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Noo-b

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youfourian

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Hello everyone, I'm new here:)
I'm not very experienced with electronic & electrical systems formally, so I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, but here goes.
I want a unit that will monitor and display certain information of an electrical circuit's cycle as it is in operation.
Here's how the cycle goes; non powered, there is a steel bar attached to a flat steel spring that holds to a frame. The spring forces the steel bar away from a pair of electromagnets. Attached to the steel bar is a second spring, that makes contact with an adjustable contact point, which is compressed in this non powered state.
When power is applied to the circuit, the magnets draw the steel bar away from the contact point, breaking the circuit and causing the force of the spring pressure to return the steel bar to the contact point, starting the cycle again.
During this cycle, there is an "open contact" time, where there is no electrical contact. It is the time from when the contact spring leaves the contact point, while the steel bar is on it's way to the magnet's surface and then back until the contact spring makes contact with the contact point again from the force of the frame spring.
There is also a "closed contact" time, when the spring contacts the contact point, through the spring compression cycle, until the contact is broken again on the steel bar's return to the magnet.
This takes place in the 100 to 150hz:confused: range, but I'm not sure if that is the correct use of hz for this forum, as I think the "hz" in my sense might be cycles per second.
Sorry for my naivety, but I've not been to school for this stuff, yet:eek:
Anyway, I would like to know if there are any devices readily accessible that would be able to accomplish this.
I would like to be able to read the frequency(cycles per second/hz?), open contact time, closed contact time, and/or a relationship between those last 2, as a combination of the 2 is equal to 1 complete cycle, and finally any chatter or skips in the voltage during the closed contact time(spring compression and release).
And if not, how difficult would it be to make a unit capable of this?
 
The device you just described sounds like a simple buzzer.

Yes hertz is the correct term for the frequency.

An oscilloscope would give you all the information you are asking for on this buzzer device.

As a complete beginner, building an oscilloscope, or anything else which may do the task, is not a quick and cheap option.

Can you beg and borrow an oscilloscope from somewhere?

JimB
 
What's the point of this?

Is it to control a load?

Instead of using a machanical switch which will wear out consider using an astable 555 timer and a transistor.

What are the current and voltaghe requirements?
 
I know an oscilloscope will work, but they are expensive and I do not know how to use one. I don't personally know anyone who has one.
The mechanism is a tattoo machine. It has 2 electromagnets that are energized by a power supply and a foot switch / clip cord combo. The voltages vary from between 6 and 10 volts and I've never seen the current go above .2 to .25 amps. and is usually around .15 - .17 amps.
When at rest, the rear spring attached to the machine frame holds tension to a contact point via an armature bar and a front spring which complete an electrical circuit. When you step on the foot switch, applying power to the circuit, the electromagnets become energized and pull the armature bar and spring combination toward them and away from the contact point. When this happens, the electrical circuit is broken and the electromagnets let go of the armature bar causing the rear spring to push the bar back up to make the contact again. This happens between 100 and 150 times per second. Each time this cycle takes place is referred to as a duty cycle. This duty cycle is divided between open and closed contact time and is measured as a percentage.
The needles that put the ink into the skin are attached to the armature bar and move with it.
A lot of aspects of how a tattoo comes out have to do directly with how well the machine is running. How well the machine runs is directly dependent on this duty cycle, particularly, closed contact time. A smooth running machine has a closed contact time between 45 and 60 percent of the complete cycle. This produces clean smooth lines and solid shading and color application as well as reducing skin trauma. I am trying to find an inexpensive device to measure this without buying an expensive specialty power supply that meters this, among other things, as I already have a good power supply.
My power supply monitors and displays voltage and current. A company makes a power supply that meters voltage, duty cycle (as a percentage represented by closed contact time), hertz, and what is referred to as "follow through" which measures how cleanly the contact points are opening and closing by showing any voltage skips during the closed contact portion of the duty cycle.
If they sold a unit that would monitor these things without the power supply, such as an in line meter that could be connected between the power supply and the machine, I'd be interested in purchasing it, but they only offer it as part of the unit and it is expensive. I already own a good power supply and don't want to buy theirs.
 
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