Iron Man servo actuated face plate question

[aron42486]

Your best and simplest solution is a servo. You just need to make sure that you have one with enough lift and get it into a good position. I think most analog servos can be modified to turn 180 degrees if you take it apart and add a resistor, and digital servos can already turn a little less than 180. Google 180 degree servo mod and youll prolly find a how-to on it.

I dont know any other kind of motor that will do such a precise turn that is not a servo. And unless we know how much pull you need or your clearances we cant really help pick one out for you.

Edit: I actually got the idea for my cable wench system from Zabana, thanks bro, your ironman rocks!!

 

[Fetts.Sobriquet]

Your best and simplest solution is a servo. You just need to make sure that you have one with enough lift and get it into a good position. I think most analog servos can be modified to turn 180 degrees if you take it apart and add a resistor, and digital servos can already turn a little less than 180. Google 180 degree servo mod and youll prolly find a how-to on it.

I dont know any other kind of motor that will do such a precise turn that is not a servo. And unless we know how much pull you need or your clearances we cant really help pick one out for you.

Edit: I actually got the idea for my cable wench system from Zabana, thanks bro, your ironman rocks!!

I think you're correct. This is the direction I was headed and I need to get back on this. I'll order parts in about a week and do a tutorial as soon as I get it working. I have the hinge system in place I just need to get it motorized at this point.

 

[rustysprattdesigns]

Thanks Fetts. Look forward to your tut on this subject.

 

[Zabana]

Thanks Aron42486 and Vshore for your kind words :rolleyes

You´re doing a good joob about helmet´s hinges, only to point that if you use an arduino it can be easily centered where you need to center servo´s arm, and you can move from zero to near 180 degress ( you need to tell in code how many degress you want it to move the servo´s arm). So once you´ve placed the servo inside helmet the rest is on wheel... Problem in my helmet was that there wasn´t enough room to place servos inside, I do neither like outside, but anyway I´m building a new helmet so I´ll fix this too :cool

 

[jaymay023]

ya servo placement is tricky. Unless you have a pumpkinhead sized helmet the chin is the best place for servo placement. If you want chin movement on the helmet this is a little tricky though. On my war machine helm there is barely enough room in the back corners of the helm for micro servos. Keep in mind your oz/in and the weight of your face plate

 

[jaymay023]

ya servo placement is tricky. Unless you have a pumpkinhead sized helmet the chin is the best place for servo placement. If you want chin movement on the helmet this is a little tricky though. On my war machine helm there is barely enough room in the back corners of the helm for micro servos. Keep in mind your oz/in and the weight of your face plate

 

[aron42486]

ya servo placement is tricky. Unless you have a pumpkinhead sized helmet the chin is the best place for servo placement. If you want chin movement on the helmet this is a little tricky though. On my war machine helm there is barely enough room in the back corners of the helm for micro servos. Keep in mind your oz/in and the weight of your face plate

I never thought of putting them there. I was originally going to put the servo in the top rear of the helmet and just pad around it, but the chin placement would prolly make life much simpler. Might not need my pullies anymore :thumbsup thanks

Are you guys attaching your hinges/hardware with bolts or with glue? I want to bolt everything in and I'm just hoping that when I cover with bondo the lump from the bolt head can be leveled out easily.

 

[jaymay023]

I started with hot glue but moved on to an aluminum subframe to mount the servos. The subframe mounts where the bolts in the chin are. No need to cover bolts that way.

 

[VersionUp]

Well, thanks for the pointless post. Glad we're here to help each other.

you're very welcome for that "pointless" post. And you vulturing ideas "isn't helping each other out" BTW...

 

[brimst0ne13]

who cares if ppl use other ppls ideas. as long as they dont take credit for it man.

but anyway, i'd mount the rotators to a thin metal plate and jb weld it to the inside of the helmet.

