Almost on a very first day it was clear that I want to make camera rail for timelapse photography. Also a concept of my camera rail was quite clear all the time. Minor changes of used materials and methods are made during process. This site I keep track last steps of my project and how I complete my final project. In Final project site is more accurate explanation of my camera rail project. Before this point I have clear idea to how get all needed things to do. I have also made almost all main components during weekly assignment or on my own during spring. So there are only couple last things to do and get all components assembled together. Other parts which are not produced yet are anyway designed ready so I need only product last parts, assemble everything and made code to control electronics. I have enough time to do it if there is no major problems during last steps. I made control chart below to see last step and how I manage to do them. My deadline is presentation day 14th of june and I have about 1 week time left. All designs are ready so I think I can complete all tasks before deadline. 

Tracking final steps

WHAT NEED TO DO

1. -Make files and cut new legs from acrylic plastic, week 21 - Done
   

2. -Purchase bearings, some components, Threaded rod (thrapetzoidal thread), week 21/22 - Done
   

3. -Make or purchase thrapetzoidal thread nut, week 22 - Done
   

4. -Make/complete pcb boards, week 22 - Done
   

5. -Print last mechnical parts, week 22/23 - Done
   

6. -Machine thrapetzoidal rod ends, week 22 - Done
   

7. -Assembly mechanics, week 23 - Done
   

8. -Assembly electronics, week 23 - Done
   

9. -Make controlling code, week 23 - Done
   

10. -Test mechanics/electronics, week 23/24 - Done
    

11. -Take photographs and make timelapse video, week 23/24 - Done

I started last steps of final project by finalizing all mechanic parts which are easy to do for me. I cut new legs from acrylic plastic, assembled rail body, assembled bearings and camera head, machined main axel and tilt axel. I noticed that I need to design holders and cradle for electronics for better fitting in camera rail body. So I design holders and cradle and 3D print them. Then I assembled stepper motors and tested mechanics.

Electronics production was another thing to do. So I milled my earlier (during spring) designed EAduino and stepper motor boards and soldered components to boards. Then searched proper wires for electronics and my camera rail electronics were ready.

Last thing to do was programming which was clearly hardest part for my project. I have clear idea what I want but I didn´t know how to do it. Code is simple but putting it to work correctly was not easy. Always there was a missing ) or ; so code didn´t work. Also first idea to control all stepper motors by using computer keyboard and making android app later wasn´t successful because I realize lack of pins in ATmega328. So I jump over that step and made straight Android app by using MIT app inventor 2 with that I create Android app for controlling my camera rail motors. I also made first test programs for Arduino uno board and decided first making working program for Arduino and then just copying it to my own electronics. Also I have really limited access to test android app because I have no android devices so need to use Antti Mäntyniemi´s android phone when we were at our Fab LAb at same time.

I find out many development ideas for camera rail. For example adding option to android app which reverse time lapse loop drive direction. With that option it is possible to take timelapse video to both directions and there is no need every time to drive camera head different end to start position. Also tilt motor is quite weak for heavier cameras so it have no enough power to hold camera head on correct position. So I need to figure out how to lock camera head tilt. Also I learned that 3 mm movement is too much for timelapse by using 1-2 mm movement for camera head will movement in video would be much smoother. This project will be interesting when all components start to work correctly. During assembly and test drive it take lot of interested people asking what is my project and where them could buy it.

                                 ”It is free and available - you have to just make it”