Multi-nozzle smartcool

[soofle616]

If the pump is rated at 24gpm expect a much lower actual flow rate. My pump is rated for something like 45gpm but I only see like 10gpm actual out of 5 nozzles. That said, 10gpm is more than enough to get you in trouble real fast if you can't drain it. My tanks holds 10 actual gallons of coolant, but I have no issues returning it usually. The couple of times I have had issues have resulted in fairly decent messes.

I definitely don't expect the full 24gpm, especially given that I have an inline filter (which needs to be replaced actually, new one is on the way). The stock pump gives me about 1.2-1.5 gpm at the nozzles (post filter) and about 2gpm at my washdown hose (pre-filter) so anything is going to be an improvement.

[jcposada]

I am starting to research this smartcool topic because I have an actual smartcool unit with the servo, housing, hoses and cables but no electronics. It was given to me by someone who sold their mill and they forgot to pull the card. So I am interested in the homebrew version via arduino. Would love to see what sketches others have put together for inspiration. I am fairly technical, but do not know my way around linux.

I see references to a Github repo by Jwatte but cannot find it anywhere. Does someone have a link?

Soofle616 have you uplodaded your code yet or are you willing to share?

[kstrauss]

I believe that jwatte's github upload was for a USBio clone rather than for a SmartCool clone.

[jwatte]

Yes, that's for the IO relay board, not the SmartCool.
The underlying technologies are somewhat similar, but it's a different product.
Feel free to read it if you want some background:
https://github.com/jwatte/teensy_tormach_usbio

[jcposada]

I did find it last night and am starting to tinker around. Thanks @jwatte!

[soofle616]

I will absolutely share my code along with all my mechanical and pcb designs. I haven't posted anything yet because the project isn't finished so I haven't proven it all out yet but I'm hoping to have it running in a few more weeks. This week's project is finishing the PCB design that will hold the teensy, a transistor to run the secondary (m7) solenoid, a level converter to allow the teensy to operate said transistor, and connectors to plug everything in. Getting that done should only be another day or two followed by 1-2 weeks while I wait for it to be fabricated and delivered. By then all the mechanical components should be done along with the wiring so it should be just populating the pcb and plugging it in.

jcp, since you have a smartcool waiting for electronics, would you be so kind as to measure and post dimensions for the mounting bracket? Mechanically, that's the only part I have left to figure out so if you could provide that info it would be a big help.

[jcposada]

I should have been more careful when I posted. I don't have the bracket either.

[shred]

This bracket?

[jcposada]

I love this group. Yes, that looks like the right one!

[soofle616]

Thank you shred!

[soofle616]

Progress! All the design work is done, mechanical assembly and installation are both finished. At this point I'm just waiting for my PCB's to arrive (thursday this week) then I will be able to finish the electrical assembly and plug it all in. In the meantime I still have to make the housing for the electronics. That design is done, just didn't get to making chips on it this weekend. I also have a bit of plumbing to get the coolant and air lines plugged in. Air blast solenoid is already in my hands, just need to get some pipe fittings for it. It will get T'd into the feed line before the FRL for my drawbar and will supply raw shop air. Coolant feed will be a custom T picking up the main coolant feed line just before it hits the halo. That will send one branch off to the new nozzle while allowing the existing 3 to continue working. With my new pump delivering WAY more coolant, I'm confident I will have enough flow and pressure to make the adjustable nozzle effective while using the fixed nozzles on the halo for broad area washdown duty.

I did take some time out to make a few stickers to further the design goal of making this look like a factory option. Overall, I'm quite pleased with the result. I have dubbed it the teensyCool!

[soofle616]

It's done! At least the single nozzle. It's kind of late and I don't feel up to putting too much into this post but let it be known that all source code and design files will be posted to github in the near future. Also, I have 4 PCB's left from the order I placed which I am happy to give up. All I ask is you cover shipping and a couple bucks to buy me a beer. For now, here's the demo video:

Originally posted this in my mist collector thread so reposting it here where it belongs.

[jcposada]

Dibs on one of the boards! Thank you so much for offering them. Let me know what your PayPal address is.

[soofle616]

Well it turns out there was more interest in this than I had expected, at least in the facebook group. The first four people that contact me have been responded to about getting a circuit board. I have also had a couple inquiries about a complete kit. Currently trying to decide how best to manage that idea but if anyone is interested in a ready to install setup, I am willing to do a small production run. My cost was a bit higher than I realized (that's what happens when you buy things a little bit at a time over the course of a project) so to cover materials and give myself a bit of beer money for the fabrication and assembly it looks like this is going to be an all in price of $400. That will include all necessary pipe fittings, tubing, solenoid valve, wiring (including usb cable) and everything else needed to plug it in and make it work. If anyone is interested please DM me rather than posting here as I'd like to keep the thread focused on the build rather than the sale.