CEB Press/Manufacturing Instructions/Controller Box/FeF Liberator Controller

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Step 2

Source the electronics. Here is a diagram of the controller box

Controllerbox.jpg

Here is the complete controller installed:

Controllerboxinstalled.jpg

Electronics Box
Electronics Box

Gross Electronics:

  • Electronics Box - local hardware store
  • Extension Cord
  • 2 alligator clips for battery connection - auto parts store
  • House wiring box (blue box in picture above below the Arduino Shield - hardware store
  • Fuse holder - car parts store
  • 12v quick connect plugs - 5 pairs - for quick-coupling to solenoids out of controller box - car parts store
  • Stranded 5A wire for solenoid connections
  • Spade terminals (10) for connection to solenoid terminals
  • Underground phone cable - makes very tough connectors for sensors
  • Potting compound
  • PVC pipe - with 1 end capped
  • Stranded Cat 5 wire for sensor connections
  • [5] Supermagnets -

Microelectronics:

  • [2] Hall Effect Sensors - Sparkfun
  • [1] Arduino shield kit - Makerbot
  • [1] Arduino - Makerbot
  • [2] RepRap PWM Driver Boards

Components for PWM Driver Boards

  • [1] Replacement MOSFETS -
  • []

Step 3

Shopping list for items which are shipped:

  • [1] Arduino breakout shield - $25, Makerbot
Arduino breakout shield components. Solder green parts (left in picture) last, after the black pieces (bottom in picture).
    • Assembly instructions - [1]
  • [1] Arduino (Duemilanove) - $30, Makerbot
  • [2] Solenoid drivers -$13 ea., Makerbot
    • Assembly instructions - [2].
    • total cost with shipping - $88.25
  • [4] MOSFET replacements (see discussion) for solenoid drivers, VNP35N07-E - $3.34, Future Electronics (if not available, search at Octopart) (grate shaker is automated, no sensors needed for it)
    • Notes: The cheaper version recommended by Nophead from RepRap was this [3]. See discussion.
    • Total $25.70 (for 5)
  • [2] Hall Effect sensors - $0.95 ea, Sparkfun
    • Total $9.16 (for 5)
  • [4] 3/8" V-groove bearings - $7.77 ea, VXB
    • Total $42.47
  • [6] Supermagnets - $0.48, Gaussboys
    • Total $11.11 (for 12)

Grand total for electronics, magnets, and bearings - $176.69

  • [1] Potting Compound - $22 for 48 oz, Polymer Composites
  • Molex connector for powering solenoid drivers - [4]
  • [1] Fuse holder - [5]

Step 4

Put together control box and test sensors

  • Assemble entire Control Box
    • Blue spacer box - Arduino attached on top with 2 small screws. Slightly slanted attachment to make screw holes fit on blue spacer box
    • Terminal in electrical outlet box cut in half on metal cutoff saw to create + and - terminals
    • Plastic mount on bottom of electrical box was shaved to allow 2 solenoid drivers to fit
  • Test sensors by passing magnets over them. See this sample code.
    • Data Sheet
    • Supply voltage is 5V from the Arduino breakout shield
    • The pins are +,-, OUT reading from top (printed / smaller face)
    • The output is "Open Drain" - this means you need a "pull up" resistor on the output (10K connected to +)
    • This model is "latching" which means it turns on from one pole, and off by the other, remembering its state in the meantime.


Step 5

  • Test solenoid valves by attaching power to battery and running this sample code for 2 solenoid channels.
    • Note we can reduce 3 solenoid channels to 2 by running both the shaker motor and the drawer cylinder from the same channel - the shaker is activated at every stroke of the drawer, as there is ample hydraulic fluid flow available in that part of the overall CEB operation cycle.

Step 6

Build sensor and magnet mounts, attach to the machine

Step 7

Mount control box and solenoid valve on the machine

Step 8

Test the entire machine

  • Test motion of main cylinder with this code
  • Test motion of soil drawer cylinder with this code.
  • Test motion of both cylinders, and machine is ready to run.