Project ECE4007 Summary
Project Title Team Members (names and majors)
Automated Beverage Dispenser Nick White Katrina Kumm Mark Peterson Nick Migliaccio Michael Fojas Dr. David Keezer L04 2009 Spring The Automated Beverage Dispenser (ABD) is a self contained unit that allows restaurants and bars to cost-effectively and efficiently dispense mixed drinks for their customers without additional personnel. A touch screen computer allows the user, a waiter or bartender, to input the desired drink and the ABD will dispense the specified amounts of liquid that make up the drink recipe. The touch screen computer also allows for the adjustment, addition, and subtraction of recipes and available liquids in the database. Within the computers menu, there are also maintenance and help screens to walk the user through processes needed to maintain the unit or the database. Using the device will allow the waiters or bartenders to remotely places and fill orders without directly measuring and pouring the liquids. The machine helps with liquid and cost control by dispensing precise amounts of the liquids. Also, the ABD controls employee cost by allowing current staff to place orders without additional bartenders working. The unit will cost approximately $3,000 base price, however, it has the ability to be expandable to support more than five different liquids. The expandable units would cost approximately $750 for the hardware of additional pumps, hoses and wiring to the existing control unit. The device will be built in compliance with all food and beverage industry codes and standards. The target market for this device is a chain restaurant with bars and bars themselves that need to increase their efficiency and cost-effectiveness when dispensing mixed drinks. The outcome at the end of the specified design period is to be only a prototype. Additional features will not be designed due to time constraints. However, these additional features will be kept in mind during the design period for ease of incorporation.
Advisor / Section Semester Project Abstract (250-300 words)
Project Title List codes standards and that significantly affect your project. Briefly describe how they influenced your design.
Automated Beverage Dispenser Human-machine interface (HMI) codes and standards defining graphical user symbols are specified by ISO/IEC 11581 [8]. A finished consumer product would fully comply with ISO/IEC 11581; however, the feasibility of prototype compliance will be determined during development. It shall be noted in final documentation where compliance or noncompliance of standards occurred during prototype development.
List at least two significant realistic design constraints that applied to your project. Briefly describe how they affected your design.
Cost - The target price is $4,000 for final marketed product so it becomes a reasonable investment for the overall cost reduction and increase in efficiency. Safety - The device will be built in compliance with all food and beverage industry codes and standards. Final marketed design must be built using food grade pumps and tubing.
Briefly explain two significant trade-offs considered in your design, including options considered and the solution chosen.
Due to cost constraints for our prototype, we may not have enough money to use food grade components in our pumps for our prototype. Also...