TurningTurnTable

Figure 1: Overview of the functional turning assembly with happy jellyfish

About this Project and Repository

Welcome to the source code repository for the TurningTurnTable project, built on ESP32 for the dynamic control of the autonomous Turntable.

For a comprehensive assembly guide and additional project details, please refer to the Contact section, where you'll find project links leading to detailed instructions on Instructables.

Features

Autonomous Mode: The standout feature is the autonomous mode, which rotates the turntable at a specified angle and triggers the connected device via BLE to take a picture. Depending on the setup, up to 64 pictures of the object can be captured.

Hand Mode: Is the automatic mode not suitable for your needs? You can manually control the turntable through the menu, adjusting it to a specific angle or rotating it infinitely in any direction.

Control by OLED-Display and Encoder: The turntable is fully controlled through an integrated OLED display and encoder. In addition to switching between Auto and Manual modes, you can set parameters such as stepper acceleration/speed and the stepper angle between pictures. You can also check the BLE connection to your device and take a test screenshot.

Table of Contents

About this Project/Repository
Getting Started
Roadmap
Contributing
License
Contact
Acknowledgments
Support

Happy tinkering and making picutes! 🚀🛠️💡

Getting Started

Before you begin, ensure you have the following components (or their equivalents) available.

The base component is an ESP32 board with a prototyping shield, similar to an Arduino. You can also use a NodeMCU-specific board, which functions similarly but has different pin definitions. A stepper motor driver and stepper motor are connected to this board for motion control. An OLED display and encoder are installed for operating the assembly. The project uses the internal Arduino power supply and an external 12V power adapter to operate the stepper motor driver. To complete the setup, you will need some M3/M4 screws, nuts, washers, heat inserts, bearings, and cables. For wiring, refer to the pins.h file, which describes the pins used for the specific board and interface.

For detailed assembly instructions, refer to the Instructable guide and the CULTS3D homepage in the Contact section.

Figure 2: Hardware Setup -> ESP32 "Arduino", NEMA 17 Pancake Stepper, Stepper-Motor Driver Board and some connector cables

Preparing 3D-printed parts

The STL files and a detailed 3D printing overview of the project are available for download on Cults3D:

Link to Cults3D:

Feel free to explore my other projects as well 🚀.

After preparing the parts, start by assembling the base plate. Insert the heat inserts into their designated spots and then place the bearings into the gaps on the base plate. Next, attach the front plate mount. For the front plate, install the OLED display and the encoder, securing them with screws and heat inserts. Once the hardware assembly is complete, move on to the electronics, starting with the Arduino-like ESP32 board and the prototyping shield. Then, install the stepper motor and the stepper motor driver. Depending on the stepper motor used, either print the alternative stepper motor adapter plate for the NEMA 17 Pancake Stepper or mount the 28BYJ-48 directly in place. Finally, complete the assembly by adding heat inserts to the top part and screwing the gear into place.

Figure 3a: Hardware Schematics

Figure 3b: Electrical Wiring Schematics

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Comissioning

Before flashing the software onto the ESP32, pre-define your specific hardware setup in the "platformio.ini" file and set the project-specific parameters in the "TurningTurnTablePARAMETERS.h" file.

The most critical sections in the "platformio.ini" file:

[platformio]
default_envs = esp32ARDUINO ; Selecting your specific Default Environment for Software Build

[env:esp32xxxxxxxxxxxx]
build_flags = 
	-D ESP32dev_ARDUINO				; Defining Electronic Board
	-D _17HS08					; Defining Used Stepper Type in FULLStep Mode(_17HS08 or _28BYJ48)
							; Stepper Operation Mode is Setup in TurningTurnTablePARAMETERS.h

Most specific sections in the TurningTurnTablePARAMETERS.h file:

// Defining Stepper Operation Mode on your specific connection/operation Purpose
#define StepperOperation 2                              // 0 == FULL4WIRE; 1 == HALF4WIRE; 2 == DRIVER Stage with 16 MicroSteps

When you power on the turntable, it should start up, displaying the boot screen on the OLED display. The turntable is now ready for operation, and you can control it using the encoder and your smartphone.