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Author Topic: Anyone know were i can find these?  (Read 8580 times)

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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Anyone know were i can find these?
« on: May 26, 2009, 01:06:39 PM »
OK, do I am building a autonomous robotic arm. It will be abe to find objects to and put them in a box or do something with them. However I want to makes a casing for hiding the wires and servos. Iv been looking around on google for ages trying to find like metal meccano plates and parts. I just cant seem to find them anyware. So does anyone know were i can find aluminium plates, channels and corner peices which i could use as casing?

Many thanks,

jakx12
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Offline galannthegreat

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2009, 01:12:40 PM »
Well if you have a machining shop close to you, you can ask them if they'd be able to give you some scraps of aluminum. I say aluminum because of its workablilty and weight to strength ratio. From there you can check the dollar store or hardware store for right angle brackets, and nuts and bolts. All of the cutting can be easily be done with a hack saw or dremel/rotary tool and a good vise.

Hope that helped ya, and if you have anymore questions I am always happy to help.
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2009, 01:19:05 PM »
I live in london :P
Thanks, I will actually have a look at my 'local' hardware store. But as im only 14 i dont think ill be able to get a saw easily! But thanks, i was kind of hopeing for an online store.

Thanks though!
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Offline galannthegreat

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2009, 01:23:05 PM »
Sorry I can't really help ya with finding an online one (though I did hear of a few, just can't find 'em in my head), but I can see why finding an online one would be nicer, as finding them in London may be a problem, but where I live it's just a matter of which shop in which my dad knows the owner better :P.
Kurt

Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2009, 01:25:33 PM »
lucky :) .

I could result to a plastic casing but that wouldnt look as nice! So can i ask, do you know anywere online where i can find like plastic sheets, channels etc.
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Offline SmAsH

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2009, 02:27:25 PM »
there is an age limit on saws? is that because its a blade?
if your 14 you should be in school yeah? does you school have a machine shop?
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Offline kpmcgurk

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2009, 02:38:23 PM »
I dont know if this is exactly what you are looking for, but this site has some sweet cable harnesses. We use them in our robots for FIRST robotics, and they are also a sponsor!!!!

http://www.igus.com/
base link

What you are thinking of is this!!
http://www.igus.com/echain.asp
some people are just Born smart, but some people have to work for it, and those are the people who succeed.

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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2009, 02:48:00 PM »
Smash im on my half term holidays :) . They do but it would meen i would have to constatnly bring everything there and it takes me like 40 mins to get there everyday! I jsut found my dad has one in his tool box so i could use that.


kpmcgurk Thanks, but its not what im looking for. I need like plates or u-channels.

Thanks guys!

jakx12
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Offline kpmcgurk

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2009, 03:23:29 PM »
Try Mcmaster? they have all kinds of stuff that can be used!

www.mcmaster.com
some people are just Born smart, but some people have to work for it, and those are the people who succeed.

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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2009, 03:43:16 PM »
ahh thanks! its really expensive though :(. Do you know by any chance an aluminum sheet's thickness that can be cut with a hacksaw, is not to flimsy and can be made into a u-channel?
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Offline galannthegreat

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2009, 03:44:44 PM »
That's a good place to get stuff, but now that I think of it, could you use electronics project enclosures as a method of a frame? Because if you can there are places that will send you free samples. That being said check out this instructables posting and follow it up and report back ;D (it would be very nice if they still give out the samples).

http://www.instructables.com/id/S8RUUM4FQR1GZG2/
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Offline galannthegreat

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2009, 03:47:24 PM »
You can easily cut up to, comfortably, about a 1/4" thickness sheet, but I'd personally go for (if you choose that) 1/8", just because it is way easier to work with and you probably won't be lugging around too much weight with the arm (and it's probably not very pleasant for the servos).
Kurt

Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2009, 04:04:24 PM »
thanks, so ill order 1/8 thickness of aluminum sheet. Also should i just super glue it together or somehow screw? And sorry to be annoying but would servo brackets be able to be super glued on or would they need to be screwed.

Many thanks,

jakx12
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2009, 04:12:43 PM »
if only i could use enclosures. If i could perhaps drill holes in them and cut them a bit without them cracking i might give them ago.
Need help with an algorithm or a maths related problem? Ill be glad to help :)

Offline galannthegreat

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2009, 07:23:03 PM »
If you're making a robot arm I'd suggest you stick with nuts and bolts, and from experience servos don't glue very nicely to metal with super glue, so you can strap them down with metal straping or make some sort of bracket (you would definatley want to have the capability of changing parts out because what if a servo breaks or has problems).

For the enclosure part, not all come in plastic so you could try the metal ones. Plus they are almost always made out of aluminum, so it's strong and light.

