I am new to this board and Arduino programing. I am trying to either find to purchase or build a Arduino system that will allow me to measure the movement of an item when temperature changes. I have a bellow that changes height whenever the temperature changes and I am trying to measure the movement as it relates to the temperature with a cheap digital indicator. I need to be able to log this readout to either a computer or text file. Does anybody know where I can find plans for this or where someone has this for sale?
The movement is limited to 25mm
The bellow can push up on just about any measuring device but the device has to be spring loaded so it returns back down when the bellow contracts. You can not attach anything to the bellow.
The temperature does not need to be in contact with the bellow, it can me ambient temperature.
This is a picture of my current setup. I have to log the changes manually and that is getting real old.
The measuring device displayed does not have a data port
I am new to this board and Arduino programing. I am trying to either find to purchase or build a Arduino system that will allow me to measure the movement of an item when temperature changes. I have a bellow that changes height whenever the temperature changes and I am trying to measure the movement as it relates to the temperature with a cheap digital indicator. I need to be able to log this readout to either a computer or text file. Does anybody know where I can find plans for this or where someone has this for sale?
Ahhh, the classic Atmos clock bellows, which powers the clock.
You realize of course that the bellows extension will depend very strongly on the atmospheric pressure, as well as the temperature, obeying the gas law PV = nRT.
Believe it or not the temperature is what truly does most all the work. The chloroethane that is contained inside is very temperature sensitive. I am trying to run some test to see how much the bellow moves over the course of a day. The bellow needs 2 degrees in temperature change to wind the clock and with our new modern homes with all their insulation that is becoming a problem. Now if I could add pressure change to the study that would be great.
I repair these clocks for a living and have studied just about every moving part and the function of the bellow is very important.
Now if I could add pressure change to the study that would be great.
Easy enough to do, there are plenty of Arduino compatible pressure sensors.
Since chloroethane boils at 12.3 C (54.14 F) at standard pressure, I would expect it to be a gas in the clock, at room temperature. If that is the case, then you certainly should take into account atmospheric pressure changes.
For you it may be simple, but I am use to working on mechanical things and electronics are not my strong suit. I have a Mega 2560 project kit and an assortment of sensors, but I lack the knowledge to assemble anything that would do the job.
Follow this hookup guide to connect the BMP180 atmospheric pressure sensor to an Arduino.
However, I would not recommend that particular sensor, because it works on 3.3V only and is easy to destroy if you connect it incorrectly to a 5V Arduino (much safer to use a 3.3V Arduino).
This sensor from Pololu is better, and is designed to be used with either 3.3V or 5V Arduinos. The connections are the same as in the first tutorial, just four wires.
The page of the flex sensor I linked to has a documents tab.
You can find a tutorial there, and even some Arduino code.
First make the flex sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor work independently,
and them try to combine them into one sketch.
Help is always available.
Leo..
There is code floating around on the internet about the data protocol and how to read these "chinese" calipers/indicators. Chinese Scales
If "time is money" you may want to find something with a prebuilt cable output and a well defined protocol from the manufacturer.
Thanks for the links. That still leaves me with the problem of getting that data with temp and baro pressure into an Arduino board that can log the data and output it to a text file
Wawa:
The page of the flex sensor I linked to has a documents tab.
You can find a tutorial there, and even some Arduino code.
First make the flex sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor work independently,
and them try to combine them into one sketch.
Help is always available.
Leo..
Really like the flex sensor, but how do you convert its data ohms to mm and how accurate can it be?
The A/D returns a range of values from the bending flex sensor.
That can be converted into human readable mm with the map() function.
Or, for higher accuracy, with computed values stored in an array.
The first method might already have enough precision, because one inch to mm is only about 25 values.
Leo..
I am going to buy the parts to hook up the dial indicator, the flex sensor, LPS331AP Pressure/Altitude Sensor, a 4 line display and I have a temperature and humidity sensor. I believe all of this will work with my Mega 2560 board.
Is there anything else I should buy for this project?
If hooked to a computer can all this data be sent to a text file or better yet Excel?
I really do appreciate all the help and link everyone has provided.
atmos:
I am going to buy the parts to hook up the dial indicator, the flex sensor, LPS331AP Pressure/Altitude Sensor, a 4 line display and I have a temperature and humidity sensor. I believe all of this will work with my Mega 2560 board.
Is there anything else I should buy for this project?
If hooked to a computer can all this data be sent to a text file or better yet Excel?
I really do appreciate all the help and link everyone has provided.
As far as I know (other people can either concur or correct me), sending data from/to a connected computer to the arduino is not an easy task.
Nevertheless, what is not easy (sure) is to send them in an Excel format; try a text format (CSV; comma separated values for instance, that you can load in excel very easy).
Regards
