Something other than 3DP or CNC
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Hello all,
Apologies in advance if someone has already made this post. From my quick search I couldn't find something similar.
What I'd like to know is:
Is it possible to use Duet for something other than 3d printing / cnc machining?
This might sound like a rather basic question, but I'm looking to make something which is neither of these things, and I have no previous experience of building anything like this.
I do however have some 20 years experience web programming, and tinkered with RaspPI's.The reason for considering the Duet board is - what seems like - the relative ease of programming motion using the GCodes. In my plans, I will also have a need for control of multiple stepper motors, but no need for control of a hot end etc. but maybe a weight sensor.
Can anyone tell me how I might go about this / whether Duet is a good fit for this?
Would the way to achieve this be a good use case for connecting up a Raspberry PI and the creating a script to pass the gcodes?Thanks in advance for the responses.
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@mattb Duets are already used in other applications, for example horticulture and research.
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Check out @mrehorstdmd s fantastic sand tables.
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@mattb It depends what kind of motion you are trying to achieve with the stepper motors. If you need more than say 5 stepper motors then I am not aware of many choices other then the Duet3. However, if you want motors to run steady speeds then Duet may not be the best choice. Also, you don't need to be a programmer to use a Duet (although there are lots of more advanced things that you can do if you are). If you want to do coding and only run a few motors (especially at set speeds) then a RPi with a stepper Hat may be more what you are looking for. If you want something that is easier to get started on, and easier to grow to 15 stepper motors then Duet is probably a good place to start.
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Thanks all for your responses.
@oliof The sand tables look incredible. Thanks for the link
@theolodian I appreciate the comprehensive answer. It sounds like the Duet is the way to go for my project.
Is the documentation the place to get started for a novice like me? Or are there other resources that take you from zero to hero with the Duet?
