The Design: A lamp for the FabLabHouse Designer: Santa & Cole
Fabricated in: Fab Lab Barcelona
Collaborator: Tomas Diez
As much as press fit systems might sound easy to make, one has to make sure of the dimensions it gives to cut the connections, in accordance of the precision of the laser cutter and the type of material. There are various ranges of dimensions in here.
Basic Description: Three designs, two systems of fabrication
1. 90 Degree connection:
• Basic press fit system where fittings will be in 90 degree connection
• Material is steel
• First tried out with 3mm plywood, First connection was given 2.8 mm , but this was too strong so the wood would not fit as wanted.
• Then for the same 3mm plywood, dimensions for connections given was 2.9, this was hard to fit in, but in the end, the fit was perfect.
• Then we decided to make this same connection with Steel, 1mm steel, with .9 mm fitting, this was perfect.
Process:
o When the design was given, we decided to make the intersections of each wood layer through a grasshopper definition, then mark out the connections for the circles.
o This was pretty easy to make for the circles but the pattern of the layout vertically was all different so I had to make the connections manually.
o After making these dimensions on the drawing, these were put in a layout for the machine (the big laser cutter) , sheet was prepared and it was all laid out.
This was pretty easy to make for the circles but the pattern of the layout vertically was all different so I had to make the connections manually.
o After making these dimensions on the drawing, these were put in a layout for the machine (the big laser cutter) , sheet was prepared and it was all laid out.
Problems:
o The material used was metal, and it heats up when it is being cut, which makes it bulk according to the amount of heat it receives, this makes the laser cutter lose its z – setting which will bring about imprecision on the cut.
On the next cut, I made the pieces further away from each other to avoid the same problem and it came about perfect. 2. 45 Degree connection:
Problems: These connections were very hard to come by, the press fit system is on an angle, not only was making the cutting file difficult but also finding the material which will fold as much as needed was hard.
To make this fitting, since the form by itself is conical and fit into vertical and straight lines I first tried to cut out the pieces in little parts so that they could be glued. Obviously it is impossible to make this by glue, but I tried it anyway, and it didn’t work, I spent a lot of time making the pieces on rhino then cutting them and trying out to see that they don’t work.
With a good advice from http://www.curvedfolding.com/, the fittings in the horizontals could actually be made by just unrolling the 3d surfaces I have, this will bring about the true length they have which could then be curved to give the required shape.
These are the unrolled surfaces that were found from the 45 degree oriented shapes.
Here to find the points of connections I had to intersect the shapes with the vertical ones to find intersection points, then I unrolled the surfaces (simple command, unroll surface on rhino) for it to give you true shape.
The vertical fittings were also made in grasshopper where I cut on the top most sides and then on the lowest most sides, found the intersection and then in rhino, I made the cutting size dimension. I am sure that I could have finished this with grasshopper and finished all my definitions there, but in the end I decided to do it in Rhino, to save time. But this actually took a lot of time too. I first made a first test with paper if the connection will work and that the required angle is correct, and it was, then I started to search for the material (wood) which will work ( fold ) as much as needed with these vertical sections, In the end I found a .6mm wood, which was almost as thin as paper. This was the best wood I could find, in the city, the. 2 mm wood was too brittle and used to break the minute they were folded.
The .6mm plywood also had to be domestically processed , Tomas told me they have to be wet in water for a while, taken out and then fit fast so that they dry folded. And it worked!
45 Degree connection:
The same process done for the 45 degree connections was also used here, I intersected the connections in rhino to find the points for the slanted horizontal sections, then I found the intersections of the top most and the lower most intersections of the verticals in grasshopper to find their intersection and to make their cutting file again in Rhino.
Same process with the material test and connection test.
Notes to take while doing press fits:
-the dimension of the material connection should be cut and tested before doing the final work.
-While fitting each piece one has to do it patiently and evenly on all sides of the verticals and horizontals, take care on how to remove them too if there is any mistake in making pieces together.
