Drawings of a robotic manipulator for milling with your own hands. Robotic arm manipulator. Electronic filling of the manipulator

General issues will be addressed first, then specifications the result, the details, and finally the assembly process itself.

In general and in general

Creation of this device In general, it should not cause any difficulties. It will be necessary to thoroughly think through the possibilities that will be quite difficult to implement from a physical point of view, so that the manipulating arm performs the tasks assigned to it.

Technical characteristics of the result

A sample with length/height/width parameters of 228/380/160 millimeters, respectively, will be considered. The weight of the finished product will be approximately 1 kilogram. A wired remote control is used for control. Estimated assembly time if you have experience is about 6-8 hours. If it is not there, then it may take days, weeks, and with connivance even months for the manipulator arm to be assembled. In such cases, you should do it with your own hands only for your own interest. To move the components, commutator motors are used. With enough effort, you can make a device that will rotate 360 ​​degrees. Also, for ease of work, in addition to standard tools like a soldering iron and solder, you need to stock up on:

1. Long nose pliers.
2. Side cutters.
3. Phillips screwdriver.
4. 4 D type batteries.

Remote controller remote control can be implemented using buttons and a microcontroller. If you want to make remote wireless control, you will also need an action control element in the manipulator hand. As additions, only devices (capacitors, resistors, transistors) will be needed that will allow the circuit to be stabilized and a current of the required magnitude to be transmitted through it at the right times.

Small parts

To regulate the number of revolutions, you can use adapter wheels. They will make the movement of the manipulator hand smooth.

It is also necessary to ensure that the wires do not complicate its movements. It would be optimal to lay them inside the structure. You can do everything from the outside; this approach will save time, but can potentially lead to difficulties in moving individual components or the entire device. And now: how to make a manipulator?

Assembly in general

Now let's proceed directly to creating the manipulator arm. Let's start from the foundation. It is necessary to ensure that the device can be rotated in all directions. Good decision it will be placed on a disk platform, which is driven into rotation by a single motor. So that it can rotate in both directions, there are two options:

1. Installation of two engines. Each of them will be responsible for turning in a specific direction. When one is working, the other is at rest.
2. Installing one motor with a circuit that can make it spin in both directions.

Which of the proposed options to choose depends entirely on you. Next, the main structure is made. For comfortable work, two “joints” are needed. Attached to the platform must be able to bend over different sides, which is solved with the help of engines located at its base. Another one or a pair should be placed at the elbow bend so that part of the grip can be moved along the horizontal and vertical lines of the coordinate system. Next, if you want to get maximum possibilities, you can install another motor in the place of the wrist. Next is the most necessary, without which a manipulating hand is impossible. You will have to make the capture device itself with your own hands. There are many implementation options here. You can give a tip on the two most popular:

1. Only two fingers are used, which simultaneously compress and unclench the object to be grasped. It is the simplest implementation, which, however, usually cannot boast of significant load-carrying capacity.
2. A prototype is being created human hand. Here, one motor can be used for all fingers, with the help of which bending/extension will be carried out. But the design can be made more complex. So, you can connect a motor to each finger and control them separately.

Next, it remains to make a remote control, with the help of which the individual engines and the pace of their operation will be influenced. And you can start experimenting using a robotic manipulator you made yourself.

Possible schematic representations of the result

Provides ample opportunities for creative inventions. Therefore, we present to your attention several implementations that you can take as a basis for creating your own device for a similar purpose.

Any presented manipulator circuit can be improved.

Conclusion

The important thing about robotics is that there is virtually no limit to functional improvement. Therefore, if you wish, creating a real work of art will not be difficult. Talking about possible ways An additional improvement is the crane. Making such a device with your own hands will not be difficult; at the same time, it will teach children to creative work, science and design. And this, in turn, can have a positive impact on their future life. Will it be difficult to make a crane with your own hands? This is not as problematic as it might seem at first glance. Unless it is worth taking care of the presence of additional small parts such as a cable and wheels on which it will spin.

First, general issues will be discussed, then the technical characteristics of the result, details, and finally the assembly process itself.

In general and in general

Creating this device as a whole should not cause any difficulties. It will be necessary to carefully consider only the possibilities of mechanical movements, which will be quite difficult to implement from a physical point of view, so that the manipulating arm performs the tasks assigned to it.

