Toto's Traversers

Hi Ron

That's my intention, as the kits came with the small Unipolar Stepper motor and driver board, I will do a tutorial on using these and servo's. To use these we need to load up libraries into our sketches, and possibly use an external power supply, so is a step up from the basic LED tutorials done so far.

But its all just building on what you have already achieved.

Paul

 

Opearating instructions

First strong coffee and donuts - after all it does have some IT related bits, and you don't want to upset the IT gods



Enter in the track number



Then watch what happens



Who parked a laptop in the way ?

The room looks empty, I've found a layout behind it

Paul

 

The other issue with the 25 / 37 / 55 etc, that weight will flex the 8mm dia meter bar, so looks like the extra support bearings will be required.
I think for future versions I will use 12mm bar and linear bearings, but also design and print a bracket that holds the 12mm bar, and the bearing mounts for the lead screw. Actually if I use a pair of 12mm bars on each bracket, these will also align the assemblies, and even Toto's fleet should avoid deflecting them.

The replacement motors Toto has ordered, are Nema 17 59Ncm 2A 1.8 degree Stepper motors.
Physically the front mounting face is the same size, but the motor is longer.
The 2A per coil rating is at the maximum of the Big Easy Driver range, but we should get away with it.
However fitting the motor may require the settings to be reset - a good learning curve for Toto

Paul

 

Hi cman the really slow speed (i.e. when its homing), its actually just pulsing and does sound rough as hell, it also takes ages. I think the next revision of the software I will adjust the homing procedure to travel at slightly faster speed (say 500 rather than the current 100), then move back 5 or 10 mm, and carry out the current homing routine.

Paul

 

Oh and after putting Viccy Road back up, I must say the O gauge one is awfy quiet compared to Viccy Road, I think the microphone on the video camera is very unkind

 

After Toto putting on Heljan locos, and noticing the deflection of the 8mm dia steel bars , and some of the issues aligning the parts, version 3 was needed.

So this time 12mm bar or tube will be used two at each end. The drive will also be included in the bracket the lead screw supported with 2 bearings at each end.





Just got to see how long the prototype will take to print - started but these are big prints

The linear bearings are on order, and should arrive this week.

Next job is to create the traverser table mounts, with the linear bearing mounts and drive nut.

Paul

 

Well 6.5 hours later and IO have a de-laminated mess.

Usual causes are the extrusion temp is too low, print speed too high.

The extrusion temp may be high enough to melt the filament, but not high enough for the filament to stay tacky enough to stick to the previous layer.

This is my first prints with Excelvan's PLA filament - the white version.

The recommended temp range is 190 to 220 degrees C, at print speeds of 50 - 100 mm/sec

I had used the same settings I had used previously for the Prima 3D Black PLA, 210C @ 60mm/sec with no heated bed and a cooling fan on for the nozzle.

For the second attempt I have printed at 220C, 50mm/sec, heated bed on at 70C (my infra red temp gauge recons its really 44C ) and the nozzle cooling off - I may regret this towards the end of the print as the print may not have cooled enough when it is only printing the final part of the base.

With any luck, with the slowed print speed, I'll be up in the morning before it reaches that part and can turn on the nozzle fan.

Well time will tell

Paul

 

I have used drawer runners on Viccy Road, but were a bit of a pain to set up, plus his lordship wanting 4 track on the traverser with a narrow baseboard meant the traverser has to extend beyond both sides of the baseboard - three could have stayed within the baseboard and live would have so much easier

The 220C print was a lot better, but had problems towards the end of the print with delamination.
But did give a good enough print to test the bearing fitment



So tried again with 230C

Went well untill about 2.5 hours in when a kink in the filament starved the extruder of material, which then caused a blockage in the extruder head.

One full strip down of the extruder head, and reset of bed heights

Now trying with the blue part of the reel from the same supplier (these 1 Kg reels have 0.5Kg of each colour on a reel).




Before I use the white again, I will rewind the filament to check for kinks etc.

At 230C blue appeared too runny, so I am doing a test print using to 220C version - just need to wait 6 hours now.

Paul