What do i need for Plotter-type device?

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
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I'm researching motors/servo types and am interested in plotter-devices in which you can move some device (e.g a pen) along some linear axis.

it seems that stepper motors are used for these, but what else is there? i see some stepper motors which have a 'drill' that extends and retracts from the actual motor body. in other examples, i see motors that seem to be pulling something like a conveyor-belt.

at any rate, i'm wanting to design a device that could move hardware along a linear axis that would be about 1.5 feet long. any suggestions?

2

i see some stepper motors which have a 'drill' that extends and retracts from the actual motor body

Yes that is a linear motor.
Stepping motors are best for this with a lead screw or pulleys. Look at the RepRap project for some ideas of what you can do.
http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page

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These are liner motors
From the pages of Account Suspended

4

But those are just conventional rotary stepper motors with the threaded shaft (lead-screw) going through the center of the motor shaft.

Yes that is one way of making a liner stepping motor. It's the one you find most of.