Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Building a tracker: our current version

We recently have built several new video tracking setups for microfluidic behavior experiments. By using inexpensive optics, LED backlighting, and machine vision cameras, we have reduced costs to under $1000 each.  Here we use off-the-shelf support materials, although some custom machining may be required to attach the camera.

Our current setup:

Parts:
Vendor Item Description Catalog # Qty Price ea Total Notes







Edmund Optics Ring Mount with 0.75" Inner Diameter (ID)  Stock No. #54-264   2 16.50 33.00
Edmund Optics Small Platform Base  Stock No. #53-009   1
219.00
Edmund Optics 3/4" Dia Stainless Posts, Vertical Post 24"  Stock No. #52-100   1
60.00
Edmund Optics 3/4" Dia Stainless Posts, Horizontal Arm 18"  Stock No. #39-354   1
55.00
Edmund Optics Steel Post, 4" Length, 1/4-20 Stud  Stock No. #59-000   4 9.70 38.80
Edmund Optics 90 Degree Angle Mount Stock No. #39-355 1
49.00
McMaster Carr Two Conductor Power Cord NEMA 1-15 Plug, SPT-1-Flat, 18/2 AWG, 6' Length 7248K21 1
2.29
McMaster Carr Heat-resistant Borosilicate Glass Square, 1/4" Thick, 10" X 10" 8476K225 1
16.82
McMaster Carr Push-in Flexible Rubber Grommet Ms 35489-91, An 931-c3-5, 3/16" Id, 7/16" Od 9307K37 1 pk
4.84
McMaster Carr 18-8 Ss Button Head Socket Cap Screw 8-32 Thread, 5/8" Length 92949A196 1 pk
5.87
McMaster Carr Standard Rubber Edge Trim 1/4" Opening, 19/32" Inside Depth 8507K32 10 ft
2.49
McMaster Carr Plastic-Head Thumb Screw Black Rosette Head, 1/4"-20 Thread, 5/8" Length, packs of 10 91185A805 1 pk
11.01
Automate Scientific Syringe Bracket (holds 8x 35ml and 60ml syringes) sybrk8 1
48.00
Ebay Pixelink PL-A741 (or similar)
1
150.00 range 150-300
Ebay Zoom lens 18-108/2.5 No. 4520988 (or similar)
1
15.00 range 15-75
Ebay 12W Panel SMD LED Ceiling Down Light Bulb Lamp square
1
22.99 range 23-28
Amazon "3M Gold Privacy Filter-3M GPF19.0W Widescreen Monitor Privacy Screen"
1
74.24 enough for three
Amazon Dremel 7134 diamond bit, or 3/16" diamond drill bit
1

to drill glass





808.35 TOTAL

Building the tracker:
  1. Assemble 24" vertical post, 18" post, and four 4" steel posts onto small platform base.
  2. Drill four 3/16" holes in the 10x10" glass plate and insert grommets.
  3. Attach glass plate to steel posts and add optional rubber edge trim.
  4. Solder power cord to LED backlight.  Cut privacy filter to fit backlight, 2 pieces at 90 degrees rotation.
  5. Screw syringe bracket to ring mount and add thumb screw.
  6. Attach zoom lens to camera and mount to 90 degree angle mount.

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