Wednesday, March 18, 2026
PIKA Preliminary Backlash Test, X Axis
I drew a series of vertical lines spaced at 100μm plus an increasing/decreasing delta, hoping to create a kind of vernier scale. The upper lines were done left to right, the lower ones right to left. Yes, I need to level the bed again, still haven't got round to it. Also need to glue the magnets down because they're moving, which should not matter but just in case...
The results here, to my immense surprise and joy, show no discernible backlash on the lines at each end, which are the ones that are supposed to line up if everything is aligned properly with no backlash. There might be a bit, but it's within the "noise" of dragging a probe across the surface subtractively.
I'll have to check my algorithm because the spacing looks a little wibbly, and do one for the Y axis as well, then post the vernier generator on github. Still, it's consistent behaviour, and nice straight lines, which I will take as a win.
