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Offline LongHairedDavid  
#1 Posted : 08 April 2019 17:21:28(UTC)
LongHairedDavid


Joined: 04/01/2019(UTC)
Posts: 344
Location: England, Ipswich
I have the above model and would like to motorise it. I am not bothered about making it operate automatically. I am quite content to push a button or throw a switch. I am thinking that a couple of serrvo motors would be the way to go but have no experience in using these. Can anyone give me some pointers?
Long Haired David
AKA David Pennington
A mystified Maerklin Newbie
Offline LongHairedDavid  
#2 Posted : 09 April 2019 12:17:55(UTC)
LongHairedDavid


Joined: 04/01/2019(UTC)
Posts: 344
Location: England, Ipswich
Originally Posted by: LongHairedDavid Go to Quoted Post
I have the above model and would like to motorise it. I am not bothered about making it operate automatically. I am quite content to push a button or throw a switch. I am thinking that a couple of serrvo motors would be the way to go but have no experience in using these. Can anyone give me some pointers?


I have decided that the best way to go is using servos powered by an Arduino. I have been a programmer for the last 38 years but have never used C as a language but I should be able to cope! I have bought an Arduino starter set that includes a servo so hopefully I can get this going.

David
Long Haired David
AKA David Pennington
A mystified Maerklin Newbie
Offline David Dewar  
#3 Posted : 09 April 2019 19:44:47(UTC)
David Dewar

Scotland   
Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 7,332
Location: Scotland
Faller 120174 has maybe what you are looking for.
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer.
Offline LongHairedDavid  
#4 Posted : 09 April 2019 19:47:47(UTC)
LongHairedDavid


Joined: 04/01/2019(UTC)
Posts: 344
Location: England, Ipswich
Originally Posted by: David Dewar Go to Quoted Post
Faller 120174 has maybe what you are looking for.


I already have the Auhagen kit. Spending 59 Euros on another one isn't in my plan, unfortunately. However, if I mess this up, that's my escape route. Thank you.

Long Haired David
AKA David Pennington
A mystified Maerklin Newbie
Offline Minok  
#5 Posted : 09 April 2019 20:37:52(UTC)
Minok

United States   
Joined: 15/10/2006(UTC)
Posts: 2,310
Location: Washington, Pacific Northwest
Originally Posted by: LongHairedDavid Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: LongHairedDavid Go to Quoted Post
I have the above model and would like to motorise it. I am not bothered about making it operate automatically. I am quite content to push a button or throw a switch. I am thinking that a couple of serrvo motors would be the way to go but have no experience in using these. Can anyone give me some pointers?


I have decided that the best way to go is using servos powered by an Arduino. I have been a programmer for the last 38 years but have never used C as a language but I should be able to cope! I have bought an Arduino starter set that includes a servo so hopefully I can get this going.

David


If you have programmed, then C programming should not be an issue. For driving a servo your program will mainly do 2 things operationally:

1) Monitor the input lines for your button press (and 'debounce' it to not get multiple click events in a short time)

2) Drive the servo to its position

3) and if you choose, ok a 3rd option... drive outputs to blink crossing red LEDs starting x seconds before the arms are driven down and until the arms are up.

Servos positions are driven by PWM signals, so you would likely set the position of rotation by giving it a value of 0-1 or 0-255 or some such thing. 0 is one end of the range of rotation, and the max value is the other end of the rotation range. Then your program just calls the function to raise/lower based on a button click and the raise/lower program changes the output signal to the servo based on the rate of change you program in.

If you want to get fancy, add a potentiometer input to the ardino, with a knob, that produces an input number you can read, which determines the speed to raise/lower the arm by, so you can then adjust the speed with the knob rather than having to reprogram to adjust speed.

And fancier still, the function that moves the arms up/down, have them 'bounce' the arm at the end of travel.

There are servo driving modules (?Viessman and others?) that can do these things, but programming your own is its own special fun project, and allows you to even easily add an additional input from IR diode/transistor sensors you can install to automate the gate operation without too much more effort.
Toys of tin and wood rule!
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