(abandoned) component: mini heat press

NOTE: This project is relatively expensive for the course budget (~$350 / person) and isn't strictly necessary for my system, so I'm not including it as a component I'm committing to.

A heat press for flattening or forming small pieces of sheet stock.

specifications

(subject to adjustment)

• Stock dimensions <= 200mm x 200mm x 10mm, must be rectilinear

• Conveyor or roller feed in/out in a north-south direction

• 50C < Max temperature < 100C

• 1N < Max closing force < 10N

• Package dimensions: <= 250mm x 250mm x 250mm

• DIN rail mountable

• M4 machine screw mounting holes in corners

• Power interface: 12V, 5A barrel jack

heat forming dies

Machine is configurable with low-relief heat-forming dies < 50mm x 50mm.

• Low-pressure only! Not for stamping or punching unless very malleable material
• Must be sufficiently heat-conductive
• Die holder geometry TBD -- currently envisioning a replaceable section of the heating plates

communication interface

• Speaks Protobuf (plug) over UART
• 12-pin IDC connector (candidate standardized pinout)
• Digital pin control (preconfigured temperature, closing height, feed distance)
  • In
    • Feed / Not Stop
    • Close / Not Open
    • Heat / Not Cool
  • Out
    • Overheat
    • Motion complete
    • General fault

cost/complexity

• On the order of $100 in parts, most COTS, some 3d printed, PCB
• Assembly time: an afternoon

work-in-progress BoM

• $32 resistive heaters x 8

• $20 shafts (~10mm?)

• $10 bushings

• $15 springs

• OR: $10 v rollers

• $30? 8020 frame + assembly hardware

• $5 3d prints

• $10 electrical components

• $15 lead screw x2

• $12 NEMA 12 stepper

• $9 GT2 Belt

• $7 GT2 Pulleys

Total ~$150 at current estimate.