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Hanso

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Everything posted by Hanso

  1. Hanso
    Thanks @Jim and @BusterHaus for the kind words. I have improved the sketch a bit more. The train has now a roof and the front is a bit more smooth. Enjoy, Hans
  2. Hanso
    The stacker crane 'counts' with a touch sensor its horizontal position. Important for this, is to have a home position so the EV3 'knows' where it is at startup. In the last version,this was done with another touch sensor, see picture below: This single sensor was only able to detect one home position. Because of all the other needed sensors, there EV3 didn't have a free sensor port to add another touch sensor on the other side to detect the opposite home position. Therefore, I added a lever to made it possible to detect the home position both on the left and right side with only one touch sensor: And a video to see how the double home positioning works in a test setup: However, introducing this double home positioning lever resulted in a new problem: at startup, if the touch sensor is pressed, the EV3 cannot determine if it is on the left or right home position. Therefore, it cannot determine in what direction it can start moving. This problem will be solved by using the sensor that is responsible for the horizontal positioning of the stacker crane. If I lower the black rail in the middle at one home position, the combination of the two sensors makes the position of the stacker crane unique: 1) Home Position sensor pressed, Horizontal Position sensor pressed = LEFT HOME 2) Home Position sensor pressed, Horizontal Position sensor released = RIGHT HOME 3) Home Position sensor released, Horizontal Position sensor pressed = SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN 4) Home Position sensor released, Horizontal Position sensor released = SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN If the stacker crane is 'somewhere in between', it doesn't matter in what direction it will start. It just needs to go to left or right to find one of the two home positions.
  3. Hanso
    Thanks for mentioning me in this thread. The train I'm working on is going to look like this (render of an LDD file by Stud.io 2.0): It's not finished yet, but it gives a good impression of what I'm thinking of. Regards, Hans
  4. Hanso
    Work in progress on the Monorail train. This is a first version: And this is how it could look like when finished (stud.io render of an LDD file): What do you think? Suggestions are always welcome. Enjoy, Hans
  5. Hanso
    In 2018, Sioux.NET on Track was not allowed to show the train layout at Lego World 2018. Fortunately, the Lego store Toypro in Nederweert (NL) offered us the space and opportunity to demo our layout at their place. December 28, 2018 we gave a successful demo to the visitors. You can find pictures at our Flickr page and a video on Youtube. Some facts and figures: The layout at Toypro used a space of approx. 7 x 3 meter. We use a total of 15 Lego Mindstorms EV3 bricks. The EV3 bricks are running (relatively) small programs written in the EV3 programming language. Each brick is only capable of handling the local functionality, e.g. the delta crane can load containers from the conveyor belt to one of the four wagons. It receives a command to do this from the master PC application. Some builds are controlled by two EV3 bricks in Daisy chain modus. We didn't use three bricks in daisy chain because of the buggy firmware :-(. The master PC application is written in Microsoft C# and WPF. It sends commands using the EV3 mailboxes to start a function and to receive status updates. For example, when the train arrives at the Delta crane, the train sends a message to the PC application that is has arrived at the loading area. Next, the PC application waits until the conveyor belt sends a message that a container has arrived at the loading platform. Then the PC application sends a "load wagon" message to the Delta crane. Etc. All the bricks are connected to the PC via USB. Two exceptions: 1) The train is connected using Wifi. 2) The EV3 that controls the air pump, works standalone. Enjoy, Hans
  6. Hanso
    The triangles are used to fix the curve, no other plans for it.
  7. Hanso
    A small video of the demo can be viewed on Youtube: Happy New Year! Regards, Hans
  8. Hanso
    You should be able to access the LXF via the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cwfv84x9j22sfot/Lego%20Monorail%20Proto%202%20v1.2.lxf?dl=0
  9. Hanso
    Thanks Jim. I used LDD to draw the rail and Studio for the rendering. If you're interested in the LDD file, I can send it to you.
  10. Hanso
    This is a rendered picture of the track with the bricks I've ordered. Can't wait to build it for real ;-) Regards, Hans
  11. Hanso
    Kind words, but too much honour for us. Best Hans PS I have ordered some bricks to build a longer piece of track. Will take some days before the next update.
