pigfeeder (oink)
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Egeste
Feb 4, 2011, 3:54:28 PM2/4/11
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I'm designing an automated, timed feeding apparatus for my pet pig (oink) - and I have a few design/engineering challenges I wouldn't mind some input on. Here are my thoughts thus far on the project.
Prototype will be arduino-based using the ModernDevice RBBB (for size and ease of prototyping) http://shop.moderndevice.com/products/rbbb-kit
Unit should be powered with a dc wall adapter with a battery backup.
Q. How do we handle time/alarms on an Arduino?
A. The arduino Time library has support for time and alarms. Nifty! http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Code/Time
Q. How do we know if the Arduino has the correct time?
A. Binary LED clock? (for nerd points)
Q. What if you need to adjust the time?
A. Two buttons should be sufficient...
Q. How do we set alarms?
A. Initial prototype I was thinking hard-coded via serial... but that sucks. I should probably upgrade to an LCD for the clock and add another button. I suppose I could still keep the nerd points if I display the clock in binary format on the LCD. Add another button to switch modes.
Q. How do we release the food from the container?
A. Servo + mechanical release?
Q. How do we measure the appropriate amount of food?
A. ???
Q. How do we get the food from the container to the bowl?
A. Gravity? Think of something...
Anyway - still in the brainstorming phases. Thoughts?
Evan Mallory
Feb 4, 2011, 4:31:45 PM2/4/11
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You could scavenge the mechanism and reservoir from a cereal dispenser. They are pretty cheap and available and dispense a measured amount per turn of the knob. For example, this one will do 1oz per turn. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zevro-Compact-Cereal-Dispenser-in-White/11286698
<mailsig.jpg>
Jon Kelly
Feb 4, 2011, 4:35:52 PM2/4/11
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There was someone else at the space talking about doing a cat treat
dispenser... I know I'm looking in to a rabbit food dispenser; maybe
we can all work together on this? :D
dispenser... I know I'm looking in to a rabbit food dispenser; maybe
we can all work together on this? :D
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Egeste
Feb 4, 2011, 5:18:55 PM2/4/11
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Neat. Good idea. I'll swing by a walmart at some point and investigate the mechanism
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james...@austin.rr.com
Feb 4, 2011, 5:19:14 PM2/4/11
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---- Egeste <ege...@egeste.net> wrote:
> Q. How do we release the food from the container?
> A. Servo + mechanical release?
>
> Q. How do we measure the appropriate amount of food?
> A. ???
These are really the same question from two different perspectives. Peristalsis is the most reliable and will help keep bugs and such out.
> Q. How do we get the food from the container to the bowl?
> A. Gravity? Think of something...
Taken care of by above.
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Martin Bogomolni
Feb 4, 2011, 5:29:17 PM2/4/11
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Of course, there are many, many, many commercial timed pet feeders.
If you're determined to DIY for fun, no reason you can't learn from
'em:
If you're determined to DIY for fun, no reason you can't learn from
'em:
http://uniquedistributors.com/qufefe.html
http://uniquedistributors.com/autopetfeeders.html
http://www.perfectpetfeeder.com/
http://www.petco.com/product/14429/Ergo-Systems-Auto-Pet-Feeder.aspx
The common themes seem to be:
- Gravity feed for dry pellet food
- top loading of the food, with a cover
- a pre-measured cup that turns, or dumps
- a mechanism to churn the dry feed
- battery power
Doug Pichler
Feb 4, 2011, 5:34:21 PM2/4/11
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Here are a couple examples. I'm not a huge fan of the one John Park did but I'm including it anyway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSCC2Z96s3g\
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/12/maker-workshop-vcr-cat-feeder.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSCC2Z96s3g\
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/12/maker-workshop-vcr-cat-feeder.html
Nathan
Feb 5, 2011, 1:29:03 PM2/5/11
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The first few examples that Martin posted remind me of feeders that
hunters use to attract game, the mechanism would be just like a lawn
spreader for fertilizer. But it seems that portion size may be
difficult to control, and it runs the risk of getting stuck on and
dispensing all of the feed. If you used a long rotating cylinder with
multiple compartments, lets say 7 for a week of feeding. You would be
able to set the portion size when you loaded it. And it would be the
easiest to increase your portion sizes as the pig grows, no need to
reprogram or increase cup size. It would be similar to the vcr cat
feeder just longer. You could mount it on the wall about waist high,
for easy loading and to prevent the pig from getting to the rest of
the feed and "pigging out". Then make a slide or chute to deliver the
feed down to the bowl.
