The model consists of the factory space with an overhead gantry with trolly and vertical arm. i.e. three degrees of movement. Loads are picked up by means of a Meccano electro-magnet at the end of the arm. I opted out at the point of providing rotation at the base of the vertical arm and settled for a turntable to rotate loads situated on the factory floor. Since taking the pictures shown, I have added a conveyor along the length of the factory.
The gantry and trolley are operated by stepper motors and the vertical arm
which 
The model
consists of the factory space with an overhead gantry with trolly and vertical
arm. i.e. three degrees of movement. Loads are picked up by means of
a Meccano electro-magnet at the end of the arm. I opted out at
the point of providing rotation at the base of the vertical arm and settled
for a turntable to rotate loads situated on the factory floor. Since
taking the pictures shown, I have added a conveyor along the length of the
factory.
The conveyor which is constructed of Meccano caterpillar track is operated by a DC motor and controlled by an opto switch. The opto switches by the way utilise a Darlington transistor for high output to transmit an adequate signal to the interface.(obtainable from Rapid Electronics of Colchester UK).
The only extra component needed in this circuit is a 1K resistor. The stepper
motors are controlled
The model consists
of the factory space with an overhead gantry with trolly and vertical arm.
i.e. three degrees of movement. Loads are picked up by means of a
Meccano electro-magnet at the end of the arm. I opted out at
the point of providing rotation at the base of the vertical arm and settled
for a turntable to rotate loads situated on the factory floor. Since
taking the pictures shown, I have added a conveyor along the length of the
factory.
The Contact Controller Plus interface program does not run fast enoughto drive stepper motors, so that all the routines have been reprogrammed in Visual Basic. They are available from John Darlison whos email address is john@darlison.freeserve.co.uk.
The four views show the complete factory, the interface and laptop computer, the turntable and electromagnets, and the gantry and trolley.
John Darlison 1999