The Ultimate Automatic Pencil Sharpener! (Arduino)

In this Arduino project we make an automatic pencil sharpener! You simply attach a pencil, press a button and the pencil will be sharpened automatically until you stop it! It's a great beginner Arduino project to do and learn from. We go through the whole making process of how to make the Arduino robotic project, starting from the assembly of linear motion all the way to the 3D printed parts and electronics for the project so you can do it yourself!
This idea of the Arduino automatic pencil sharpener project comes from the fact that all current pencil sharpeners requires you to use your hands, either both hands or a single hand using the traditional automatic pencil sharpeners. It is also a project I wanted to do to learn more about threaded rods and how to achieve linear motion using motors like a stepper motor. Tackling this project will really help in understanding the fundamentals of linear motion and how to use stepper motors effectively to create your own robotics electronics Arduino projects.
In the video, I go through the full assembly process of the automatic pencil sharpener project and show you how to make the Arduino project by yourself very easily. We start by attaching the stepper motor to a wooden board, then attaching a threaded rod to the motor for the linear motion and use a smooth rod as a linear rail for support for the linear motion. We then use a 3D printed part to attach a platform to the nut, and on top of the platform have a place to attach anything we want using 4 bolts, this way the linear motion is modular. Then we use another 3D printed part to attach the DC motor on top of the 3D printed platform. As for the sharpener side, another 3D printed part is used to attach the sharpener to the board so the sharpener is in the same level as the DC motor.
Components:
• Attiny84, for the micro-controller.
• Nema 17 stepper motor, to drive the linear motion.
• A4988 stepper motor driver, with 100µF-1000µF capacitor across the motor power pins.
• 12V power supply, with at least 3A max rated current.
• LM2596 DC-DC step up/down converter, to convert 12V to 5V. 12V is required for the motors, 5V for the micro-controller.
• MCP1700, 5V voltage regulator, to ensure the Attiny84 has a consistent and smooth voltage. 1000/100µF and 100,000pF capacitors are soldered directly on the MCP1700 to deal with voltage spikes.
• 12V DC motor, the one used has a max speed of 500 RPM.
• IRF3708 MOSFET, to be able to control the DC motor using a micro-controller.
• 1N4004 Diode, to be placed across the DC motor to prevent negative voltage spikes if the DC motor is rotated when the circuit is off.
• Sliding switch, as an on and off switch.
• 2 buttons, to control the stepper motor, left and right controls.
• 8mm L30cm lead screw, for the linear motion.
• 8mm L30cm smooth rod, for the linear rail for the linear motion.
• Pillow block bearing, for the lead screw.
• SCS8UU linear bearing, for the smooth rod.
• SK8 rod support (x2), for the smooth rod.
• D19L25 5x8mm flexible shaft coupling (x2), one to attach lead screw to stepper motor and one to attach pencil to DC motor.
Optional:
• Potentiometer, this will be used to fine-tune the speed of the stepper motor, so it does not move too fast towards the sharpener.
To design all the 3D models I used Fusion 360, and printed them using the Creality CR6 SE 3D printer.
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Link to all info for this project and to make it yourself:
github.com/Pro...
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#arduino #arduinoproject #3dprinted #3dprinting #electronics #robotics #robot #pencil #sharpener #automatic

[@ProjectsWithRed]

Let me know if there are any projects you want me to tackel! It could be anything. Remember to subscribe so you don't miss future projects :)

[@Furnitecture]

Great project and video, love the little drawer! 3:03 could be a nice stop motion camera dolly? :)

[@ProjectsWithRed]

Yea the drawer is my favourite part of the project! That's not a bad idea at all! It could totally be used for that.

[@FuzzyTekShow]

Like a normal sharpener, I kinda wanna stick my finger in it but at the same time I really don't. Great project and well explained. :)

[@ProjectsWithRed]

It looks dangerous, but actually is not that dangerous... ;).Thank you very much, that is greatly appreciated!

[@FuzzyTekShow]

@@ProjectsWithRedOh of course, the pencil spins not the sharpener, I swear I'm not normally that stupid haha silly me! It's been a long day :P. Anyway, I look forward to more videos!

[@ProjectsWithRed]

@@FuzzyTekShow No worries, you are not the first person to think that, and there is nothing wrong with it! That's awesome to hear! Glad to have you part of this!

[@alaaafaneh3926]

Hey man , I am intrestet in your project. But I am thinking to modify it a bit rather than producing a sharpened pencil ; producing a round rod instead. It could also be useful to be able to control the diameter and the length of the output rod. One idea in my mind is to turn a commercial electric pencil sharpener into a machine that takes the square wood sticks in and outputs a round stick from the other end with a certain length and diameter. Can you do that project ?

[@scuffedcoding3814]

"Yo bro can you sharp my pencil for me? Thanks YO BRO WHERES MY PENCIL YO"

[@kurt1618]

Can I buy it? How much?

[@ProjectsWithRed]

Haha, how much would you pay for it?

[@kurt1618]

@@ProjectsWithRed I'm not sure. I collect antique pencil sharpeners from the late 1800s to the 1940s. I also have a few early 30s /40s electrics. I never want to offend people's creativity and really have no clue. Give me a price you feel is fair. Thanks, C.

[@ProjectsWithRed]

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