Small things I have made: 2014

Friday, 5 December 2014

CNC 3 axis controller components

Enclosures

Hammond Enclosure 1414PHO6

Hammond to Hoffman equivalence:

Hoffman Cat # Hammond
A1614CH A16P14 1414PHO6 Ham incl. Panel

Drivers

Geckodrive G203V - drawing reference

Breakout board

CNC4PC C35

manual

Buttons and Switches

AB - 800E 22.5mm series
Full data sheet.

800ep-p3 ------ green pilot light (lens only no lamp holder)

800ep-p5 ------ yellow " " " "

800ep-p7 ------ white " " " " "

800ep-f1 ------- White Push Button, Non-illuminated, Momentary, Flush (button only no contacts)

800ep-f5 ------- Yellow """""

800E-MT4 ----------- 40mm Red Mushroom E-Stop [page 31]

Back of panel components

800E-4DL3 ----------- Full Voltage {lamp} Module with Latch 24 AC/DC [see page 100]

800E-4LX02 ---------- 4-across 2NC contacts [see page 23]

800E-4LX10 ---------- 4-across 1NO contact

Fuse Blocks

ABB Catalog - http://www.abb.com/productdetails/ABB2CSM206573R1801

E 91hN/32s

Disconnect

ABB ONWS7PB 1SCA022640R6310

Relays

ABB

ESB 20-02 (250V 20A) {coil voltage 240V??}
K6-31Z
ESB 24-04 (400v 24A 3~) {12V 4pole NC}

none of the above are suitable

Heatsinks

http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/VHS-45/102-1488-ND/1016696
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/CS60-Freeshipping-heatsink-for-the-ssr-10A-15A-use-the-guide-clip-of-rail/627107432.html

Customising ACAD electrical 2015 for multiple user access

Customising ACAD electrical 2015 for multiple user access

Edit 2015 1 12

ALL Attribute template files and wire connection files must also be transferred to the network location... (further cluttering the folder). All I wanted was a nice clean location to save custom symbols...

See AE forum discussion.

Edit 2014 12 11

Additionally, I had to move the slide libraries for all the out-of-the-box symbol icons in the Icon Menu. Simplest way was to list the location folder

Location: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD Electrical {version}\{release}\{country code}\Support

by file type and move all the .dll and .slb files to the custom icon folder in the network drive. (Moving just the .dll files seemed to resolve the issue...)

(Note, the .slb file extension didn't show up in the Windows file browser for until I unchecked the Hide extensions for known file types option in Tools>Folder Options>View).

2014 12 5

So you want to work on a project from two different locations (i.e. with two different machines) and still have access to the custom symbols you spent so much time building. In order to do this, ACADe must be set up to share the schematic and panel libraries and icon menus. Another good reason to store your custom content in a separate location (network or otherwise) is to prevent the loss of that data if you reinstall (or update?) ACADe - the installer apparently overwrites the libraries at their standard locations!

References: A good overview on how to setup ACAD for multiple users from Autodesk and a slightly more in-detail discussion here.

However, I don't want the entire 500mb standard library taking up space on the network drive, I just want my custom content accessible. So here is what I did:

1) Created a copy of WD.ENV (environment file containing environment settings and the location of library databases, support files, icons etc), {Location: C:\Users\ User login \Documents\Acade 20xx\AeData\} at a shared network location. {In my case in my GoogleDrive}.

2) Renamed the local copies of WD.ENV to dissabled_WD.ENV on both of the machines. {I don't think that these two steps are necessary for sharing custom libraries, but now future modifications to the environment will (should?) be propagated to all the machines sharing the file}.

3) Added the network folder path to the new WD.ENV file to the list of Support Files Search Paths in the ACADe>Options>Files menu.

4) Created three network folders: Custom Panel libraries, Custom symbol libraries and Custom Icon Menus.

5) Created network copies of the actual symbol and panel icon menus ACE_JIC_MENU.DAT and the ACE_PANEL_MENU.DAT files {located at \Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD Electrical {version}\{release}\{country code}\Support\}. Renamed both the files.

6) Moved my custom symbols and custom panel items from their local locations {\User\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Acade 20xx\Libs\} to their appropriate network location created in step 3.

7) Added the network paths to ACADe>Project Properties>Project Settings menu for the Schematic Libraries and Panel Footprint Libraries.

8) In the same menu, pointed the Schematic Icon Menu and Panel Icon Menu File to their new network copies.

Note that Symbol & Panel libraries and Icon menus are associated at the project level - so steps 7&8 have to be done each time a new project is created.

Another afternoon wasted thanks to Autocad.... :)

Friday, 21 November 2014

Resizing a Bootcamp partition

Took about two days...

Instructions followed:

This is possible using only free tools. I just did it and wanted to share the solution.

Let's assume that you have a bootcamp setup that you are happy with, with the exception that you need a larger Windows partition (in my case, I made the windows partition 32G, and it wasn't big enough). This may work the other way around, but I can't confirm it.

