Pancake Robot Cooker
2024
I designed a pancake robot cooker with a two axis batter dispenser and a robotic arm. Stepper motors move the dispenser across the griddle and position the spatula to flip the pancakes.
Project documents: Proposal, 3D model, Budget, Daily Log, Gantt Chart and Decision Matrix.
1. Process
I began by exploring a system with two robotic arms, one for the batter dispenser and one for the spatula. I then replaced the dispenser arm with a two axis machine that could move the dispenser over the griddle. This gave the design a clearer division of work: the dispenser handles the batter while the robotic arm handles the flip.
I modelled the assembly in Fusion 360 before building it. The model brought the griddle, dispenser, arm and base together so I could work through the placement of the parts before making them.
2. Final Design
The final design places the batter dispenser at one end of the griddle and the robot arm with its spatula at the other. I printed parts for both mechanisms and assembled the system around the griddle. Testing the motors and wiring showed where the motion needed adjustment, and I refined the design through those iterations.
