Automatic Sticker Machine for Pit Stop Planning

Raytheon’s planning process, Pit Stop Planning, derives its name from motor racing because it requires all other work to pause so that planning can be focused on a specific program or project, enabling work to resume as quickly as possible. Pit Stop Planning, or PSP, allows teams to visualize the network of all tasks necessary to execute a program. Tasks and descriptions are printed on adhesive labels that are manually placed on various sizes of Post-it note. A typical PSP event requires several hundred stickers to cover the wide array of tasks associated with a program. Manually applying adhesive labels to sticky notes takes a lot of time for what is supposed to be a rapid process. This project’s objective is to design a machine that automatically places printed labels on sticky notes while meeting specified size and speed requirements. A slider crank mechanism was designed to peel the label, which is then transferred to a four-bar mechanism combined with a cam that applies the label to the sticky note. An Arduino microcontroller was programmed to automate the process, incorporate an error module, and provide a user-friendly interface. At the conclusion of the project, the machine will be replicated and included in PSP kits used by Raytheon Company.