FLIR ETS320 - Design comment and improvements by Fraser

[Fraser]

More pieces of the project have just arrived. This time it is the FFC and coupler board 

I purchased two lengths of FFC as I was unsure which I would use. One is 10cm long, and the other is 20cm in length.

I will use the FFC coupler and FFC to extend the length of the LCD display ribbon to a more sensible length. This will enable easier disassembly and re-assembly of the camera and reduce the risk of damage to the LCD ribbon. The FFC coupler was sourced in the UK for speed of delivery, but is available from China via eBay at a lower price.

The spec for the LCD display FFC is :: 20 conductors with 0.5mm pitch. The FFC total width is 20mm. I purchased the Wuerth 10cm cable from Radio Spares and the AWM 20cm FFC came from a UK seller on ebay.

Fraser

[Fraser]

I have just printed a draft of Joe-C's revised Ex series lens block housing with the extended focus ring. I increased the diameter of the assembly by a factor of +1.06 and printed in inverted to avoid the need for support material. It printed very well with a 0.2mm layer height and standard print quality. The fine threads are well defined and fit for purpose.

The printed part now has a thread major diameter of 13.90mm. THis is compared to the FLIR OEM part loose fitting thread major diameter of 13.65mm. The larger diameter thread is a little tight for my liking so I will need to determine a happy medium between the two diameters to provide a nice smooth, but slightly firm thread movement. The Loose FLIR thread is way too sloppy for daily use. For those interested, the metal threaded hole into which the lens housing screws has a minor thread diameter of 12.90mm.

For an ISO 6g M14 x 1 Bolt, the following thread Major and Minor diameters apply:

Major 13.974mm Max to 13.794mm Min   
Minor 12.891mm Max to 12.590mm Min

For an ISO 6H M14 x 1 Nut, the following thread Minor and Major diameters apply:

Minor 12.917mm Min to 13.153mm Max
Major 14.000mm Min to 14.304mm Max 

My latest printed thread had the following dimensions

Major = 13.90mm  = Just within tolerances
Minor = 13.01mm  = Outside tolerance and too large a diameter

Fraser

[Fraser]

I connected up the FFC extension cable this evening to ensure that it would work.

All went smoothly and the 200mm FFC works perfectly. The FFC coupler board will thankfully fit neatly inside the case without any modifications needed. I will likely use the shorter 100mm FFC during final assembly. That will give me enough length to connect everything up without the need to 'loose' lots of length inside the units case.

Fraser

[Fraser]

I was considering options for creating a neat lens assembly for the ETS320. I have a hankering for an black aluminium outer cover for any 3D printed lens holder i create. It will hopefully look more professional than a plain 3D printed ABS assembly.
 
I considered modifying some small C mount CCTV lenses that I have but then thought of the cheap auxiliary lenses sold for use on mobile phones. These lenses often come in sets of 3 to 8 lens assemblies that mount on a threaded clip mount. I bought a few on ebay and they ranged in price from 45p to around £5 depending upon the lens set contents, auction and location. Some of the sets have arrived and I have to say, for the money, I am impressed. The fit and finish is excellent. The lenses are just acrylic but the shell around them is very nicely produced aluminium. Th elens retainer is a threaded ring and not just glue on these lenses.

The aluminium lens element holders are thankfully easy to dismantle so I can repurpose them without risking damage to the exterior finish.

These very inexpensive, mass produced lens sets are well worth considering if you want some very neat mini aluminium lens holders. I attach pictures of one set of 8 lenses that I purchased for £5 ex UK warehouse.The set of 8 gives me a large choice of shapes and sizes of aluminium casing so I can choose the most suitable for a task. I may use the largest lens on the ETS320.

Fraser

[Fraser]

The wonders of 3D printing ..... so quick to make parts.... I have produced a new print of Joe-C's extended lens housing. I scaled its diameter up by a factor of +1.04 this time.

The print was a tight fit in the ETS320 lens mount but after a few runs up and down its full travel it loosened nicely and is now a perfect fit with a perfect amount of resistance so it will not drift out of focus easily. There is the question of the longevity of a 3D printed ABS thread. The thread may become too loose over time. I have a M14 x 1 triple Tap set and M14 x 1 Die on their way to me, just in case I decide to make metal lens block housings or threaded sections. The Die will also help to clean the threads of any 3D printed housings. 

Fraser

[Fraser]

I did another print of the Joe-C lens holder and it is now the perfect matching thread for the metal lens mount in the Ex series 

I upscaled Joe-C's holder diameter for the thread by a factor of +1.03. The finished print is a lovely smooth, but adequately tight fit in the mount threads. If I modify the Joe-C lens holder, I will increase the dimensions of the threaded section on the original CAD design accordingly.

It is a nice feature of the 3D printer driver that I can 'tweak' dimensions using the resize tool in order to achieve the 'perfect' fit of one part into another 

Fraser