From: blockedofcourse@foo.invalid   
      
   On 1/8/2026 8:27 AM, DJ Delorie wrote:   
   > Don Y  writes:   
   >> But, why can't the machine VERIFY the connection (by "talking/listening"   
   >> to whatever is on the other side)?   
   >   
   > I'm assigning one pin to be "device connected" but the device isn't   
   > smart.  Basically, it's a switch, either on or off.  The only way to   
   > really *test* the device is to touch something, but if it doesn't   
   > trigger, it's likely to just break off if the machine doesn't stop in   
   > time.   
   >   
   >> If you want a wiping action, then it will tend to require more   
   >> force (friction).   
   >   
   > I've got a big servo motor driving it down.  I have enough force.  I   
   > probably have too much, hence wanting something that self-aligns the   
   > last bit so the motor doesn't just destroy the connector.   
      
   Ugh!  Brain Fart!  I've been reading "CNC" but *thinking* "3D printer",   
   hence looking for smaller, "daintier" connectors.  I was wondering why   
   "sawdust" was an issue!  <:-(   
      
   When I was a kid, I would get my "electrical" parts from scrapped   
   "pin setters" (think: bowling).  These typically had several 220V   
   fractional HP motors to drive the various mechanisms (bowling pins   
   are surprisingly heavy!  moving ten of them at a time isn't something   
   you do casually).   
      
   Many of the subassemblies were on sleds (1/4 thick steel plate)   
   that would slide into the "chassis".  As these are too heavy to   
   lift and carefully align, they would be coarsely aligned and then   
   "driven home" with a fair bit of blind force, hoping the connectors   
   would mate and not break.   
      
   The connectors floated with a pair of tapered steel pins to "home"   
   them relative to each other.  The pins were flat copper strips   
   better than .125" wide (there's 14AWG wire carrying a couple of amps   
   attached to each so far from dainty -- but, no need to be as a pinsetter   
   is probably 2 dozen cubic feet in volume!).  They could tolerate a great   
   deal of mechanical abuse as, invariably, these "sleds" wouldn't quite   
   line up as they were driven home and the connector bodies had to absorb   
   the abrupt impacts (including being mechanically "over driven")   
      
   We used a similar connector in the weight control module on tablet   
   presses.  But, I can't seem to find photos of either application   
   by way of illustration.   
      
   Way back then, I didn't document things as that required real film   
   and a trip to the drug store (and an expense!).   
      
   I'll try some image searches and see if I can find anything   
   similar.  But, you likely don't need as much current carrying   
   capacity, I assume...?   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)