MPE – 24M Motor Grader Build

[tootall]

Great build !!!!! for joysticks you could use some of these 4 axis ones from servo city. http://www.servocity.com/html/4_function_joystick.html

[JensR]

Originally Posted by tootall

Great build !!!!! for joysticks you could use some of these 4 axis ones from servo city. http://www.servocity.com/html/4_function_joystick.html

Not bad, these look really sturdy. The fourth function is only on-off, though - but I guess one could modify those sticks - still cheaper than buying a full-scale industrial joysticks and more sturdy than the converted gaming joysticks I use.

[footprint]

Thanks for the update, had me worried you were buried in a pile of swarf.
JensR, Ive been working on a prototype, ive got 4-axis off an old controller to a PC front end then sent back to control 4 servos and 16 latched digital outputs.
Am still having some comms dramas but after some reading theres a memory leak in the USB driver but should be able to find a work around. With this scheme it would be fairly easy to have an ardunio on each end and an xbee for the TX/RX, and either no PC or a laptop for monitoring & feedback. Due to my student budget im waiting to pickup that mutiplexing IC and the xbees, but ive got the bare bones going for now.

[JensR]

Hi footprint!
A servo-multiplexing IC only costs a few quid at hobbytronics?!
Which ones are you using? Maybe they are higher performance?
I've been mildly looking for some with higher resolution.
The xbees are more expensive devices that the multplexer, but are IMO a bit overkill for this (and similar) applications in terms of range. However, they are a tried and tested solution. NRF24L01 is a cheap alternative, but you have to come up with your own protocol...

[footprint]

Yes same ones and only a a few quid but due to cutbacks at work all us apprentices got the boot, so for now ive ~60 a week to live on so a few quid is a few cans of soup. I am thinking of selling my RC-Heli's if anyones interested.
The xbees are still on my plans as in the future i can use the ADC & D I/O for other projects, range is more optimal and im already using mod 232, 9600,8,1 so can just "bind" and i should be away. Still the next few weeks are packed solid with Tec so be a few weeks before i can concentrate on it in the meantime am working on the frontend and a better comms standard for better flexibility but as it stands now on the breadboard, without the demux IC, 6 servos and 16 latched D/O''s but for things like pumps you could always build a few H-bridges to save the channels.
Anyway i'll start a new thread soon, save clogging up MPE's AWESOME! build, subtle hint - We need more pictures

I did get a little sidetracked playing with the adrunio the other day,
http://youtu.be/_D5MnshZl0Q

[mpe]

Hey Guys... Not much to show right now in way of pictures. Life has a way of getting in the way of doing my fun projects and CAD drawings take a bit of time to finish.

Here is a post of the internal chain and gears on the tandem drive. One overlook when I was designing this part, I failed to compensate for chain slack. I am not going to change the model any because of its complexity. Instead I will add a half link to the chain. This is going to be a little more then I want but it should work out Ok.

[mpe]

Originally Posted by tc1cat

MPE- This vehicle is truly a work of art In 1 of your posts, you mention not thinking much about paint or powder coating yet. Well you might want to as you need to allow for either of them for clearances for the final build. Paint on a 1 to 1 is not that big of a deal but when you shrink down to our scale coatings are a thing to be reckoned with. Things go together very nicely until you have paint on them- voice of experience.

tc1cat - Yes you are so right with the paint. But I am not really concerned because I have experience painting small assemblies. The tandems rotation is not an issue for paint. The rear frame including the body will be painted assembled. The cab and neck will also be painted once assembled. Problems areas could arise from the front axle and blade. My thoughts are to have these parts, and basically all painted parts assemblies before paint. This could all change once this thing is complete, and if it does I can deal with it then. I will use an airbrush when I paint this model.

[mpe]

Originally Posted by doodlebug

Hey MPE, look's great sofar! Question on the radio? have you concidered one of that can run multiple model's at the flick of a switch? 1 radio, 3 reciver's may be the ticket.
Just a thought. cheer's, Neil.

Neil - Not a bad idea to get this thing moving while I work the controls out.

[mpe]

Originally Posted by JensR

MPE, I would be delighted to talk a bit electronics

In the meantime, I think you need to work on your CAD model...


...I fear it's not the right yellow!

Just kidding of course!

It's so awesome that Caterpillar are changing their blueprints to match yours!

JensR - Thanks for the great compliment! As far as the color goes... I was waiting for someone to call me on that! Actually the color in my CAD program is CAT correct but between doing screen shots and Photobucket the color morphs to this bright yellow that you see in my post. I haven’t taken the time to investigate why that is.

[mpe]

Originally Posted by footprint

Yes same ones and only a a few quid but due to cutbacks at work all us apprentices got the boot, so for now ive ~60 a week to live on so a few quid is a few cans of soup. I am thinking of selling my RC-Heli's if anyones interested.
The xbees are still on my plans as in the future i can use the ADC & D I/O for other projects, range is more optimal and im already using mod 232, 9600,8,1 so can just "bind" and i should be away. Still the next few weeks are packed solid with Tec so be a few weeks before i can concentrate on it in the meantime am working on the frontend and a better comms standard for better flexibility but as it stands now on the breadboard, without the demux IC, 6 servos and 16 latched D/O''s but for things like pumps you could always build a few H-bridges to save the channels.
Anyway i'll start a new thread soon, save clogging up MPE's AWESOME! build, subtle hint - We need more pictures

I did get a little sidetracked playing with the adrunio the other day,
http://youtu.be/_D5MnshZl0Q

Footprint - sorry about your job! I look forward to your thread. It will be great to see what you have going in way of electronics.

[mpe]

Found some time to work on the rear steps...

[mpe]

Hand Tapping the ruins for M1.4 threads....

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