After a successful installation at both OggCamp 2013 and FACT’s Cloudmaker: Making Minecraft Real exhibition, TLRN — the three wire hanging crane is next to be installed as part of the Public Engineering project that links Bochum and Liverpool.

When Ellesmere port won the Vauxhall/Opel contract to build new Astras, Bochum — another factory town — lost it’s Opel plant and, as a result, is now having to redefine its-self without a major automotive employer, similar to the problem that faced Detroit. Public Engineering wants to try out and discuss strategies and methods by which the technical know-how of a region can be preserved and developed. It’s a Liverpool–Bochum collaboration that is bringing a manufacturing item from Liverpool (the TLRN crane) to install in an exhibition in Bochum that is then built upon and changed by members from Bochum’s Das Labor hackspace.

TLRN controller in rackmount case 10U×2U rackmount case travel controller

As part of this, I’ve made another revision to the three-wire version of the TLRN crane, made it wireless controlled with a battery powered block grabber head, similar to the one used in the Minecraft project, so it can pick up, move and place prepared cardboard boxes. In redeveloping the controller to make it internationally portable the whole unit now packs into a 19” rack mount DJ mixer case; in making the face plates to hold the controls, I’ve also created a set of 19” rack mount plate templates that were used for laser cutting, from 1U to 6U.

As there wasn’t anything similar available on Thingiverse, I’ve uploaded my templates ready for anyone’s rack mount fascia requirements: thingiverse.com/thing:364233

1U-6U Rack Mount Fascias 1U-6U Rack Mount Fascias

Happy lasering and see you in Bochum for a go on the crane if you’re nearby.