Motorized z lift

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UncleChip
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:56 pm
Location: Uk

Motorized z lift

Post by UncleChip »

I have nearly finished my Z axis lift.

I use the setup for 2:1 to 1:5 so I need distance between the camera and specimen.

The specimen holders vary in height, also some subjects need more height, so I determined 150mm min travel.

I didn’t want any part of the lift to get in the way of any lighting I may want to use.

I have glued a steel plate on top of the lift, then all the different specimen holders have magnets on the bottom to keep them secure.

I got components to add a counterweight as I didn’t think the motor would cope, but it works a treat without.

I used a cog ratio of 12/48 on the motor and actuator because the lead screw had an 8mm lead, again this is working fine for Z axis.

I have 250mm lift, and yes it is protruding below the table.

Down the line I will add a 3 axis controller.

Need to replace the wiring and put the controller in an housing, but working fine (from my limited perspective).
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Chris S.
Site Admin
Posts: 4042
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:55 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Re: Motorized z lift

Post by Chris S. »

Nice! We don't have many documentations here of motorized Z-axis stages.

What exact item did you start with as your Z-stage?

In your images, I haven't figured out where the Z-stage motor is shown. Surely I'm just tired and missing it--but can you kindly point it out?

Cheers,

--Chris S.

UncleChip
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:56 pm
Location: Uk

Re: Motorized z lift

Post by UncleChip »

I should of added an image of the motor, it’s below the desk height,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28359675431 ... edia=COPY

This was the kit for the actuator, I asked them to cut it to 350mm and to change the plate to a double carriage plate, this was because I thought it would be firmer and easier to mount, and there I’s no wobble,


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28409838091 ... media=COPY
Link to double carriage
Attachments
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Darionett
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2022 4:45 am
Location: Sardegna, Italy

Re: Motorized z lift

Post by Darionett »

UncleChip wrote:
Wed Mar 08, 2023 1:06 pm
I have nearly finished my Z axis lift.

I use the setup for 2:1 to 1:5 so I need distance between the camera and specimen.

The specimen holders vary in height, also some subjects need more height, so I determined 150mm min travel.

I didn’t want any part of the lift to get in the way of any lighting I may want to use.

I have glued a steel plate on top of the lift, then all the different specimen holders have magnets on the bottom to keep them secure.

I got components to add a counterweight as I didn’t think the motor would cope, but it works a treat without.

I used a cog ratio of 12/48 on the motor and actuator because the lead screw had an 8mm lead, again this is working fine for Z axis.

I have 250mm lift, and yes it is protruding below the table.

Down the line I will add a 3 axis controller.

Need to replace the wiring and put the controller in an housing, but working fine (from my limited perspective).
This variant of yours is very ingenious, I had never seen it before. Now I'm thinking about how to make the X and Y axes move the camera, and perhaps even the Z axis, because I've noticed that when taking panoramas, I often encounter areas with very different lighting.

UncleChip
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:56 pm
Location: Uk

Re: Motorized z lift

Post by UncleChip »

Here is a picture of how I move the camera.

The rails are too big, it was hard to determine how big I needed them without seeing them, though they are solid lol.

I wanted manual movement of a rail on the camera axis as I wanted to have a go at focus stacking of live subjects and a motorized rail is too hard for this.

My camera motorized rail is very basic, I intend to replace this with a 3 axis controller, I will add a motor to the X axis replace the Y rail and Motor with a fine screw one.

I figure I can get away without the fine screw on the X and Z axis, for pano images you have 30-40% overlap anyway.

When I have used it for a few months and replaced the camera axis I will replace all the mdf with aluminum (I think I can make it all a bit smaller).
Attachments
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Chris S.
Site Admin
Posts: 4042
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:55 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Re: Motorized z lift

Post by Chris S. »

UncleChip, thanks for the additional picture and info on your z-axis. I agree with Darionett--it's ingenious.

For the z-axis of a macro rig, it's challenging to achieve long travel that is also precise--especially without blocking light in varied illumination setups. You've accomplished all this, and in a way I don't think any other rig we've seen here has.

Three key elements of your approach, to my eye:
  1. You use, for the z-axis, a linear stage of a type more often used for x and y axis translation (at least in macro rigs).
  2. You've mounted this stage contrary to what is commonly done. Instead of fixing the rail in place and letting the carriage move, you've fixed the carriage in place and let the rail move. And to make the carriage more balanced and sturdy for stationary mounting, you've doubled the carriage so that it has two flat faces on opposite sides of the rail.
  3. Youve mounted these carriages on a hole cut through the base of your rig to let whatever portion of the z-stage you are not using descend out of the way.
Bravo!

--Chris S.

UncleChip
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:56 pm
Location: Uk

Re: Motorized z lift

Post by UncleChip »

I have been asking very basic questions on this forum, I am aware I have little knowledge and experience in this field, maybe that inexperience meant I had no biases starting this, though it also meant the X and Y is way too big :shock:
Normally if it’s not been done before it’s usually for a reason :roll: if I have given a little back then that’s great.

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