Mono Magazine

Engineering
A challenge that arose was power consumption and
considerations. The larger form factor of stepper motors provided
them with high torque capability however, has a sub-sequential
high power consumption. To successfully make the Mono device
portable, a Lithium-Ion battery was to be integrated within
the small form factor. In considering this, stepper motors were
researched to find a model that had a low profile, high torque and
low power consumption. A five volt stepper motor was found that
used gears effectively to increase the torque whilst remaining
compact and energy efficient. The discovery of this motor and its
power requirements influenced the form factor of the Mono device
as the housing had to accommodate this as well as a Lithium-Ion
battery.
To integrate the motor into the housing and effectively use it
to its full potential, a gear ratio scheme was implemented. By
introducing gears into the housing of the Mono device, the
torque of the motor could be increased further whilst also
reducing the power draw from the motor. For this to be effective,
experimentation into gear-sets and configurations was undertaken
to find the most suitable option. For this process, engineering
gear generation tools were used to explore gear ratios and tooth
interactions to maximise the efficiency of the system.
Once developed, these were laser cut using acrylic and tested
using a simple jig. A planetary gear-set was explored as the
configuration to provide rotation translation effectively through
the use of multiple gears and ratios. The challenge with using a
planetary gear-set was the driving motor that must be positioned
in the governing axis. In the formation of the Mono device, this
was a problem due to the axis being occupied by the mounting
threads and the camera mounting shaft. An alternative solution
saw the employment of a simple 5:1 gear ratio which decentralised
the motor to cater to Monos axis considerations whilst retaining
the advantages of a planetary gear-set.