RE: Smarter Life Challenge - The perks of using a robot arm to make coffee

vsluiter — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 22:10:34 GMT

Hi Paul,

My department actually builds robot arms, and yes, that is challenging [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-f15cee54-07e2-4d54-b6c2-ce03f441fea4/contentimage_5F00_1.png:16:16]

Because you don't need the full power of a human arm (do you?) I'd like you to consider these options:

Pololu delivers 25mm and 37mm diameter motors with incremental encoders (still need to add an absolute reference!). Very nice to do PID with, you also need to do that because the gearbox inertia is quite big.
Herkulex servo motors; these are fast, and VERY controllable servo motors with lots of options in their control (register interface instead of simple 50Hz control). The cheap ones ($40) have plastic gearing, the expensive ones ($140?) are metal. Please look into their specs, I was surprised.

And before I forget:

Congratulations on choosing a fun design target instead of a functional one. This is supposed to be your spare time!

RE: Smarter Life Challenge - The perks of using a robot arm to make coffee

DAB — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:02:20 GMT

Hi Paul,

I look forward to seeing your arm design.

I am curious if your approach will meet your timing needs, but then you might already have that figured out. [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-f15cee54-07e2-4d54-b6c2-ce03f441fea4/contentimage_5F00_938.png:16:16]

DAB