3D Printed Robotic Arm
June 2019 - September 2019
Status: Completed
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This project was a custom built robotic arm. The hardware, software, and circuits were all designed to create a minimal, fast, and powerful robot. It is driven by stepper motors through multiple Arduinos to control the motors and user interface. It contains a touch screen and button pad in order to send commands to the arm.
Purpose of the project
The purpose of the project was to learn how to design a complex machine which needs a mechanical, electrical, and software integration. Due to the complexity of robotic arms, it was a great opportunity to learn advanced CAD skills, stepper motor control and wiring, and software principles for robotics.
CAD model of the robotic arm which was later 3D printed and assembled.
Outcome
After completion of this project, I now have proficiency in:
Advanced CAD skills (Gears, assemblies, simulations, designing for different manufacturing methods)
How to wire and control stepper motors of various sizes properly
How to interface multiple Arduinos through Serial
Wiring and interface of a touch-screen display and LED button matrix
This project was very interesting to complete, as the entire process was full of different challenges to overcome. This project incorporated electrical, software, and mechanical aspects to it that all needed to work together.
Steps
Design and Manufacture Mechanical Build
The first step of the entire project was creating the mechanical design. This took two iterations to complete as the motors had to be geared properly to create sufficient torque. The parts were all designed to be 3D printed, making the complex parts quite difficult to create. After printing each part, hardware was used to assemble them as well as attach the motors. A base was made out of wood to make room for the electronics below the arm.
Create Circuits, Wire Motors, and Wire Arduinos
To implement acceleration, emergency stops, and advanced movement,
each stepper motor had its own Arduino. Therefore, each Arduino was wired to its respective stepper motor controller, as well as the emergency stop button, along with any limit switches. Then, they were all wired to the master Arduino which interfaced with the touch screen and LED button matrix.
Program Arduinos
Lastly, each Arduino was programmed in order to control its respective motor. First, a communication protocol was set up so each motor could receive commands in a precise and fast manner. After that, the commands were processed and translated into movements. The proper acceleration / deceleration was programmed in order to get smooth motion. Lastly, the UI was created in order to implement manual movement.
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