There directions for building the xArm are only available on the internet as a sequence of YouTube videos, 15 in all. It is the first time I have used this approach for assembling a robot. The videos seem to be animations of the 3D CAD design and seem pretty good. Regretfully there are no written or audio instructions to go along with the video so you have to follow the video very closely. There is quite a nice piano accompaniment to the videos but after several rewinds and replays it does get on your nerves after a bit. It does list the specific screws and bolts you need to use in each step. However to start with it uses M2x6mm bolts but unfortunately I picked M2.5x5mm bolts because to the naked eye they look identical and it never occurred to me that the assembly would use both. So the M2.5x5mm bolts I selected wouldn't fit through the 2.0mm holes. After a great deal of wondering if the holes were threaded (they weren't) I decided it was a mistake and the holes should have been bigger, so I drilled them to 2.5 mm. At which point I then found the M2x6 mm bolts, something of a disappointment. However, from looking at the design I do not think this will cause any problems.
I proceeded with the assembly and had to disassemble the base a couple of times as I didn't see the specific orientation of some parts in a couple of places. Also, one of the M5x16 bolts was actually M5x20 so I cut the extra 4 mm off with a hacksaw after assembling it and finding it interfered with rotation. As far as I can tell this does seem to be an incorrect bolt provided rather than my poor assembly ability. Below is a screen dump of the partly assembled base, followed by a photograph of the actual physical equivalent. They look very similar.
I'm taking it slowly through the assembly process to enjoy it all more. I have been planning the purchase and assembly of a small robot arm since I retired some time ago now and I intend to extract the maximum fun from it that I can. Plus, the sun is shining (quite rare in the UK at this time of the year) so I'm going to go outside for a bit and get some vitamin D.
Assembly of the xArm is only the second of the 15 videos so I think there is a great deal that can be achieved with this arm in terms of use and programming. I think it is Arduino compatible as it mentions Scratch/Arduino Secondary development kit that you can buy as an additional purchase with all sorts of sensors and add-ons. I'll have to go and look up how much these cost, or maybe make my own later.
So far the parts have all been of good quality and the design has been very good. I continue to be impressed by the xArm.
Dubbie
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