Feedback & review from AvalonTech Japan

Hardware
1

Hello this is AvalonTech from Japan. We’r building a community that support OSHW.
We purchased our first OSHW (farmbot) in March and want to share the progress we’ve had so far and also some improvements we have made/going to make based on the original design.

We also recorded the assembling activities (for different parts) and put it on our website, unfortunately it is in Japanese so if you are in Japan or you understanding Japanese, please check below link for details of our activities:

Our future plan:
A. Information exchange/assembling with Japan users
B. Raised Bed kid development
C. Improve opportunities:

  1. Waterproof & dustproof
    Currently the pulley and flex coupling/axis joint（軸接手）are exposed to the circumstance, so we think there would be risk of corrosion issue or disfunction in case that raining water or dust; sand leak into the moving parts.


A simple cover could solve this concern.

  1. V-wheel
    During our assembling of bearing for V-wheel, it didn’t go that well as showed in the guiding video… Considerable force is required when installing the bearing to the V wheel, so I thought there was a possibility of failure in assembling the bearing.

Bearing handling notes :

We found assembled V-wheel kit on the China Website, but maybe it’s a bit expensive.

  1. Gantry
    It was quite difficult (took a lot effort) to install the belt of Motor for X axis since attention need to be paid not to twist the belt in the frame.
    If the design of Y axis motor could be leveraged to the one on X axis, it could really save a lot of adjustment work and also save a little cost since the belt would be shorter.

  1. Z axis related issue
    I. Mounting of the motor
    Current the motor is not stable after being mounted on the motor mount(?), the motor is not completely vertical now. Although due to the flex coupling a little leaning is still tolerable, it could be a potential root cause of Z axis direction movement problem.

    a. Plan I: Spacer x 4

b. Plan II: Adding level in the center of motor mount

II.Flex coupling
How about exchanging the shaft joint with a universal joint ?
Although it may not be able to withstand high-speed rotation compared with the flex coupling, I think that the ability to respond to the misalignment of the motor and rod screws will improve.
We can buy it at 460 yen at MISUMI.
https://jp.misumi-ec.com/vona2/detail/110300127860/

We will carry out the verification experiment from now.
The Z axis may move more smoothly and speedy.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
These ideas come from our member Kobashi．
Thanks Kobashi and Farmbot team.
You can contact us:
https://bbs.avalontech.jp or
Reply↓↓

Let’s challenge and enjoy OSHW! :wink:

4 Likes
2

Thanks for the great documentation, feedback, and video! :cat:

One thing we’re doing with the new v1.4 kits is pre-assembling all of the V-wheels and bearings. Not only have several customers found it difficult to assemble them as you did, but a surprising number of people also skipped the assembly step entirely, accidentally attaching just single bearings to the plates with no polycarbonate wheels, shims, or second bearings! Others forgot the precision shims during the assembly, causing the bearings to lock-up once the screws were tightened.

In regards to the X-axis motors being repositioned to the gantry wheel plates: this is something we have considered. However the drawbacks we’ve identified with that position are:

  • Higher exposure to splashing water/mud from the ground when the watering nozzle is activated or during rainstorms
  • If the motors are on the inside surface of the plates then they will reduce the growing area of the FarmBot and may hit plants when the bot moves. There would also be a more exposed pinch-area for children, though that could be mitigated with a metal or plastic guard.
  • If the motors are on the outside surface of the plates then they are more exposed to being hit by your shins when walking past the bot.
1 Like
3

This is a great post!
Great communication! (Especially if English is a second language! Communicating stuff like this can be even more of a challenge if so.)
Also, great visuals and discussion!
Thanks!

4

In the video…
Is there a motion sensor connected to some lighting?
Is that what caused the cat to leave?

5

Thank you for your reply and I will convey to our team.

We also have some Remodeling, we will feedback after organizing!

6

Most of us can’t speak English;(
But we have google translate.

it’s a motion sensor camera + Infrared sensor light.
When a large vehicle passes, sometimes the sensor light will detect it.
At the same time the cat is also nearby.
Just a coincidence.

cat
cat.jpg1026×972 103 KB

2 Likes