Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering student driven by a passion for designing products that combine thoughtful aesthetics with practical function.
Drawing on mechanical intuition, manufacturing knowledge, and user-centred design principles, he seeks to create products that work as well as they look.
- +61 416 984 667
- naruncheng@gmail.com
- Melbourne, Australia
Student Team Project
Automated Beer Server
2026
- — Engineering
- — Student Team Project
- — Concept to Delivery
The Automated Beer Server is a part of the Monash Automation Student Team's Robot Bartender project. It gives the project the ability to serve draught beverages (beer, cider, kombucha, etc.) alongside cocktails.
At the center of the Automated Beer Server is a fully custom two-axis gantry which I designed and built. The gantry is able to fill & serve pints from a 4-tap bottom-filling dispenser. A drinks supply system, including a keg fridge, CO2 system, and liquid lines, was also built to support the gantry.
The Robot Bartender now makes regular appearances at official university events at the request of the engineering faculty.
The 4-tap bottom-filling beer dispenser purchased for the project. The gantry was designed around this dispenser, with its tap spacing and fill height setting the key dimensions of the frame.
CAD of the full Automated Beer Server assembly.
The system is built around a two-axis gantry that sits over the dispenser. The gantry moves a toolhead carrying the cup between a pickup point, each of the four taps, and a serving position, so the full pour and serve sequence can run without a person stepping in.
The gantry frame is built from aluminium extrusions joined with custom stainless steel plates. It was designed to be rigid enough to carry a full pint smoothly, while staying compact enough to be transported to events alongside the rest of the Robot Bartender.
Detail views of the belt drive. A belt drive was chosen over a lead screw setup for its higher travel speed and lower cost over long axis lengths. The belt runs inside the extrusion, keeping it protected and out of the way of spills.
Motor plate
Roller plate
Tensioner plate
Bracket plates
Various mounting plates for the Automated Beer Server frame, laser cut from 2 mm 304 stainless steel.
Assembly process of the gantry frame.
The completed frame assembly.
CAD of the toolhead.
The toolhead rides on the gantry and holds the cup through the fill. It carries the cup up onto the bottom-filling tap, holds it steady while the pint pours, then lowers and moves it to the serving position.
Assembly process of the toolhead.
The assembled toolhead, and mounted on the gantry.
The assembled gantry with the toolhead installed.
With the mechanical hardware complete, work is now underway on the electrical side of the project, including motor control, wiring and integration with the rest of the Robot Bartender.
A video demo of the Automated Beer Server is coming soon.
- +61 416 984 667
- naruncheng@gmail.com
- Melbourne, Australia
Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering student driven by a passion for designing products that combine thoughtful aesthetics with practical function. Drawing on mechanical intuition, manufacturing knowledge, and user-centred design principles, he seeks to create products that work as well as they look.