marcoreps

Anyone ever purchase linear rails from BG?

I did, they were mediocre at best. Now they have replacement sleds which make the same linear rails feel twice as good at least. In the last batch at least ... https://www.banggood.com/Machifit-MGN12H-Linear-Rail-Block-for-MGN12-Linear-Rail-Guide-CNC-Tool-p-1186173.html

It might even be acceptable for them to not have grease ports, because they ...

Another candidate for 'Precision Motion Control Ep02'

Got a BLDC in a NEMA23 enclosure: https://www.ebay.com/itm/162789541036

I've replaced the standard magnet encoder (green PCB ring) with a CUI AMT102 so that ODRIVE can try and operate it precisely. I couldn't get it to work just now because there are a lot of changes in ODRIVE firmware and software ... and my botched Python doesn't want to update without putting up a fight 😩 

Spectrum analyzer story

This broken beauty was sent by a viewer who bought 2, repaired one and didn't need the other any more.

It seems to have mostly computer problems for now (and a missing 400$ step attenuator later). It gets stuck in the loading screen, so the previous owner tried replacing all the RAM chips. That only made it worse, so I just reverted to original RAM chips and now at least it shows som...

Fiber coupled laser EP02

The switching CC driver started killing the output electrolytic capacitors for some reason. They get hot and end up in a fluffy explosion. Will have to investigate!

New laser driver attempt

My last laser driver consisted of a high efficiency switching DC-DC converter 'to get close' and classic precise linear regulation to get the current precisely right. That works well and is safe, but not very energy efficient.

This bloody battlefield is the result of me trying to make the DC-DC converter behave like a stable constant current source to drive the laser much more efficiently. Happy to announce that the battle was won and the idea works!

It only needs a shunt resistor and a ...

Surely 25 mm hole pitch & 50 mm slot pitch are compatible

 😃 🔫

'Quick intro' for the next soldering video

It seems like the whole world is waiting for the new PACE ADS200 station https://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/newest-pace-ads200-production-station-(a-jbc-killer-at-$239)/

So I am not sure when I can get my hands on one, but I wanted to be prepared, so I made a 'quick intro' for that video already :)

Fancy 130$ discrete op amp

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/apex-microtechnology/MP108FD/598-1407-ND/1762080

On an aluminium PCB ... I hope with pre-regulation I can make the OSMU efficient enough so that normal FR4 substrate can be used ...

New killer microscope: Andonstar ADSM302

Would you look at that working distance ... madness!

Only thing it seems to lack is display + HDMI out at the same time. But maybe that could be patched with a little HDMI doubler?

Video candidates for June (+many more months)

There has been only one thing I managed to do in the heat wave of the past week: Taking dogs to the pond. But cool stuff keeps piling up:

1. Fiber laser EP02:

• Andonstar ADSM302 microscope
• Super efficient constant current driver
• Improved fiber lapping
• Burning stuff :)

2. Spectrum analyzer EP01:

• TS100, ES121, DS212 giveaway
• RAM Chip replacement
• Boot problem analysis
• DIY precision SMA torque wrench?
2018-06-03 12:32:39 +0000 UTC View Post

Small linear actuators

Anyone remember my ferrofluid clock plans? https://youtu.be/fdWlvf4-izc?t=238 based on this piece of art https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOCGQAXV9FY

I've tried electromagnets since, but they would need lots of current and active cooling to work. I am not sure how they managed to get that thing working, but I think permanent magnet...

Giving away the remains of the Chinese thermal camera

Meaning the camera board and and the display assembly. No good for component-level inspection, unless you find a suitable lens. But maybe someone can come up with another creative application? Let us know, the comment with the most 💖 by next Sunday wins!

Whitest legs in town gets a package

A few YouTube commenters didn't like my previous 8 minute advertisement, but this one guy decided to actually do something about it: He sent me a very sick Advantest Spectrum Analyzer and is hoping for a lengthy repair video like back in the good ol' days.

In conclusion: I should make more boring ad videos :))

I have read all your comments about that video btw, but didn't reply to any. Thank you for the feedback, it is super helpful and I'll take it to heart!

