The Raspberry Pi RP2040 chip is a remarkable microcontroller. The programmable IO block (PIO) is only one of many great features of this chip. In this post, I show you a method of how to utilise PIO, to capture the speed of an attached PC fan with included software filter. Most fans have a feedback…
Split Storage Boxes Update
I got many requests to add split storage boxes to my system. Reasons were to print huge boxes and printing boxes on small printer beds. In the past few days, I released an update to my storage boxes system, introducing the first split boxes. If you bought the storage boxes set from my shop, you…
How to Print the Turntable Platform
When I wrote part 3 of the pet feeder series, I did not expect the light transmission issues of this part. Now, I have two solutions with new revisions of the part. Solution 1: Epoxy Filled Slots This is the superior solution with the best results, but it requires you to fill four tiny slots…
Comparing Five Turntable Platform Revisions
To solve the problem with light inference, I tested five different revisions of the turntable platform. For each revision, I recorded the sensor values and compared them to find the best solution. Visual Comparison Revision A is the original with the light inference problem. In the text, I describe only the differences to this original…
Let’s Print a Cat/Pet Feeding Device (Part 7)
The seventh part of this series is all about the sensor board. It hosts the position sensor and four fill sensors. Speaking of sensors sounds complex, but these are just pairs of IR-LEDs and phototransistors. All design files for the board are in the GitHub repository and if you missed one of the previous parts,…
Adding a Light Barrier using Epoxy
As you read in my last post about the pet-feeding device project, there was an issue with the fill sensors. The lines from the 3d-print transferred the light directly to the sensor and made a useful measurement impossible. One of the solution to this problem is a small gap between the LED and the sensor….
Why Supporting me on Patreon?
First, I’d like to thank you very much for reading this, 😄 because it means you are already a great supporter of my work. On my blog, you saw beautiful photos of electronic boards, got detailed instructions on how to build plant watering sensors, fan controllers or a pet feeder. Also, you get access to…
Unexpected Fill Sensor Problems
While testing the sensor panel, I ran into unexpected problems, requiring a small redesign. First, let me explain the simple working principle of the fill sensor circuit and what I tested so far. The Circuit The circuit for the fill sensors is straight forward. There are four input lines and one analogue output line. If…
Project Update: New Stepper Motor Driver
In this short update, I will talk about the improved stepper driver for the pet-feeder device. While working on the sensor board, to see if the fill sensors work as expected, it also involved using the stepper motor. Here, I realised, the combination of stepper motor and driver I worked with is way too noisy…
MicroMaTch Connector to Breadboard in 5 Minutes
Ordering a board with perfect spaced pads to use an SMD connector takes a few days of patience unless you live near a PCB prototyping facility. With striped prototyping boards, you can stick a MircoMaTch or similar connector into your breadboard in under five minutes. 😉 First cut a small piece from the prototype board….