TL DR: Use TIP120s to handle stepper motor current, and disable hold torque and servo power when game is in idle to cut down on heat and power use.I built this circuit on plated perf boards, and it took about 4-5 hours. Also mill down the rod to make one end thicker than the other, as shown in the instruction video.Next, drill a hole in the center to match the diameter of the stepper motor axle — it will be attached to this later. You have 55 seconds to move and position the claw, grab a prize, return it to the "prize chute" and go for more. Once you did that you are ready to go, now just put a roof on your base and lets start building the servo base 5. 4 years ago Therefore the claw machine motors have no holding torque which cuts down on power/heat and defaults the motors into a idle state. I read on the Arduino.cc site how adding the "duino" suffex to things translates poorly in Italian.. but VenDuino just sounded good. Servo motor is 180 degree.A number of people ask me, can you attached a standard claw to this? Driving the stepper close to it's max velocity will result in loss of torque+skip steps when under load.I also had to make a mount for my potentiometer (claw control) and some other brackets to mount buttons and take up slack in the GT2 belts.I attached 12V LED light strips to the underside of the gantry to give some light to the game.

This project is easier to replicate (think kit form) with standard parts- Nema Steppers fit this due to the 3D printer market, not to mention all the belts, pulleys and wheels are readily available 3D printer parts. With this stage complete, also spray or hand paint the board white (or any other color) and affix the 3D printed parts, as shown.

The body panels were drawn in 2D and laser cut. The body LEDs turn off when game is idle or transitions to 'game over', turn dim when a quarter is inserted, go full brightness when the game is being played, and flash when "time expired" is displayed.You could add some plexiglass to encase the machine and stop cheaters, but I went so far over budget that I will leave that for a later day... I also placed the 3D printed LCD cover on the TFTLCD to clean up the look on the install.Then place the candy in the vending machine and close everything up!Hacker, ✍️Writer, ()Bounty Hunter, and Founder — https://www.nickengmann.comYou can order the lazercut kit for the Venduino via for the 3D printed LCD screen cover.It's pretty self explanatory to create the lazercut vending machine kit, just follow the pictures that come with the kit or on the website.Before loading the code onto the Arduino Mega you are going to have to train your coin machine. Unlike a CNC machine, there is no kick-back force that would cause a motor to lose position, nor any ill effect if a position is lost. The stepper motors and their user-friendly mounting holes influence 80% of this design. Advanced Full instructions provided 12 hours 9,219. However you will get props in the cool factor.If you're going to write any code/ program. The design is really up to the builder’s imagination, all you need is two open holes in your structure where the power supply and knob wires can stick out, so you can plug it into the wall.int potpin = 0; // analog pin used to connect the potentiometer int val; // variable to read the value from the analog pinvoid setup() { myservo.attach(9); // attaches the servo on pin 9 to the servo object }void loop() { val = analogRead(potpin); // reads the value of the potentiometer (value between 0 and 1023) val = map(val, 0, 1023, 0, 180); // scale it to use it with the servo (value between 0 and 180) myservo.write(val); // sets the servo position according to the scaled value delay(15); // waits for the servo to get there }Once you have that just upload it to your board and follow the circuit schematic image shown.4.
Each motor has a molex connector at the base making build/ disassemble simple. It's an undefined state. Personally, the game is more fun since it's based less on one-time spatial judgment and more about motor skills and planning the best route for multiple prizes.Really early crane amusement machines were based on full control machines. It's best to wire the entire system outside the Lazercut kit first to ensure that everything works before stuffing it into the Vending Machine.Finally we just have to put everything into the Lazercut Vending Machine kit. Now add the required PCB wire connectors, and solder, as shown in the video. Again there are no instructions for this so it may take some trial and error.Now take the color sensor and wire up as instructed. The last photo points to these rails that can move in and out. Having the stepper motors both holding their position while fighting gravity with a heavier gantry would be a sure way to fail early. This cuts down on heat tremendously. Key here is to use nylon lock washers so the claw does not disassemble itself after repeated use. If you have ever dreamed of having the ability to sort color tablet candies automatically, then this great machine might make your day. Aside from making the pile of mixed candy look more appealing and illuminating the playfield, these LEDs also give visual cues for the claw game. You may want to mock this piece up using cardboard prior to finalizing the design either cutting MDF to size or 3D printing. The next stage is to thread the previously prepared aluminum rod onto the stepper motor in the center of the MDF board. The BoM reflects the machine documented here. So let's call this build an 'investment'eBay. If you want to use a real amusement type claw, you'll need to drive it with the appropriate power (voltage + current) and this might add some unexpected cost. Although those claws use solenoids that need 50V and a few amps to drive them; knowing that interfacing them with this machine is simple. The only restriction is time. I should stress designing and building the claw was a chore, but well worth it considering the alternatives I tried. Watch in amazement as your carefully crafted Arduino code and machine work in perfect symphony to sort the candies into separate cups.