We already had the springs/spring flaps secured to the hopper columns, and all of the columns secured to the hopper top. We finished the assembly of the hopper by weaving the kevlar thread in a Z-pattern through the hopper columns, so the PPBs would not fall out of the sides of the hopper once it was raised out of the slot. This Z-pattern keeps the columns from spreading too far apart. We secured the scissor arms to the scissor arm base that is screwed on to the hopper top with two of our scissor arm axles. The caps on the pins were interfering with the retraction of the scissor arms, so we had to cut out small notches in the scissor arm base with the mill to allow the scissor arms to retract more completely. We put washers on the pins in the scissor arm base to keep the two ends of the scissor arms from sliding to the opposite side from where they are supposed to be. We demonstrated our MCM for MS8 in the slot, and we realized that we also need to have something constraining the hopper columns from compressing toward eachother. We decided to add spring steel to the sides of the hopper to reinforce it.
We cut the cart bases to length out of the square tube stock, using the band saw, and we drilled holes in them using the drill press. We also used the drill press to finish drilling holes in the L-connectors.
We cut the brackets that will be holding up the leadscrew with the band saw, out of the aluminum 1/2" square stock. We then went to the mill with these brackets and started the process of tapping holes in them in order to secure them to the cart top with a screw. We are using the #8-32 screw, so we used the #29 screw (from the drill/tap chart), and we drilled holes in them. We then took these brackets to the tap, and used the #8-32 tap.
Next week we will have to finish manufacturing and assembling the leadscrew module, turn the wheel axles and couple them to the wheels, and couple the motors to the leadscrew and wheels.
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