Working on a new winder. . .

[kayakerca]

Well, putting the initial traverse direction control was less "trial and error" than I thought. . .

[Chris Turner]

Well, putting the initial traverse direction control was less "trial and error" than I thought. . .

[ATTACH=CONFIG]21835[/ATTACH]

Awesome progress, Jim!

Since your stepper motor is running off of the single bi-polar controller, what are you using the drive the linear actuator?

[kayakerca]

Awesome progress, Jim!

Since your stepper motor is running off of the single bi-polar controller, what are you using the drive the linear actuator?

Each motor is running off its own bipolar controller and the app controls both of them. Big $$$$ for this type of "easy to program" controller though.

Phidgets Inc. - 1063_1 - PhidgetStepper Bipolar 1-Motor

[Chris Turner]

Each motor is running off its own bipolar controller and the app controls both of them. Big $$$$ for this type of "easy to program" controller though.

Phidgets Inc. - 1063_1 - PhidgetStepper Bipolar 1-Motor

Hmm... it's too bad they couldn't make a bi-polar version of this.

It's probably even bigger $$$$ for the linear actuator, eh?

[kayakerca]

Hmm... it's too bad they couldn't make a bi-polar version of this.

It's probably even bigger $$$$ for the linear actuator, eh?

Ya, it would have been nice to have one controller to handle both bipolar motors. But, it is what it is. As everyone says, if you are doing this to save money on pickups, you're in for a heck of a surprise at some point!

[kayakerca]

Done! ! ! Well the basic CNC Winder code anyway.

A pic of the updated (Jim complete) version of the CNC winder app is below. I've added in the wire guide alignment functionality to the program and that takes us to the upper limit of my skill set, even with Steve's guidance. The wire guide alignment gets you to where the edge of the bobbin is. Either edge as one of the other parameters is which edge you are at so you can start from either, depending on your preference. The wire guide alignment has a combo box with 5 jump settings. Basically, the first 4 are the width of AWG 42 at the low end and 1/4" at the upper end. The 5th is the bobbin width specified in the app for the current wind. That way, when you think you've gotten it all nicely lined up, you can quickly jump one bobbin width to the other inside edge of the bobbin. Hopefully, you land the same distance from the new inside edge as you were away from the edge where you started the jump. Cool?

I did a little housekeeping and put all the motor specific data at the top so it wouldn't be cluttered in with the wind parameters. For greater clarity as they say. If you "Disengage" during a wind, it just stops where you are in the wind and restarts from that same position when you re "Engage" via the check box.

Now for the issues for those that like issues. . . Both bipolar motors have ramp up and ramp down associated with starting and stopping. This means a LOT with the traverser as it has a tiny weeny ramp up at the end of each and ever traverse. That mean that the location of a few winds extra at the beginning or end layer should be on some other unknown layer in 7,000 or 8.000 turn wind, depending on the tpl you set. Oh no!

I have run it with 2 bipolar motors attached and they do exactly like the code says (only wish my kids had been like that when they lived at home). Now, I wait for the arrival of my linear actuator and a couple of new, extra large bits to ease the machining of the additional mounting brackets I have to do.

All the fancy stuff like having the traverser know where "home" is to start a wind, random tpl's (CNC scatter) , a database of "favourite" winds you can just load, etc., will just have to wait for Steve to do his thing.

I'm sure it'll blow up on me, but right now, right this very minute. . . I'm one VERY happy guy about how it has gone! ! !

Ya Baby!

[kayakerca]

Well lads, thought it best to put up a little video to give you a look at where this little CNC winder is headed. You get a pretty good look at the interface (after you get past the quilt effect of the light and screen as it records on the iphone).

So, you see how the traverser is going to work based on the style of linear actuator I have ordered. This a "tiny" linear actuator traverser I pickup up on ebay for $9.00 was just to test out things before I was willing to drop the bigger $$$ for the full size version with a 2" stroke. The "tiny" one works to demonstrate the principal, but only has a 1/4" stroke, so it just won't cut it. But, you do get to see all the parameters and how they translate into the traverser doing its thing. I set it up for a 1,000 turn wind at 1,100 rpm so it would fit in the Youtube time limit and not bore you to death anymore than I already have. Also, a tpl of 85, which translates into (1,000 / 85) 11.764705888 traverses. So, I round up and make 12 full traverses (you can count'm if you like). Close enough for my mind. You can see that the traversing stops during the ramp down of the winder. It will be interesting to see that first wind to see if the traversing direction change is fast enough to avoid building up excess winds at the ends of the stroke. I'm hoping it won't be a problem as I've set the ramp up/ramp down on the linear actuator to be vritually zero, which the bipolar controller and motor seem to hand just fine. There is also no backlash on this type of linear actuator. I also use one of those "commercial" wire guides with the ruby liner that is only about 3 - 4 times the diameter of AWG42, so there is virtually no potential for backlash in the guide either. That is the last issue left on the table. It either will build up winds at the turn or it won't and only time will tell.

CNC Pickup Winder Interface and Operation - YouTube

Can't really start machining up the bracket for the full size linear actuator until I have it in my hands a few weeks from now and can see exactly where I want it on the winder based relative to all the other pieces.

Who knew retirement would be this much fun!

[Lyrebird Steve]

@Jim

Updated the code to allow for more efficient traversing, can now acurately position traverse motor even at 4,600+ RPM

New traverse method - YouTube (sorry about the shakey iPhone video .. but its in HD)

[rhgwynn]

This is AMAZING; what part is being used here?

-Rob

[kayakerca]

This is AMAZING; what part is being used here?

-Rob

Which "part" are you talking about?

[rhgwynn]

The stepper/actuator.

-Rob

[kayakerca]

Which "part" are you talking about?

The traverser motor is a Haydon captive type linear actuator (size 8). The one here in the vid is one I picked up on ebay for $9.00. Unfortunately, it only has a .250" stroke, so not really practical. I have ordered a larger model directly from Haydon with a 2" stroke that is supposed to arrive in another 2 - 3 weeks. The new one will handle anything I could ever throw at it. But, new ones are big bucks!

[Lyrebird Steve]

The stepper/actuator.

-Rob

Rob, my video is the Dual Motion moter from Haydon Kerk. It combines a rotary motor with a captive linear actuator.

I was lucky enough to pick up a number of these on eBay for $25 a piece ... now I wish I grabbed alot more.

This is the rotary driver
http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?product_id=1067_0

This is the linear traverse driver
http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?product_id=1063_1

[Lyrebird Steve]

Added coding for Scatter Winding.

The steps between each turn is random, but done in a way to ensure Turns per Layer is constant and that the Minimum travel ensures the previous wire is not ovelapped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOUNnyhThj8

[kayakerca]

Added coding for Scatter Winding.

The steps between each turn is random, but done in a way to ensure Turns per Layer is constant and that the Minimum travel ensures the previous wire is not ovelapped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOUNnyhThj8

Are you potentially going to end up with coils that are very uneven coil as random is just that, not even? When someone "hand guides" a wind, they are going to consciously fill in the lower turn areas of the wind to even it up before completion.

Is the pattern going to be "recordable/reproducible" such that if you hit on a wind with a tone you really like, you can reproduce it?