Safety Brake Decoupler Project

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Role: Robojackets IGVC - Mechanical team

Summary: I designed a safety brake decoupling mechanism for Jessi, ake decoupler design of Jessi, the team’s versatile robot capable of maneuvering off-road terrains under challenging weather conditions.

Skills: Solidworks, Autodesk Inventor, Machining (including CNC machines with G-code), HAAS CNC, Team management, BOM, CAM, Engineering Drawing, FMEA

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In my freshman year in college, I was part of the GT Robojacket IGVC, Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition. One of the problems the team had when I joined was the absence of a Safety feature on the robot’s brake coupling system. Every time, a person had to reach hands under the robot through sharp edges to disable or able the brake.

I brought up the safety concerns for this matter and presented the new design as a countermeasure. Using Autodesk Inventor and Solidworks, I designed the leverage mechanism to bring enabling handle from under the robot to the back side of the robot. It was challenging because I had to change the packaging of some components under the robot to ensure the workspace for the leverage mechanism. After designing, I learned how to use HAAS 5-axis CNC from my mentor to fabricate the part.

After the installation, one of the most important mechanisms of the robot in terms of safety became much more accessible. Also, it decreased the chance of injuries due to sharp edges.

From this project, I learned how important it is to address and improve safety measures. Also, I was able to polish my skills in modifying already existing parts and assemblies on Solidworks and Autodesk Inventor. Lastly, I acquired CAM software skills by manipulating HAAS CNC.