Automating Resonant Frequency and Weight Characterization of Percussion Drumsticks at Vater Percussion

Abstract

The objective of the project is to design an automated system to sort drumsticks based on weight and resonant frequency for Vater Percussion. The rationale for the project is that by automating this sorting process, Vater employees will be able to spend more time on other processes in their facility that require more human attention and industry knowledge. The state of the art is a manual, human-run sorting process with three workstations. The methods used include axiomatic design, time studies, financial analysis, CAD modeling, and an in-person simulation of our design with the use of a collaborative robot. The results show that we were able to design a sorting system with independent tasks that decreases processing time and necessary man-hours. Our team can reach two fundamental conclusions based on the results. First, an automated sorting system is effective in relieving personnel to focus on more important tasks. Second, an automated sorting system has a positive return-on-investment due to the man-hours it saves. Our proof-of-concept demonstrates the effectiveness of using a collaborative robot to automate the stick sorting process and achieve the results stated above