My project isn't a Darwin, it is a totally new design. It'll have linear encoders and regular DC motors. I'll be much more accurate and use much less electricity during operation. So if you're willing to make parts, to help me get started, let me know. It may be a month or more before I get the parts designed, so no problem making one for yourself first. And yes, of course I'll pay for the plastiby Ant - Reprappers
I saw the picture, and that machine would be useless as a router or milling. It is not rigid enough. It could perhaps mill small parts very close to the near end of travel. A stepper motor will not have an encoder to tell it location. Look to see if there is an encoder somewhere. I see 3 white cables that look like RS232 cables (sort of). I suspect those are encoders. If they are, that would meaby Ant - Russia RepRap User Group
I don't know if people are already doing this, but it occurs to me that some people already have RepRaps, and others are trying to make them. It would be very helpful if people who have them would make parts for people who don't. Not just existing designs, but new designs as well. Organizing such efforts should be easy. This forum should already be setup good enough for it. I posted a message inby Ant - Reprappers
Hi everyone. I'm not actually from Houston, but my friend who is also building a RepRap is from Houston area. I'm designing a new version of a RepRap, sort of. Actually, I consider the RepRap functionality only a bonus feature. I believe RepRap by itself will not solve all the worlds problems, but rather a combination of a few things will solved the world's problems. Anyway, I was thinking ofby Ant - Texas, Houston RepRap User Group
On our project, we are going to be writing new firmware and new software. I was thinking of adding a chip to convert USB to RS232, and then treat the USB port as a RS232 port, which for me would be easier to figure out, but I'd prefer to not need the chip and simply use it as a USB device. How difficult is it to make a program which interfaces with a device through the USB port? Anyone got someby Ant - RepRap Host
You don't need two rings to have a 90 degree phase shift. On the stationary ring you simply put two portions of a ring of strips, you don't need a whole ring, just enough to be in front of each sensor. You put the 90 degree phase shift in one of those two portions on the stationary ring. When the lines on the stationary sensor are lined up with the lines on the moving ring, light passes. When tby Ant - Controllers
Actually, offsetting the sensor wouldn't work when you use two sensors. It only works for one sensor. Anyway, it'd be much easier and more accurate to make a second grating on the stationary side. No need to line up the sensor that way. Interestingly, I opened up my printer (Cannon i250) and noticed that there is a strip of clear film about 1/8 inch wide, on which a stripped pattern is printed.by Ant - Controllers
Quadrature would just have two sets of lines for the stationary disc, which would be offset from each other to give the phase info. One set of lines for each opto-interuptor. As for angular precision, you can fix that with calibrate that in the computer. You'd need 3 opto-interuptors for that, one for zero. Calibration would be easy for rotary, just spin it at a constant speed. It would be extrby Ant - Controllers
This is kind of obsolete, but just for the sake of argument, or if anyone wants to experiment with it... There may still be some use for it. Here's a picture which shows the basic idea of a rotary encoder made out of film. Film can make pretty high resolution. There are two discs with lines on them, one of them turns, the other is stationary. The blue areas are spacers to prevent the two piecesby Ant - Controllers
1. (Control via Internet) We currently have voice over Internet, which works almost as good as a regular telephone. The speed we'd need for giving commands to this machine via Internet can operate ok even with as slow connection speed as text based chat software. Like this "X 4.200 Y 3.200" then wait for it to go there. We can do all sorts of things to make the process low bandwidth. We can put aby Ant - Controllers
I guess I put this in the wrong category. Oh well. It's not really that much actually, just simple software changes. Most of those are required for the sake of making a good quality machine. Some of them are probably already implemented, at least I would hope so. Backlash compensation for example, is probably already implemented, but it may not be on both ends, but it needs to be. I can tell byby Ant - Controllers
Hi everyone, I'm new here and working on a new design. My goals are slightly different but compatible with the Rep Rap project. Here's some things which are vital for my goals and would make a huge improvement for Rep Rap's goals, if they are not already implemented. These are mostly software changes. Just thought I'd mention them in case anyone wants to work on them. The idea I'm working on isby Ant - Controllers