Faders technology and suppliers

[dmtrs]

Hello there,

This is my first topic on this forum and feel good to be around.

I am looking to start a project of a MIDI controller. The key "component" of the project would be faders and I would like to understand technology behind this part and be able to find suppliers.

I have been reading a post from djtechtools on faders, but I was unable to understand the "keywords" if I may to look for the type of fader I am interested in ( the ones that skates along rails whilst conductive prongs stick out and tickle the conductive track).

Could I get some insight on this?

On the other hand, where do you people get your faders from? Is there any supplier you can recommend.

Thanks in advance,

Dmtrs

[Phatline]

great link thankz! ... sometimes i got ideas to build such a optical or magnetic from scratch... the problem for me is the motor

Edited March 7, 2015 by Phatline

[novski]

Hi

The most advanced Fader builder is penny & gilles. Like this: http://www.cw-industrialgroup.com/Products/Faders/Linear-Motorised-Fader-PGFM3200.aspx

But thats an expensive part. So the most used one is the Alps : http://www.alps.com/prod/info/E/HTML/Potentiometer/SlidePotentiometers/RSN1M/RSA0N11M9A0K.html

They also produce pcb mountable ones.

What you need to know is that midibox MF_NG is working with linear Faders.

If you don't know about midibox have a look to ucapps.de and the shop selling the DIY kits midibox-shop.com

Best regards

Novski

[lis0r]

Wouldn't a DIY capacitive slider be easiest? Pretty much a capacitive touch slider, similar to http://www.elektor.com/capacitive-touch-slider-sensor-module-ebm014 , with a metal block taking the place of the finger, attached to the bottom of the knob.

[novski]

Well thats certanly possible but also not easy to do if you are looking for a Motorized Fader.

I can imagine some Magnetical Cap thats been moved throu a Motor from the other side of the Frontplane but still it would be a mechanical part and i think its more reliable to directly take a Fader with mechanical tracking then. Especialy in thaughts of my 5 fingers mostly stabalizing an laying on top of the next two tracks to fade gently the one my pointing finger is moving... 😄

But maybe for DJs with just a couple of Faders it would be more interessant, also because a DJ more or less does more Manualy than Automated.

Best Regards, Novski

[lis0r]

No, I don't mean using touch sensors as touch sensors. I mean using them as the internal mechanism within the fader, triggered by a lump of metal attached to the knob carriage. If you want a concrete example, see the InnoFader. Should be easier than building an optical or magnetic fader from scratch.

[lis0r]

As for motorisation - easy, take a page from the RepRap rule book. Spectraline: http://richrap.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/3dr-reprap-delta-printer-part-2.html