Ball Mill

thingiverse

This 3D printed ball mill was designed for grinding sand and cleaning objects like rusty bolts. It operates effectively but takes a considerable amount of time to grind sand down, primarily due to the small size of the balls. Increasing the size of the balls is expected to improve its performance significantly. Professional designers who specialize in manufacturing mills for industries provided valuable assistance in designing the lifter and determining the correct speed for milling. They were particularly interested in knowing how long it would take for the lining of the mill to be worn out, a test that has yet to be conducted. Visit http://tinkersprojects.com/project/3d-printed-ball-mill/ to learn more about this project. To discover what else I have accomplished, please visit http://tinkersprojects.com/. <a href="https://twitter.com/TinkersProjects"><img src="https://tinkersprojects.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/download.jpg" alt="Twitter" height="70" srcset="https://tinkersprojects.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/download-300x110.jpg 300w, https://tinkersprojects.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/download-350x129.jpg 350w, https://tinkersprojects.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/download.jpg 370w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></a> <h3>Circuit and program</h3> https://github.com/tinkersprojects/Ball-Mill <h3>Videos</h3> https://youtu.be/u7eSL-mbXYQ https://youtu.be/6Afjj5jZ74U <h2>Operation:</h2> When powered with 12V DC power, settings can be viewed and adjusted using the LCD display, which is controlled by three buttons: up, down, and enter. The two adjustable settings are speed and duration. While in operation, the LCD displays the current speed and time left for milling. Pressing the enter button stops the mill. <h2>Parts list:</h2> 1 x Controller (PLEX or Arduino UNO; see below for more details) 1 x Photo interrupt 2 x 20mm M3 screws 2 x 20mm M3 screws 1 x 100mm M8 bolt 2 x 60mm M8 bolts 4 x M8 nuts 4 x 608 bearings 1 x 12V 688RPM 9Kg.cm geared DC motor (part no.: JGB37-550; available at https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-12V-688RPM-9Kg-cm-high-power-High-torque-miniature-dc-gear-motor-motors-JGB37/32776724375.html) 4 x rubber feet 100 x 6mm-10mm ball bearings <h2>Controller:</h2> The controller used is the PLEX board from https://www.tindie.com/products/williambailes/plex-controller/ (an Arduino UNO can be used instead). This controller utilizes a 16x2 LCD and button inputs to display speed and timer settings while in operation. A photo interrupt and encoder are employed to calculate the speed of the mill, which is then compared to the set speed. The comparison result is analyzed and used to control a MOSFET for the motor. http://tinkersprojects.com/project/3d-printed-ball-mill/ <h2>NOTE:</h2> A diode and capacitor were added to block current drawn from the controller to the DC motor, preventing the controller from shutting down.