-Every piece and part should be well named and numbered to avoid any confusion.
-If we are using the laser cutter, we should make sure that the lenses of the cutter are clean to avoid any imprecision of the machine. If there is imprecision then we have to improvise on the setting to have the required clean cut.
-Revised on my PCB Fabrication techniques
-How to read and understand an assembler language code
-How to change and asm (assembler) file into a hex file
-How to program a micro controller
-Read the data sheet of the Attiny45 which made a lot of sense now with the code
-I got my PCB to sense temperature and to send out colour signals according to the temperature variation
Step 1: -Tried out the hello.temp.45.asm file to try out the way the system works, and so the board used to read temperature which then reads out on the screen the increase in temperature.
- Also tried the hello.H-bridge.44.asm file to try out how the board works with a motor, which it did, when I gave it power my dc motor just went turning, (this was simply basic) I couldn’t change the code to make the motor turned to different directions according to the Code.
STEP 2:
Hello.temp.rgb.asm file
- I then decided to make one of the assignments students did on the fab.cba.mit.edu.org page, (one which combines both temperature sensor to make a display of RGB lights), I wanted to understand whatever I did in the simplest and most basic way.
-I first got to my directory and fabricated my Cad file which is a combination of temp.asm and the rgb.asm files.
- Soldering all the parts of the board
-I had to first power the microcontroller using rx.py Rx.py /dev/ttyS0 9600(here this is a command to power the microcontroller)
- gavrasm hello.light.45.asmthis will change the asm file into a hex file, when you finish it has to say no errors. -After this, we have to put the hex file inside the microcontroller, here we have to specify the port (-p is it a parallel or a serial port), type (what kind of microcontroller it is) , the parts (this is not really important for our programming) , and the function –U (are we verifying a code, writing a code or reading it?) Avrdude –c bsd –p t45-u flash:w:hello.temp.rgb.45.hex -During this process we have to know that the right port is connected, our microcontroller is connected with the parallel port in the correct way, and the board is also powered with 5 volts and grounded as well. -if it says fuses ok! Then everything is fine, you have programmed your microcontroller successfully.
-Potential problems during this process: Error avrdude: can’t open device, permission denied (this is when the computer has been switched off and it no longer recognizes the ports it has), when this happens, we have to go to
/Documents/sensors-actuators-displays/$ sudo chmod 777 /dev/paraporto
-This is asking the computer to read the port which we want and it opens up the serial port or the parallel port which it has been asked to. Another potential problem : avrdude: verification error, first mismat at byte 0×0000 0×19 != 0xff avrdude: verification error; content mismatch avrdude: safemode: lfuse changed! Was 62, and now is ff Would you like this fuse to be changed back? [y/n]
avrdude: verification error, first mismat at byte 0×0000
0×19 != 0xff
avrdude: verification error; content mismatch
avrdude: safemode: lfuse changed! Was 62, and now is ff
Would you like this fuse to be changed back? [y/n]
This is when you didn’t power the microcontroller the right amount of voltage. When this happens we have to power it and say Y to the question it asks you.
There could also be other potential problems like when the computer doesnt read the board at all, this could only be solved by trouble shooting and checking if every connection we have is well done, soldering is very clean and clear and the programming steps are also all correct!
My first trial in this exercise to repeat a combined work, worked, which gave me the time to learn more about how to read and change codes. Here are a few brief explanations I found on the codes of both the hello.rgb.asm file and the hello.temp.45.asm files. I have compiled these definitions from the At tiny Data sheet found at www.avr-asm-tutorial.net/avr_en/beginner/index.html , Beginners introduction to assembly language avr-asm-tutorial.net/avr_en/beginner/index.html and also a lot of tips and advices from Fab Academy website of previous works of students found at fab.cba.mit.edu/classes/MIT
The combination of the codes as well as the cad file differences are mentioned in the slides below.