  12. Hanso
    Thanks Jim. That sounds interesting. But if I skip a pin occasional, that means that the track is not fixed anymore? Or am I missing something. Can you maybe upload a photo of your configuration? Thanks, Hans
  13. Hanso
    Thanks, Ed. I'm sorry, but I don't understand the question about the 'number of modules in a curve'? Can you please give me more detail? Hans
  14. Hanso
    The first proto of the Lego Mindstorms EV3 Monorail. It runs smooth ;-) And of course a small video (the third cable is going to a touch sensor, which I used to control the train manually). Regards, Hans
  15. Hanso
    Improved the second version of the rail. Tiled up the surface, to get a smooth ride. And a part of the rail in LDD (how I added the smooth surface): I just love these 61184 elements.... Hope you like it as well. Regards, Hans
  16. Hanso
    Yes, I know that it necessay to have sloped tracks. Will need to find a solution. Until now, I always find one. But it may lead to version 3 of the track ;-) I've tried that. Tried rubber bands and the suspension spring, but since the only propulsion are the wheels, it didn't get the prototype through the kinked curve. And I see more problems with rail proto 1 for the sloped tracks, than I see with rail proto 2. BTW: More photos are available at Flickr (https://flic.kr/s/aHsmoVMS7j), this is also the place where I'll post new photos during the development of the Monorail. Hans
  17. Hanso
    My answers to your questions: The curve is not flexible. Yes, the curve joins with the straight track (otherwise there would be a gap). And the last two remarks are very nice compliments. But ... we're software engineers, therefore there will be hardly any documentation ;-) For the short term, we do not have any plans for stopping the project. We have too much fun creating it. Regards, Hans
  18. Hanso
    One of the policies within Sioux.NET on Track, is to change a build every three years. In other words, when a build has been part of a Lego World demo for three years, it should be replaced by a new one. For example, loading the train was first done by the container crane, now it is done by the delta crane. The same applies for the train: the first years, we controlled the train by an NXT, now it is controlled by an EV3. For the new layout, I am thinking of replacing the train by a monorail (and thus renaming the group to "Sioux.NET on Monotrack" ;-). I always use Youtube as inspiration. To see how others solved the typical problems you run into when building something. But I haven't seen a Lego Mindstorms monorail yet. The Lego Technic monorail created by "Osi" (click here for an example) is most nearby for what I have in mind, but it is not using Mindstorms inside. In other words, I will have to use my own imagination. What a pity ;-) I started with creating the track. This was my first attempt: Although it looks good (I was aiming at an open, industrial look), the curve is not smooth enough for a train: So, I made a second attempt: That looks much better. It was not easy to get the curve smooth AND find a brick with the right distance. This is how I managed to get this curve: A simple train (only proof of concept until now), runs easy through the curve: The next days I will continue building a motorized train (proto). Let me know what you think so far Merry Christmas! Regards, Hans
  19. Hanso
    If you want to see the finished and working warehouse, please visit us and take a look at the completed and working train layout. The demo is given in the Lego store of Toypro, you're welcome on Friday December 28th between 10:00 and 17:00 hours. More information can be found here (available in Dutch only). Regards, Hans
  20. Hanso
    Thanks, @oracid.
  21. Hanso
    Thanks @iLego. For the ones that are interested in the simple test program: The constant number in the beginning, I used to jump to a higher number once I found a series of numbers that activated the motors on brick 2. So I started testing with the const set to zero. As expected, feeding 1 .. 4 to the MotorSpeed block resulted in the motors on the first brick to run. What I didn't expected in the first place, was that the same motors were activated at numbers 101 .. 104. Then I had to wait some time (almost given up hope), and suddenly the motors on brick 2 came alive. Eureka! I looked at the current number, it was somewhere around 210 at that time (don't forget that the program was still running). I stopped the program, set the const to 200 and started the program again. Then it was a matter of trial and error to find the exact numbers for brick 2 and 3. I lost some time due to another daisy chain problem: if you have more than two bricks chained, the sensors/motors of brick 3 are not always recognized. So, you can't access them at all. The best workaround is switching the master brick off and on again. Then, in most cases, the master 'sees' the sensors/motors of brick 3. Sometimes, it also helps to remove a sensor or motor cable from the third brick, and insert the cable again. As you can see, some words are underlined. It has everything to do that I didn't found a workaround that ensures that the motors and sensors of the third brick are recognized. I assume that I would have the same problem with a fourth brick, but I cannot test that. What I do know, is that this problem doesn't occur on the second brick. So it probably is a bug in the slave part of the firmware. In our large train layout, we therefore use the daisy chain modus only with two connected bricks. That's a workaround (ahum) that always does the job. -- Hans
  22. Hanso
    Thanks, but that's too much honour for me. I used to be a programmer (and still do as a hobby). And so I thought, if I would be the programmer of the motor block, how would I solve this problem? I saw two possibilities: it's a bug, two ports should have been implemented. So there will not be a workaround. it's not a bug, then the two parts needed to be combined to one. Then I need to find the number that combines the two. There was only one way to find out: try! I made a loop and waited until the motors connected to the second brick started running. Same for the third brick. And since the numbers differ 100 per layer, I predict (not tested!!) that brick four will be 401, 402, 403 and 404. Regards, Hans
  23. Hanso
    @JimI have found the solution. I have tested it with three bricks in daisy chain. If you feed the following number to the port, it will result in: 101: Layer 1, motor A 102: Layer 1, motor B 103: Layer 1, motor C 104: Layer 1, motor D 201: Layer 2, motor A 202: Layer 2, motor B 203: Layer 2, motor C 204: Layer 2, motor D 301: Layer 3, motor A 302: Layer 3, motor B 303: Layer 3, motor C 304: Layer 3, motor D I don't have a fourth brick, but is logical to assume that: 401: Layer 4, motor A 402: Layer 4, motor B 403: Layer 4, motor C 404: Layer 4, motor D So you can use the block you created in the following manner: Hope this helps. Best regards, Hans
  24. Hanso
    This is strange, haven't seen this either. At first, I didn't understand the problem. But indeed, if you edit the motor block, you can change two inputs: the layer (1 .. 4) and the motor (A .. D). If you change either the layer or the motor to be an input connection, you get only one input channel. See the picture below. I don't have two bricks at home, so cannot test and help. But my suggestion would be to try different numbers and hope that the input is the combination of the two. For example, input 5 = layer 2, motor A so you can make a formula.
  25. Hanso
    Thanks Jim.
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