FabScan Foldable

Fabscan Foldable is a smaller, transportable version of the FabScan Pi. The poassible scan dimensions are almost the same as the original FabScan (albeit no second Laser and no optional Laser rotation possible), but especially transport size, but also build up size is much smaller. The blue silent stepstick driver alows in combination with a 2.8V stepper motor even the use of a 5V power supply, making it even possible to use it as a real powerbank powered mobile version.

Otherwise electronics are basically the same as for the normal fabscan; Raspberry Pi 3 with the Fabscan shield (no voltage regulator necessary), line laser and the pi camera with WS2812 led ring.

Housing is made with laser cut 3mm MDF (here painted with acrylic paint, which is not absolutly necessary.)

Just as a brief history rollup: Some pictures of the predecessors: Slightly bigger size, still with the normal 12V power supply, with hinges and a top lid, making the build more complicated, heavier and harder to maintain.

Building it is pretty straightforward: The parts from the svg-file are lasercut out of 3mm MDF. Then top and bottom parts are glued together. Top side uses the sides with smaller heights and have a secondary "inner" wall with 3mm distance gap for the side walls with even lesser height. The Bottom side consists of two walls diectly glued next to each other, with 4 small parts as holder for the walls as third row behind the dents.

While the bigger walls (here grey paintes) stay lose, both smaller sides are connected with the bottom with tape as hinge. Check alignment of the side with the mounting holes for camera and laser according to the picture. The laser holder is assembled with a stack of smaller parts, first the stack for the laser, glued together and hold in place with a smaller ring on top and bottom. Then the mounts (inner rings with the same diameter) are but around them and fixated with a ring with bigger diameter glued on top and bottom again (make sure the the laser can be still moved afterwards).

For height reasons the stepstick driver is directly glued on the Fabscan hat, and wires for laser, LED-Ring and Stepper motors are either connected with bend pin header or directly soldered on the hat.

After mounting the Pi and the rest of the electronic, wires are fixated with tape and finally the turntable mounted with a Pololu universal mounting hub.

An SD-card with the FabScan image is the flashed (see instructions on the Fabscan website). The only adjustment necessary compared to the original FabScan image is the change in the setup file of the motor steps from 6400 to 3200 (which is nicely explained in the FAQ there :)

Afterwards calibration and scanning can start (For the original Fabscan Calibration mount the pads at the bottom for the mounting holes have to be removed, and the diameter has to be reduced which can be made by brute-force which i did)