Open-source automatic coil winder built for flip-dot matrix displays
A maker built a 3D-printed, Teensy-controlled automatic coil winder to produce the hundreds of electromagnetic coils needed for a custom flip-dot matrix display.
Summary
Hackaday contributor [Larry] designed and built an open hardware automatic coil winder to solve a practical problem in his flip-dot matrix display project. Each dot in the display requires two electromagnetic coils, making hand-winding impractical. The machine uses two stepper motors for winding and wire distribution, with a Teensy microcontroller providing control via an OLED display and rotary encoder interface. The mostly 3D-printed design with metal rods, bearings, and belt drives is documented as a reproducible maker project.
How the winder works
- Two stepper motors: one winds wire onto the bobbin, one moves the guide carriage for even distribution
- Bobbin retainer holds the bobbin and serves as a tie point for the wire end
- Wire spool rotates on bearings; foam pieces provide adjustable tension
- Teensy microcontroller handles motion control with homing via end-stop switch
- OLED display and rotary encoder form the user interface
- Machine tracks layer count automatically during winding
Why it matters
The project lowers the barrier for makers building electromagnetic actuators at scale, and joins a growing body of open hardware tooling for small-batch manufacturing of components that are otherwise tedious to produce by hand.
Original reference: hackaday.com →