The Hello.temp.45.cad layout with the Hello.temp.45.asm code The Hello.RGB.CAD layout with its Hello.RGB.asm code
Project aim: To design a perfume bottle top, Form is very simple, Sphere shape, with a hollow in its middle,This was developed parametrically and also involves a simple pipe going all the way around the sphere to create some kind of variation on it. Objective: To learn the process of making 3d prints in a series of processes – casting and molding -, how to use Digital tools like Rhinoceros and its plugins like Grasshopper and Rhino Cam and to use the Roland Modella Mdx 20 milling machine and to see how mixture of materials can create different types of forms
Step 1. 1.1 Create the shape wanted with a digital tool like Rhino.-Used Rhino Plug-in grasshopper to define the sphere size i want.
-Since this sphere had to be divided into two, I divided it in the begining and started with the design of the sphere.
-Used Grasshopper Plug-in to define a spiral geometry going around these half spheres.
- Also made the hollowness of the sphere with the same digital tool.
1.2 -divided the sphere into two and put the hollow cap for one of the semi-spheres which will serve as a fitting for the perfume bottle i would apparently have.
-Made another pipe fitting for the other semi-sphere to make a fitting for cast material to flow through the hollow shape which will be created later on.
1.3 - Using the baking command in GrassHopper tool i took out the 3D models i want to make.
Step 2. Put Separated pieces in a bounding box ready for the digital tool Rhino CaM to get it ready for Milling.
Create the negative of the shape to find out what kind of shape will be created (this is for knowing what kind of shapes will be created through out the process. It will help also to know digitally what kind of cast we will make out of the mold) 2.1 -Make a bounding box for both parts of shape, this box is the wax which will be milled upon.
Step 2.2 -Make sure that this box will have some fittings in its bottom, so that the mold coming out will be fit together other wise we have to plaster it to put it together. These fittings should be no lesser than 5 mm, and they should also be inside the boxes in a 15 mm range so that the machine tool will have space go around.
2.3 RhinoCam: -Launch the Rhino Cam in Rhino, and you start with your setting up for milling.
-The shape designed already should be in a bounding box (rhino-boundingbox command, choose the form and then it will put out a box for the form)
-In the Rhino Cam Browser go to Stock and double-click, this will give the box a colour which is orange, Now we have our box which our form will be milled out of.
-After choosing the Box stock, we go to tools in the Rhino Cam Browser, and go to the choose selection, here we have to choose the tool diameter, the tool height (according to the type of drill bit you will use and the height of the drill bit) and you save these tools in the name you would want it to be. -After box stocking, and choosing a tool we go to Machine Operations, in the rhino Cam browser still and here you will choose the type of milling, you will choose 3-axis milling machine which will follow first the horizontal roughing. Here, the parameters can be set according to the kind of finish we will want. These will include the way we want our machine to go, the type of tool, the speed, etc, -Please go through these parameter choices, there are a lot of options of way of milling our Wax. -The last step involves right clicking on parameters and posting the G-Code into a PNR file.
- Using the DropOut software (you should down load it from the website) you could connect your Modella Rx 20 to directly give the machine the file.
- After horizontal roughing the same process should be repeated for finishing, this will polish the wax.
Step 3. 3.1 Horizontal Roughing through machine: We can generate a series of pictures on the rhino cam to see how our shapes will be milled, this could be achieved by right clicking on the horizontal roughing title we used under machine operations and we choose ‘simulte’ here we can see the way our machine will work, and it will also show us problems if we have any on the file or the direction the milling drill bit will go through.
Step 4. 4.1 After Milling out these shapes we pour the Urethane Rubber Compound. This Compound is made of two elemetns the blue box and the yellow box, both have to be combined with equal amounts and have to be mixed thouroughly so that there will be no bubble or any air inside the mixture which might affect the future results.
