I am trying to operate an air operated door that will need to be opened and closed. I was suggested that I use a Arduino to control it but this is like another language. I want to run a key pad that when you punch the code in it will open and when you want to close maybe you just hit a single button. Also I think it would be cool to operate it from my smartphone. I have seen people do this with door locks and garage doors. I would also like to control a lock along with opening and closing the door. Is this possible and do you guys have any pointers for me. Like I said, this is all something new to me. I dont know how to write code. Any help would be great. Thanks
I dont know how to write code.
Well that right there is pretty much a show stopper. The arduino is not a plug and play device but one rather used as a tool to accomplished things much like you have described, but only after you have learned how to use the tool.
So I would suggest rather then jumping right into your specific wish list of projects that you start with the basics first, run the example sketches in the IDE, build simple circuits to help visualize what your code is doing, slowly learning more and more of the commands and libraries as you master the arduino's C/C++ programming language. Learning new skills can take some time but what you gain will be worth it in the long run.
Good luck;
Lefty
Break it up into small sub projects. Just opening and closing with no fancy bits would be a good start. How you going to move the door?
-jim lee
I am planning on using a air ram and solenoid with an air supply of its own. The door is not going to be a problem. I can weld and fabricate and have all the tools for that. When it comes to fancy stuff, well dont know much. Where should I start to read on just the basics. After looking around on this forum it is pretty cool what can be done.
I saw this and its pretty cool. If I could use something like this to open the door that would be pretty awesome. What would need to be done just to make the door close. Does not need to be knock, just a button would work.
megolfer:
I am planning on using a air ram and solenoid with an air supply of its own. The door is not going to be a problem. I can weld and fabricate and have all the tools for that. When it comes to fancy stuff, well dont know much. Where should I start to read on just the basics. After looking around on this forum it is pretty cool what can be done.
Go to ebay and get an arduino with a USB cable, and possibly other stuff like hookup wire (or a kit like below). You should have a multimeter for testing. You can get started with that little. Start by turning the pin 13 LED on and off.
Cool thanks for the link. Here is a good resource I just found.
Fundamentally you need to have a keypad, and some way to control your door operating mechanism electrically. The Arduino can provide a 5V signal at less than 20mA. This is unlikely to be enough for what you need, so you will almost certainly need a relay driver or motor driver. If you use a UNO there are quite a few varieties of shield for that sort of thing. I guess you will also want to provide an enclosure for the keypad.
At this stage it would be worth considering whether you need to include any safety features. You are probably going to be dealing with forces large enough to injure somebody of they get trapped in / under the door so you might want to think about adding proximity or contact sensors to the moving edge of the door. Will your air ram enable you to close and open the door without slamming it into the end stops? If not, you might also want to think about including a position sensor so that you can decelerate the door to a stop in the right position.