Stepper motors rotate a dual spool with through-axle routing path, allowing for continuous rotation without tangles.
This device came about from the need to weave glass tubes together similar to how a sushi mat is constructed, using the grooves created by the groove machine to capture the wire weave.
A spool with 2 windings feeds through the central channel and then passes through the Y shaped tube, allowing the user to thread a tube between the two strands of wire. Then the button is pressed, turning the spools 180°, and the process is repeated.
The spools have a integrated tension adjuster to control the freewheeling speed, and a ratchet-lock to lock rotation so the glass tubes can be cinched tightly in the weave.
The system is controlled by an Arduino Uno running up to 5 spools at a time. A 24v power supply runs the motors and is stepped down to feed the Arduino.
The hanger assembly allows the spool units to be spaced out and placed anywhere on the grid board to match the length and the curvature of the tubes being processed.
