> > Here's part 2 of my idea - with a much simpler design. Opinions?
Discuss.
> 
> Your machine can only do one end of each wire and uses two
cutters/strippers, so
> it is more complicated. Their machine (from the youtube video) is clever
because
> it can do both ends and both strip and cut with one cheap tool. It can
also be
> programmed to pull off the stripped insulation if necessary. That's why it
has
> pinch roller drives on both sides of the cutter tool. What you could do is
to
> use two solenoids for cut and strip respectively, acting on the same tool,
as
> that would be faster than the screw drive. It would be much louder,
however.


Hmmm, so a piece of plywood, one stepper motor, a rubber roller, some shears
and couple of solenoids (or regular motors with cams) is complicated,
whereas multiple laser cut Perspex pieces (plus gears), THREE bipolar
steppers & drivers, two feed rollers, twin screws, 3 microswitches and a
pair of off-the-shelf pliers is clever?

I think you've been using the same dictionary that Vitaliy found socialist
in.

As the saying goes, an engineer is some who can make for 10 cents what any
damn fool can make for a dollar.  E.g. gearing down the stepper is a bit
odd, it should have enough torque to drive the screw directly.  If not, get
a bigger one.  And you only need one screw.  And if you use a cable, you can
ditch the screw.  And why leave the spring on the pliers?

The design by Solarwind can function almost the same as the other design, it
can separate the insulation, but only fully remove it from one end.  You
need to:

	Feed wire
	Close pincers
	Reverse stepper to break insulation	
	Open pincers
	Feed wire
	Close pincers
	Reverse stepper to break insulation
	Open pincers
	Feed wire
	Close shears to cut wire

It's actually better the leave the insulation on anyway, especially with
stranded wire, it stops them getting bent.  If you roll the insulation with
you finger as you remove it, it twists the strands together.  

If you use a stepper to control the pliers, then pincer / shears are the
same unit, you simply control how far to close them.

The one I made used shears to cut the wire, but sharp blades (with depth
control) to cut the insulation.  Pliers do a poor job removing insulation
(they tear, not cut) and blades dull too quickly cutting wire.  The blades
didn't cut all the way around, but it didn't matter in that case.

Tony

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