Projects continue in the 3D Lab even over the summer. Tristan, one of our students, embarked on a sophisticated camera slider project for one of his engineering classes. A slider is a unique tool in a cinematographer’s kit that has many uses. A slide is simply when a camera moves laterally through three-dimensional space. In layman’s terms, the camera moves side to side.
Tristan’s slider design used various equipment in the 3D Lab to build it. Electronics were assembled at our Electronics Station using stepper motors and an Arduino microcontroller. Pulleys were custom designed in CAD then 3D printed from ABS plastic and also laser-cut from acrylic. The enclosure was laser-cut from MDF board.
The result is impressive, a motorized slide that moves a camera at predefined speeds, complete with sensors to detect movement and endstops. We look forward to Tristan revealing the finished product for a demonstration.