Update!

Hey all, hope all is well out there. Just a quick update on current work.

The bits:

• The spout’s limit switch has been replaced with a hall effect sensor. The spout now has a small magnet embedded on the back of it, and the the sensor itself lives in the stepper mount. I just got the sensor position and fit dialed in but have not yet fully integrated it into the parent mount. This is another win for cleaning up the internal layout and simplifying the design and assembly. In the video below, I’m just holding the sensor mount against the stepper mount to show off basic functionality, but the sensor will not be visible when the integration is completed.

• I have two updated PCB designs out to fabrication. The first is the resized load cell PCB for the mech scale/mount. And the second is a small update to the Mech Control PCB to replace the limit switch input with one that can handle the 3 pin hall effect sensor. In the video demo I’m using the extra pin breakout on the current PCB. The plan is still to eventually combine the Mech Control PCB and the Pi side PCB, but with the new layout it is no longer a blocker, so it’s been moved to way down the list and is not required to start shipping.

• I’m getting into a position to have the final head unit layout completed and ready for brew demos in about 2 weeks. I’m tentatively working to have that out the weekend of the 17th.

• I have attached a very quick video demonstrating the simplified assembly of this group of parts. This is still using the smaller foot print’s primary wall, but assembly will be nearly identical for the full size version. At the end of the video there is a quick view of the spout’s embedded magnet, and then a manual triggering of the hall effect sensor. The board’s led will turn red when it senses the magnet.

Thanks, next update will be in a couple of weeks. Cheers!