I think you should do as much as you can mechanically, with limit
switches and bumps stops you can forget about having to time how long
to dispense feed with the Arduino. Save the Arduino for the bells and
whistles.
One crazy idea for would be to hack an alarm clock, use the Arduino to
sense when the alarm is going off and it feeds. It would be a very
reliable way to keep the right time, and it would be a breeze to set.
I don't mean to be a dick, but livestock eat feed not food.
hunters use to attract game, the mechanism would be just like a lawn
spreader for fertilizer. But it seems that portion size may be
difficult to control, and it runs the risk of getting stuck on and
dispensing all of the feed. If you used a long rotating cylinder with
multiple compartments, lets say 7 for a week of feeding. You would be
able to set the portion size when you loaded it. And it would be the
easiest to increase your portion sizes as the pig grows, no need to
reprogram or increase cup size. It would be similar to the vcr cat
feeder just longer. You could mount it on the wall about waist high,
for easy loading and to prevent the pig from getting to the rest of
the feed and "pigging out". Then make a slide or chute to deliver the
feed down to the bowl.
I think you should do as much as you can mechanically, with limit
switches and bumps stops you can forget about having to time how long
to dispense feed with the Arduino. Save the Arduino for the bells and
whistles.
One crazy idea for would be to hack an alarm clock, use the Arduino to
sense when the alarm is going off and it feeds. It would be a very
reliable way to keep the right time, and it would be a breeze to set.
I don't mean to be a dick, but livestock eat feed not food.
Jason Lambert
Feb 5, 2011, 1:47:37 PM2/5/11
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When they live in the house they are no longer livestock.
--
Matt Goodman
Feb 5, 2011, 3:09:42 PM2/5/11
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Assuming pig and dog food are of similar character: Archimedes screw?
--Matthew Goodman
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Find me on LinkedIn: http://tinyurl.com/d6wlch
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=====================
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Find me on LinkedIn: http://tinyurl.com/d6wlch
Nathan
Feb 5, 2011, 4:45:24 PM2/5/11
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Jason, people have shared shelters with domesticated animals since
ancient times. It is not as common in first world countries, as we
have a tendency to call them pets and give them names once they enter
the home. But all over the world people keep their livestock with
them in their "homes", sometimes to protect them from predators, bad
weather, or theft and some just can freely roam in and out. But
regardless of where the animal's pen is located, it is still
livestock. Wilbur is still a pig, and I still want to eat him. My
friends at the Korean market have a bad ass recipe for pork ribs if
anybody wants to have a bbq. Potbelly pigs are supposed to be pretty
tasty. :)
But seriously, Matt's screw idea would be good to incorporate into
your design if you choose to have a large bin of feed and a gravity
fed chute. Ice dispensers that sit on top of the soda fountains have
augers in them to push the ice toward the ice chute so that a
consistent amount of ice is dispensed. But as anyone who has ever
filled a cup of ice knows, the rate can vary. Which brings us back to
the portion size problem. If you just run the auger for a set time
you may not dispense the proper portion. You could fill a cup to a
certain height and verify it optically with an ir led and sensor, and
then drop the load down the chute. Or you could weight the portion
somehow. An optical sensor would also be good to let you know when it
is time to reload the hopper with feed.
Mert
Feb 5, 2011, 5:16:21 PM2/5/11
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> Q. How do we know if the Arduino has the correct time?
or, maybe
http://leapsecond.com/pages/sony-wwvb/
uCHobby
Feb 5, 2011, 5:48:29 PM2/5/11
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I raised a show pig as a young boy, feed him automatically, with tall
column box, wooden, gravity feed to an opening at the bottom. The pig
(Henry) ate when and how much he wished. The box could hold a full
50lbs sack. Oh and he loved to eat the sack...
