This Saturday I will be attending the 2015 IOTHackDay. I joined a team which hopes to put a robotic xylophone online. Robotic xylophones aren’t something people buy, we’ve been building it for the last month. I haven’t put it on here because I didn’t want to interrupt the flow of this project but my Wednesday nights have been busy at the hack space with the team cutting, crimping, eating, planning, and fretting over this instrument. If you live nearby come by for the judging which is open to the public.
Enough background.
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The model for the emitter and receiver tubes was nice and simple so I went and added unnecessary stuff to it. There was no need for a light but I added an RGB LED. I guess I could give some feedback when it is triggered or maybe a triggering pattern which will turn it into a flashlight. There are lots of neat things I can mess around with. Maybe I’ll make it low red when it’s retracted and bright green when it’s extended. The interim could fade from red to green. The sky is the limit. Speaking of sky, I don’t know what I should do with the blue.
I knew the electronics were in good shape so I coated the back of the tubes with black liquid tape. This was to keep unwanted light from interfering with the readings. Originally I had planned to add a physical barrier to the model but that would take extra plastic, supporting plastic and printing time. Plus it was a reason to buy black liquid tape.
After the liquid tape dried some protoboard was attached to the components on the back of the tubes. Leads had to be bent all around to make them line up with the holes, especially on the RGB LED which didn’t use the standard 0.1” (2.54mm) spacing. Testing to come. Terminals were added to the controller's terminal board. Because of the way they lock together it wasn't necessary to replace the whole board.
Controller board and terminals
Back of emitter with protoboard
An enclosure was made from the previous model which used small internal shelves to hold the lid in place. This model left a lot to be desired. That’s pretty bad because I copied it from someone who did a good job and I just made a mess of it. Internal shelves take too much room when dealing with small enclosures. I thought I could squeak by but it wasn’t to be.
My last attempt at a printed enclosure was one which used external columns. I called it the BubbleBox because of the columns. As much as I thought I would dislike the design I now think it looks neat. The columns allow for very long screws to be used in case short ones aren’t convenient and screws can also be run from underneath for mounting the enclosure to a flat surface.
The rest of the weekly summaries have been arranged by date.
First time here?
Completed projects from year 1.
Completed projects from year 2.
Disclaimer for http://24hourengineer.blogspot.com/
This disclaimer must be intact and whole. This disclaimer must be included if a project is distributed.
All information in this blog, or linked by this blog, are not to be taken as advice or solicitation. Anyone attempting to replicate, in whole or in part, is responsible for the outcome and procedure. Any loss of functionality, money, property or similar, is the responsibility of those involved in the replication.
All digital communication regarding the email address 24hourengineer@gmail.com becomes the intellectual property of Brian McEvoy. Any information contained within these messages may be distributed or retained at the discretion of Brian McEvoy. Any email sent to this address, or any email account owned by Brian McEvoy, cannot be used to claim property or assets.
Comments to the blog may be utilized or erased at the discretion of the owner. No one posting may claim claim property or assets based on their post.
This blog, including pictures and text, is copyright to Brian McEvoy.
Enough background.
----------
The model for the emitter and receiver tubes was nice and simple so I went and added unnecessary stuff to it. There was no need for a light but I added an RGB LED. I guess I could give some feedback when it is triggered or maybe a triggering pattern which will turn it into a flashlight. There are lots of neat things I can mess around with. Maybe I’ll make it low red when it’s retracted and bright green when it’s extended. The interim could fade from red to green. The sky is the limit. Speaking of sky, I don’t know what I should do with the blue.
Model of emitter and receiver tubes
I knew the electronics were in good shape so I coated the back of the tubes with black liquid tape. This was to keep unwanted light from interfering with the readings. Originally I had planned to add a physical barrier to the model but that would take extra plastic, supporting plastic and printing time. Plus it was a reason to buy black liquid tape.
Tubes covered in tape
After the liquid tape dried some protoboard was attached to the components on the back of the tubes. Leads had to be bent all around to make them line up with the holes, especially on the RGB LED which didn’t use the standard 0.1” (2.54mm) spacing. Testing to come. Terminals were added to the controller's terminal board. Because of the way they lock together it wasn't necessary to replace the whole board.
An enclosure was made from the previous model which used small internal shelves to hold the lid in place. This model left a lot to be desired. That’s pretty bad because I copied it from someone who did a good job and I just made a mess of it. Internal shelves take too much room when dealing with small enclosures. I thought I could squeak by but it wasn’t to be.
Model with internal shelves
Wires fit through the holes made for them
Printed enclosure next to the controller
Instead of searching online for a suitable box, ordering it with money, waiting for it and testing for a good fit, I made another attempt but this time it used bolt holes far from each other which required long bolts. I don’t mind the long bolts because I think they look neat and they give another place to attach things. Wouldn’t you know it, my printer software wouldn’t render it properly so I couldn’t even print it. Disappointing. This technique was used on the 3D Printed Automatic Tea Maker. 
Model of enclosure with wings
My last attempt at a printed enclosure was one which used external columns. I called it the BubbleBox because of the columns. As much as I thought I would dislike the design I now think it looks neat. The columns allow for very long screws to be used in case short ones aren’t convenient and screws can also be run from underneath for mounting the enclosure to a flat surface.
BubbleBox model
Printed BubbleBox next to controller and terminal board
The rest of the weekly summaries have been arranged by date.
First time here?
Completed projects from year 1.
Completed projects from year 2.
Disclaimer for http://24hourengineer.blogspot.com/
This disclaimer must be intact and whole. This disclaimer must be included if a project is distributed.
All information in this blog, or linked by this blog, are not to be taken as advice or solicitation. Anyone attempting to replicate, in whole or in part, is responsible for the outcome and procedure. Any loss of functionality, money, property or similar, is the responsibility of those involved in the replication.
All digital communication regarding the email address 24hourengineer@gmail.com becomes the intellectual property of Brian McEvoy. Any information contained within these messages may be distributed or retained at the discretion of Brian McEvoy. Any email sent to this address, or any email account owned by Brian McEvoy, cannot be used to claim property or assets.
Comments to the blog may be utilized or erased at the discretion of the owner. No one posting may claim claim property or assets based on their post.
This blog, including pictures and text, is copyright to Brian McEvoy.
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