Simple Arduino 3D printed clock
Simple Arduino 3D printed clock
3D
Published 2019-01-25T16:27:01+00:00
I made a very simple 3D printed clock driven with an Arduino board and a stepper motor.
I had two ideas in mind with this clock:
- Make a real simple clock, no other hardware needed (other than the electronics).
- Show how IT can interact and improve mechanical devices.
The motor I got from Adafruit: https://www.adafruit.com/product/858, has 32 steps and a reduction ratio of 1/16.032.
At first, it does not look like a good choice for a clock, however with a little bit of programming, it work just fine.
The combination of steps and ratio gives 513.034 steps per revolution.
Divided by 60, that is 8.551 steps for a one second motion.
A stepper motor can only move an integer number of steps, so the program will start with 8, steps, and keep track of the remainder, and switch between 8 and 9 steps as needed.
The human eye will not see the difference, and only see 60 motions per revolution.
The interval can be set at 1000 millis (1 second) for set up and testing, then set at 60000 to run with minutes and hours.
The clock is only as precise as the Arduino is, depending on the board I saw clocks running within a couple minutes a week, and some loosing or gaining as much as half an hour within a week.
Here are the links to the program:
For the Adafruit 1/16.032 geared motor:
https://create.arduino.cc/editor/jaconline/3bf4d5f0-314d-42f8-97cc-338978bbc35c/preview
for 1/64 geared motor:
https://create.arduino.cc/editor/jaconline/960ca65e-2d30-483c-b054-a6a77e4961be/preview
I you have questions, comments or need help, please leave a comment, I will be happy to help
Happy Printing and Making!
Now, if you would like to try a fancier clock, go here:
https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-84849
Have fun!
I used PLA, with a 0.2 mm layer.
Make sure you have a good bed adhesion for the little gear, put a new tape, if you use tape.
If it fails, had a second layer of tape, just a small piece wher the gear is printed, the first layer will be squished onto the bed, and old on!
| Date de publication | 25/01/2019 |
| Dimensions | 80mm x 80 mm x 72 mm |
| Sans support | YES |
CR-10S Pro, printed at 0.12mm layer height. I will paint the hands at a later date.