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This project has now concluded. Thank you for your interest!
This project has now concluded. Thank you for your interest!
Statement of Purpose
Statement of Purpose
Designed to assist busy or absent cat owners, this project offers automated feeding and watering with minimal work on the part of the owner: simply provide food and water in the storage containers and press start. The cat will be fed every 12 hours up to a user set feed level, and given water every 1.5 hours. The user can optionally use a companion phone app to manage the device remotely. This project was chosen as a multidisciplinary design challenge; to make substantial improvements and augmentations to an inherently simple device using as many original concepts and designs as possible, whilst working with a realistic budget imposed by existing models and a community survey, strict adherence to proper time management, and persistence towards continuous improvement and meticulous design work.
Frequent vacationers and busy cat owners have met their match.
Project Trailer and Demonstration Video
Project Trailer and Demonstration Video
CatKeeper.mp4Key Design Features
Key Design Features
Parallel control and status functionality: simple onboard controls and status indication with the option to control and monitor the device remotely
12-hour feeding schedule
1.5-hour watering schedule
2L storage capacity for food and water
Three setting feeding volume control
Optional power-loss recovery by supplying a CR2032 backup battery
Power saving when device is idle
Casing Design *
Casing Design *
All-original designs created with KeyCreator direct 3D modelling.
Design Specifications:
Design Specifications:
Dimensions: 306x165x538 (LxWxH)
0.1mm global tolerance for all non-planar connection surfaces
21 Individual components
Connection points sized for M3 fasteners (countersunk where applicable)
Integrated sensor mounting locations, offering alignment accuracy , especially for the optical food sensing
Fabrication Specifications:
Fabrication Specifications:
Designed for additive manufacturing by a Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D printer
Printed using Hatchbox 1.75mm PLA filament
0.2mm Layer height
0.8mm Shell thickness
1.2mm Top and bottom layer thickness
10% Infill density
Direct platform adhesion (3 line skirt used to prime and manual bed leveling completed before all prints)
* Food storage bottles, bowls, pump, mill assembly, PCB, and all electronics not included in diagram. All components shown are purely structural designs.
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