This is a camera slider based around a 2020 aluminum profile (B- or V-Slot type). It keeps the timing belt and the endstop wiring inside the rail for a clean setup. It uses six 608zz bearings to form a double three-point grip around the rail for zero play.
VERSION HISTORY
2019-06-22 Update 1
- New versions for the endcaps: for idlers 16T M3 or 20T M5. 20T M5 should fix the belt guide issues because 20T idlers usually have larger side guides.
- Suitable also if you have a stock of 20T M5 and don't want to buy 16T M3 just for this project.
- Note for 20T: greater distance of belt to inner surface of 2020 profile may make the belt more susceptible to fluttering
2019-06-22 Initial release
- endcaps suitable for 16T M3 idlers only
- belt guide issue with plain pinion motors. This does not affect typical NEMA17 motors with plain axles because these need a separate pinion anyway, and those usually come with belt guides.
Print Settings
Printer:
TronXY X5S
Rafts:
No
Supports:
No
Resolution:
0.6 mm nozzle, 0.25 mm layer height
Infill:
20% hexagonal
Filament:
Generic budget PLA
any
Notes:
Designed to print without supports.
Parts labelled SYMMETRY need to be printed twice: normal and mirrored. Normal version goes toward far end, mirrored version goes toward motor mount
- Endcap 16T M3 can be used for 16T idlers with M3 bearing (uses M3 inset for axle)
- Endcap 20T M5 can be used for 20T idlers with M5 bearing (no M5 inset, direct tapping). It is 5mm longer to accommodate the larger idler and has a wider opening between axle mounts.
Post-Printing
Additional parts
(This is a work-in-progress, may not be complete)
Store parts:
- 2020 profile as long as you want the slider to be
- NEMA17 Stepper motor (I'm running two of these with 10 V 0.3 A 200 steps/revolution budget steppers on DRV8825 set to 1/32 and 200 mA)
- GT2 timing belt, needs twice the length of the 2020 profile and some extra for fixating and the end loops
- Belt idler 16T with M3 axis and built-in bearings OR belt idler 20T with M5 axis
- Stepper motor pinion for GT2 belt. 16T or 20T should work.NOTE: IF the motor has a fixed/built-in pinion that is smaller than 16 T and/or has no belt guides, you may need to mount another idler (preferably without teeth) inside the motor-side end piece to keep the belt from slowly creeping away (mine has, and does...). Take care to pick the right size STL, M3 and M5 versions differ internally too (longer body, wider gap between axle holes for 20T version). Big washers and no idler may work, too. They tend to rattle a bit though.
- six size 608 ball bearings
- Brass Inserts (Melt-in): M3 long and short for various mount points, M4 x7 for camera slider
- Screws M3, M4, M5x20
- If you use hall sensors: a small wood screw with flat head (magnetic, as snap point for the endstop trigger magnet on the inside of the slider )
- Washers
- Wiring
- 2x Hall sensors or 2x mechanical endstop switches or a motor driver with collision detection
- Stepper driver (DRV8825 in 1/32 mode is OK for slow speeds, Trinamic TMC2208 is fantastic IMO)
- Some kind of adequate power supply
- Microcontroller e.g. Arduino Nano or ESP8266
Concept design
Assembly
(This is a work-in-progress, and incomplete)
- Melt all M3 and M4 threaded brass inserts into their holes.
- Place the six ball bearings on the slotted axles.
- Use M5 x 16 screws and washers to lock them in place (mind that they only apply pressure to the inner ring of the ball bearing).
- Mount the 16T idler into the endcap, using M3x20 and M3x3 brass insert on one side. Do not overtighten, the idler must still run freely.
- Mount the motor to the motor holder
- Mount the motor holder to the matching endcap (they're mirrors, only one is going to line up)
*IF the motor has a pinion that is smaller than 16 T and/or has no belt guides, you may need to mount another idler inside the motor-side end piece to keep the belt from slowly creeping away
- Mount the legs to the endcaps (each M3x20, brass insert M3x6 in the endcap stem works best)
- Mount the motor endcap to the 2020 profile.
- Combine the camera carrier and the counterplate
- Slide the camera carrier on the 2020 profile. If the fit is too loose, sand down the camera carrier's legs until it fits
- Unscrew the small counterplate of the camera carrier from the profile again for easier belt mounting
- Attach one side the GT2 timing belt to the counterplate, with the flat side facing the guide tabs.
- Thread the GT2 timing belt with teeth facing the profile through the endcaps and over the motor pinion. You should be able to push it along the curve of the motor holder. You may need a pair of tweezers to make it slide back out the opposite side
- Attach the other side of the timing belt to the counterplate
- TO BE CONTINUED
Mounting the bearings (camera carrier)
Mounting the bearings (counterblock)
Attaching the belt on the counterblock
Hall sensor with optical indicator, freeform soldered
Wrapped in clear heatshrink tube after rolling it in hotmelt glue. Sensor orientation in regard to the magnetic field is crucial for A3144 hall sensors.
Category: Camera