Sorry for the month and a half long delay but... We're first time homeowners!
We've been busy painting
And doing yard work
We have a nice back yard that has filled in quite a bit since this picture. But I'd like to think there is a rover proving ground in there somewhere.
The shop is coming together. Just need to build a bunch of work benches and acquire a few more tools to make building robots a lot easier.
But since the last post, I haven't just been working on house things. I accepted a position as a Test Engineer at work so loads of training there and I also started work on the new steerable suspension. I spent a lot of time designing the new parts and even managed to print the left side components.
I finally figured out the right combination of settings for printing in ABS without a heated bed or enclosure. No more curling parts pulling off of the bed. A short 'raft' of PVA and then the ABS on top of that, along with proper nozzle height, seems to work great!
This is Inspiration with its new left side suspension. Still unwired and kind of mocked up here but this is the idea. A ton more ground clearance and better turning ability.
And just for kicks, I added a nice background from Inventor's stock background schemes.
That's it so far. I hope to start printing the right side parts this weekend and get it driving around soon. But in order to get it driving around, I need to change out the motor driver for the servo controller which also needs a little programming and also updating the Arduino's program so that it talks to the servo controller. After all of that, I plan on making a new metal detector arm since the current one is too short and will also hit the new front suspension. And then I'd like to change out the camera arm for something that can pan and tilt. Lots of things to do yet but it's coming together.
We also attended our first Tripoli Minnesota rocket launch day last weekend with my nephew Will and met some great people and got some great advice for the up coming rocket that will carry Inspiration out to its eventual landing site. Apparently there is a group of students that are attempting the same idea of launching a rover out into a field. We came late and missed them at the launch though. I'd love to meet them and compare ideas so hopefully they'll be around again.
Well.. stay tuned for more updates and have fun out there!
p.s.
If I could, I would have this SpaceFest timer running on the side of this blog. But for now, you get a link.
Can't wait! Time to SpaceFest VII
