[patriciooholegu]

does anyone has tray to make a robotic arm?
Does anyone have plans?
I have the idea on my mind and the past weeks i collected a few parts usefull for building one. i also downloaded and installed Mastercam and Robotmaster plugin for it, but not figured out already how to make one to plug-in to the computer.
Anyone?
Servos without exception? Or i´m able to use steppers?
Parallel port conected? step, dir, and enable are enough?

The intention i have is to build a robotic arm (I counted 5 motors needed) to make the exact same shop as a small cnc router for wood). Lets say a working area of 40x40 mm.; So i´m guessing that nema 23 stepperas are enought for the project (gear reduction needed, of course).

by the way, it will be amazing if some genius build a plugin for controlling robotic arms with mach3.

[KTP]

a 3 or 4 axis mill, or even more so a hexipod is really just a special purpose robot arm, better suited for accuracy and precision when you want to mill or engrave something. Your robot arm will get really beefy in a hurry if you try to make it not flex when taking even light cuts. I guess there is a reason the Fanuc welding robot arms are 3000 to 4000 pounds...

[patriciooholegu]

yes you have a point there.
Anyway, wath about this: I always wanted to build a machine to paint marquetry on my fornitures. On the next summer (One ear from now. it´s summer in Argentina) i have plans to make a bussines were the furnitures will be made alive by cnc machines, and it cross my head the idea that a robotic arm, instead of a simple cnc table, will be very more atractive.
So, a cnc controlled robotic arm, to HOLD A PEN (And in the future, more then that...).
So far a have chequed the user interface of robotmaster and have no clue, jajaja!!! (Installed on Mastercam), and have seen some matterials usefull (steppers, aluminium stock... also i have 5 servomotors savaged from copier machines with drivers...)
Any idea will be lovely.
By the way, sorry about my inglish.

[Adamj12b]

Well im all for helping on this project. Ive designed a rather large robotic arm before. Haven't built it yet, but i got SW drawings and models of it. My arm houses all the motors in the base. It is better for strength, but im sure adds backlash to the end effecter. Im sure my plans might be able to be adapted to work, if not, I can start something new. I like challenges. lol. Let me know what you think.

-Adam

[FandZ]

You have my attention.

Well im all for helping on this project. Ive designed a rather large robotic arm before. Haven't built it yet, but i got SW drawings and models of it. My arm houses all the motors in the base. It is better for strength, but im sure adds backlash to the end effecter. Im sure my plans might be able to be adapted to work, if not, I can start something new. I like challenges. lol. Let me know what you think.

-Adam

[klpauba]

[snip]

by the way, it will be amazing if some genius build a plugin for controlling robotic arms with mach3.

I don't know much about mach3, but there are a number of kinematics modules for emc2 that will control robots configured as you describe.

[smitjs]

Hi,
I need to build a robot arm to feed seedlings from seedling trays into a planting arm.
Problem1: Electrical power 12v DC only. The ram needs to be robustly driven in three axis, x,y,z. The arm will be fitted on a tractor, so the platform will move and shake.
If electric drive, where to find power steppers or servos?
Hydraulics appear to be out, as small hydraulic cylinders are unobtainable here.
Pneumatics have the problem of starting slow due to the inertia, then pick up speed uncontrollable. Not on. The end effector has to stop resonable precisely at every seedling.
Preferrably the power source must be stationary to minimise the inertia. How to control the arm? Cables? Chains?
Polar control or cartesian?
Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks Smitjs

[Adamj12b]

Hi Smitjs,

Sounds like an interesting project. Some important questions though. What is your budget? Also, what is the tractor that this will be behind? Will it be mounted directly to the tractor or just on some form on trailer? What is the reach needed?

When you mentioned tractor, my first thought would be use a backhoe, modified with computer controlled valves and position sensors on the pivots. No need making some kind of power when a tractor is providing it. The only drawback to this idea that I can see as of right now is the moving speed of the arm.

-Adam

[smitjs]

Hi Adam,
Thanks for the reply.
Not on a trailer, but built onto a Bell SJ315 tractor.
The size of the seedling tray is 750mm x 350mm. Maximum reach therefore in the order of 1m. Valves and computer control is not the problem, it is how to turn the tractor power, 12v, hydraulic, or pneumatic pressure into controlled arm movement. Hydraulics seems to be unavailable in small scale, and pneumatics appear to be good only for fixed end points. In this instance the end effector on the arm must stop at any of 128 specific positions.
Strong steppers or servo motors will do well, I think, but unavailable for 12v.
The drawback of pneumatics is the compressibility of the air. There is no fixed position except at the endpoints. Ideally, small low pressure cylinders with some or other fluid will be nice.
Any suggestions appreciated.
smitjs

[patriciooholegu]

so people i steel trying to undestand how to manage robotmaster before starting to develop my robot. I have all i need refering to hardware for it (Electronics, aluminium, steppers, etcetera) but Robotmaster drives my nuts.
does anyone now if it is posible to asign pins for step, dir and enable trough parallel port with this software?
I didnt find any help so far on any web page.
Please help!

[mluqman]

Hello everyone, FYI maybe this link could be useful http://cncfanuc.blogspot.com

[CaptainVee]

Hi Adam,
it is how to turn the tractor power, 12v, hydraulic, or pneumatic pressure into controlled arm movement.
smitjs

Add a bigger alternator to the tractor and use a good quality inverter to turn it in to 230V (or 110 if applicable) or even use a generator. Both seem so much easier and cheaper than finding stuff to make everything work on 12V

[coloradonewbie]

Can't help you with plans, but I make all the parts for this robotic arm on a Haas VF-Milling Center and lathe.

Pretty cool unit they sell. The robots are not sold by us.

http://www.themachinelab.com/news/MM...OD%20Specs.pdf

[gualalasmooth]

Check out this video STARSHIP GROOVE on my website lets build one of theseBuild Your Homemade CNCGo to the starship groove link there and watch the video and tell me is it possible to build this one Tom

[eloid]

Check out this video STARSHIP GROOVE on my website lets build one of theseBuild Your Homemade CNCGo to the starship groove link there and watch the video and tell me is it possible to build this one Tom

post a direct link, for it...

[eloid]

If anyone is interested in designing / sharing ideas for a robotic arm check out my thread on 5 axis robotic arms


http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...hematic-2.html

[Jamison]

How about this type of robot arm. Cheaper, more rigid and fasssst.

these are two I made with nema23 motors.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkbFCVcRP88"]YouTube - Fast 140ppm mid sized delta robot[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv5B63HeF1E"]YouTube - Mini Delta Robot with background noise to verify actual speed[/nomedia]

one has 8in workspace, the other has 15in workspace

Jamison
www.deltarobots.com
Home Page

[coloradonewbie]

That is so cool, just don't know what I'd do with a Chinese checkers playing robot arm!

[Jamison]

Yeah, more of a pick and place application than anything else. But its cheap and fast for a home built...
I make hexapods too. They aren't as fast but stiff and cheap.
Fun, perhaps useful, and good for the brain.

[eloid]

Anyone working on a diy robtic arm? Or have links for a design.
I have a few questions on what cam programs are avail ... that support the cordinates required to drive a arm? I dont think mach 3 supoorts them.
ie kinematics module ie translate cartesian coordinates/paths into
rotational joint position