Webtrain Decoupling Adam Kadolph EE451 Bradley University Advisors: Dr. Irwin, Dr. Schertz Week 1-6 Monday 11/20

2 Outline Project Goals Introduction System Operation Week 1-6 Progress Timeline of Events Review Sensors Where is the Project Going?

3 Project Goals The goal of the project is to design a system to automatically decouple cars from the webtrain. The system will be able to decouple a specific car upon request. A sensor to detect train position

4 Introduction The Webtrain is an N-Gauge Scale model train. The train is controlled through the Digital Command Control (DCC) System –Packets of data sent to train Each locomotive has a special receiver circuit built in –The locomotive can decode DCC Signal sent –Several trains running at various speeds in different direction at once

5 Introduction The Webtrain Decoupling System is a 4 th Generation project for the webtrain. –2002 Webtrain Built –2003 Web Interface –2005 DCC System and Current Sensing –2006 Decoupling System

6 System Operation Two modes of decoupling –Manual Mode User Commands: –Foreward –Backward –Stop –Automatic Mode User Commands: –Car select for decoupling

7 Week 1 Progress Understand Webtrain System –DCC System –Decoupling Wrote first draft of functional description Start Website

8 Timeline – Week 1

9 Week 2 Progress Worked on getting DCC system running Continued work on Website Turned in first draft of functional description

10 Timeline – Week 2

11 Week 3 Progress Train running through DCC system Mounted decouple magnet on bypass track Successfully decoupled several cars from the train using DCC system

12 Timeline – Week 3

13 Week 4 Progress Spent Morning understanding previous years code –Added plenty of comments in code Afternoon spent working on my own coding –Implemented new menus –Added corresponding function to menus

14 Timeline – Week 4

15 Week 5 Progress Remounted decoupling magnet on bypass lane Finished coding of manual decoupling aspect of project –Accomplished several decoupling runs –Added weights to trains for improvements

16 Timeline – Week 5

17 Week 6 Progress Took measurements of track, train, and decoupler to determine sensor limitation Researched Optical Sensors –Ambient Light Photo Sensor –Reflective Photo Sensor –Phototransistor Website Update

18 Timeline - Week 6

19 Sensors Ambient Light Photosensor Detection of three levels of ambient light Analog adjustable gain for levels Digital Output Dimensions (4.0mm x 3.2mm x 1.1mm) Reflective Photosensor Emitter and Detector in one package Dimensions (3.4mm x 2.7mm x 1.5mm) Phototransistor Fall back sensor Mounted below track

20 Where is the project going? Decoupling System Collision Avoidance RFID tags

21 Questions? Comments. END