PokéVend - Pokemon Booster Pack Vending Machine

Home is where the drops are...or something.

Want to pull packs from a vending machine without fighting campers or "out of stock" signs? Then build your own 3D Printed Pokemon Vending Machine!

This is a Raspberry Pi controlled vending machine. Simply load booster packs into the 4 lanes. The touch screen controller will then use the servos to pop packs out the front slot! I'm still fairly new to modeling so excuse the design if there are some flaws.

Bill of Materials

• Raspberry Pi 4 Model B

• Hyperpixel 4.0

• PCA9685 Servo Driver

• MG90S Servo Motor x4

• QW/ST to female header breakout (example)

• 5V 3A power supply (example)

  • Note: You can probably get away with splicing the red/black wires from an old USB cable into the PCA9685's power terminals and then powering it off the Pi's USB. But this is likely not reccomended.

• Right angle USB-C connector (example)

• Some wire (to connect psu screw terminal to PCA9685)

• 6mmx2mm magnets x14

• M3x10 screws x6

• M3 nuts x6

Print List

• Base L/R

• Main Body L/C/R/R-Back

• Lid L/R

• Paddle x4

• Clip x4

• Emblem (Best printed with MMU)

Print Settings

• PETG Recommended (although the emblem can be printed in PLA)

• 20% Gyroid infill

• 3 Perimeters

• Supports needed for Main Body L, C, and R-Back

• Note: There is a version of MainBody-C with a modeled support attached to it. I recommend printing this version along with a brim to prevent the front slot from warping during print.

Assembly

1. Its recommended to setup your pi first and run the software at least once. This will set the servos to neutral position.

   1. Connect Hyperpixel to pi

   2. Connect servos to PCA9685 from left to right

   3. Connect PCA9685 to Hyperpixel

   4. Connect external psu or stripped USB cable to PCA9685

   5. Follow the setup instructions for the control software and run the app.

2. Glue magnets into holes in Base, Main Body, and Lid Parts (Pay attention to the poles!)

3. Attach paddles to servos ensuring the starting angle is as close to 45º from the base as possible when mounted. See picture below

   

4. Mount servos inside Base using included screws

5. Screw together Base, Main Body L & C, and Lid Parts with M3 screws and nuts

6. Align Main Body pieces with magnets onto the Base. Look through the front slot and ensure the servo board won't interfere with pack dispensing.

7. Mount Raspberry Pi into the clips where the screen cut out is.

8. Load booster packs into lanes.

9. Align Lid to Main Body using magnets

10. Enjoy!

Usage Tips

• Don't over stack the lanes. While they can physically hold more I've found 6 to be a good max stock per lane to ensure proper feeding

• Slots are cut into the back of the machine so that you can push stacks down if they don't fall well

• The software repo contains a handy script to help manage inventory and add pack art images