Technical characteristics of the result

A sample with length/height/width parameters of 228/380/160 millimeters, respectively, will be considered. The weight of a manipulator hand made with your own hands will be approximately 1 kilogram. A wired remote control is used for control. Estimated assembly time if you have experience is about 6-8 hours. If it is not there, then it may take days, weeks, and with connivance even months for the manipulator arm to be assembled. In such cases, you should do it with your own hands only for your own interest. To move the components, commutator motors are used. With enough effort, you can make a device that will rotate 360 ​​degrees. Also, for ease of work, in addition to standard tools like a soldering iron and solder, you need to stock up on:

1. Long nose pliers.
2. Side cutters.
3. Phillips screwdriver.
4. 4 D type batteries.

The remote control can be implemented using buttons and a microcontroller. If you want to make remote wireless control, you will also need an action control element in the manipulator hand. As additions, only devices (capacitors, resistors, transistors) will be needed that will allow the circuit to be stabilized and a current of the required magnitude to be transmitted through it at the right times.

Small parts

To regulate the number of revolutions, you can use adapter wheels. They will make the movement of the manipulator hand smooth.

It is also necessary to ensure that the wires do not complicate its movements. It would be optimal to lay them inside the structure. You can do everything from the outside; this approach will save time, but can potentially lead to difficulties in moving individual components or the entire device. And now: how to make a manipulator?

Assembly in general

Now let's proceed directly to creating the manipulator arm. Let's start from the foundation. It is necessary to ensure that the device can be rotated in all directions. A good solution would be to place it on a disk platform, which is driven by a single motor. So that it can rotate in both directions, there are two options:

1. Installation of two engines. Each of them will be responsible for turning in a specific direction. When one is working, the other is at rest.
2. Installing one motor with a circuit that can make it spin in both directions.

Which of the proposed options to choose depends entirely on you. Next, the main structure is made. For comfortable work, two “joints” are needed. Attached to the platform, it must be able to tilt in different directions, which is achieved with the help of motors located at its base. Another one or a pair should be placed at the elbow bend so that part of the grip can be moved along the horizontal and vertical lines of the coordinate system. Further, if you want to get maximum capabilities, you can install another motor at the wrist. Next is the most necessary, without which a manipulating hand is impossible. You will have to make the capture device itself with your own hands. There are many implementation options here. You can give a tip on the two most popular:

1. Only two fingers are used, which simultaneously compress and unclench the object to be grasped. It is the simplest implementation, which, however, usually cannot boast of significant load-carrying capacity.
2. A prototype of a human hand is created. Here, one motor can be used for all fingers, with the help of which bending/extension will be carried out. But the design can be made more complex. So, you can connect a motor to each finger and control them separately.

Next, it remains to make a remote control, with the help of which the individual engines and the pace of their operation will be influenced. And you can start experimenting using a robotic manipulator you made yourself.

Possible schematic representations of the result

A DIY manipulative hand provides ample opportunities for creativity. Therefore, we present to your attention several implementations that you can take as a basis for creating your own device for a similar purpose.

Any presented manipulator circuit can be improved.

Conclusion

The important thing about robotics is that there is virtually no limit to functional improvement. Therefore, if you wish, creating a real work of art will not be difficult. Speaking about possible ways of further improvement, it is worth mentioning the crane. Making such a device with your own hands will not be difficult; at the same time, it will teach children to creative work, science and design. And this, in turn, can have a positive impact on their future life. Will it be difficult to make a crane with your own hands? This is not as problematic as it might seem at first glance. Unless it is worth taking care of the presence of additional small parts such as a cable and wheels on which it will spin.

One of the main driving forces automation modern production are industrial robotic manipulators. Their development and implementation allowed enterprises to reach a new scientific and technical level of task performance, redistribute responsibilities between technology and people, and increase productivity. We will talk about the types of robotic assistants, their functionality and prices in the article.

Assistant No. 1 – robotic manipulator

Industry is the foundation of most economies in the world. The income of not only individual production, but also the state budget depends on the quality of the goods offered, volumes and pricing.

In light of the active introduction of automated lines and widespread use smart technology requirements for supplied products are increasing. It is almost impossible today to withstand competition without the use of automated lines or industrial robotic manipulators.

How does an industrial robot work?

The robotic arm looks like a huge automated “arm” controlled by an electrical control system. There are no pneumatics or hydraulics in the design of the devices; everything is built on electromechanics. This has reduced the cost of robots and increased their durability.

