Parametric 3 axis manipulator - optional servo mounts*

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Micromanipulator e.g. for use in a laboratory setting. For precision, see videos. Note that the motors are optional, it will work perfectly fine with manual knobs.

here is the casing for my battery-powered arduino-joystick control thing.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:263125

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Customizer variables allow to modify key variables, including X/Y/Z range or wall thickness (thick walls = more stability), and "sliding gap" - i.e. the gap between sliding parts - depending on your printer's precision, you may have to modify this parameter. Also, you can change it from metric (M3/4) to imperial by modifying the (hopefully self-explanatory) parameters in the source code (not in customizer, here I only list the most basic variables)

*design is heavily inspired by the Backyard brains "Searcher" manipulator by Timothy Marzullo (https://backyardbrains.com/products/micromanipulator).

UPDATE 2014 02 16:
Set up quick and dirty Arduino / Processing scripts for 3 axis control of the servos through Arduino-UNO, without shields. See 1st 2 new pictures and new download files (Arduino and Processing code + Motorizing instructions). Also, I elongated the knobs a bit so that the servos grasp them better, and made the servo mount screw holes a bit smaller so they screw in tighter - this is is the v19.scad / stl files.

UPDATE 2014 02 20:
Printed again on a better printer... still a tad wobbly but starting to get good precision. I uploaded some more videos taken under microscope (scale = 100 micron in the b/w movie). Also I updated the SCAD file to make knobs more stable, and changed the Arduino code servo address from byte precision to microsecond control mode (higher precision).

UPDATE 2014 02 26
Added to arduino code so that it understands the Arduino Joystick shield buttons etc. - "Servo4" arduino code. - it still works with the Processing script v3 if needed. This is the Arduino shield I used:
http://store.arduino.cc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_38&products_id=126#.Uw5Z94X1zRg . Joystick moves X/Y, top/bottom buttons move Z. Calibration mode is on the left button and "Speed" on the right (hold to go fast, release to go slow)

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ehkpQ0hmWA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwgXRefry9Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOiQ2rSF7ig
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJO5oySrIMs&feature=youtu.be