Pet Feeder

thingiverse

This pet feeder is an auger-based design inspired by Tunell and kitlaan's work on Thingiverse. It utilizes a PVC plumbing tee, printed parts, and a hobby servo to create an auger screw conveyor for dispensing pet food. The activation can be controlled via various means such as a timer, smartphone, Twitter, brain waves (even your pet's!), all thanks to its microcontroller compatibility. The complete build instructions are available on Instructables (http://www.instructables.com/id/Pet-Feeder/). The feeder requires a 2" PVC plumbing tee, a modified continuous rotation servo, and assembly with 4-40 machine screws and nuts. A plastic pitcher serves as the hopper, attachable to the funnel via screws. Replacements are also acceptable, provided they suit the design. The base stands can be cut from sheet material using a CNC router or laser cutter; the dxf file for these stands is included. To avoid jams and stalled servos, control activation by rotating the screw 60 degrees backward followed by 120 degrees forward. Repeat this sequence as needed to dispense food as required. The design's parts were inspired by Tunell and kitlaan but were modeled individually in Solidworks; the corresponding files are available within a zipped folder, including the assembly shown in the picture.