This was the most intensive project I have worked on to date. My team and I worked with the largest sign manufacturing company in Central California to develop a proof of concept machine to help automate the channel letter sign manufacturing process.

The machine we built is designed to cut trim cap to the exact length of an acrylic face perimeter. It does this by utilizing a custom Python software. A user will load a DXF file in through a graphical user interface. Once the user hits start, a NEMA 23 stepper motor driven feed wheel extrudes the trim cap. There is an integrated IR sensor to identify the start of the trim cap, a linear actuator driven shear, and a NEMA 17 stepper motor driven clamp for securing the trim cap during the shearing process.

For this project my responsibilities were:

• Managing the software and hardware teams.

• Designing and 3D printing parts.

• Selecting the electronic components.

• Writing the motor and sensor functions in Python.

• Interfacing software with the hardware.

• Working with the Raspberry Pi and Linux permissions.

• Fabrication, assembly, and troubleshooting.

My hardware teammates helped with fabrication and assembly while my software team members created the graphical user interface and the logic to read a DXF file.