#ARCADE CLAW GAME SOFTWARE#

Test mode also shows the servo position in degrees and the timers for the selected game (Skill or Power the gantry (no timer like when playing the game-mode) and calls out when any input is pressed. This can be used for troubleshooting the input controls and just checking the mechanical movement of the machine.

#ARCADE CLAW GAME SOFTWARE#

Software has some new features, specifically a 'test' mode. It's a balancing act between simple design (cost) and function (reliability). A long belt loop connects the Y gantry to the Y motor. Gantry motor was mounted in the travel path, however, the Z motor was hung below, and the Y gantry motor was mounted under the prize floor. Mounting motors on the same plane as the gantry's travel (X and Y) reduces the area the claw can get to. Space you either build upwards or outwards. It sticks out higher as the motors and mechanics need to occupy When designing and building this alpha machine, I was not sure how tall the gantry would be. So the bothР’В Y1Р’В and Y2 steppers trigger in unison but rotate opposite as they are mirrored from each other. This takes the Y1Р’В Stepper connections and mirrors Pins 34,36,38,40.Р’В The reason isР’В if you are using two stepper motors for the Y axis ( one on each side, facing opposite of eachother). For steppers Y1 and Y2 there are male headers on the board that can be jumperedР’В to bridge the connections of This PCB can drive 4 unipolar stepper motors marked as X, Y1, Y2, and Z. A 36 or 40 IDC cable will breakout the Arduino Mega 2560 main header to screw terminals and theР”В«ipolor stepper drive portion of this board. The IDC looking header on the Mega is a good collection of pinsР”Р„nd in the end, after 2 more revisions I settled on this PCB layout.

I started with a shield for the Mega 2560, however working around the header made for a messy layout and hard to reach terminals. The Arduino Mega brand and clone boards do not have screw terminals only justР”Р‡emale headers -not all that convienent when terminating wires. This worked fine, butР”Р„fter connecting all the limit switches, user controls and operator contols the wiring was organized like wet spaghetti. My first solution (scroll wayyy down) was to connect motors. The claw machine motor pcb needed a more thoughtful solution to the mess of electronics a claw machine requires.

Arcade claw game