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Hardware Projects

Qirab™ designs open source hardware tools to assist with the digitization and conservation of manuscripts.

1 - Qirab™ Digitisation Column - QDC100 & QDC150

An open-source motorized vertical column camera support design for imaging maunscripts and fragile books

Introduction

The Qirab™ Digitisation Column (QDC100 & QDC150) is an 100cm or 150cm tall open-source motorized vertical column camera support specifically designed for use while imaging manuscripts and fragile books.

It provides a stable, safe, and adjustable camera platform to facilitate precise imaging when used in combination with the Qirab Conservation Cradle QCC50 as a manuscript support.

Qirab™ Digitisation Column (QDC100)

Qirab released the design under a Creative Commons license for anyone to download and construct their own QDC from common materials and 3D printed parts.

Qirab™ Digitisation Column (QDC100) horizontal camera slide adjustment

As a complement to the QDC, Qirab developed a Manuscript Digitisation Workflow and tested it as part of a manuscript preservation & digitisation case study at the Academy of Arabic Language in Cairo, Egypt.

The successful two-year testing of the Qirab ideas culminated in the academy’s 61 manuscripts being made available on Archive.org.

Design

The design of the QDC design was conceived with manual manuscript Digitisation in mind.

Qirab™ Digitisation Column (QDC100) imaging a manuscript

Key features of the Qirab™ Digitisation Column include:

  • 100 cm or 150cm vertical camera column
  • Motorized vertical movement with 0.5 mm increments
  • Safety stop switches at top and bottom. (The height of the lower switch can be adjusted to insure the camera does not touch the object being imaged.)
  • Manual horizontal camera positioning
  • Adjustable feet
  • Height reference ruler
  • 3D printable MX keycaps

Qirab™ Digitisation Column (QDC100) control buttons

Materials

The QDC is built from commodity and open source materials which should be available in most places.

Qirab™ Digitisation Column (QDC100) Arduino microcontroller and stepper motor driver

The major components include:

A full bill-of-materials is included with the design download.

Download

The CAD designs, 3D printable files, Bill of Materials, and Assembly Instructions for how to build the Qirab™ Digitisation Column QDC100 & QDC150 are available on the Qirab Github.

QDC ZIP File Download

Qirab™ Conservation Cradle CAD X-ray view

We are open to including community improvements or tool designs in future versions of the Qirab™ Digitisation Column.

License

The Qirab™ Digitisation Column (QDC100 & QDC150) design is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Creative Commons License

2 - Qirab™ Conservation Cradle - QCC50

An open-source manuscript repair support hardware design

Introduction

The Qirab™ Conservation Cradle is an open-source book support design intended to safely hold books open during conservation treatment, scientific analysis, documentation, and preservation works. It facilitates a hands-free holding of the book in a stable, conservation safe, and adjustable position without extreme pressure.

Qirab Conservation Cradle version version 2.3 QCC44 v2.3

The plans for the QCC50 are freely available for anyone to contruct their own cradle. It is built from commodity materials and 3D printed parts.

Qirab Conservation Cradle with Tyvek Tool QCC50 v1.0

Precedents

The concept of the Qirab™ Conservation Cradle was inspired by the work of Roger S. Williams1 and the team at Northwestern University on the Adaptable Conservation Book Support2 and the subsequent 3D printed upgrades done at the Auckland War Memorial Museum3.

Jeff Peachy designed a similar “book fixture”4 for conservation work which he sells as a comercial product.

Design

The design of the Qirab™ Conservation Cradle uses a 20mm aluminum profile frame mounted with 3D printed hinges onto a wood base. The base provides a clean and stable working surface where various 3D printed tools can be attached.

Qirab Conservation Cradle with light QCC50 v1.0

Qirab Conservation Cradle adustablility QCC50 v1.0

The 3D printed tools include a tool holder, a cold-shoe light mount, spatulas, rods, gray card holder and a magnetic tyvek/mylar strap holder. All are designed to be conservation safe for use on manuscripts or rare books.

Close up detail view of Qirab Conservation Cradle tools QCC50 v1.0

The tools are stored within two compartments in the cradle for easy storage and transport.

Qirab Conservations Cradle Internal Tool Strage QCC50 v1.0

Download

The CAD designs, 3D printable files, Bill of Materials, and Assembly Instructions for how to build the Qirab™ Conservation Cradle QCC50 are available on the Qirab™ Github.

QCC50 ZIP Download

Qirab™ Conservation Cradle CAD QCC50 v2.3 CAD with tools

We are open to including community improvements or tool designs in future versions of the conservation cradle.

License

The Qirab™ Conservation Cradle design is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Creative Commons License


  1. William, Roger S. “ADAPTABLE CONSERVATION BOOK SUPPORT.” Roger S. Williams, https://www.roger-s-williams.com/research#/adaptable-conservation-book-support/↩︎

  2. “BPG Materials, Equipment, and Tools.” American Institute for Conservation Wiki, 4 Nov. 2021, https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/BPG_Materials,_Equipment,_and_Tools#Adaptable_Conservation_Book_Support↩︎

  3. “Newest Trick in the Book.” Auckland War Memorial Museum, 2020, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/stories/blog/2020/newest-trick-in-the-book↩︎

  4. Peachy, Jeff. “Book Fixture.” Peachey Tools, https://www.peacheytools.com/shop/book-fixture↩︎

3 - Qirab™ Travel Digitisation Cradle - QTC50

An open-source travel manuscript digitisation hardware design

Introduction

The Qirab™ Travel Digitisation Cradle QTC50 is an open-source manuscript digitisation design intended to safely hold an A4 sized book, camera, and lights during travel imaging. It facilitates a conservation safe standards based digitisation workflow in remote locations.

Qirab Travel Digitisation Cradle version 1.0 in use at the Academy of Arabic Language in Cairo QTC50 v1.0 being used in the Academy of Arabic Language in Cairo.

The QTC50 v1.0 was tested during Qirab’s digitisation project in the Academy of Arabic Language in Cairo, Egypt

Qirab Travel Digitisation Cradle version version 1.0 folded for transport QTC50 v1.0 folded for transport.

Design

The design of the Qirab™ Conservation Cradle uses commodity 20mm aluminum profile mounted with 3D printed structural parts. The travel cradle provides a stable imaging platform where lights and various 3D printed tools can be attached.

Key features of the QTC50 are:

  • Camera aligned with imaging surface
  • Collapsable portable design
  • Uses the same Qirab tools as the Qirab Conservation Cradle
  • Integrated tool storage

Qirab Travel Digitisation Cradle version version 1.0 prototype in early testing QTC50 v1.0 during early testing for off-grid battery operation.

Download

The CAD designs and 3D printable files for constructing the Qirab™ Travel Digitisation Cradle QTC50 are available on the Qirab™ Github.

QTC50 v2.0alpha ZIP Download

The QTC50 v2.0 is currently under active development.

Qirab™ Conservation Cradle CAD QTC50 v2.0alpha CAD

We are open to including community improvements or tool designs in future versions of the QTC cradle.

License

The Qirab™ Travel Digitisation Cradle design is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Creative Commons License