O̶S̶M̶U̶ ̶R̶e̶v̶.̶0̶

 I've tried various ways of extending the voltage range of the LT1970 which I wanted to build the OSMU around:

• The NI way based on this http://www.ni.com/white-paper/4297/en/ It looked like I could just add equivalent circuitry for negative output voltages, but what I came up with had huge transverse current.
• Photoelectric gate drivers like this 2018-05-25 09:18:15 +0000 UTC View Post

Achievement unlocked: Unisolder revived

Pretty difficult, but worth the effort I think, very cool controller!

Clicking is the current limit of my PSU

Giving away the Stereo Microscope

AS WELL AS the surveillance python! (But not the eye piece adapter, can't find it :(

Comment with the most hearts in 7 days wins! Free international shipping, but I think this will not go past customs without an obolus.

Have a nice weekend. Go!

Todays PCB order

^ Low voltage differential probes for USB, HDMI or LVDS

^ TekVPI adapter for Tektronix Scopes

^ Fiber Laser Driver Rev. 2

^ And a prototyping laser driver. I want to try and use the DC-DC converters Volta...

Thoughts?

How did you like the Tinkerforge video?

I am getting more negative feedback than usually and my first reaction was 'well, screw them'. But there are a few of 'them', so they might have a point ... what do you think?

What went wrong and how can I improve? If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them! No need for sweet talk, I can take criticism.

What most complain about:

1. High price -  Yes, but I've shown more expensive stuff before

2. You'll learn more from DIY -  It's not meant to replace electro...

Got a t̶h̶e̶r̶m̶o̶n̶u̶c̶l̶e̶a̶r̶ turbomolecular pump

The upper rotor seems seized, maybe because it uses air bearings and needs to be operated correctly? Or is it dead and eligible for a destructive teardown?

Professional building blocks by Tinkerforge

Gotta be careful, these might be addicting ...

4 months free Elektor membership

https://www.elektormagazine.com/pages/get-to-know-elektor-magazine-marco-reps

Automatically ends after 4 months, includes unlimited access to their archive of DIY projects. Code: YOUTUBE-MARCO

I used to be a paid subscriber for a while and I actually kept all the PCB designs in this folder for later use. I don't know how it is these days, but they used to...

Feeling another 'Precision motion control' episode coming

Featuring a 0.9° stepper, a hollow shaft stepper and this thing: https://www.welectron.com/JMC-iHSV57-Integrated-Servo-Motor 

Thermal macro videography?

Someone in the YouTube comments suggested that I should use an IR laser lens in front of a thermal camera. This one is perfectly transparent, which is a good start but I think I need a 3d printed holder for more consistent results. Would be interesting to see how heat propagates through a component, wouldn't it?

Unisolder repair attempts

I used to redirect everyone who wanted to build my JBC controller to the Unisolder project, which is much more sophisticated. MUCH more sophisticated, holy moly

These 3 are non-functional and I offered to try and get them going.

Giving away the Elektor Nixie Clock

It's cool and all, but I really don't need a device telling me how quickly time passes  😱

The comment with the most hearts in 7 days wins!

Elektor GPS Nixie Clock?

Just trying to make them send me their Tesla coil next ...

Plans for May

We've grown a lot in the last month and I have a feeling that the OSMU announcement has something to do with that ...

Well, as you can see in earlier posts, I have been working on that idea for a while now and even made some progress. Some of you have even helped with the circuit design, so I think we'll see some output voltages this month :)

But 2 product videos have to be done first:

1. Nixie Clock for Elektor, all filmed today. Nixie clocks are boring, but I hope they'll ...

What are you here for?

Many new 5$ (and more) supporters have joined last month, thank you very much guys 🤑 I've been feeling bad for not making a lot of special 5$ content and now I am feeling worse about it, so time to set it straight.

Does anyone care about special content? Do you just want the OSMU asap? Or do you have any suggestions in general? I'd love to hear all about it!

At the moment I really like the idea of using this thing as a private Twitter and just sharing everything I got to all patrons.<...

Active differential probe using the TekVPI interface

I've been using the HP differential probe more frequently lately for stepper motor phase current measurements and power supply noise. Since isolation and current shunts are important points in the OSMU as well, I want to try and make a minimalist version based on an AD830 IC.

It'll only be good up to 15 MHz but that's alright :) http://uk.farnell.com/tektronix/p7520a/differential...