Software Links:

[Gparted]: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
[rEFIt]: http://refit.sourceforge.net/

Short Instructions

Get a windows install disk and [Gparted] and [rEFIt] livecds.
Use gparted to resize the partitions
Use rEFIt to fix the partition boot record
Use the windows install disk to repair the windows partition
Reboot into Windows for a disk check and done

Note: if rEFIt doesn't work for you, the more recent rEFInd project might (google for refind efi). I would post the link here but I am not allowed.

Detailed Instructions

Note: Get to the Mac bootable media list by holding down "Option" on reboot. If you want to eject a CD when you are there, hold down the "eject" button.

Gather the tools. You will need: [Gparted], [rEFIt], and a Windows Install Disk (more specifically, the recovery ability).
1. Burn the Gparted and rEFIt images to bootable media (either CD, DVD, or USB).
Boot into Gparted by restarting the Mac, holding down "Option", when the bootable media list appears, insert the gparted disk and wait for the gparted media to show up as a boot option. Note, in my system the CD was labeled "Windows". Click the Arrow under it.
1. Choose Gparted Live as the boot option.
2. Unless you know what the questions are asking, leave the default start options (for keymap, language and such).
3. When the GUI appears, resize the HFS+ (Mac) partition, and click the "Resize/Move" button, it will add a task for the resize to the list.
4. Then resize the NTFS (Windows) partition, and click the button again.
5. "Apply" the results. This can take a while depending on how much data the partition tool needs to move.
6. Double click the red exit button in Gparted, then choose reboot from the menu (it takes longer than you think). Gparted will eject the disk (if you used a CD) before rebooting. Go to the Mac bootable list again. Note: this time when you reboot, the windows disk will probably not be present in the bootable disk screen!
Insert the rEFIt media. Wait for it to appear in the bootable disk list, and choose it.
1. Use the left and right arrow keys to select the "Start Partition Tool" option. It will ask you if you want to update the boot record. Type "Y".
2. Reboot again holding down the option key.
When the list appears (the windows disk should be back again, but don't choose it yet!), hold down the "eject" key to eject the rEFIt disk, and then insert the Windows install cd. Boot to the install CD.
1. Choose the language and when the choice appears, pick "Repair Windows Install". It will repair and then reboot. Hold down the option key one last time.
Choose to boot into the Windows disk (not the CD). You should get a menu that asks if you want to Boot windows Normally (yes). Then it will do a disk check, and boot you into windows.

Throughout this whole process, the Mac partition (disk) should remain bootable. You can boot into it periodically if you wish.

___________________________

Notes:

- I couldn't get rEFIt to boot from the USB - when I tried to manually install it on the key, I got a Permission denied or some such error. Had to install it on the internal drive that was being repartitioned.

- I had to go through the process from GParted (step 2) onwards a couple of times before the Windows CD would recognize and repair the partition correctly.

- Some of the steps (i.e. repartitioning) take a looooooong time.

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

Resin Casting Guide

Resin Casting guide

http://makezine.com/2013/05/02/resin-casting-going-from-cad-to-engineering-grade-plastic-parts/

Moulding silicon rubber

"...two products really leave the competition in the dust: the easily pourable, low-viscosity Quantum Silicones QM 262 and the nearly indestructible, translucent Silicones Inc XP-592. Both of these products cost around $15 per pound, and usually come in 10-12lbs kits."

Silicones Inc. distributor in Canada:

Produits Electrolation, Inc.
990 Rue Bergar
Laval, Quebec H7L 5A1
tel 450 972 6556
email electrolation@mail.com

Composites Canada
5205 Timberlea Blvd.
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2S3
tel 905 629 3178

Aurora badge

Coffee is another one of my obsessions. I recently acquired a restored 1980s Brugnetti aurora single-group, lever espresso machine. The restoration was (beautifully) done by Orphan Espresso and is documented, for those who are interested, here.

One of the things I have wanted to do for a while is replace the Europa badge on the front of the machine with something more in tune with the aurora design aesthetic. My suspicion is that the Europa branding was added after the machine left the factory in Italy, possibly by the American importer, as I find it hard to believe that the designers would have chosen a font with serifs (if they had used a different font at all).

This is the (plastic) badge on the back of the machine which I am going to replicate for the front:

There are a number of ways that this could be done. My first thought was that it would be a good project for the CNC mill once the three axes are running. With that in mind I started the process of generating a 2D drawing from some photos as the basis for a CAM file.

After a little time spent with the usual [image manipulation software] suspects trying to extract outlines from the images, I started to think that it would be considerably more efficient to find the font and simply redo the layout. This turned out not to be quite as easy as I thought! Despite the progress that has been made with the tools for graphic designers since I last looked (online image-based font database search!) I couldn't find an exact match. The font is really close to some derivatives of Eurostile, designed by Aldo Novarese in 1962, but there are some subtle differences. For this, really close just isn't going to cut it. So I knuckled down with the aforementioned usual suspects and produced a fair facsimile of the original.

