL

0

4

2

1

1

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

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Decision Matrix - Moving Ingredients

22

WEIGHT

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

1

1

1

3

3

4

4

5

5

2

5

10

3

6

5

10

3

6

4

3

12

3

12

5

20

3

12

3

5

15

3

9

5

15

5

15

5

3

15

3

15

5

25

5

25

53

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74

63

Moving Glass Under Nozzles

Turn Table

Positive Displacement Pump

Gravity

Efficiency

Feasibility

Accuracy

Repeatability

Safety

TOTAL

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Moving Ingredients - Chosen Concept

  • Peristaltic Pump
    • Easy to clean
    • Provides consistent flow
    • Cheap

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Screening Matrix - Measuring

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Ideas

Criteria

Ref

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Feasibility

0

1

1

1

1

0

-1

-1

1

1

Efficiency

0

0

1

1

-1

-1

1

1

1

-1

Accuracy

0

-1

1

1

0

-1

-1

-1

-1

1

Repeatability

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

-1

Safety

0

1

1

1

0

1

1

1

1

0

TOTAL

0

2

5

5

1

0

1

1

3

0

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Decision Matrix - Measuring

25

WEIGHT

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

4

5

20

3

12

3

12

3

12

2

4

8

3

6

3

6

3

6

1

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

3

3

9

5

15

3

9

5

15

5

5

25

5

25

5

25

5

25

67

66

57

63

Weight Sensor

Flow Sensor

Optical Sensor

Timer

Accuracy

Efficiency

Feasibility

Repeatability

Safety

TOTAL

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Measuring Ingredients - Chosen Concept

  • Force/Weight sensor under each storage tank

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Screening Matrix - Sealing

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Ideas

Criteria

Ref

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Feasibility

0

1

-1

1

1

1

1

-1

-1

0

-1

Efficiency

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

0

1

1

Accuracy

0

1

-1

1

-1

-1

0

-1

-1

0

-1

Repeatability

0

1

1

-1

1

1

-1

1

1

1

1

Safety

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

-1

0

TOTAL

0

4

0

2

2

2

1

1

0

1

0

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Decision Matrix - Sealing Mechanism

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WEIGHT

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

1

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

2

4

8

3

6

3

6

3

6

3

6

4

5

20

4

16

4

16

3

12

3

12

3

5

15

5

15

5

15

5

15

5

15

5

5

25

5

25

5

25

5

25

5

25

71

65

65

61

61

Both Plates moving: Two-finger parallel jaw gripper

1 Plate Moving: Piston

1 Plate Moving: Gear

1 Plate Moving: Scotch-Yoke

1 Plate Moving: Screw

Aesthetics

Space Efficiency

Accuracy

Repeatability

Safety

TOTAL

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Sealing Mechanism - Chosen Concept

Reference (gripping mechanism)

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Sealing Mechanism - Alternative Concept

Lead Screw Mechanism:

  • Stationary Plate
  • Moving Plate
  • Lead Screws
  • Motors

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Screening Matrix - User Interface

31

Ideas

Criteria

Ref

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Feasibility

0

0

1

1

1

-1

-1

1

-1

-1

1

User Friendly

0

1

-1

0

-1

-1

1

-1

1

-1

-1

Accuracy

0

1

-1

-1

1

1

-1

0

1

1

-1

Repeatability

0

1

1

1

-1

1

1

0

1

1

1

Safety

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

TOTAL

0

4

1

2

1

1

1

1

3

1

1

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Decision Matrix - User Interface

32

WEIGHT

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

Rating

Total

1

4

4

5

5

5

5

2

2

3

3

3

5

15

3

9

4

12

5

15

4

12

2

5

10

3

6

4

8

5

10

3

6

4

5

20

4

16

4

16

5

20

4

16

49

36

41

47

38

Touch Screen

Knobs

Buttons

Bluetooth/Wifi

Slider Controls

Feasibility

Accuracy

User Friendly

Aesthetic

TOTAL

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User Interface - Chosen Concept

  • Screen UI chosen
  • Touchscreen

33

More traditional Screen UI

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Tentative full system design based on chosen subsystems

Ingredient Tanks

Sealing Mechanism

User Interface

Pouch Holder

CONCEPT ART

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CAD MODEL

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Overall View

Front view

Left side view

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Initial CAD MODEL

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Feasibility & Challenges- Mechanics

Our main mechanics challenges will be:

  • Fitting the tanks and pumps compactly
  • Accuracy and repeatability in heat sealing
  • Holding the pouch securely and not allowing too much movement, no spill!

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Feasibility & Challenges - Electronics

Our main electronics challenges will be:

  • Making sure no fluid gets on our electronics.
  • Get the heated plates to the required temperature.
  • Creating a layout for our electronics that fits nicely in a compact design.
  • Accurately measuring the amount of fluid dispensed.

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Electronics - Nichrome Wire Heating Calculations

Knowns/Assumptions

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Electronics - Nichrome Wire Heating Calculations

Amount of Energy Required to Heat Metal and Melt Plastic:

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Electronics - Nichrome Wire Heating Calculations

Current/Voltage Calculations

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Feasibility & Challenges - Computation

Our main computation challenges will be:

  • Controlling the pumps to dispense liquid
  • Making heat sealing precise by controlling gear system
  • Heating Element Control System

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Computation - Heating Element Control System

Components:

  • Heating Element
    • The source of heat, which is activated by running current through it.
  • Temperature Sensor
    • Continuously monitors the temperature of the heating element.
  • Arduino Control
    • Controls the current to the heating element based on the comparison of desired temperature to temperature sensor readings.

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Feasibility & Challenges - Systems

Our main system challenge will be the User Interface.

  • UI should sync with the microcontroller system (send commands)
  • UI should be simple to use and allow user to customize preferences
  • UI should allow the user to enter and store custom drink recipes

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Project Timeline

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PDR 9/27

Prototype 1

Sealing Mechanism

Pump System

Sensors

CDR

Tanks

Functional UI

Order Materials

10/15

Test + User Feedback

11/10

Design Expo!

11/17

Enclosure Design

12/10

Modifications

Modifications

Pouch Holder