Automatic Cat Feeder

thingiverse

Hey everyone, I've got a design for an automated cat feeder system. Why would I want to do this? My cat has some eating issues that leave him always hungry. That's what led me to think about creating a feeder system that dispenses dried cat food at regular intervals. The setup includes three 3D printed parts: the lower part, upper part, spiral tube version 2.0, filling nozzle, lid, bottom lid, and two holders. Here are the electronics and mechanical components: * 1 Arduino Nano * 1 Stepper Motor 28byj-48 * 1 Stepper Motor PCB ULN2003 * 1 microUSB PCB (for powering Arduino and motor in parallel) * 1 ON/OFF Switch * 8 Neodym Magnets 5x8mm * 1 15mm Stainless Steel rod * 1 5x11x5mm bearing * 2 M3x10 Screws * 2 M2x8 Screws It's a pretty straightforward setup, and the Arduino sketch is easy to understand. Here's the code: ```c #include <Stepper.h> #define STEPS 4076 // steps per revolution of motor (28BYJ-48) Stepper stepper(STEPS, 8, 10, 9, 11); void setup() { // nothing to do } void loop() { delay(900000); // 15-minute interval between food releases stepper.setSpeed(6); // set motor speed to 6 rpm stepper.step(200); // rotate motor 200 steps (one revolution per minute) } ``` To assemble the system, connect pins 8, 9, 10, and 11 on the Arduino. Power it up via the mainswitch to 5v and connect to the negative pin of the USB power PSU. VERY IMPORTANT: THE POWER FOR THE MOTOR MUST BE IN PARALLEL WITH THE ARDUINO POWER! This prevents damage to the Arduino if anything gets stuck and the motor can't turn. You'll also need to connect the negative pins to the same potential, so make sure they're connected. I've set the delay time to 900 seconds (15 minutes), but you can adjust this based on the type of cat food you use. This project is still a work in progress. Upcoming updates might include: * An internal battery pack (9V battery) * Support for preplaced parts in *.stl files * An ultrasonic sensor to detect when Argi is around and release food if 15 minutes have passed I'd love to hear any suggestions or ideas you folks might have! Stay happy, and keep your cats fed!