Description

Summary This is a lab jack, which is a height adjustable platform ideal for mounting optomechanical sub-assemblies, which require height adjustment. This component is part of the Open-source optics project (http://www.appropedia.org/Open_source_optics), whose goal is to radically reduce the cost of scientific optical hardware: by the [Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology Research Group]( http://www.mse.mtu.edu/MOST (http://www.mse.mtu.edu/MOST)). For similar see the Open-Source Lab How to Build Your Own Hardware and Reduce Research Costs (http://store.elsevier.com/coArticle.jsp?pageid=18200010&utm_source=Joshua+Pearce&utm_medium=marketing&utm_campaign=Open-Source+Lab+Free+Access) Instructions Lab jacks cost between about $30 and several hundred dollars. Use the OpenSCAD files to customize it for your application, print on your favorite open source 3-D printer and enjoy for a few bucks. This works well and can get a good quality z-axis small change for any standard optical arrangement. However, the gearing is a bit sticky so will need improved if you are going to automate with lots of precise height changes. Full information here on appropedia (http://www.appropedia.org/Open-source_lab_jack) Thanks to Nick for the designs and GregFrost for the gears. This component is part of the Open-source Optics Library: Zhang C, Anzalone NC, Faria RP, Pearce JM (2013) Open-Source 3D-Printable Optics Equipment (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0059840). PLoS ONE 8(3): e59840. This is part of a larger project to reduce the cost of scientific equipment using open-source hardware. Read more here (http://mtu.academia.edu/JoshuaPearce/Papers/1935580/Building_Research_Equipment_with_Free_Open-Source_Hardware)