4.2 Taking out the casting rubber to see how the negative is compared and is the same as the
3D done for it.The wax, the mould and the 3D render of the same shape. Due to technical problems, this assignment has not been parallely finished by the milling machine. So I decided to go ahead only with the horizontal roughing which worked quite well.
Step 5: 5.1 After letting dry this cast of rubber compound we take it out of its mold, then we mix hydrostone and water mixture – this has to be mixed in a 1:10 proportion of water to hydrostone in volume – after mixing it until it reaches a creamy colour. Then we pour this mixture into the rubber mold which is closed and has only one opening for the mixture. 5.2 After the hydrostone is inside our rubber casting mold, we have to make sure it is fully closed, if its not, we could also bind it with tape not to let the hydrostone/water mixture get out of it, and then we wait for 12-16 hours. You can find the PDF of this assignment on Casting and molding_MelatAssefa
I modified Neil’s code for DC motor control using an H-bridge so that it will suit the time and span of the harness lifting. You can see the short video how the motion of the ROTATION of the DC motor is mapped to the UP and DOWN movement of the Harness.
You can see the Movement of the machine from the short video that follows.
Temperature sensing color changing wearables. Using RGBs with accessories which could be used for clothes, hats, and necklace.
I. According what I wanted to work the applicable project for me to choose is the 1st one which is temperature input
with the LED output. The idea is to make the cloth work for regulating temprature/cooling while the air warms and cools while the temprature rises. Displaying the RGB over the cloth at the same time is to show the atmosphere’s condition.
To make it applicable here is what I did:
*The second one is also applicable that can be useful for deaf society.
*The 1st one will be useful on a wider sense, to different kind of people/culture,age,status—/.
The first step to do is to make the analogue(pattern of textile) prepared, then made the software design (the
circuit board that will sense and display temprature to integrate it with the hardware distributing all over the
gown.
First I have made different designs and patterns and choose the one suitable to implement the distribution of LEDS. So I choose the above design and made it to make good visual appearance and at the same time apply the Temprature sensing and (the light sensing) display.
For the upper and the lower accessory there will be an outer model which I have made it with 3D but couldn’t produce because of the machine broke. Anyhow It would have look nicer if it would have the cover. Both circuit boards connectors will be pealed after programming, so it would be flat. For the accessories not to be contacted it would be better to stick a sticker on the back of the front accessory/RGB-temp circuit board.
*The RGB distribution with three 1( one in the middle, one in the left and one int the right) additional RGBs were quite a sucess. So I continue with making seven in the left and seven on the right. I need to trouble shoot it various times in order to make it work.
* So after making the RGB circuit done in illustrator, I printed it on Venyll cutter with copper tape fixed on sticker. Then I engrave the circuit on hard paper inorder to trace it on the fabric. So I sticked the fabric on the paper on the textile and make the circuit line just as I planned. I have connect the center circuit with the copper distributions and started the programming part. I need to trouble shoot it various times in order to make it work. I guess it still needs more time more than I imagined.
The programming was a success. After programming even though I am not sure if there are connection problem from microprocessor to the different parts of the RGB I pealed the connector because the accessory has to be flat on the chest.
DISTRIBUTION PLAN:- I am glad the display work for temperature and made the RGB output light, the idea was to make the cloth work for Regulating temperature/cooling while the air warms and warms while the air cools. This is what has been done/I will work on it while Fablab be implemented here in Ethiopia. To make the cloth work I need to study the temprature regulating things/Meaning Temprature Sensor+RGB+BUTTON+regulation system/, After having the regulation system the distribution will be all over the world. The Arabian countries,India,Africa has too warm air temperature; so customers will need to use the temperature regulating clothes especially from warm to cool . And European countries has Cold temperature especially in winter. So they will need to use this temperature regulating clothes.*Using the accessories distributed all over the world textile companies can make their clothes made temperature adjusting clothes with the display factors/RGB. Even a cloth with those accessories will be used for a day's flactuating air atmosphere all over the world.
