WEEDINATOR 3D Cultivator

Suddenly, we've become able to create CAD models about 20x faster than before with the use of frontier Ai models. After a few hours work this accurate animation of the machine was created:

This will help with modifying the machine with additional functionality to perform Y axis weeding. The original idea was to use proportional hydraulic valves to control the existing CNC type hardware, but a separate mechanism might be a lot cheaper and more likely to actually work. The new CAD tools allow different mechanism configs to be visualised and tested in CAD very quickly.

The animation looks a lot better in FreeCAD ... download this file and open it in FreeCAD: https://cdn.hackaday.io/files/2025378665343008/Weeding_implement_08.FCMacro

Parts arrived:

Top of photo: 3 way solenoid valves

Next down: Aluminium manifold for return to tank.

Next down: Massive 8 way cetop 3 station for bolting on solenoid valves.

Next down, left: 2 way solenoid valve.

Middle: Proportional flow divider valve currently set at about 50:50..

Start of assembly:

Circuit diagram (aluminium manifold not shown):

The machine now has hydraulic rams on the wheels for side to side leveling, rams on the vertical and horizontal frames and a tow hitch which is vertically adjustable. Next couple of tasks is to assembly the claw mechanisms and install double acting solenoid, single acting solenoid and proportional flow divider valves and associated pipe work.

This animation shows a previous version of the WEEDINATOR built in 2018. The project was successful, but the machine was very slow and could not do anything else. This 2D cultivator is separte from the main robot and is about 20x faster as it uses the robot's wheels to move forwards in the x direction and has multiple claws operating simultaneously.

Shown in it's working position ready for the in-row wheels to be attached. Each wheel needs an independent leveling adjustment.