The Ninth Tomorrow Robots
This is a Pic of the latest robot created. It is affectionately named 'George'
More robot pics are here...
The Encoder Designer Program was written to help design incremental encoder disks for use in robotics. The program came about from the realization that for me to build more (~6 or more) robots to support my distributed robot work, I would need optical encoders of some sort. When I built George, I was fortunate enough to stumble across some surplus motors with the encoders. Unfortunately, that source has since dried up. After looking for several programs to help me in drawing them, I found nothing that really fit the bill. So alas, I sat down and wrote one.
The concept came from a discussion that I had with a fellow robot guy. We figured that with such a program, a circuit board could be etched with a pattern produced by an encoder design program. The disk would be mounted to a shaft with epoxy, T-NUT, or whatever creative means one found. By using a copper clad board, (the phenolic that we tested was IR invisible) the emitter detector pair would work fine with this disk mounted in the middle, however the reflective technique was easy with the copper. Once etched, spray it with lacquer to prevent the tarnish and you are on your way. It was also realized that paper, or a transparency could also be used as a substrate, and then attached the paper to any stiff disk.
Whatever technique you use I have found the following method works best. I have included a scale field in the program. This is so that you can print out the picture, and use photo-reduction techniques and thereby reduce some of the blockyness that occurs. I generally produce the picture at a 3:1 - 5:1 scale, and reduce it. I have found using a photocopier for the reduction works great, but photo techniques, I suspect would work better. One other thing that has been added recently was a balance control. It provides the user to adjust the slot width. This is especially useful when there is a high res, something like 64-128 slot, encoder that needs either more white or black for a good separation.
The program was written in VB6.0 and as such may require a few additional .dlls. Generally, most folks haven't had a problem and the dlls can be found at Microsoft, but I have built an install package. The only problem is the file grows from ~100K to ~6M. So if after everything, and you are having difficulty, send me an email, and I can email you the full install package. If there is enough requests, I may post the install files on this site.
Feel free to drop me an email if you found the program useful, and how you managed to mount the encoder.
--- Update ---
I have rewritten the encoder program so that it is version 2.0 now. In addition to it doing incremental encoders, it can also do absolute encoders. The package should be installed from the zipped file. I am also keeping version 1.2 available. Consider the version 2.0 as a final beta. I think I have most of the bugs worked out, but feel free to let me know otherwise. Final thoughts are that I am working on a filter to smooth out the images automatically.
Some new things that hopefully will be coming by version 3.0. The plan is to do this during summer 2005. It will include supporting outputs in .ps , .dxf, (or more general IGES). Also, I am planning on rewriting the program in C# using GDI+ graphics.
For comments, suggestions, questions, feel free to email me at
Thanks,
Just a sample that I did with version 2.0
Recently, a fellow robot guy, a guru in my opinion, figured out he was able to use the program yet another way. He took the output graphic, converted it to a vector file, and then used a laser etcher (the kind you might find in the mall for engravings) and actually cut a pattern shown below... This does a great job. He figures that it may no cost more than a few dollars, once you have the laser engraver of course.
Way to go Jerry, and a huge thanks!!!
Here are pictures of an absolute and incremental design that he did for me. They are 64 slot, 1.5" diameter encoders.
-Scott Boskovich
Here is the newest version 2.0
--- old version ---
( Here is the old Encoder Designer 1.2 Encoder Designer12.exe )
Here is a screen shot of the encoder design program version 1.2.
and another...
Also, I am working on a Java version that runs out of a browser or can run local on your machine,
But I am still learning Java and may take a short while. Any advice on learning Java other than just jumping in, let me know...
-- Update - the Java version is still in work.
A Screen Shot of the Absolute Encoder...
