Automated tools rack

[kalpakchiev]

When You have no space


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFpj8ixm9JA

[oldvan]

Cool project.
What's next?  Link it to your PC so you can use mouse click to order tools?

[kalpakchiev]

  It can be done. Just say it

[oldvan]

I was being silly, but let's be even more silly.

On-screen menu of tools, click the tool of your choice and robotic claw hands it to you.   

[kalpakchiev]

Or just say what You want and go to the workshop next morning to find it done

[bbarney]

Good to see some cool uses for pic chips that are thought of as obsolete but everyone still has 10 of them in a drawer collecting dust.

[kalpakchiev]

There are small project for which the power of such PIC is enough. I am using the same design and chip, but with added a few buttons, ds18s20 and LCD for FeCl3 PCB etching. PCB stays in a plastic basket and a stepper motor immerse it in and out to provoke the process. ds18s20 takes care for the temperature of FeCl3. LCD is used to set different times depending of the size of PCB and freshness of FeCl3 solution. It is simple, but convenient and You are right makes obsolete chips usable again.

[bbarney]

Makes more sense to have the chip working for you than taking up space in a drawer doesn't it 

[borberk]

kalpachiev, with some more code executing needed number of pulses to stepper end switches can be omitted.

[kalpakchiev]

You mean to move previous defined steps or to count how may steps and then stop? Yes it is possible but end switches were existing on printer mechanics and I decided to use them. Also if there are not switches You have to take care to write current position (IN or OUT) in memory if the power is lost so next time device will know which way to go. Anyway your proposal is usable in many applications. Best regards.