A close friend has a background developing UI's and controls for presses, welders and other misc. He's running out of stuff to do at home while collecting a paycheck not to work. He's asked if there's anything he could help me with, automation-wise, in my shop.
I figured the work he does would use some fancy components, but as we discuss projects everything he does is using a Raspberry PI based UI and Arduino/ China steppers for the process. None of this is hobby stuff. Big manufacturer and some serious equipment.
Anyone else running real industrial automation based on ultra low cost open source hobby parts?
I'm trying to steer him in the direction of an ultra versatile, compact, intuitive UI in a bulletproof housing that we can adapt to anything in the shop- From a single axis back gauge controller to an auto bandsaw control, air compressor VFD control, gantry load/ 3 axis robot arm control.
I know this stuff is big discussion on other sites, but I struggle to wade through the arm chair hobbyist BS. Usually when I read "which size steppers do I...." I know it's a shitshow and I can skip it.
I figured the work he does would use some fancy components, but as we discuss projects everything he does is using a Raspberry PI based UI and Arduino/ China steppers for the process. None of this is hobby stuff. Big manufacturer and some serious equipment.
Anyone else running real industrial automation based on ultra low cost open source hobby parts?
I'm trying to steer him in the direction of an ultra versatile, compact, intuitive UI in a bulletproof housing that we can adapt to anything in the shop- From a single axis back gauge controller to an auto bandsaw control, air compressor VFD control, gantry load/ 3 axis robot arm control.
I know this stuff is big discussion on other sites, but I struggle to wade through the arm chair hobbyist BS. Usually when I read "which size steppers do I...." I know it's a shitshow and I can skip it.