The good thing about good industrial design is that it doesn’t cost anything. By lowering manufacturing costs, you can also lower the price of your products. So while DIY projects may have a reputation for being inferior in design compared to consumer products, this isn’t necessarily the case. Makers with design talent can definitely create DIY projects that outperform consumers. Need proof? Check out this stunning DIY automatic pet feeder designed by Manuel Mader.
Maeder is a German engineer with an interest in plastics recycling, particularly tabletop injection molding. But this pet feeder, called Pedro, shows he also has an eye for design. Like most automatic pet feeders, Pedro dispenses dry food according to predetermined intervals. It should be able to be used for different types of food for different animals. Cats and dogs are definitely on that list, but so are many more exotic pets. You can also have Pedro distribute bird food outdoors.
But the biggest attraction here is, of course, the stylish design. It is clean and unobtrusive and has a basic cylindrical shape. But don’t make the mistake of thinking Pedro is simple. Good design is a challenge and Mader has clearly put a lot of thought into this. A window on the side lets users know when to add food, and a desiccant packet holder on top keeps food dry. The dispensing mechanism is in the form of a large auger and can handle most food sizes and shapes without clogging.
The electronics are built around an Arduino Nano board that controls a single stepper motor through a driver module. The Arduino and drivers are placed on the customer’s PCB to organize wiring. The controls are located on the back of the feeder where your pet won’t accidentally hit them and consist of two potentiometer knobs and one button. The knobs determine the feeding interval and feeding amount. In case Whiskers gets particularly hungry, the press of a button dispenses a manually measured amount of food.
If you want to make your own Pedro automatic pet feeder, Maeder sells design files on Etsy and Ko-Fi. It’s a little pricey for a digital download, but the total cost should still be less than $100 after purchasing the parts.
