This machine robotically threads stunning string artwork

String artwork is spectacular exactly as a result of it’s so tough to make. Even a easy piece of string artwork will comprise lots of of ft of thread rigorously looped round posts to create areas of various density that act as shading. The whole lot from calculating the string’s path to bodily laying down the string is a problem. However after an immense quantity of labor, Paul MH was in a position to develop a machine that may produce string artwork on the contact of a button.

Paul spent years engaged on this challenge and it exhibits. Each step of the method required trial-and-error with totally different prototypes. To create an artwork piece, the machine first has to insert dozens or lots of of nails into the froth mattress. That necessitated the invention of a mechanism to feed nails and a neural community to confirm that every nail feeds correctly. The machine then has to transform a picture right into a string path, with that path avoiding collisions with nails, looping round nails sufficient to take care of pressure, producing the correct string density, and stopping any tangles.

At its coronary heart, this can be a CNC machine that accepts customized g-code generated by Paul’s software program. That G-code runs on an Arduino Mega 2560 board, which controls the machine’s motors via a RAMPS 1.4 protect. The idea is much like a standard DIY CNC router and the kinematic system is acquainted, however this machine wanted a mess of customized elements. Most of these have been 3D-printed over many iterations till Paul had a working machine.

As you’ll be able to see in Paul’s latest video replace, the machine can produce very good string artwork. It may possibly take any picture as enter, however high-contrast photos with out numerous high-quality element work the most effective.