Hi everyone! My name is Callum, and I bought an ACRO 1515 machine a while back. The project I’m working on is probably quite unusual compared to standard uses for these machines - I have a form of computational art which involves rendering an image as a series of lines connecting pins on the perimeter of a frame, then recreating those images in real life with coloured thread (see my website threadart.co.uk for more). The ACRO 1515 machine was designed to replace the threading-by-hand process; I used a 3D printer to create a “thread spooler” which I could attach to the gantry arm, and with a set of GCODE instructions, the gantry would wind the thread around the pins in the appropriate order. Unfortunately, the ACRO has stopped working; the left Y-motor now judders when it moves. I think this is probably my fault for not treating it with sufficient care, e.g. knocking it a few times. It would be great if there was a quick fix to this problem, but from reading advice on forums and trying out a few possible solutions I suspect it’s permanently damaged now. For a while, I’d been thinking about getting a LEAD machine, because it would have several advantages over the ACRO (e.g. stability). However, it’s a lot of money, and there are a few uncertainties I’d like to clear up if possible before purchasing it. My biggest concern is speed. I haven’t been able to get good data about the max speeds of the different gantry systems. According to the OpenBuilds software I was running my ACRO at 5000mm/min, but the software seemed to be underestimating distances, with the result that the ACRO was in reality running more like 15,000mm/min (see the video I've uploaded, which can also be found at this link). I’ve been told that the LEAD is likely to be slower because it’s heavier, but I don’t know how much slower. I know this is a hard question to answer because there’s no official max speed, but I’d really appreciate any advice. Since my artworks sometimes contain over 10,000 threads, speed is extremely important to me. I would be very happy if it could run at close to the speed shown in the video, and even 50% of this speed would still be pretty good - is this a realistic expectation? If anyone is reading this who can offer assistance, I'd be really grateful. Especially appreciated would be: Peoples' experiences with speed settings on the LEAD 1515 machine Videos of the LEAD 1515 in action Any other advice you might have about this project Thanks everyone, and happy building! Best, Callum
First check the wiring to the stepper motor that's not working - those symptoms are often caused by a connection coming loose or a wire breaking. Alex.
Hi Alex, Thanks for your reply, I checked and this did end up being the problem! I feel a bit silly now XD Really appreciate it!
Never feel silly! Particularly that symptom - is hard to put one and one together because the motor still somewhat works. It does happen often enough that we have a dedicated FAQ page for it docs:blackbox:faq-identify-motor-coils [OpenBuilds Documentation] so you really shouldn't feel bad! Happy you found the break though!
Agreed, we're much happier to answer questions all day long, compared to having to tell you the magic smoke is now gone