Industrial robots can be 4-axis (used for laying and packaging) and 6-axis (for other types of work). In addition, robots differ depending on the degree of freedom: from 2 to 6. The higher it is, the more accurately the manipulator recreates the movement of a human hand: rotation, movement, compression/release, tilting, etc.
The operating principle of the device depends on its software and equipment, and if at the beginning of its development the main goal was the liberation of workers from heavy and dangerous looking work, today the range of tasks performed has increased significantly.

The use of robotic assistants allows you to cope with several tasks simultaneously:

• reduction of working space and release of specialists (their experience and knowledge can be used in another area);
• increase in production volumes;
• improving product quality;
• Thanks to the continuity of the process, the production cycle is shortened.

In Japan, China, the USA, and Germany, enterprises employ a minimum of employees, whose responsibility is only to control the operation of manipulators and the quality of manufactured products. It is worth noting that industrial robot manipulator is not only a functional assistant in mechanical engineering or welding. Automated devices are presented in wide range and are used in metallurgy, light and Food Industry. Depending on the needs of the enterprise, you can select a manipulator that matches functional responsibilities and budget.

Types of industrial robotic manipulators

Today there are about 30 types of robotic arms: from universal models to highly specialized assistants. Depending on the functions performed, the mechanisms of manipulators may differ: for example, it can be welding, cutting, drilling, bending, sorting, stacking and packaging of goods.

In contrast to the existing stereotype about the high cost of robotic technology, everyone, even a small enterprise, will be able to purchase such a mechanism. Small universal robotic manipulators with a small load capacity (up to 5 kg) from ABB and FANUC will cost from 2 to 4 thousand dollars.
Despite the compactness of the devices, they are able to increase the speed of work and the quality of product processing. For each robot, unique software will be written that precisely coordinates the operation of the unit.

Highly specialized models

Robot welders have found their greatest application in mechanical engineering. Due to the fact that the devices are capable of welding not only straight parts, but also effectively carry out welding work at an angle, in hard to reach places install entire automated lines.

The conveyor system is launched, where each robot certain time does its part of the work, and then the line begins to move to the next stage. Organizing such a system with people is quite difficult: none of the workers should be absent even for a second, otherwise the entire production process will go wrong, or defects will appear.

Welders
The most common options are welding robots. Their performance and accuracy are 8 times higher than that of humans. Such models can perform several types of welding: arc or spot (depending on the software).

Kuka industrial robotic manipulators are considered leaders in this field. Cost from 5 to 300 thousand dollars (depending on load capacity and functions).

Pickers, movers and packers
Heavy and harmful to human body labor has led to the emergence of automated assistants in this industry. Packaging robots prepare goods for shipment in a matter of minutes. The cost of such robots is up to 4 thousand dollars.

Manufacturers ABB, KUKA, and Epson offer the use of devices for lifting heavy loads weighing more than 1 ton and transporting them from the warehouse to the loading point.

Manufacturers of industrial robot manipulators

Japan and Germany are considered the undisputed leaders in this industry. They account for more than 50% of all robotic technology. It is not easy to compete with giants, however, in the CIS countries, own producers and startups.

KNN Systems. The Ukrainian company is a partner of the German Kuka and is developing projects for the robotization of welding, milling, plasma cutting and palletization. Thanks to their software, an industrial robot can be reconfigured to the new kind tasks in just one day.

Rozum Robotics (Belarus). The company's specialists have developed the PULSE industrial robotic manipulator, which is distinguished by its lightness and ease of use. The device is suitable for assembling, packaging, gluing and rearranging parts. The price of the robot is around $500.

"ARKODIM-Pro" (Russia). Engaged in the production of linear robotic manipulators (moving along linear axes) used for plastic injection molding. In addition, ARKODIM robots can work as part of a conveyor system and perform the functions of a welder or packer.

Hello!

We are talking about the line of collaborative robotic manipulators from Universal Robots.

The Universal Robots company, originally from Denmark, produces collaborative robotic manipulators for automating cyclic production processes. In this article we present their main technical characteristics and consider their areas of application.

What is this?

