A 3 axis slider powered by stepper motors and the smart ramps 1.6v cnc shield with XYZ populated by A4988 (Can be replaced by TMC2130 for quiet motion).
The controller is a Arduino Due running a SAM3X8E @ 84Mhz. All steppers are controlled by interrupts and two firmware versions are available, one with trapezoidal velocity control and another with serial comunication velocity control, which is ideal to connecto a PC and do some Image processing and control the motors accordingly.
There is a folder with some python code to track objects and center them automaticly, so one could select a object and have it follow along.
Here is a video of that working priciple.
3D rederings of the slider it self. Files are available too under CAD folder.
The python tracking algorithm is done by kcf tracker.
[References]
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Some of the code is from iforce2D's video about stepper motors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHAO7SW-SZI&t=3s
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AVR Guide to stepper motor controll with interrupts: http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/doc8017.pdf
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SAM3X8E Datasheet: http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/Atmel-11057-32-bit-Cortex-M3-Microcontroller-SAM3X-SAM3A_Datasheet.pdf
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SAM3X8E API (ASF): https://asf.microchip.com/docs/latest/sam3x/html/group__asfdoc__sam__drivers__tc__group.html
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SAM3X8E Timer example: https://asf.microchip.com/docs/latest/sam3x/html/asfdoc_sam_drivers_tc_qsg.html
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SAM3 Timers Application notes from ATMEL: http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/Atmel-42301-SAM3-4S-4L-4E-4N-4CM-4C-G-Timer-Counter-TC-Driver_ApplicationNote_AT07898.pdf
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SAM3 Timers Application notes from Copper Hill Tech: https://copperhilltech.com/content/Application%20Note%20-%20Arduino%20Due%20Timer%20Control.pdf