The first project I started working on was COMPUTER CONTROLLED DOBBY MACHINE. Normally dobby machine being one which has many harnesses (4-16) and which enables the user to make different patterns on the fabric by varying the pattern of the harness lifting and the weft.
Why I Preferred this project?
2 Years back, I, together with my friends made a research on the import-export of fabrics and clothes for our country and we found that the poor country has such a huge volume to export to the world at a surprisingly low price and clothes are imported at a high cost, and it made us to try to make an improved weaving machine to contribute to local market and we had invented a 16 harness totally Mechanical system and trained people on that.
After all these 9 Months training in Fab Academy, I felt better in controlling the machine from a programmed circuit board, increasing production Rate, which ultimately will supply to the huge inland market with quality and variety.
I found the project so wide that I decided to work first with Only TWO HARNESSES for this time and I will continue working on the machine controlling system for 16 harness.So this project is still under progress.
What Is Possible to Make with Dobby-Looms
In this project I applied:
. Computer-Aided Design and Production
I used Rhinoceros for modelling and the Laser cutting and CNC machining to make the parts
. PCB prodution
. Embedded Programming
. Some supporting Ideas from the Examples, like Mantis in Machine Design Class
The Machine Construction
Basic Motion
I modified Neil’s code for DC motor control using an H-bridge so that it will suit the time and span of the harness lifting. You can see the short video how the motion of the ROTATION of the DC motor could be mapped to the UP and DOWN movement of the Harness.
UNFORTUNATELY, my DC motors to lift the harnesses together with the tension load from the warps needed to be bigger than the one I used while testing. So I tried to find both higher Voltage regulator and change the micro controller, but it was too late and I wanted to show the motions with another tool, Arduino using servo-motors . But I would like to stick with the PCBs as they are cheaper so long as we have the right tools to make them
You can see the Movement of the machine from the short video that follows.
The Future
In the future I would like
. To make different models for size and complexity
. To make a USER INTERFACE APPLICATION for the machine
. To make online documentations
. To have Sample patterns that the user can use as templets
The Distribution
When the machine is fully functional, it will be ready for distribution and the Distribution will include:
. Web page showing updates and details of the machine
. Manual including Assembly and Care Instruction
. CD including Training and Sample Designs for the user
NEO – PROJECT is a parametric modul that gives people the capability to generate energy with differents human activities (with dynamos) and releases this energy for another aplications (lighting, sound, etc.).
MEFX1
> Final Project Documentation
1> CONCEPTION: Power Generation and Sharing – urban spaces.
> IMAGINE…
People generating energy with different devices…
The energy is stored in batteries in public spaces.
This network has a smart system to share the energy between different places.
People can use the energy plug-in different out puts devices…
> Neil’s suggestion: we don’t need to use voltage regulator because the power is small and similar to the out put that we need.
If your plans are close to what I have described above, I have a suggestion for you.
> David suggestion: 1. Suppose each battery is a single LiFePo4 cell, in a container, with a circuit to increase the voltage from the cell to 5 volts
and a USB port for output. Such a cell could be used to charge a number of small electronic devices.
2. A third terminal on the bottom of the cell would be used to charge it. A user would return a used cell to the rack and plug
in a USB cable to enable the cell to charge. The rack could hold many cells.
3. The charging method would be a “flying capacitor” (there are not many Google references for this, but it is a technique used to equalize the charge over a set of batteries.
4. The floor would be directly connected to an Ultracapacitor (the flying capacitor) which would then be charged to a voltage higher than the individual cells.
5. The flying capacitor circuit, which you would build from discrete components or a microcontroller, would compare the Ultracapacitor to each of the cells in the rack in sequence. If the voltage of the cell was zero (no cell in the rack in that position) the next cell would be used.
6. If the Ultracapacitor held a higher voltage than the cell, the Ultracapacitor would be connected to the cell until the voltage reached a level indicating the cell was fully charged, or for a fixed amount of time (seconds) – whichever came first.
