RFID CABINET
The goal of this project was to convert a simple mechanical locking file cabinet to a cabinet that locks and unlocks using an RFID card.
Original Cabinet
The cabinet is a 3 drawer TOPSKY filing cabinet with a single mechanical lock. This mechanism locks and unlocks all three cabinets at once.
Locking Mechanism
A steel rod is embedded into the wall of the cabinet. Two long cylindrical tabs at the top of the rod allow the locking mechanism to slide in between them and lift the rod up to lock the cabinet. Smaller tabs that can lock each cabinet into place are also present.
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS USED
Along with the cabinet, the following items were used:
SERVO MOTOR
The servo motor replaces the original locking mechanism attached to the cabinet drawer. It will mimic the purpose of the mechanical lock when the RFID card is read.
RFID CARD/MODULE
This module will attach to the outside of the cabinet and read the included card to verify authorization.
ELEGOO R3 MICROCONTROLLER
This micro controller will be used to implement the program written to it via Arduino IDE. A 9V adapter will be used to power the micro controller. Optionally, a 9V battery can be attached for mobility of the cabinet.
INITIAL TEST
Initial testing determined that the original steel rod was too heavy for the servo motor used.
SOLUTION
In order to fix this issue, a new rod was custom designed and 3D printed using a lightweight PLA material. Due to the size limitation of my 3D printer, the rod was designed in 2 separate pieces and glued together using a small dowel bracket.
 LockRod.png |  PXL_20210701_002106048.jpg |  PXL_20210701_024531220.jpg |
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FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS
The final product was able to read an RFID card and lock/unlock the cabinet. For future projects, I plan to paint the cover plates so that they properly blend with the cabinet for a low profile look.