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steigeia edited this page May 9, 2017 · 2 revisions

Arduino UNO

One of the most important parts of this project is the micro controller. I used an Arduino UNO so the code and RFID chip should be comparable with all Arduino boards but the Data Logging shield will only work on boards with similar I2C and SPI pin layouts.

Arduino Uno Pin Layout:

Information on what the pin labels mean can be found here.

RC522 MIFARE Module & RFID Cards

rfid

Documentation and Library

I used a RC522 MIFARE Module from Addikit because it is fairly cheap and comes with 5 RFID cards and 3 Fobs. the chip is compatible with I2C, UART, and SPI but the one I have used bought only has pin labels for SPI as seen in the close up of the chip.

rfid pins

There are 2 downsides to using this chip. The library from the Addicore website linked above is not easy to use/learn and the example code did not utilize the library correctly. The other downside is that you need to sodder the header pins into the module but it does come with both angled and straight header pins.

Data Logging Shield

The specific data logging shield came from Anycubic which consists of a Real Time Clock and SD card slot. No documentation came with the shield but the shields functionality and layout matches this documentation for an Adafruit Data Logger Shield which goes over how to use both the Real Time Clock and SD Card slot. The Realtime Clock uses I2C to communicate and the SD Card slot uses SPI with digital pin 10 being the slave select. The largest down side of this shield is that it seems to be a knockoff version of the older version of an Adafruit Data Logger Shield seen in the documentation. The poor quality is apparent when sometimes the SD card slot just doesn't work right for no reason and starts working later on with no changes made.

Servo

The servos that are used for locking the box are made by SpingRC and can be found here. If you want something that is a little stronger and more secure I suggest you look into electromagnet that stays locked without power. Electromagnets can stand up to a lot of force compared to servo motors but cost more.

Box

The box for the lock box is a small wooden box with a latch made by Darice and can be found here. If you are planing to do this project on you own you may want to use another box because this one seems to have quality control issues. If you are looking to use a sturdier material than wood, make sure to check if the RFID can read through it. I would suggest something made with plexiglass because it is fairly strong and RFID can read through it.