–
I think this system would be simple, safe, and easy to build. It would work with any number of cells in the rack, any level of activity on the floor (including no activity), and any level of charge in the individual cells. Fully charged cells would be quickly skipped, and discharged cells would receive the maximum amount of charge when thy where selected. Charging would be “fair” – one cell would charge in X time, two cells in X/2, three in X/3 etc.
It would be easy to add low-power indicators (LEDs) to show which cells were charged, and even easier to indicate which cell was being charged at any moment. If the charging current is low, it could be delivered directly through an LED making the indication of charging extremely simple.
Dead/week cells could be detected and skipped or a tri-color LED could be used to show them. Ultracapacitors have extremely long lifetimes and cannot be damaged by over-discharge as batteries can. The flying capacitor would probably last longer than the lifetimes of many many racks of cells.
B. Mechanical-electrical System
Prototype 1:
digital design:
1. parametric design rules : 500500500
digital Fabrication:
machine: Big-Laser
material A> plywood 9 mm
Time to fabrication> 38 min.
Material setting > s: 30 p:150
Assembly:
1. central structure
2. legs
3. gears + springs
4. cover + fix
5. electronic components
test + Feedback:
1. maximun power generation: 6 V (ok)
> Storing board doesn’t need voltage regulator
2. structure must to be strong to support 100 kg (change)
> Increase the central structure size
> clips and bolts must be stronger
> more distance between holes 3. interconnected springs remove structure stability
> springs connections must be changed to individuals
Prototype 2:
Digital Design:
500500500
Digital Fabrication:
Machine: Big-Laser Material A> Metacrilato 9 mmFabrication time> 42 min.
Material setting > s: 25 p:300
Assembly:
1. central structure
2. legs
3. gears + springs
4. cover + fix
5. electronic components
test + Feedback: 1. Springs (4 mm D) does not support cover’s weight (increase)
> Spreing’s diameter must be 8mm
> Change facade design to reduse weight
2. Storing energy flow is not efficient
> change polarity connections
As final project I decided to build a device that take advantage of piezo-electricity in order to produce energy by pressure and vibration. The aim, actually, is not only produce energy, but let kids know and experiment “clean” ways of producing energy.
Kids are moving and jumping all the time so, why don’t take advantage of this happy movement in order to charge batteries or power supply devices?
The idea came out during a workshop at FabLab BCN on interactive playgrounds producing energy. I was very attracted by the piezo-electricity and his application so I started to think a way of using it in a typical playground game and I made a first small prototype.
Then I started to think how to make it big and resistant, tryng to design a kind of conductive envelop for the piezos… that are quite fragiles.
In order to obtain a more regular and continous flow of energy I’ll use this circuit: 4 diods and a a 10 uf capacitor
In this case the piezo are placed in a quite small space and the ammount of voltage produced is a range between 0.5 to 3.50 volts.
Than I’ve tried to extend the net of piezos. The problem was a decrase of voltage produced.
So I decide to change the design of the carpet in the way that follow and to put the piezos
Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to work on the project so is still in progress and the quantity of voltage produced is still small.
Also I have to work on the interface connected to the device, using the piezos as sensors as you can see in this post
The pattern I’ve used is adaptable to different objects.
Distribution
Trying to make money and use it in a good way.
License_CopyLeft
I believe that the more adecuate license to distribute BigJumps, is an Open educational resource under a CC Creative Commons Share alike license.
Attribution. All CC licenses require that others who use your work must give you credit the way you request, but not in a way that suggests you endorse them or their use. If they want to use your work without giving you credit or for endorsement purposes, they must get your permission first.
ShareAlike. You let others copy, distribute, display, perform, and modify your work, as long as they distribute any modified work on the same terms. If they want to distribute your modified work under other terms, they must get your permission first.
The idea is that everyone can copy and sell the bigjumps, but, in change she have to give a 30%(or more I still need to calculate well?) to one of NGO or foundations, involved in social projects.