 

[Starktech]

Damn I really wanted some kind of a direct link, I have been afraid that a push pull cable would put too much play in the system. Two questions, where or how do I find one of these cables (are they hobby servo specific or are there other more specific uses?) , and is it still possible to have the chin actuated if you put the servos in it?

Thanks so far guys, good team work

 

[jaymay023]

Damn I really wanted some kind of a direct link, I have been afraid that a push pull cable would put too much play in the system. Two questions, where or how do I find one of these cables (are they hobby servo specific or are there other more specific uses?) , and is it still possible to have the chin actuated if you put the servos in it?

Thanks so far guys, good team work

yes it can be done.

 

[aron42486]

Damn I really wanted some kind of a direct link, I have been afraid that a push pull cable would put too much play in the system. Two questions, where or how do I find one of these cables (are they hobby servo specific or are there other more specific uses?) , and is it still possible to have the chin actuated if you put the servos in it?

Thanks so far guys, good team work

Pololu has some great robotics products. They have many different servos and the specs on all of them. While you are there you could pick up a microcontroller to make programming the servo much much easier on you.

I'm using 10lb test fishing line inside microtubing. Already had the fishing line in my garage and the microtubing is in the plumbing section at lowe's for $4 if i remember. Comes in a roll, so it is easy to make your own.

If you don't like fishing line then just a thin gauge wire would work too. As long as you get some good tension on the line/wire you shouldn't have any play in the system. Especially if you get a digital servo, they are very good at strong at preventing outside forces from moving the servo

 

[Starktech]

Pololu has some great robotics products. They have many different servos and the specs on all of them. While you are there you could pick up a microcontroller to make programming the servo much much easier on you.

I'm using 10lb test fishing line inside microtubing. Already had the fishing line in my garage and the microtubing is in the plumbing section at lowe's for $4 if i remember. Comes in a roll, so it is easy to make your own.

If you don't like fishing line then just a thin gauge wire would work too. As long as you get some good tension on the line/wire you shouldn't have any play in the system. Especially if you get a digital servo, they are very good at strong at preventing outside forces from moving the servo

i am fairly tech and mechanical savy, but this part is starting to put the scare in me, lol. i had made a wiring diagram for a motor, with presure switches to stop motion at top and bottom. i understand that servos are more technical with a positive and negative and a signal wire, which is where you need a microcontroller, and that is at the very edge of my abilities, programing and wiring that thing, yikes. i only know enough to be afraid of it.

 

[Starktech]

These look interesting, any ideas?
Pololu - 298:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HP

 

[aron42486]

i am fairly tech and mechanical savy, but this part is starting to put the scare in me, lol. i had made a wiring diagram for a motor, with presure switches to stop motion at top and bottom. i understand that servos are more technical with a positive and negative and a signal wire, which is where you need a microcontroller, and that is at the very edge of my abilities, programing and wiring that thing, yikes. i only know enough to be afraid of it.

It is not difficult at all. I have never programmed before, and with the Pololu "Micro Maestro " microcontroller moving your servos is as easy and dragging a slider until it is in the positions you want and saving the pattern. You can still go into the in depth code writing but the sliders work just as well. I was able to get my servo moving in about 10 minutes. Read up the user guide for that microcontroller, it is a lot easier than you might think.

The difficult part is figuring out how to use that one microcontroller to manage your servos, switches, buttons, and leds, then making them all automated and work together. But again, if you read up on it you can figure it out. I've got my servos and leds operating with changing colors and dimmers for power up and power down sequences. I will be wiring in my switches when I start mounting things. I'll have one switch for the faceplate and one for the led eyes. I'll be programming the led's to come on automatically when the faceplate closes and have them turn off whenever it is open.

If anyone does buy this particular microcontroller id be happy to share code with you. I'm using the 6-channel version and for $20 I think it is a deal, much better than trying to solder your own board or building an arduino

 

[aron42486]

These look interesting, any ideas?
Pololu - 298:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HP

I think the problem you will face with a motor is getting it to stop at a precise point. You could try to figure out kill switches and such but honestly a servo is a simpler way to do the same thing. If you do decide to go that route then just keep us updated, you might figure out a great way of doing this that none of us have thought of yet.

