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build-guide.md

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Build guide

Protips

  • The "screw pulling technique" will help you get your nuts into tricky places.
  • Use a flat surface to make sure the bearings fit properly.

Printing instructions

Check out the bill of materials for 3D printing settings.

Gearbox

  • 1 x housing
  • 2 x 608zz bearing
  • 1 x M8x50 hex head
  • 1 x worm
  • 1 x M8 nyloc nut
  • 1 x knob
  • 1 x pinion
  • 1 x 623zz bearing
  • 1 x M3x50
  • 1 x M3 nut
  • plastic-safe grease (I used white lithium grease from WD-40, but silicone grease should do as well)

Worm gear

Clean out the worm gear's sacrificial layer (the thin wall between the nutcatch and bolt hole).

Start by inserting the bearing into the top bearing holder.

Insert the bearing into the top bearing holder

Next, pass the M8x50 hex head bolt through the top bearing, head facing up.

Insert the M8x50 hex head bolt through the top bearing M8x50 hex head bolt in its position, through the top bearing

Place the worm gear on the bolt, nut side down.

M8x50 hex head bolt with the worm gear

Thread the M8 nyloc nut, circular side facing down, onto the bolt. Move the worm gear to capture the nut, and then, holding the worm gear with your hand so that it doesn't rotate, use either a spanner wrench, or the knob, to fasten the bolt until the worm gear is in place: just below the bearing, but not in contact with it and able to rotate freely (this step is finicky and requires some strength and dexterity, next version will address this).

Thread the nut onto the M8x50 hex head bolt

Insert the bottom bearing into the bottom bearing holder, onto the bolt.

Insert the bearing into the bottom bearing holder

Pinion gear

Insert the 623zz bearing into the pinion gear.

Insert the pinion gear into its place, and secure with the M3x50 bolt and nut (orientation doesn't matter). Make sure to not overtighten - ensure the gear can rotate freely when the worm gear is rotated.

Insert the bearing into the bottom bearing holder

That's it, you're done!

Assembled gearbox

Lubricate your gearbox. I cannot stress this enough. Depending on the material, without lubrication, the lifetime of your gearbox will get impractically low. Keep in mind we're holding onto a fair amount of weight and money here.

Frame

  • 3 x v-slot 2020, 20 cm
  • 2 x 90 degree joining plate
  • 1 x v-slot 2020, 30 cm or 40 cm
  • 1 x T joining plate
  • 15 x M5x10
  • 15 x M5 2020 t-nut
  • 4 x foot, optional
  • 4 x M4x10, optional
  • 4 x M4 t-nut, optional
  • 2 x endcap, optional

First, put together the base of the frame. Join the three 20 cm v-slot extrusions using the two 90 degree joining plates to form a "U". The envelope of the "U" will be our microscope's working field.

If using, mount the feet using the M4x10 bolts and t-nuts: two to the bottom of the "U", and two at the ends of the prongs. If using, press fit the endcaps at the ends of the prongs. They will help guard against cuts from the sharp edges of extrusions.

Next, mount the Z axis 2020 v-slot to the extrusion at the bottom of the "U", pointing up, using the T joining plate.

Raspberry Pi mount

  • rpi-mount
  • 2 x M4x8
  • 2 x M4 t-nut

Mount the rpi-mount, facing away from the working field, onto the Z axis extrusion just above the T joining plate, using the M4x8 bolts and t-nuts.

Motion system

  • Gearbox
  • 1 x knob
  • 1 x rack
  • 1 x slider
  • 2 x M4x8
  • 2 x M4 t-nut
  • 4 x M3 nut
  • 4 x M3x50

Start by mounting the rack, facing away from the working field, onto the Z axis extrusion, with its top some 5 mm below the end of the extrusion. Secure it with the two M4x8 bolts and t-nuts.

Place the slider on the Z axis extrusion, noting the clearance for the rack. Slide it down to the middle of the rack, so that you're able to mount the gearbox.

(Protip: you can temporarily secure the slider in place by placing a bolt and a t-nut below it.)

Place the M3 nuts in the nutcatches on the side facing away from the workfield. Secure the gearbox, hex bolt head up, onto the slider with the four M3x50 bolts.

If you didn't yet, now is the time to place the knob on the hex bolt head.

Microscope mount

  • 1 x microscope-mount
  • 4 x M3 nut
  • 4 x M3x40

Place the M3 nuts in the nutcatches on the side facing the workfield. Place the microscope-mount on the slider, the clearance for the holder facing up. Secure with the four M3x40 bolts.

Top cable guide

  • 1 x top-cable-guide

Place the top cable guide on top of the Z axis extrusion, the longer part facing away from the working field. (Protip: if your camera ribbon cable is too long for your Z axis length, fold it underneath the cable clip.)

Optics

  • 1 x Raspberry Pi HQ camera with the C-CS adapter installed
  • 1 x C-mount microscope lens
  • 1 x Raspberry Pi camera cable, 80 cm
  • 1 x Raspberry Pi 3 or 4
  • 1 x microscope-holder
  • 3 x top-cable-clip (optional, you can also use zip ties)
  • 1 x M3x12

Disconnect the existing camera cable from the camera and connect the longer one. Connect it to the Raspberry Pi. Mount the Raspberry Pi HQ camera on the C-mount microscope lens. Place the lens in the holder. Secure with the M3x12 bolt. Route the ribbon cable through the top cable guide and secure with the clips or zip ties.

First run

Start up the Raspberry Pi. Once it boots up, run the command:

libcamera-vid -t 0 --rotation 180 -f

It should open a window previewing what the camera is seeing. Use the height adjustment and zoom adjustment to focus the image.

There it is, that's Rapiscope!

If you run into any issues while making Rapiscope, please don't hesitate to e-mail me!