Strong Arm

The grips are based on 3/4" aluminum square tubes. The predicted squeeze strength is around 40 pounds.

What about safety? Using PyUltimateRobot (see that Hackaday page), one can limit maximum force of any component of any movement. For example, you can program the robot to never use more than 1 pound of force unless explicitly commanded as needed for a particular movement.

I've finished making the bearing guides. They turned out well.

I've also updated a uploaded a lot more files into the dropbox area.

The design files are fairly complete now -- at least to the point that one could duplicate what I've done so far. I'm sure more revisions will follow as paper hits reality.

I updated the design to use an aluminum framework for the elbow. Check it out with the new picture, and updated design collateral.

The BOM spreadsheet and the template drawings have been updated to reflect the latest crane lifter design change.

I added to the 3D object drawings the lifter assembly with the powerful Banebot motor.

I've found that the current design for the crane axes were a little rickety (even with all that metal) and presented manufacturing difficulties.

So now instead I've adopted an MDF-aluminum composite that will be much easier to make and more solid without increasing BOM cost.

See the 3D rendering of the new design.

I have finished the base (not shown in the cover diagram), the crane assembly, the wrist azmuth, the write declination.

I am currently working to finish the wrist rotation.

Things left to do:

1. Grip

2. Integrating the lift and extension motors and drives (partially finished)

3. Motor driver / sensor boards (1 complete as proof of concept, 7 more to go)