Build Thread- My Robotic arm Build

[panaceabea]

I decided about a week ago I wanted to play with a robotic arm roughly human sized.

I saw the show how things are made and they went thru the build of a very similar design by Lab-Volt so I decided to build my own.

Here are a few pics at the 4 day point, the upper and lower section of the arm are done, I am machining all the timing belt cogs my self. Other than motors , belts and fastners everything is being made in house. It will be a 6 axis arm , all joints and points that move are fully ball bearing supported.

I have quite a bit more done than in these pics which were taken a few days ago, In preliminary testing this arm is easily picking up a 65 lb wieght.
I will post a few more pic monday when I get back in the shop.
Any thoughts on software to program would be greatly appreciated

http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/robarm/arm1.jpg

http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/robarm/arm2.jpg

http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/robarm/arm3.jpg

http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/robarm/arm4.jpg

[panaceabea]

how do I get these pics to display in my post?

[Switcher]

Like this?

[dhelfter]

That looks like some great work you are doing. Looking forward to more info and pictures. What are you using for motors, gear reduction also 6axis? What software are you using to control this? Does it have feedback? (closed loop)

Great job
Dan

[xitian]

I'm looking forward to following your build. Very nice looking so far. I've got an old eshed scorbot which is similar in design but I've wanted to build my own design. Does anyone know how the mechanicals work in the commercial robot's such as ABB? I’m guessing they don’t use belt drive….

[dhelfter]

panaceabea,
Please don't leave us hanging!!!!!

[chich2]

Awesome!!!!
Keep up the good work!!!!!


Chich

[Splint]

Originally Posted by panaceabea how do I get these pics to display in my post?

Here's a quick guide to adding images to your posts. Awsome project you've started there, I'd love to be able to make something like that one day.

Have a look at RobotAssist from New River Kinematics http://www.kinematics.com/products/e...ist/index.html

Here's another I found, it may or may not suit your application http://www.advancedmicrorobotics.com/pages/3/index.htm

There are others out there which I've lost track of when a virus killed my pc.

Hope this helps
Splint

[Splint]

Here's a few links, I've not had a close look at them so I dont know how suitable they are for your robot arm but I think you'll find them interesting anyway.

http://www.cimetrix.com/products.cfm

http://workspace5.com/

http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT5739475111.html

http://www.robotics.com.au/getpage.asp?PAGE=shop&cid=44

http://www.evolution.com/products/ersp/

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/robotics/default.aspx

http://www.orocos.org/

http://www.skilligent.com/products/index.shtml

http://gostai.com/

http://www.cyberbotics.com/

http://playerstage.sourceforge.net/

http://www.irobot.com/

http://openjaus.com/

http://claraty.jpl.nasa.gov/man/overview/index.php

Cheers
Splint

[panaceabea]

thanks for posting all the links, I will sit down tonight and look thru them. I should be back on the robot project in a few days , I just need to work on customers orderes the rest of the week and will jump back on it .

I dont know what software will be needed to operate the arm . I am using DC servo motors to rotate the base, and move shoulder, elbow ,and wrist joints . I will probably use steppers because of size to rotate the wrist and operate the grippers

[chich2]

Hello Panaceabea,
How is your progress on the robot? Such an interesting project. Have you had time to continue with it?

Chich

[vinot]

very nice!
pls keep us informed! I'm planning too to start with it.

toni