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[on:]

Hello community

I'd like to share my first Arduino project with you. The aim is to create a small laser staging box with a green 20mw laser producing several shapes with mirrors. The main mirror glued on a servo is redirecting the laser beam to the target mirrors producing the shapes. The delay between the switch from one shape to the other is controllable by a poti.

Here's the part list I am using:
- Arduino Nano
- 20mW laser module from ebay
- Plastic Box 240 x 147 x 67 mm
- Power Jack for 12V input
- Fix voltage regulator 7805
- 500Ohm Poti
- 9g Servo from ebay
- Stepper motor with driver from ebay
- Geared DC motor with 400rpm from ebay
- Some square and round mirrors from handcraft shop
- Small electronic equipment like: Cables, solder, diodes, LEDs, resistors, capacitors, photoresistor, screws and glue
- Shutterfree hands and patience

Here are some first impressions about how it should look like and some test videos with the laser module.

First prototype tries with servo and TTL of laser pulsing. Servo attached to pin D12 and TTL of laser on D13 (same as onboard LED)



Another try pointing the laser beam to a rotating mirror on a DC motor and pulse laser with 3ms TTL. This is not the final 400rpm DC motor I will use.


Begin of mounting the parts into the box


And here's an actual Fritzing schema. I am still missing the stepper (on delivery)



I will keep this thread updated when I progress in construction and will post the final Arduino code when the box is finished.

[Reply #1 on:]

Great idea.
Today I've got my Uno board.
My plan is to build a lasershow box too,but using a true x-y control with servos...

 

[Reply #2 on:]

My plan is to build a lasershow box too,but using a true x-y control with servos...

Ciao. I wish you a good start doing your laser box!
But pay attention, galvos are the right stuff to produce what you want. Do not use servos. Check out Youtube for several videos how people build x-y axis controlled laser shapes, images or even scrolling text. Good luck

[Reply #3 on:]

Nice and inspiring project!

[Reply #4 on:]

Here some updates:

Part of cabling soldered on the Nano. D13 Laser TTL, D12 Servo signal, 5V and ground


More stuff in the box. The small yellow board contains an 7805 voltage regulator to have 12V and 5V


Still waiting for the stepper and the dc motor to continue the work.
Additionally I am thinking about driving the DC motor through a PWN and transistor to regurlate the speed.
To calibrate the stepper mirror at startup I am thinking about an attached phototransistor on the side.

[Reply #5 on:]

Another 3h spent in drilling and soldering. The stepper and the 400rpm DC motor arrvied

Here's the ULN2003 driver just next to the laser driver. Above the LM7805 with its cooling unit. All cables will be attached at the end.




The Nano has all its necessary wires attached. Screwed to the bottom and USB is now pluggable from outside


This will be the final position of the DC and stepper (the stepper mirror is not adjusted yet)


The 400rpm DC motor with its mirror glued


And here's an updated version of the Fritzing schema

[Reply #6 on:]

vey cool...

[Reply #7 on:]

Here here's almost the final result:
Top view


Front view


Rear view


Running live: