Newsgroups: comp.robotics
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From: nagle@netcom.com (John Nagle)
Subject: Re: pet project - need criticizm :-)
Message-ID: <nagleCCpJsJ.F3n@netcom.com>
Keywords: posted this to s.e but not one person responded :-(
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
References: <491@blue.cis.pitt.edu>
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1993 03:45:54 GMT
Lines: 25

fmg@alpha.smi.med.pitt.edu (Filip Gieszczykiewicz) writes:
>	Greetings. I'm working on a "changer" for storage devices (CD-ROMs
>	and 4mm DATs - at the moment) and would like some input from this
>	group. I've chosen the "merry go around" wheel as the storage for
>	the cartriges (as opposed to a stack) and have built up a full
>	scale model from cardboard - It looks ok...

      I saw a device like this at Interop last week.  Don't remember the
vendor, though.  Nice layout.  The "wheel" held about 40 4mm DAT tapes.
Two DAT drives, and a "loading station" for controlled human tape
insertion/removal were provided.  The "wheel" could be removed (if the
cover was unlocked).  Bar code scanner for identifying tapes.  
Software for network backup and file migration.  

      The "robot arm" was a simple grab-and-slide mechanism; the wheel
was arranged so that tapes could be slid in and out of slots around the
perimeter of the wheel (and they got it right; they don't fall out when
you remove the wheel).  Complexity only slightly greater than a slide
changer.  The caisette moves only in a straight line.  There is an active
"gripper", not just a pusher, carefully designed around the constraints
of the caisette and the drive.

      It's a nice machine design problem.

					John Nagle
