Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: LXE on September 25, 2010, 06:17:59 AM

Title: Robot material Questions.
Post by: LXE on September 25, 2010, 06:17:59 AM
I have a few questions.


Note - The Aluminium sheet and the Acrylic sheet are the same length, same width and same price at where I'm buying from, and that's 195mm x 195mm.

Note 2 - The Micro-Servos I am using are 14 HXT900's.


Title: Re: Robot material Questions.
Post by: Ro-Bot-X on September 25, 2010, 10:08:41 AM
I have a few questions.

  • Is it safe to use a toaster oven to cook food after you've heated acrylic, perspex, or other plastics in it so that you can bend it?
  • Which is lighter? 18 gauge Aluminium sheet or 3mm thick Acrylic sheet?
  • Which sheet of material specified above is easier to bend?
  • Which shee of material specified above do you choose to make micro-servo brackets with?
  • Would cutting two pieces and gluing them perpendicular to each other be an alternative to bending?
  • Any easy to use CAD to design parts?

Note - The Aluminium sheet and the Acrylic sheet are the same length, same width and same price at where I'm buying from, and that's 195mm x 195mm.

Note 2 - The Micro-Servos I am using are 14 HXT900's.




I would use aluminum if it's no thinner than 1mm and no thicker than 2mm. Ideal is 1.5mm thick. I have no idea how thick is 18 gage. You can use a vice or just pliers to bend it and cut it with scissors and drilling... you have to drill both materials so that doesn't matter. Use a press drill if possible. Scribe the center of the hole and punch it with a sharp punching tool to keep the drill bit from sliding off center.

You can also glue the parts, but it may break in use. Good enough for a scanning sensor mount, but I believe it can be too weak for legs, especially if you accidentally drop it.
Title: Re: Robot material Questions.
Post by: z.s.tar.gz on September 25, 2010, 10:38:50 AM
The easiest CAD is 1/10" graph paper and a pencil.
The most familiar CAD is AutoCAD but that is also the most expensive.
There are quite a few free/cheap CAD options out there but I've never come across one that was really good.
Title: Re: Robot material Questions.
Post by: Ro-Bot-X on September 25, 2010, 10:41:10 AM
You can use Google Sketchup.
Title: Re: Robot material Questions.
Post by: LXE on September 26, 2010, 01:50:15 AM
You can use Google Sketchup.

Google Sketch up is bad for CNC.
Title: Re: Robot material Questions.
Post by: Ro-Bot-X on September 26, 2010, 06:34:42 AM
Read this: http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=11740.msg90688#msg90688 (http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=11740.msg90688#msg90688)
Title: Re: Robot material Questions.
Post by: LXE on September 26, 2010, 11:44:25 PM
Read this: http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=11740.msg90688#msg90688 (http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=11740.msg90688#msg90688)

OK, I think I read a while back that it was. But I wonder if they improved it so it is better with CNC machines.