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speciousfool
speciousfool
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I'd like to drive a pair of mechanical shutter / apertures with an electromagnet. For those curious, we're using a shutter from Edmond optical. For the particular application, I'd like to design a compact actuator to drive it. (I had considered just hacking a camera lens with a shutter, but couldn't find one that was large enough for my needs).

So at present I am thinking about attaching a neodymium magnet to the lever of the shutter and then using a series of electromagnets to push it between open and closed. Which all leads to my first question: how can build compact electromagnet?

It seems like the steps involved are to find a solenoid and then to drive it with a decent voltage difference. I wonder if anyone could recommend a good small solenoid for such purposes. Does it make more sense to roll my own with an iron core and insulated wire?

My second question is more open-ended: can you think of a better way to drive such a shutter? How would you design the shutter motor?

UPDATE: in response to comments:

@tyblu the shutter needs to be open or closed in about 500 microseconds (but exactness is not important).

@bt2 a solenoid is interesting, are you thinking of hitting the lever and letting momentum carry it across to the close position?

I'd like to drive a pair of mechanical shutter / apertures with an electromagnet. For those curious, we're using a shutter from Edmond optical. For the particular application, I'd like to design a compact actuator to drive it. (I had considered just hacking a camera lens with a shutter, but couldn't find one that was large enough for my needs).

So at present I am thinking about attaching a neodymium magnet to the lever of the shutter and then using a series of electromagnets to push it between open and closed. Which all leads to my first question: how can build compact electromagnet?

It seems like the steps involved are to find a solenoid and then to drive it with a decent voltage difference. I wonder if anyone could recommend a good small solenoid for such purposes. Does it make more sense to roll my own with an iron core and insulated wire?

My second question is more open-ended: can you think of a better way to drive such a shutter? How would you design the shutter motor?

I'd like to drive a pair of mechanical shutter / apertures with an electromagnet. For those curious, we're using a shutter from Edmond optical. For the particular application, I'd like to design a compact actuator to drive it. (I had considered just hacking a camera lens with a shutter, but couldn't find one that was large enough for my needs).

So at present I am thinking about attaching a neodymium magnet to the lever of the shutter and then using a series of electromagnets to push it between open and closed. Which all leads to my first question: how can build compact electromagnet?

It seems like the steps involved are to find a solenoid and then to drive it with a decent voltage difference. I wonder if anyone could recommend a good small solenoid for such purposes. Does it make more sense to roll my own with an iron core and insulated wire?

My second question is more open-ended: can you think of a better way to drive such a shutter? How would you design the shutter motor?

UPDATE: in response to comments:

@tyblu the shutter needs to be open or closed in about 500 microseconds (but exactness is not important).

@bt2 a solenoid is interesting, are you thinking of hitting the lever and letting momentum carry it across to the close position?

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speciousfool
speciousfool
  • 163
  • 1
  • 5

Controlling a mechanical shutter with an electromagnet

I'd like to drive a pair of mechanical shutter / apertures with an electromagnet. For those curious, we're using a shutter from Edmond optical. For the particular application, I'd like to design a compact actuator to drive it. (I had considered just hacking a camera lens with a shutter, but couldn't find one that was large enough for my needs).

So at present I am thinking about attaching a neodymium magnet to the lever of the shutter and then using a series of electromagnets to push it between open and closed. Which all leads to my first question: how can build compact electromagnet?

It seems like the steps involved are to find a solenoid and then to drive it with a decent voltage difference. I wonder if anyone could recommend a good small solenoid for such purposes. Does it make more sense to roll my own with an iron core and insulated wire?

My second question is more open-ended: can you think of a better way to drive such a shutter? How would you design the shutter motor?