A Conversion project of a large metalworking machine including the upgrade form old to ballscrew spindels.

The basis of my conversion project I chose a MC-51 Lugansk manual milling machine.
A heavy manual milling machine from the Ukraine and very well built, and in my case a favorable basis for the conversion and upgrade.
The basic acme thread spindels of the machines where very crude, and useless for my CNC needs and required accuracy.
The acme thread Leadscrews had an brass locknuts for (somewhat) limited backlash.

I’ve changed them for quality ballscrews spindels, that came from an old CNC grinder.
The ballscrews are now directly controlled by stepper motors with a torque of 12 NM.

The machine is also upgraded with a Z-axis that runs on Hiwin HGW25CC linear guides.
The millinghead is mounted on the hiwin linear guides.

The X axis and Y axis are equipped with new ball screws with a diameter of 30mm and lubrication of the guides.

The drive of the milling head has been replaced by a direct drive, making use of a 1.5 Kw tecknomotor 12000 / 18000 rpm.

The machine achieves a speed of 6000 rpm and a maximum speed of 600mm/min on the table.

The machine and all the extra parts I bought secondhand.
All metalworking operations where performed by a Vario Option BF 20L, and that was a challenge for the small metalworking machine
It was the biggest project I’ve done with this machine from china.
The BF20 has had a hard time ….. and is now used for manual use only.

Machines produce the components of larger and more accurate CNC machines, a form of technical evolution of the machine itself.

The total construction time was about 5 months. until now ..

The second edition of the Temporary Museum of Art Random took place at the Eendrachtsplein. A square that is always bussy deu to the metro station, the shops and the it’s central location. The Temporary Museum of Art Random took place the same time as the festival World of Witte de With Quarter and 24-hour culture in Rotterdam. The Temporary Museum of Art Random was a hub between the different activities.

The Temporary Museum of Art Random attracted both art lovers and passers-by. This resulted in special meetings: between the general public and artists, between art and outdoor space, between the museum and the city.

http://www.temporarymuseumofrandomart.nl/

Future body-extensions, instant body-scans, strobo-sensoring, noisy-freakshows, twitter-controlled dildo’s, electronic masturbators, pole-dancing robots, giant-reptiles on acid, hactivism, moreeeeeeeeeeeee. For four days and nights the centre of Enschede will be transformed into an audiovisual playground with media art, installations, exhibitions, workshops, robotics, performances, lectures, parties and the world championship Powertool Racing. This jubilee edition’s theme is the relation between sex and technology: EROTEC

Marco Kruyt presended his latest kinetic artwork – Treasuring the Particle

Two moving robotic hands cherish the particle. The artwork refers to an exploration into the deepest origins of matter, and our understanding of reality.

Creating art machines through engineering is the core aptitude of Marco Kruyt’s practice, as he puts his broad technical skills as an engineer into the development and production of his art machines. Are they kinetic works of fine art or merely the products of a dreaming engineer?

Marco Kruyt creates his art machines with automated metalworking machinery, which he designs and builds. Machines that make art machines, on a grand and almost industrial scale, with the artist as conductor.

The work of Marco Kruyt reflects on the tension between technology and ecology, speculating on the inevitable symbiosis between organism and machine and its impact on society, and the environment as a whole.

Marco Kruyt is an engineer by profession and has developed his passion for the visual arts as a member of the Rotterdam artist collective, Antistrot. Today he develops his art machines at his own discretion; machines in which his thoughts reflect and dreams materialize.

kinetica art fair website

Kinetica Art Fair 2013 – Overview from Bellotheque on Vimeo.

First the previous made fingers and mechanism must be joint by the palm of the robotic hands. The palm is build up form aluminum and brass and custom machined parts. The top of the palm will be covered bij a specially shaped plate of 1mm brass.

In this way it might just reminds one off a suit of armor, by the style of covering. The top plate is handcrafted form 1mm thick brass plate material. The place in witch the palm and mechanism are connected is formed by two 10mm thick aluminum plates. On these aluminum parts the bearings for de finger controlling cables will be mounted to.

The completed assembly of the two robotic hands is taking shape. Its skeleton is ready and needs it’s mechanicals fitted to get it moving. The line that all the finger controlling cables will follow is calculated. All necessary miniature stainlessteel bearings can now be mounted.

Layered as a cake the one stacked on top of the other, the mechanism itself forms the wrist of the robotic hands.
It was quite difficult to fit all the moving parts in a wrist like form and keeping aesthetics in mind.

The mechanism consist of a program plate that holds the program for the motion of a single finger.
By altering the design of program plate it is possible to achieve every possible motion pattern.
A intricate cad cam design, and advanced in-house production techniques – resemble the old art of vintage clock making.

The camshaft type mechanism transfers the power form a single electric motor to a steel cable.
By a reduction gear generates approximately 1 rpm, on the cam (program plates).
The 1 minute timeframe will be long enough in order to generate a seemingly “random” movement of the sculpture.
The rocker arms will pull on the steel cables, controlling the movement of the fingers.
The mechanism will be build up using 5 individual sections, one for each finger.
By adjusting the design of the program plates each finger can move in its own pattern.

The mechanical mechanism is build up form aluminium and brass parts. All mechanical joints are equipped with ball bearings. A total of over 20 miniature bearings are used in the assembly for a single hand.

As a bonus the Cnc milling process produced some nice looking “scrap” brass sculpture….

PULS 2012: Play the Future

Visions and Concepts on the future of Mobility, Health and Energy

October 20 – 28
Witte Dame, Bibliotheek (Library ) Eindhoven,
Emmasingel 22, Eindhoven

The Exhibition

A nine-day exhibition of selected installations and presentations, a ’movie zone’ and a ’game lab’ with relevant productions and applications. This is the inspiring start of a vibrant project.

All activities are focussed on the search for new concepts in art and science within the themes of Health, Energy and Mobility. A hackathon, workshops and presentations are enriching the exhibition.

“The particle” being the only subatomic particle that we truly can observe – light.
The hands are built into the likeness of the tools -hands- of the artist.
The kinetic artwork refers to the exploration into the deepest origins of matter, and our understanding of reality. The kinetic sculpture responds to this journey of discovery.

The hands are completely digitally designed, and can now be made by use of CNC lathes and milling machines.
The fingers are composed entirely of 2-dimensional elements that are joined to a 3 dimensional object.

The choice of the materials: brass, and aluminium.

First parts …

Dry fitting the parts.

First fingers complete and assembled.

Lower side, recesses for the tension springs.

Complete first-hand – next to the original.

The first set of fingers for a set pair of hands.

To be continued …

Forged in metal by an iron will.

The artwork refers to the exploration into the deepest origins of matter.
A new chapter in human history. Quantum mechanics, will change the perception of reality forever.
As Dante,  Newton and Einstein have already done in there times.
The artwork responds to this journey of discovery.

Treasuring the particle

Two moving robotic hands cherish the particle.
“The particle” being the only subatomic particle that we truly can observe – light.

The hands are built into the likeness of the tools -hands- of the artist.

Measurement of my hands.

Isometric sketch of a finger.

Outline of the top view of a finger.

All of the fingers into two-dimensional CAD drawing.

3D render of a finger.

First step towards production, programming code for the CNC milling machine.

To be continued …