I’ve done a small reserch and I’ve found in Barcelona a small network of stores that are regulate by a three ideas:
Positive design
Play as a positive actitude, cause a reflection, the design of devices intend to transmit a message and a positive attitude about energy.
Fair trade
Equality and respect for the job, all the involved parts in the product chain, obtain fair benefits in relation to their work
Support to social projects
I bet on personal projects and social causes trough my projects. Helping to promote reflective and committed attitudes with our environment, with the sale of every carpet, or every bigjumps device as a part of these sale is destine to the projects of the correspondent NGO or fundation.
Some of the store in BCN:
c/ Ros de Olano 11 · 08012 Barcelona
Play Attitude
Travessera de Gràcia 392 · 08025 Barcelona · Tel. 902 012 380
Birdikus
c/ Luis de Vargas, 4 · 41001 Sevilla · Tel. 954 211 934
The following is a presentation about the development of the concept and more. The idea comes from what I have always enjoyed: toys. This time, I have had the chance to create one using the press fit structure.
The idea of Nighty Light is that it would change of colors according to the intensity of the light. The following video shows how it happens.
Finally, this two videos show how Nighty Lighty is tried by kids between 3 and 5 years old. It is really interesting how they play with it. Thanks to this experience , I am able to know which the changes should be to have a better product in the future. To begin with, it would have been better to make wheels that go right and left, and second, the height of Nighty Lighty’s head should be lower to avoid any accident between the kid and the cart.
And the following…
Finally, you can see some images of the production here. It has been interesting to use the Shopbot because the time I made something big, I used the laser cutter. It is recommendable to work with the corners of the drawing….do not forget the diameter and length of the milling bit either.
The first project I started working on was COMPUTER CONTROLLED DOBBY MACHINE. Normally dobby machine being one which has many harnesses (4-16) and which enables the user to make different patterns on the fabric by varying the pattern of the harness lifting and the weft.
Why I Preferred this project?
2 Years back, I, together with my friends made a research on the import-export of fabrics and clothes for our country and we found that the poor country has such a huge volume to export to the world at a surprisingly low price and clothes are imported at a high cost, and it made us to try to make an improved weaving machine to contribute to local market and we had invented a 16 harness totally Mechanical system and trained people on that.
After all these 9 Months training in Fab Academy, I felt better in controlling the machine from a programmed circuit board, increasing production Rate, which ultimately will supply to the huge inland market with quality and variety.
I found the project so wide that I decided to work first with Only TWO HARNESSES for this time and I will continue working on the machine controlling system for 16 harness.So this project is still under progress.
What Is Possible to Make with Dobby-Looms
In this project I applied:
. Computer-Aided Design and Production
I used Rhinoceros for modelling and the Laser cutting and CNC machining to make the parts
. PCB prodution
. Embedded Programming
. Some supporting Ideas from the Examples, like Mantis in Machine Design Class
The Machine Construction
Basic Motion
I modified Neil’s code for DC motor control using an H-bridge so that it will suit the time and span of the harness lifting. You can see the short video how the motion of the ROTATION of the DC motor could be mapped to the UP and DOWN movement of the Harness.
UNFORTUNATELY, my DC motors to lift the harnesses together with the tension load from the warps needed to be bigger than the one I used while testing. So I tried to find both higher Voltage regulator and change the micro controller, but it was too late and I wanted to show the motions with another tool, Arduino using servo-motors . But I would like to stick with the PCBs as they are cheaper so long as we have the right tools to make them
You can see the Movement of the machine from the short video that follows.
The Future
In the future I would like
. To make different models for size and complexity
. To make a USER INTERFACE APPLICATION for the machine
. To make online documentations
. To have Sample patterns that the user can use as templets
The Distribution
When the machine is fully functional, it will be ready for distribution and the Distribution will include:
. Web page showing updates and details of the machine
. Manual including Assembly and Care Instruction
. CD including Training and Sample Designs for the user
