http://smackaay.com/gm/t1/index.html

(update nov 9, 2011)

http://smackaay.com/gm/t2/index.html

download it here

booya grandpa!

LED colored vases as centerpieces

Pretty self explanatory. Since I’m getting married later next year, I decided it’d be cool to have the centerpieces light up with the colors of our wedding, which are pink and orange. I’ve ordered a huge number of LED’s for this occasion for relatively cheap. I did a test a while back with a prototype board (the colors were purple and orange) and the result was very nice. I was going to make the light respond wirelessly with a module but that’s not going to happen since people bring them home and stuff, I want to keep the modules.

Playing with the chipkit

the chipkit is an arduino clone that runs a pic32 mcu on it. very fast!!!. Only problem I have with the unit is that it’s not really 5v compatible. I suppose 3.3 is quite high considering the speeds that these run. It also has more pinouts than the arduino UNO.

Very neat device

Burning with copper

Well, I just thought it’d be neat to post how we’re burning an almost impossible to machine thread into a set of master jaws. it’s not terribly impressive but I thought it could be interesting to some

the unfinished thread

the edm'ed thread

Burning with copper

I think it’s neat anyways. Anyways, there’s more to come in terms of neato projects, I just don’t feel like documenting them until they get to a certain point of completion.

Looking back through this site I can see some of the things I’ve worked on and recall the state of my life at each of those times. I’ve gone through three jobs and one period of pseudo-unemployement. Some tough times and some good ones. I’ve learned a lot both professionally and personally.

Here’s to another 4 years of half-finished but fun projects.

This is the rough mockup of the new head, it is the same for both designs

The hand-held stormer
 
  This device is designed to work in the field and provide readings in KU, Grams and perhaps Centipoise. The device itself doesn’t feature any communications of any kind. Also, there is no LCD display, instead a 7 Segment x 4 LED display is used since it’s a bit cheaper and more visible in various lighting conditions. Also, since it will be use tables of values rather than calculating it on the fly, I can use some slimmer hardware such as the PIC18F2620 Microcontroller or an ATMEGA8.
 
  Also of note is the fact that everything is fairly cheap to build, these low-cost viscometers could be used in paint shops in any size container. I am building one to go to Cold Lake where they’re going to try one out since they’ve been having trouble getting decent consistency using only a mixing stick to test viscosity.
 
  Here’s a rough mockup of what it will look like. Of course none of the boards or covers are shown, also the display isn’t visible, I haven’t decided the best location for it yet. I may actually put it inside of a separate enclosure to make the unit lighter since it requires 12 volts.
 

Mockup of the handheld viscometer

• Variables – These are variables that are calculated dynamically before any other calculations have taken place. These include ambient temperature, fluid temperature, angular displacement, spring length, time from test start, time from last sample and other mathematical constants such as PI and E.
• Equations – These are the equations that determine the units. You may (and for basic units, must) include variables in order to calibrate the device. These equations are completely configurable by the user and includes every standard mathematical function such as Cos(), Sin(), Cosh(), Powers, Square Roots and many others, perhaps even logical equivalents say to multiply by 1 or 0, could be useful. While developing this I had a choice, either computationally expensive or memory intensive, I chose memory intensive symbolic storage in order to improve performance. This also allows one to develop any unit with any paddle one wishes!
• Test Patterns – These are the patterns that develop the test. For example, let’s say you want to test for KU. You place the appropriate spindle in the machine and select the KU test run. KU test runs would appear as follows (200 RPM Fixed, Equation KUPU, Out->FLTP, Out->KU) or for Centipoise vs RPM (50-220 RPM variable, Equation CNTP, Out->CNTP, Out->RPM, Out->FLTP). These are a boon for the experimentor.

 
  One key disadvantage of this device is the initial difficulty of calibration. However, if done en masse in the factory, it wouldn’t be an issue. One of the major advantages of this device is for the experimenter. You could put a hotdog on a stick, put it in a fluid, create a relationship via an equation and call it whatever you want. The device is very configurable and would probably be well suited to materials engineers and chemists who need either standard or non standard tests with a large amount of automation in terms of data collection.
 
Here’s a mockup of the finished laboratory device.
 

Potential mockup of finished device

This post is more for my own edification and to help me sort out my thoughts on this issue. I suppose for the sake of following my train of thought while sitting here, I’ll outline the specifications, as I think of them.

Overall feature set:
PWM output for 6-24V DC motor.
RS-485 Out – Rec enabled
LCD out
16 key keypad in
2 temperature sensors
LED indicators for power/error
Serial out for RS-232
Input for external reflection sensor
2 inputs for timing sensors

So, thats 1+4+6+8+2+2+1+1+2 = 27 inputs

I found some nice Molex headers that are single row, .100 pitch and is latched. Typically I use the friction based header and housings but it needs to be secure inside the housing and thus I’m trying out the new set. Also I’m going to use vertical out terminal blocks in order to save space inside the unit but not necessarily on the board.

I’m also considering adding an RS-232 port along side the board.

Hopefully this will be the final hurrah!

That brings me to my next topic. What I should do.

Firstly, I think I’m going to start taking more pictures of Edmonton again and post them on Panoramio again. Frankly, this is the reason I started taking pictures in the first place was to provide images of Edmonton for whoever wanted to look and explore both the nice parts and boring parts of our city.

Secondly, I’ll finish that fucking clock. Really not much more to do it it, just make it so you can set the time.

Thirdly, focus on building a working vibratory viscometer. It’s the ideal way to measure Krebs units in an environment as harsh as paints and it will be substantially cheaper.

Anyways, End of Line.

Optical, high sensitivity sensor, ~$6000
Magneto-elastic sensor, ~$2000
Strain gage based, ~$4300

While this is expected, it’s still quite a cost on a per-unit basis. interesting.

Another little tid-bit I picked up is this.
Magneto-Elastic sensor document

Anyways, I’ll keep looking for a cheaper unit, though, I doubt I’ll find one cheaper than the unit I developed. Perhaps I’ll machine a small enclosure with precision bearings and develop a more robust and practical design. I have some conductive graphite for the brushes in order to reduce noise and the brushes could be replaceable. Might try it.