ATC Project - Debug phase

I think I read an older post on this board to the effect of: "Building an ATC is easy.  Programming is the hard part."

They weren't kidding.  I guess the only hard part of the actual build was finding a good quality planetary reducer for cheap.  Everything else has been relatively uncomplicated.

If we can come up with a reliable control scheme that works reliably and doesn't require a geneva drive or encoder, that'd lower the bar for quite a few people.

And when I say "we", I mean "Andy & others" while I do what they tell me.

-Use "carousel" component as is
-Use a stepper motor or step/dir servo
-use an index and a pocket sensor
-3D printed almost everything???
-Use stepper for arm motion???
-
Just some random thoughts ...
Anyone good with 3D design?

tommylight wrote:

-Use "carousel" component as is

 

That's the current problem.

The new 'counts' mode seems to be working...ish.  At slow speeds it's reliable, but starts acting up if the speed is increased - at least for me.

And you don't need a pocket sensor.  Carousel component keeps track of position once it's homed to a single index sensor.

You could probably 3D print tool forks but I'd like to see a bunch of testing before I trusted them over injection moded forks.  Same thing goes for mechanical bits with weight on them.  I'd be concerned about cold creep over time.

spumco wrote:

And you don't need a pocket sensor.  Carousel component keeps track of position once it's homed to a single index sensor.

Ooops
You are right, it does not need one.
As to the rest of your reply, i am fully aware of the drawbacks, but if it can be 3D printed and usable for a while, just print more and keep changing!
I am sure there might be a way of doing a partially 3D printed changer that will last, but printers are cheap so we can use them for this, and we like to tinker.
Then again there is the rack tool changer, easy, simple, no remaps, works properly, lasts a lot, BUT takes a good portion of the usable working area.
-
I'll go out now and have a smoke and feel ashamed that i missed the reality of carousel with stepper = no need for pocket sensor.
My dog will be happy to see me, it is 2:30AM here so he is awake, sleeps most of the day.

While you're feeling ashamed, can you figure out why the carousel acts up at higher speeds?image missing /media/kunena/emoticons/unsure.png

And give your dog a pet for me.

Using steper or step/dir servo ?