tiny Delta Rotational Robot framework

thingiverse

This will be a compact Delta Rotational utility robot framework utilizing those affordable 28BYJ-48 steppers. I'm experimenting with them, despite being aware that these steppers seem to have some backlash in the gearing, and this even appears to decrease when the second pivot point is added like in this design. There's a planned spot for a spring or rubber band along with gravity 'default' to counteract the backlash. I'm not sure how valuable the result will be, but it's an interesting use of those motors and could be very accessible and inexpensive... Especially exciting is that this seems to be the first and only rotational delta experimentation platform on Thingiverse! However, there are the FirePick and IcePick projects which are bigger open source rotational deltas. Now that I've just finished assembling the last components, I'm surprised - the operating range might reach beyond 10cm diameter and a few cm height too. There are some errors still and some missing positions for end stop switches and such. Without end stop switches, this may require more expensive TMC2130 drivers to make it work already... The design is open source and parametric. For the links, arm, and platform, I chose to build on the Rostock Delta OpenSCAD design, and was able to add some documentation and other exciting improvements (check them out - the source is included!). I will reutilize these same improvements on the Rostock design in an upcoming mid-size bicycle rim frame delta! The next challenge is to find out which firmware would work for this, and if it needs a fast smoothie board or if the regular old ramps might be good enough... This is a super early pre-release to learn and have people help! The most exciting aspects of this delta design are that the steppers are so affordable you can almost add an entire Delta printer of this type for the price of one larger stepper motor alone! And then there's the extra benefit that some day I might make a delta rotational version with 6 instead of 3 driving stepper arms. Then the platform, which is normally always parallel to the build surface, can achieve angles... These robots invite you to do utility tasks (temporarily holding up a place to bridge filament for example) around 3D printers (mounted next to the main head), or if they're strong enough, several small extruders can work alongside each other being moved about by the bigger printer's head. So this is an exploration platform, and the open source community is invited to participate! Find out more about my projects at: https://www.patreon.com/SunTripToGo