Hey everyone! I’m putting together an automated tracking turret with the immediate goal of reliably painting moving targets (like drones) with a laser at ~30 meters, with potential projectile integration down the road.
I'm trying to make this as mechanically rigid and precise as possible on a decent budget. I'd love to get feedback from anyone who has tackled similar builds on my parts stack and mechanical choices.
⚙️ The Build Stack
Actuation & Drive: * 2x STEPPERONLINE 3.0 Nm Closed-Loop NEMA 23 Steppers (with integrated encoders for zero step-loss)
6:1 reduction using wide 10mm timing belts
Mechanical setup: Using separate dead shafts, collars, and independent bearing blocks to crank belt tension way up without side-loading or fatiguing the motor shafts.
Bearings: * RU85 Precision Crossed Roller Bearing (Pan axis)
Preloaded pillow block bearings (Tilt axis) on a balanced yoke layout
Vision & Processing: * Coarse acquisition: Wide-angle USB webcam
Precision tracking: 1MP Global Shutter Arducam (OV9281) with a 20mm CCTV lens
Compute: Pi Zero 2W onboard acting as the hardware interface, communicating with a laptop running the CV tracking pipeline.
Power: MEAN WELL LRS-350-24 (350W, 24V)
❓ What I'm Looking For Advice On:
Backlash & Rigidity: Are there any weak points in my belt-tensioning or bearing layout (RU85 + pillow blocks) that might introduce play under rapid direction shifts?
Distance Tracking: For future ballistics calculations, does anyone recommend a good, budget-friendly 1D LiDAR module (under ~$50–$100) capable of reliably measuring distance out to 30+ meters at a high refresh rate?
General Tuning: Any tips for tuning closed-loop NEMA 23s to track fast, erratic movement smoothly without overshoot?