XY servo sandbox drawing tool

Instructables user CarlS writes:

For this project, we wanted to build a lower cost, lower precision XY table for an installation at TeleToyland. The goal is to allow web users to draw shapes in a sand box, so we wanted a simple XY table that is easy to control from a web application. Since we already have the Web to Hobby Servo connection working well for other installations, using a hobby servo was the desired approach. Most homebrew CNC XY tables use motors like steppers and acme screw drives, but we don’t need that much precision, and they are a bit slower than we’d like. The Hobby Servo approach also gives us absolute position control, and helps keep the cost down too – using industrial servos would be great, but a lot more expensive. We were also looking for a lower cost way to do the linear glides – trying to avoid costly linear bearings etc.

You can test it out yourself here!

2 thoughts on “XY servo sandbox drawing tool

  1. Carl says:

    Glad to see the TeleToyland Sandbox on the Make web site! I’ve been a maker all my life, and love the magazine – definitley found some inspiration there!

    It’s funny since I came to the site to look up a servo hacking article (“One-Ton Linear Servo by Windell H. Oskay), for the Sandbox site! :-)

    Thanks, and have fun!

    – Carl

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Becky Stern is a Content Creator at Autodesk/Instructables, and part time faculty at New York’s School of Visual Arts Products of Design grad program. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions, and she's created hundreds of free online DIY tutorials and videos, mostly about technology and its intersection with crafts. Find her @bekathwia on YouTube/Twitter/Instagram.

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