A solenoid could be activated by a relay on a break out board. In turn the relay can be switched using a macro in gcode.
As for software would 3D printing software work?
I have always done engraving in the past and it was very simple to come up with the Gcode for that particular situation however Ive run into some road blocks and could use some help!. The machine its self has already been built I just need help figuring out how I can get this thing to Turn a solenoid on at the correct times as well as glue in 3d dimensions. Ive got a few ideas but im looking for the most practical solution if possible! Thanks!
Justin
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A solenoid could be activated by a relay on a break out board. In turn the relay can be switched using a macro in gcode.
As for software would 3D printing software work?
Most 3D printers of FDM type (lay down the filament) take normal-ish G code. So the trick is getting a g-code activated (or m-code) solenoid. If you have spare outputs on your breakout board, in Mach3 (for example) they can be configured and added to an M<number> macro using the ActivateSignal function - create a text file, add ActivateSignal(OUTPUT1) to it, save it as M110.m1s in mach3/macros/<whatever your config is>. Do another one with DeactivateSignal(OUTPUT1), say M111.m1s. Set up your pins config to enable those outputs and map them to the actual output on your machine, which you'll likely then need to wire to a relay or mosfet to drive the solenoid. Then you can switch on and off with M110 and M111 codes in your program.
Next back along the chain is the CAM process. Most 3d printing slicers expect another stepper - essentially another axis - for filament output so they can change the deposition rate. The reason they do that, to provide a consistent bead thickness regardless of head travel speed especially around corners and so on, is probably valid for your application too. Have you considered this?
do you think using a logic level relay might work? Also Im not 100% sure exactly how were planning on creating the vector file. Normally we engrave or cut things however this thing that were gluing has 3 dimensions. If I were to draw something up in autocad 3d would that work for a path? I apologize I am extremely new to all of this and have kind of been thrown in to the project. Thanks again for all your help.
Depends. If the output on your BOB/controller card can supply the current needed to energise the relay, and the voltages match, yes. But you're still going to have the issue of over extruding glue as the machine slows down for corners and so on.
You could create 3D linework in AutoCAD 3D to model the glue lines but you'd then need to create g-code off that somehow.
Awesome. I think I will be able to make it happen. Thanks for the advice Ill have to let you know how it turned out!
Justin
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Good luck!