The company's products are represented by a line of three lightweight industrial handling devices with an open kinematic chain:
UR3, UR5, UR10.
All models have 6 degrees of mobility: 3 portable and 3 orienting. Devices from Universal Robots produce only angular movements.
Robotic manipulators are divided into classes, depending on the maximum permissible payload. Other differences are - radius working area, weight and base diameter.
All UR manipulators are equipped with high-precision absolute position sensors, which simplify integration with external devices and equipment. Thanks to compact design UR manipulators do not take up much space and can be installed in work sections or production lines where conventional robots cannot fit. Characteristics:
Why are they interesting?Ease of programming

Specially developed and patented programming technology allows non-skilled operators to quickly configure and control UR robotic arms using intuitive 3D visualization technology. Programming occurs through a series of simple movements of the working body of the manipulator to the required positions, or by pressing the arrows in a special program on the tablet.UR3: UR5: UR10: Quick setup

The initial startup operator will need less than an hour to unpack, install and program the first simple operation. UR3: UR5: UR10: Collaboration and security

UR manipulators can replace operators performing routine tasks in hazardous and contaminated environments. The control system takes into account external disturbing influences exerted on the robot manipulator during operation. Thanks to this, UR handling systems can be operated without protective fences, next to staff workplaces. Robot safety systems are approved and certified by TÜV - the German Technical Inspectorate.
UR3: UR5: UR10: Variety of working bodies

At the end of UR industrial manipulators, a standardized mount is provided for installing special working parts. Additional modules of force-torque sensors or cameras can be installed between the working body and the final link of the manipulator. Possible applications

With industrial robotic manipulators UR, the possibility of automating almost all cyclical routine processes opens up. Universal Robots devices have proven themselves in various fields of application.

Translation

Installing UR manipulators in transfer and packaging areas increases accuracy and reduces shrinkage. Most transfer operations can be carried out without supervision. Polishing, buffering, grinding

The built-in sensor system allows you to control the accuracy and uniformity of the applied force on curved and uneven surfaces.

Injection molding

The high precision of repetitive movements allows UR robots to be used for polymer processing and injection molding tasks.
Maintenance of CNC machines

The protection class of the shell provides the ability to install handling systems for collaboration with CNC machines. Packing and stacking

Traditional automation technologies are cumbersome and expensive. Easily customizable, UR robots are able to work with or without protective shields around employees 24 hours a day, providing high precision and productivity. Quality control

A robotic manipulator with video cameras is suitable for three-dimensional measurements, which is an additional guarantee of the quality of the products. Assembly

A simple attachment device allows UR robots to be equipped with suitable auxiliary mechanisms necessary for the assembly of parts made of wood, plastic, metal and other materials. Make-up

The control system allows you to control the torque developed to avoid over-tightening and ensure the required tension. Bonding and welding

High accuracy of positioning of the working element allows you to reduce the amount of waste when performing gluing operations or applying substances.
UR industrial robotic arms can perform Various types welding: arc, spot, ultrasonic and plasma. Total:

Industrial manipulators from Universal Robots are compact, lightweight, and easy to learn and use. UR robots are a flexible solution for a wide range of tasks. Manipulators can be programmed for any actions inherent in the movements of a human hand, and rotational movements they do much better. Manipulators are not prone to fatigue or fear of injury; they do not need breaks or weekends.
Solutions from Universal Robots allow you to automate any routine process, which increases the speed and quality of production.

Discuss automating your production processes using Universal Robots manipulators with official dealer -

Hello Giktimes!

The uArm project from uFactory raised funds on Kickstarter more than two years ago. They said from the very beginning that it would be open project, but immediately after the end of the campaign they were in no hurry to publish the source code. I just wanted to cut the plexiglass according to their drawings and that’s it, but since there were no source materials and there was no sign of it in the foreseeable future, I began to repeat the design from photographs.

Now my robotic arm looks like this:

Working slowly in two years, I managed to make four versions and gained quite a lot of experience. You can find the description, history of the project and all project files under the cut.

Trial and error

When I started working on the drawings, I wanted not just to repeat uArm, but to improve it. It seemed to me that in my conditions it was quite possible to do without bearings. I also didn’t like the fact that the electronics rotated along with the entire manipulator and I wanted to simplify the design of the lower part of the hinge. Plus I started drawing him a little smaller right away.

With these input parameters I drew the first version. Unfortunately, I do not have photographs of that version of the manipulator (which was made in yellow color). The mistakes in it were simply epic. Firstly, it was almost impossible to assemble. As a rule, the mechanics that I drew before the manipulator were quite simple, and I did not have to think about the assembly process. But still, I assembled it and tried to start it, and my hand hardly moved! All the parts revolved around the screws and if I tightened them so that there was less play, she could not move. If I loosened it so that it could move, incredible play appeared. As a result, the concept did not survive even three days. And he started working on the second version of the manipulator.

Red was already quite suitable for work. It assembled normally and could move with lubrication. I was able to test the software on it, but still the lack of bearings and large losses on different thrusts made it very weak.

