AUTOMATED BASEBALL FEEDER
Club Project
OBJECTIVE
Tasked by OSU baseball team to create an automated feeder for their BP3 pitching machine. Device must be operated by a single user and feed consistently.
DETAILS
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Feeds one baseball at a time
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Holds ten baseballs
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Stepper motor actuates with 90° rotations
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Arduino Uno controls stepper motor
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Analog power button
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Analog potentiometer allows for 5 - 10 seconds between pitches
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RF remote initiates feeding
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Motor encoder ensures proper cam positioning at startup and during use
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LED strip gives a moving and color changing visual cue during feeding
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Requires wired power source
Arduino controlled stepper motor rotates cam to feed baseballs autonomously. The prototype easily attaches and drops baseballs into the feeding chute of the pitching machine. The lower arms slip onto pre-attached mounts and a ratcheting hook secures to the u-bar allowing for a single user to quickly attach and detach the feeder. The u-bar additionally provides protection from batted balls.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Team Lead
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Led team of fifteen students
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Led communication with Coach and Analytics Staff
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Documented project stages and organized shared project drive
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Coordinated work sessions and delegated tasks
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Designed and modeled motor assembly in SOLIDWORKS
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Assembled final CAD components
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Created Arduino script for motor control and analog inputs
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Assisted in organizing system wiring and soldering on components
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Analyzed static forces acting on feeder attachments in a MATLAB script
RESULTS
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Fully operational by a single user
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System feeds balls consistently and autocorrects cam positioning
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Adjustable feeding timing
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Remote feeding initiation
The automated feeder allows baseball players to hit completely alone in the batting cages. This solution is more compact and cost effective than competing products.
Prototype is going through more player testing to improve the user experience.