Calibration Device for Scintillators
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- The objective is to create a linear motion device that will calibrate a set array of scintillators using light pulses
Ideas
- Printer disassembly and take-over of printer head linear motion through use of parallel port programming with C
- Worm gear connected to DC motor with micro controller set up
- Linear Rail system
- Stepper Motor Belt System
Printer Disassembly
- Disassembled printer casing
- Installed cygwin on computer for C interface and read up on programming language C
- Investigated Computer Numerical Control but found it was not useful for this application
- Investigated serial port programming and the use of Printer Control Language on an HP printer
===Parallel Port Programming===
- Interfacing directly to the printer proved very challenging
- Unsuccessfully accessed printer
- It seems one would need to write a driver to fully take over the printer in the way we desire
Worm Gear
- Spinning a long grooved cylinder gear requires a lot of torque
- Minimal support for head motion
- DC motor with time steps is not as effective as stepper motor
Rail System
- very costly
- possibly too heavy duty for this application
Belt System
- Stepper motor with micro controller stands stationary on one end and calibration device would be connected to a slide rail system for stability
Clamping Plate Setup http://www.polytechdesign.com/images/gears_01.gif - We need to find something that is low cost but is accurate enough to be stopped at each fiber array block. This would call for a low pitch. One example I've found is as low as 8mm pitch with 200 teeth making a 1.6 meter timing belt. Because the intended light source for calibration is most likely going to have a wide range, 8mm is a fair sized step as the scintillators are 2mm each but grouped in blocks.
=== Motor ===
- Need to locate a stepper motor to attach to one end of the pulley belt system