I know you don't want to let a pot belly eat all they want, the thing
would eventually be moored at the side of the feeder unable to move.
I've seen one in nearly this condition from overfeeding.
One idea might be to do a similar system but close the feeder with an
access control door. When its time for the feeding, the door opens for
a set time. There would need to be some sound that let the pig know
the door was about to open.
This might be easier and provide enough control over the amount
consumed. It would also train the pig to come to the dinner bell sound
should you need to bring him to you.
Pigs are extremely smart animals, I am sure the pig would have no
trouble learning to come to the dinner bell. The bad thing is that the
pig might just tear the thing up to get at the feed. Based on my
experience with Henry, he might open and rewire the system to feed him
when he makes the bell sound.
Henry won 18th in the Texas state livestock show...
uCHobby
column box, wooden, gravity feed to an opening at the bottom. The pig
(Henry) ate when and how much he wished. The box could hold a full
50lbs sack. Oh and he loved to eat the sack...
I know you don't want to let a pot belly eat all they want, the thing
would eventually be moored at the side of the feeder unable to move.
I've seen one in nearly this condition from overfeeding.
One idea might be to do a similar system but close the feeder with an
access control door. When its time for the feeding, the door opens for
a set time. There would need to be some sound that let the pig know
the door was about to open.
This might be easier and provide enough control over the amount
consumed. It would also train the pig to come to the dinner bell sound
should you need to bring him to you.
Pigs are extremely smart animals, I am sure the pig would have no
trouble learning to come to the dinner bell. The bad thing is that the
pig might just tear the thing up to get at the feed. Based on my
experience with Henry, he might open and rewire the system to feed him
when he makes the bell sound.
Henry won 18th in the Texas state livestock show...
uCHobby
Luke Iseman
Feb 8, 2011, 2:24:47 PM2/8/11
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I've been toying with the idea of an arduino-based way to care for my
20-odd chickens that does the following:
1. water: fill dish from hose any time less than half full
2. food: feed twice daily, accurate to within half a cup
3. door: open coop door for them to roam my yard from sunrise to
sunset. it's ok if the door opens late, but it cannot remain open for
more than half an hour after dark (hungry raccoons)
the deluxe version will add egg incubation (humidity, temperature, egg-
rotating, and hatch detection), and maybe some predator defense (spray
gun?)
here's my plan so far on each:
water: i'll use a sprinkler valve connected to household water supply.
many are rated 10-20 volts ac, but i've got the solenoid to reliably
open with 12v dc.
food: a bigger version of steve hoefer's gumball machine (
http://makezine.com/25/gumball/ )
door: ? most people use a drapery controller, but this is typically 90
bucks... maybe an old power tool motor dismantled?
if y'all want to collaborate, let me know!
-luke
20-odd chickens that does the following:
1. water: fill dish from hose any time less than half full
2. food: feed twice daily, accurate to within half a cup
3. door: open coop door for them to roam my yard from sunrise to
sunset. it's ok if the door opens late, but it cannot remain open for
more than half an hour after dark (hungry raccoons)
the deluxe version will add egg incubation (humidity, temperature, egg-
rotating, and hatch detection), and maybe some predator defense (spray
gun?)
here's my plan so far on each:
water: i'll use a sprinkler valve connected to household water supply.
many are rated 10-20 volts ac, but i've got the solenoid to reliably
open with 12v dc.
food: a bigger version of steve hoefer's gumball machine (
http://makezine.com/25/gumball/ )
door: ? most people use a drapery controller, but this is typically 90
bucks... maybe an old power tool motor dismantled?
if y'all want to collaborate, let me know!
-luke
Danny Miller
Feb 8, 2011, 3:12:54 PM2/8/11
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AC solenoids are inherently different than DC solenoids. I'm kinda
confused how it could open on DC at all, I've never seen one that
responds to DC, it doesn't pull the plunger. If so, the current might
be pretty high.
confused how it could open on DC at all, I've never seen one that
responds to DC, it doesn't pull the plunger. If so, the current might
be pretty high.
Sprinkler solenoids are pretty standardized at 24VAC. You could get a
sprinkler solenoid transformer and a relay or SCR control on the output.
Danny
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