Just a quick follow-up to report that I re-printed the monobloc (in ASA this time) and rethreaded the wiring with a better understanding of how far to take the wires through and where and how to anchor them properly based on the learnings from my earlier attempt. The result is much better and the connections are good and firm, and the module is still working as per expectations.
I think your monobloc was a great concept. Its very compact and makes difficult packed wiring very easy, facilitating a very compact end result. I can appreciated the considerable time and challenges that would have been involved in drawing up the 3D model and want to thank you for sharing all that effort. I might even have a crack at designing a monobloc version for my logger, although the minimum size of that is largely dictated by the LCD screen, so not much to gain other than simplified connections and ease of disassembly for repairs etc if needed. Might be a fun exercise nonetheless.
Hi John, I have a few ESP32-Cam modules but not sure what you had in mind? On the road I’m not sure where I could send the data to if I used the internet server/wifi benefit of the ESP32-Cam. MIT App Inventor doesn’t yet offer standalone app installation on iPhone. Ideally I’d like realtime map plotting with the GPS tracker but putting that together may be beyond me.
To close out on my clone/derivative of your Speedometer, it is now finished with solid connections, antenna protection and a case I put together, printed in ASA. Again thanks for stmulating me into this undertaking.
I was just thinking the ESP32-CAM could do the work of the Nano board and the SD card reader. It’s an MPU with GPIO pins and a built-in card reader. I wasn’t thinking of its wifi capability.
Have you explored u-center’s trip recording facility? That might make it easy.
That’s a great looking housing you’ve made. Remember the display is unreadable in direct sunlight.
Some other boards that have a micro SD reader that you could use include the XIAO ESP32 Sense. If it has enough IO pins it is a really compact board. The Teensy 4.1 is another board I constantly use because of its micro SD reader. It is a bit longer than an Arduino Nano but will also be shorter. This board also has a variety of other features that you may like.
The Nano and its SD board may be the best solution for you. I love to see that you have this awesome project working and am keen to see where you take it next.
Hi Roger.
If you use the monobloc approach I think you could eliminate the lower half of your enclosure.
I can’t overemphasise the value of having accurate virtual models of your boards. They allow you to test your design on-screen and find defects before printing rather than after printing. That saves so much time.
I was surprised by a number of things about the conduits when I first started exploring the concept.
First they print perfectly at any slope – from parallel to the printer plate to vertical to the plate. If you do a lot of 3D printing you intuitively expect horizontal bridging to be susceptible to drooping. That doesn’t happen here. I think it’s due to the lower and upper layers that form the conduit as well as the infill. It’s well worth closely examining the conduits in Cura’s preview mode.
Another surprise is that the inside of the conduits is nearly always clean and smooth – the wire nearly always passes all the way through without much trouble. Cura can intentionally form small kinks in the inner layer of a conduit and this might block the wire. You can see these kinks in Cura’s preview mode. I’ve only experienced it once.
You can add bends to a conduit and the wire will pass through without trouble. It’s a bit like plumbing bathroom.
Yes, I did John, as per my earlier post. I was only logging on the LCD display version, but since then have also modified your monobloc by adding an SD Card Adapter with requisite conduit connections etc, and the arduino sketch, with which I can now also log time, location, speed and altitude while current speed is displayed the LED display as before. Its working but I’ve been away and I just need to pint the case to finalise it. Its made it slightly bigger but still pretty compact.
I agree that its amazing how reliably the conduits print. I’ve had no trouble with them at all, including through the narrow channels between the arduino pins. I have also added a conduit and power access for a push switch (see arrow) on the front so that I can tag locations of interest in the data log as we’re moving. I’ll just have to jot down the time and I why I tagged it when I do that so I can find them in the log and know what the locations relate to.
Hi Roger.
I’m so proud of you. You were first to reproduce my speedo design and now you’re charging ahead with your own monobloc and conduit design. I’m rapt. This will become a popular method of making an assembly of boards and you’re a pioneer.
I see your 3D design software allows you fine control over those tubes. With Tinkercad I only use straight tubes and gentle bends. What slicing software are you using?
