Computer Engineering Senior Design Project

Ryan Bowen, Jacob Czapeczka, Ken Smith Jr.

May 2007

The Automatic Drink Mixer is designed to produce various mixed drinks through a computer controlled automated dispensing system. It has a robust user interface and ingredient monitoring system. During maximum operation a total of 32 different ingredients can be made available.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Mechanics (Plumbing)

Pricing Model

Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Quick Selection:

From the “Top Drinks” tab users can quickly select a drink based upon previous users’ selections. These lists include the 10 most requested and the last 10 created.

Searching For Drinks:

From the “Search” tab it is possible to search existing drink recipes by limiting results to drink names that including the inputted text.

Browsing For Drinks:

From the “Browse” tab users can easily find drinks that contain a combination of particular ingredients. Where the ingredients are limited by their classifications.

Creating Custom Drinks:

From the “Custom” tab user can create their own drink recipe by choosing the ingredients that they desire. They also have the option to save this recipe for future use.

Cabinet Management

Editing Drinks and Ingredients:

After logging in, admin users can add, remove, or update existing drink recipes or ingredients. Note that newly added drinks are kept separate until they are confirmed.

View/Change Containers:

The current status of each bottle can be accessed from the main screen. It is here that administrators can specify new container parameters.

Drink Selection

Digital LogicAutomatic Drink Mixer

Cabinet Graphical User Interface

• Liquor / Mixers

• PC with Windows XP and Parallel port.

• Monitor

• Air Compressor

• Software Interface / PostgreSQL

• PCB

• Solenoid Valves

• Vinyl Tubing (various sizes)

• Power Supply

• Plastic Tube Fittings

Basic Materials

The PCB interacts directly with the software through the parallel port on the PC. It implements its digital state machine logic through the use of Gate Array Logic Chips (GAL). The output voltage of the GAL chips are then buffered and connected to a series of solenoid valves which are driven by Darlington circuits. Due to the nature of these solenoid valves, fly-back diodes are used to compensate for sudden voltage spikes.

Solenoid Valves

A set of two solenoid valves are used for the metering of the liquid during the dispensing process. A length of tubing is placed between the two valves and by alternating one open and one closed, an exact amount of liquid is dispensed every time.

Tubing, Fittings, Relief Valves:

Various sized flexible vinyl tubing provides transportation and flow rate for liquid. Where plastic fittings are used to interconnect the different components in the system. At the apex of the system, air relief valves are used to bleed out unwanted air in the lines.

Type PriceElectronics $243.60Hardware $25.40Hardware (Total) $812.70Testing $179.30Testing $143.75Cabinet (Estimate) ~$400

TOTAL ~$1500 Cost Average Reused

Special Thanks

Schematics

Single Line Circuit Fly-back Diode

Richard Tolleson Chris ParryPhillip Strelau Justin NewcomerBrian Glod Stowe Beecher * Frank and Debbie Czapeczka *