Then I abandoned work on the project for some time, but soon decided to bring it to fruition. I decided to use more powerful and popular servos, increase the size and add bearings. Moreover, I decided that I would not try to do everything perfectly at once. I sketched the drawings on quick hands, without drawing beautiful connections and ordered cutting from transparent plexiglass. Using the resulting manipulator, I was able to debug the assembly process, identified areas that needed additional strengthening, and learned how to use bearings.

After I had a lot of fun with the transparent manipulator, I started drawing the final white version. So, now all the mechanics are completely debugged, they suit me and I’m ready to say that I don’t want to change anything else in this design:

It depresses me that I could not bring anything fundamentally new to the uArm project. By the time I started drawing final version, they have already rolled out 3D models on GrabCad. As a result, I just simplified the claw a little, prepared the files in a convenient format and used very simple and standard components.

Features of the manipulator

Before uArm appeared, desktop manipulators of this class looked quite sad. They either had no electronics at all, or had some kind of control with resistors, or had their own proprietary software. Secondly, they usually did not have a system of parallel hinges and the grip itself changed its position during operation. If you collect all the advantages of my manipulator, you get a fairly long list:

1. A system of rods that allows powerful and heavy motors to be placed at the base of the manipulator, as well as holding the gripper parallel or perpendicular to the base
2. A simple set of components that are easy to buy or cut from plexiglass
3. Bearings in almost all components of the manipulator
4. Easy to assemble. This turned out to be a really difficult task. It was especially difficult to think through the process of assembling the base
5. The grip position can be changed by 90 degrees
6. Open source and documentation. Everything is prepared in accessible formats. I will provide download links for 3D models, cutting files, list of materials, electronics and software
7. Arduino compatible. There are many detractors of Arduino, but I believe this is an opportunity to expand the audience. Professionals can easily write their software in C - this is a regular controller from Atmel!

Mechanics

To assemble, you need to cut out parts from 5mm thick plexiglass:

They charged me about $10 to cut all these parts.

The base is mounted on a large bearing:

It was especially difficult to think through the base from the point of view of the assembly process, but I kept an eye on the engineers from uArm. The rockers sit on a pin with a diameter of 6mm. It should be noted that my elbow pull is held on a U-shaped holder, while uFactory’s is held on an L-shaped one. It's hard to explain what the difference is, but I think I did better.

The grip is assembled separately. It can rotate around its axis. The claw itself sits directly on the motor shaft:

At the end of the article I will provide a link to super detailed assembly instructions in photographs. You can confidently twist it all together in a couple of hours if you have everything you need at hand. I also prepared a 3D model in free program SketchUp. You can download it, play it and see what and how it was assembled.

Electronics

To make your hand work, you just need to connect five servos to the Arduino and supply them with power from good source. uArm uses some kind of motors with feedback. I installed three regular MG995 motors and two small metal geared motors to control the gripper.

Here my narrative is closely intertwined with previous projects. Some time ago I started teaching Arduino programming and even prepared my own Arduino-compatible board for these purposes. On the other hand, one day I had the opportunity to make boards cheaply (which I also wrote about). In the end, it all ended with me using my own Arduino-compatible board and a specialized shield to control the manipulator.

This shield is actually very simple. It has four variable resistors, two buttons, five servo connectors and a power connector. This is very convenient from a debugging point of view. You can upload a test sketch and record some macro for control or something like that. I will also give a link to download the board file at the end of the article, but it is prepared for manufacturing with metallized holes, so it is of little use for home production.

Programming

The most interesting thing is controlling the manipulator from a computer. uArm has a convenient application for controlling the manipulator and a protocol for working with it. The computer sends 11 bytes to the COM port. The first one is always 0xFF, the second one is 0xAA and some of the remaining ones are signals for servos. Next, these data are normalized and sent to the engines for processing. My servos are connected to digital inputs/outputs 9-12, but this can be easily changed.

uArm's terminal program allows you to change five parameters when controlling the mouse. As the mouse moves across the surface, the position of the manipulator in the XY plane changes. Rotating the wheel changes the height. LMB/RMB - compress/uncompress the claw. RMB + wheel - rotate the grip. It's actually very convenient. If you wish, you can write any terminal software that will communicate with the manipulator using the same protocol.

I will not provide sketches here - you can download them at the end of the article.

Video of work

And finally, the video of the manipulator itself. It shows how to control a mouse, resistors, and a pre-recorded program.

Links

Files for cutting plexiglass, 3D models, a purchase list, board drawings and software can be downloaded at the end of my