P.S. Don't worry about thinking that you may be annoying, because you're not.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2009, 07:24:36 PM by galannthegreat »
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #15 on: May 27, 2009, 02:34:18 AM »
thankyou!! I think i have  come to the conclusion that at this current time i wont be able to afford casing etc. So I will get some aluminum or plastic arm like things. Just like the ones used in the metal meccano but longer. I will use these at the time being and then I will buy the aluminum etc when I have more money! The money problem is quite annoying not only has it stopped me from making the u-channels but for the autonomous part of the robot i as going to get a cmucam and do some vision algorithms. Instead now i have devised a way on paper that only uses ir sensors! Which are relativly cheap compared to cameras!

But thanks for all your help guys!

jakx12.


PS: im probably going to get some of that free casing or whatever it is from the instructables. Ill use it to store the motherboard etc.
Need help with an algorithm or a maths related problem? Ill be glad to help :)

Offline SmAsH

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #16 on: May 27, 2009, 02:57:05 AM »
awesome,
just make sure you take lots of pics and post your ideas for the ir sensing!
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #17 on: May 27, 2009, 05:43:35 AM »
defiantly! It may not work but im pretty sure i can make the system and do it!I suppose i could also make a tutorial on how it was made so others can do it, because its quite cost effective, I think ill be able to get it working with only two ir sensors. But as im still planing the and designing the actual robot we'll have to see.

jakx12
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #18 on: May 27, 2009, 09:18:32 AM »
I have one last question for you brilliant people! What sort of servos should i use. I need a standard one for the platform the arm is mounted on so it can turn 90 degrees on both sides. One for the first joint in the arm, this allow the arm to move up and down, again unmodified. Ill also need one for the middle joint, again standard and ill need one for the gripper to allow it to turn 360 degrees. As im using a robodyssey gripper because its relatively affordable and has had some good reviews it comes with servo, so i dont need to buy one for the actual movement of the gripper.


many thanks,

jakx12
Need help with an algorithm or a maths related problem? Ill be glad to help :)

Offline galannthegreat

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #19 on: May 27, 2009, 10:17:31 AM »
Well, have you looked into stepper motors for the wrist rotation? They are fairly simple to impletment, but it's just a bit more coding and you'll have to have a circuit for it. So, that being said... check out the stepper motors controllers (if you are interested) here:
http://www.active-robots.com/products/motorcon/  (and it's in your country too!)
Kurt

Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #20 on: May 27, 2009, 11:34:18 AM »
Thanks, but i may stick to servos just because they are easier to code and im sure i can find some ones that are powerful enough. The robotic arm is not going to be like an industrial one, just bale to pick like phones, cups, balls etc up. But the real goal is getting it to find the object say perhaps a balloon, find out were it is and pick it up with the correct amount of force from the gripper, so it wont pop. But as i said the main challenge will be using the ir sensors instead of cameras.
But for material luckily I found some perplex plastic in my attic :). Perhaps tomorrow ill start re-adjusting my design so that i can somehow find a way to make a 'u-channel' with the plastic. The plastic is strong and light and I think cuttable with a hacksaw so im pretty happy with it :).
But yes as with the servo's iv been looking at these, anyone tried one a HS-755HB (183 oz. in.) Quarter Scale Servo?

Many thanks

jakx12
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Offline galannthegreat

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #21 on: May 27, 2009, 12:54:18 PM »
Here is a servo that would be usable, it rotates 3.5 times, so about 1260°. Those servos you are looking at definately do have good amounts of torque.

http://www.servocity.com/html/hs-785hb_3_5_rotations.html
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Offline SmAsH

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #23 on: May 27, 2009, 03:03:10 PM »
yowza! those would work for arm joints but you have to consider its torque vs it weight...
put one of those as the up/down join mounted to the chassis and you'll be good 8)
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #24 on: May 27, 2009, 03:32:08 PM »
so say this is the base and the box is the servo, thats what you mean right?
    ____
__|___|____



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Offline SmAsH

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #25 on: May 27, 2009, 03:47:42 PM »
yes, that is correct.
it is good to have the stronger and heavier servos attached to the actual base instead of higher in the arm as that will restrict how much you can lift.
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #26 on: May 27, 2009, 03:52:17 PM »
oh yh i know that, but what if i use them for the middle join and the base joint?
     
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Offline SmAsH

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #27 on: May 27, 2009, 03:56:20 PM »
yeah, why not?
as long as the bottom servo that is supporting all the weight can take the weight of the servos plus the load
i say go for it! how heavy is the heaviest object you want to pick up?
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Offline jakx12Topic starter

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #28 on: May 27, 2009, 03:59:21 PM »
ill probably just pick up cups, tennis balls, pencils etc. As i said the challenge is the arm figuring out were the object is by itself with ir sensors!
Need help with an algorithm or a maths related problem? Ill be glad to help :)

Offline SmAsH

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Re: Anyone know were i can find these?
« Reply #29 on: May 27, 2009, 04:01:47 PM »
if you have identified the object you could put a sensor in the palm facing outwards to see if the object it there or not and then adjust accordingly?
if you are picking up delicate objects and you dont want to crush them i suggest using pressure sensors too ;)
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