Having made the gcode and finished the high-speed spindle mount for the Bosch-Colt router, it was time to look into tooling for cutting it.

Cheap Collets

http://gpcollets.com/bsch_cross.html?gclid=COeJoPq8uaACFRQWawodhCDwTA

http://www.precisebits.com/products/equipment/bosch_colt_collets.asp?tsPT=!!!Bosch-Colt!!!Collet!!!PG!!!#Tabs

(Better) Collets, TIR and why it matters

http://www.precisebits.com/tutorials/Choosing_collets.htm

What you need to know: TIR greater than 10% of the cutter diameter can be fatal to the tool.
Replace "can" by "will" in the previous sentence for small diameters (<1.0mm)....

http://www.precisebits.com/products/equipment/bosch_colt_kits.asp?tsPT=!!!Bosch-Colt!!!Kit!!!PG!!!

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Stepper motor upgrade

The original motors for the mill are from another project. They are at the very limit of usability in terms of the maximum torque they deliver at low rpm. With the current 24v power supply, the torque drops off very quickly. Time to upgrade!

Current motors: Vexta PK296DAA

Inductance : 1.5 (bipolar) mH per phase

New motors: Vexta PK2913 E4.0A

Inductance: 4.2 [Bipolar (Parallel)] 16.8 [Bipolar (Series)] 4.2 [Unipolar] mH per phase

_________________

Excellent article about power supplies:

http://www.geckodrive.com/support/step-motor-basics/power-supply-basics.html

Calculating the maximum voltage for a stepper from its inductance:

Vmax = 32*√L where L is the motor inductance in milliHenries

So the maximum voltage for the original 296DAA steppers is 32*√1.5 = 39v
If the new 2913E4 motors are wired in parallel, the maximum voltage for the is:

32*√4.2 = 65.6v

The nearest standard output voltage from Antek is 63 volts.

A motor control will always draw less than 2/3 of the motor’s rated current when it is parallel (or half-winding) connected and 1/3 of the motor’s rated current when it is series (or full-winding) connected. That is to say, a 6 amp per phase motor will require a 4 amp power supply when wired in parallel and a 2 amp power supply when wired in series.

Wired in bipolar parallel, the motor is rated at 5.6 amps per phase. So the amperage required per motor is 2/3 x 5.6 = 3.73 amps

Total amperage required for three motors is 11.2 amps, four would be ~15 amps.

The closest 15 amp Antek model is this one:

PS-10N63 - 1000W 63V POWER SUPPLY $162.00

_______________________

2913E motor wiring

Connector seen from front

O
Blk o o Grn

Wht o o Red

Blk -> Blu Wht Grn -> Grn Yel
Wht -> Ren Tan Ren -> Blk Pink

NB - the connectors used are not wired consistently because of mistakes in the control panel cables. Coil A are pins 1&3 on the motor connector and Coil B 2&4. Check the continuity from the output of the gecko drive to the connector pins.

Friday, 24 January 2014

Coffee grinder timer

Timer manual:

Model is LT4H-W DC24VS (relay type)

http://www.panasonic-electric-works.com/peweu/en/downloads/ds_63010_0010_en_lt4hw.pdf

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

High speed spindle or Arnold Schwarzenegger meets Robin Williams.

1600 rpm just doesn't cut it for CNC. Small radius cutters and soft materials quickly bring the required feeds and speeds up by an order of magnitude. The cnc (cheap n cheerful) motor and gear head combination in my mill is to a real VMC spindle as Arnold Schwarzenegger is to Robin Williams on a chemically enhanced day. All this to say that it was time to build a high speed spindle.

After a little research I discovered that one possibility for an inexpensive alternate spindle motor is a Bosch Colt trim router - one of which I happen to own. The main limit to usability for this kind of setup seems to be the TIR of the bearing and collet for small i.e. <1/32" ø cutters. If the TIR is above a certain percentage of the bit diameter (I forget the number right this second) it will fatigue and fail within seconds. Although there are apparently some QC issues with the Bosch, if you are lucky the bearing runout in combination with a high quality collet (sold separately and cost as much as the router(!)) will be small enough to allow micro-machining. That is beyond my needs right now and so I haven't purchased a collet or measured the TIR.

All that I was missing to increase my available RPM by an order of magnitude was a suitable bracket. Borrowing heavily from Tormach's design I drew one up in CAD and threw a chunk of MIC6 tooling plate on the mill.

My design uses two 3/8-16 bolts to tighten a pair of split rings sized to the spindle diameter of the mill and the router.

Interior bore with the shop vac running to keep the chips from spreading too far through the shop.

Hole patterns in CNC are your friend.

Reclamping from inside the bore (tightening down before removing the for exterior clamps to maintain the positioning).

I made a small mistake in the design which I discovered when I tried to tap the hole in the first bracket: the hole is too deep for the standard tapping bit. Solved with a small design modification and some creative tool-holding (that is a cheap brazed carbide boring bit).