Rear View Mirror Wiper
I hate it when my rear view mirror gets covered in snow and rain. I decided to do something about it. This Instructable will show you the basics of circuits in TinkerCad and basic engineering skills. One of the great things about the instructions provided bellow is that the measurements can be changed depending on your needs and your materials. Let's get into it.
Supplies
To get started you will need the following:
Supplies:
1x MicroBit
1x Positional Servo
1x AA Battery Pack
2x AA Batteries
3x Wires to connect the electronics
3d printed arm/blade
3d printed body
Paper towel or napki
Tape, glue, or other binding material
Tools:
All you need is a 3d printer
If your file prints with support structures pliers may be needed to remove them.
3d Print the Body and Blade
Begin by 3d printing the body and blade attachments.
I used my Original Prusa Mk.2 to 3d print these. Check your filament and design for the proper settings for YOUR printer. (Files attached below)
Code Your Micro:bit
This next step can be performed while you are waiting for print to finish. For this example I used Tinkercad to code my electronics. It is important to make a model to digitally test your code before exporting.
Your code should perform the same function as the following:
-On button (A or B works) pressed --->
-repeat 2 times
-rotate servo on pin 2 to 55 degrees
-wait 2 seconds
-rotate servo on pin 2 to 0 degrees
-wait 2 seconds
Copy the photo above for the wiring diagram and code
For more on Micro:bits go to https://www.tinkercad.com/blog/explore-microbit-with-tinkercad
Wire Electronics
Follow the wiring diagram on step 2 or copy the attached photo to connect the wires. Wait until both parts are done 3d printing before moving onto the next step.
Cover the Blade.
Cut a paper towel or napkin to the correct shape shown in the picture.
Tape or glue the paper towel around the thick side of the wiper blade that was just printed.
I used tape to make the blade as low profile as possible and to keep it as low profile as possible.
Helpful hint: Try to use as little tape as possible to make sure as much paper towel is in contact with the mirror as you can.
Attach Blade to Servo
Using the 3d printed blade, Glue a servo attachment to the thin part of the blade. I secured mine with a thumb tack
The servo arm/attachment should be on the thin side of the blade and it should be on the face of the blade that connects to the 2 support pieces in the middle.
Assemble the Parts
Thread the wires for the servo through the hole in the body. Check your electronics one last time before securing the wires.
Adhere the Body to the Mirror
Once you have assembled all of the parts, it is now time to adhere it to the mirror. Place the assembled mechanism on the top of the mirror. Make sure that the blade has room to move on the mirror. Do not use any permanent bonding agents such as superglue, duct tape, or hot glue. Instead, use scotch tape or painters tape.
Congrats - you're done!