Edit: A motor could act as a winch to pull the faceplate up.

 

[Starktech]

It is not difficult at all. I have never programmed before, and with the Pololu "Micro Maestro " microcontroller moving your servos is as easy and dragging a slider until it is in the positions you want and saving the pattern. You can still go into the in depth code writing but the sliders work just as well. I was able to get my servo moving in about 10 minutes. Read up the user guide for that microcontroller, it is a lot easier than you might think.

The difficult part is figuring out how to use that one microcontroller to manage your servos, switches, buttons, and leds, then making them all automated and work together. But again, if you read up on it you can figure it out. I've got my servos and leds operating with changing colors and dimmers for power up and power down sequences. I will be wiring in my switches when I start mounting things. I'll have one switch for the faceplate and one for the led eyes. I'll be programming the led's to come on automatically when the faceplate closes and have them turn off whenever it is open.

If anyone does buy this particular microcontroller id be happy to share code with you. I'm using the 6-channel version and for $20 I think it is a deal, much better than trying to solder your own board or building an arduino

having everything automated together and then adjustable with a controler would be great and has been the one thing making me want to go that route. i have done some robotics with a very similar board, programed in code, but that was 6 years ago. but servos, while come in many sizes and powers all have about the same shape, which is murder in what im trying to do. i see many simple DC motors with much more selection in shape and gearing. making me want to go the simple kill switch route. i dont know. i will keep tinkering and working in this post. i have some time before i have to decide, im currently making my helmet out of stainless steel, and it will take a while longer to complete.

Edit: if i go the microcontroler route, i would love a peak at your code and maybe a little help, the whole powering up and down sequences sound delightfully awesome :0 good work man! i would love to see a video of that

 

[td2253]

It is not difficult at all. I have never programmed before, and with the Pololu "Micro Maestro " microcontroller moving your servos is as easy and dragging a slider until it is in the positions you want and saving the pattern. You can still go into the in depth code writing but the sliders work just as well. I was able to get my servo moving in about 10 minutes. Read up the user guide for that microcontroller, it is a lot easier than you might think.

The difficult part is figuring out how to use that one microcontroller to manage your servos, switches, buttons, and leds, then making them all automated and work together. But again, if you read up on it you can figure it out. I've got my servos and leds operating with changing colors and dimmers for power up and power down sequences. I will be wiring in my switches when I start mounting things. I'll have one switch for the faceplate and one for the led eyes. I'll be programming the led's to come on automatically when the faceplate closes and have them turn off whenever it is open.

If anyone does buy this particular microcontroller id be happy to share code with you. I'm using the 6-channel version and for $20 I think it is a deal, much better than trying to solder your own board or building an arduino

Aron, thanks for the offer of sharing your experience in coding the Micro Maestro. I may have to take you up on that. I actually wrote a Boba Fett Range Finder remote control actuator tutorial (which hopefully will help us here as well) on TDH about a couple of years ago but nothing as complicated as using a micro-controller to drive the servo or servos. I was learning about robotics and micro-controllers about 6 years ago by using a Parallax Board of Education kit but didn't finish the curriculum included with it. Learning about the Micro Maestro will be a great learning experience though.

 

[Starktech]

Aron, thanks for the offer of sharing your experience in coding the Micro Maestro. I may have to take you up on that. I actually wrote a Boba Fett Range Finder remote control actuator tutorial (which hopefully will help us here as well) on TDH about a couple of years ago but nothing as complicated as using a micro-controller to drive the servo or servos. I was learning about robotics and micro-controllers about 6 years ago by using a Parallax Board of Education kit but didn't finish the curriculum included with it. Learning about the Micro Maestro will be a great learning experience though.

Exactly, six years ago with a Parallax Kit, me too, that little two wheeled thing. i got through most of it, IR dectection and made it navigate a maze, but im still nervous to take this on