Objectives and Design Specifications

        The scope of the project is to develop and streamline the employee entrance to the ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor Long Carbon Plant. The final design is not expected to be full size, but it is one that can be scaled and then implemented in the real world. Combining a RFID reader with a servomotor via a microcontroller, employees will have a secured parking lot with employee restricted access. The new system will still use traditional badges, so the cost per employee will not increase.

The overall design of the gate housing, gate and gate house will need to be rugged to withstand harsh weather conditions. The ever-changing seasons associated with the Chicago area inclusive of wind, rain and snow puts a beating on all components outside. The gate will need to also be strong enough that it won’t be blown around or snapped in these various conditions.

 The applications developed for the microcontroller will be critical to the overall success of the device. If any part errors out or fails to initialize, the whole interface will go down and need to be rebooted. The device will be able to be remotely accessed allowing for reboots in the case of an emergency. The first application will consist of reading the RFID from an employee’s badge, the second will check the database, then call the motor. After the motor has been called the next application will ensure the path is clear before the motor returns to its starting position. The added caution when opening and closing the gate will ensure no injuries resulted from carelessness.

The motor attached and integrated with the gate