Hi everybody,
A sandblasting Machine is used for sandblasting flat glass. I built one from scratch and it works perfectly, but it is controlled by a complicated electronic circuit that I would like to replace with another circuit that the computer can work with. I am wondering if Arduino can be the replacement.
Here's a description of the function of the controller;
There should be only one height of blasting in each glass wall being sandblasted. This height in every glass wall is unique. Using a gear, a bike chain and a rotary encoder, an AC motor should continuously run up and down the sand blasting gun between two points. These two points must be adjustable since they will vary in each glass wall. On the computer, I should be able to input the size of the glass as well as the upper and the lower points between which the gun should keep running till the sandblasting is finished. The glass wall will be placed on a sliding holder which has another motor and should be slid forward some inches every time the gun reaches the said upper or lower points. It is, to some extent, similar to the mechanism adopted in printers except that sandblasting takes only regular shapes -squares and rectangles, and thus , it should be much easier.
I prefer to use an AC motor not a stepper motor.
My questions are as follows;
1- Can Arduino work with the rotary encoder connected to the motor? meaning that based on the pulses that the encoder sends, the Arduino will stop the motor in the set point and then run it in the opposite direction and so on.
2- Is there a way (software) that can be used so that adjusting the distance between the two points -where the sand gun should keep running till the sandblasting is finished- can be easy and practical. Because the distance of the points are unique in every glass wall. Changing the Arduino sketch every time would not be practical.
I hope that is clear. If it is not, please let me know for more clarification.
Also, if you have any different idea, that would be appreciated.
Thank you, 