next topic »

[on:]

Hi everyone,

 I am currently planning a project just for fun and need some advice from the communauty. I have some "good" knowledge of C programming and am pretty confident about writing code to control hardware. However I am terible in electronic and have no idea where to start from...
 The basic idea of my project is to create a drawing machine, a motor will move an arm for each of the X and Y axis, thus allowing to move in any direction. I am not going to consider the Z axis at this stage and the pen will touch the paper at all time. The machine will have to be kind of precise to allow good drawing accuracy. What kind of motors could I use, and which board is the best to start with ? I think I understood there are servos and motors, servos seems to be more accurate, but not sure which one is the best for my project. (I may have to add a third motor for the Z axis once I get the X and Y working). I also would like to have an ethernet port on the board.

Thank you for your help, and I will for sure keep you posted about the project.
Cheers,
V_Alpha

[Reply #1 on:]

As well as servo motors there are stepping motors, they offer precise control and can move continuously. Servo motors are restricted to less than 360 degrees.
Get an arduino with built in Ethernet.

[Reply #2 on:]

Thanks
 So this board should work ?
http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardEthernet

 And I will control the stepping motors with PWM ?
 On my way now to find good stepping motors (not too expensive as well).
 Thanks again.

[Reply #3 on:]

Read about aforementioned steppers here: http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/MotorKnob

[Reply #4 on:]

Found some crazy and inspiring "drawing robots" here:

[ Perhaps not quite the same thing! ]

[Reply #5 on:]

 And I will control the stepping motors with PWM ?

No, you feed a motor drive with pulses or with patterns of on / off depending on the type of stepping motor.