Restruder 9/17/2023 – 9/23/2023 Updates
One of the issues from the last semester that I wanted to improve is that the diameter sensor for the Restruder. While looking at the previous diameter sensor, we noticed that the sensor was not performing up to the standard we wanted and I was tasked with finding a alternative for this sensor.
Prevoius Diameter Sensor
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:454584
Through doing research, I was able to find an open source design that was using a different type of sensor to do our task. The sensor that I found was using a linear hall effect sensor with a magnet to get the diameter of the filament. This was done by having the magnet attached to a lever that was pushed away from the linear hall effect sensor and the information then could be used by an arduino to get pretty accurate measurements. This design was focused on low cost and being compact which is important to the Restruder project.
Current Filament Diamter Sensor
https://www.printables.com/model/57154-infiDANK
I am current getting the parts of this sensor and assembly the sensor. I am plannning to have the sensor assembled by the end of next week. For the next week I am starting to design a containment system for the whole project.
Restruder 9/24/2023 – 10/1/2023 Updates
This week I mainly focus on the assembly on the filament diameter sensor. I am also got some goal for website development for this website. Which is a new experience for me and I am excited to start. Finally the design for a containment system for the whole project is being taking up by Alex Nigrine.
Printing of the Filament Diameter Sensor
The printing of the filament diameter sensor took longer than I expected. My first prints were using ABS filament in which the process of filing down the filament was difficult and I ended up craking the print to the point the it was unusable. I decided to swicth to PLA filament but I had major difficulty in which either while printing the thickness of the filament comming out was not correct and making them fragile or the print did not stick the plate. I ended up getting the parts printed correct torward the end of the week.
ABS Print of the Block
In this print some of the holes in the project was filled with filament which was too difficult to remove.
ABS Print of Lever
In this print while filing it it ended up snapping the piece in which the part is not unusable.
Final PLA Print of Block
The Assembly process
This week I ended up getting some part of the assembly process. In which I put the bearing and pins in the lever of the filament sensor.
Lever with bearings
Goals for next week
I plan to finish the sensor this week to use with the whole project. Also in some spare time that I have start some website developent ideas.