Robot arm prototype development:

Design targets:

• to build a light weight robot arm for remote inspection and automation.
• total length of the arm approx. 100cm.
• able to grip and lift object to approx 250grams in full reach of the arm.
• equipped with a HD webcam at arm's length.
• low weight, maximum approx 4kg.
• should fit in a normal sized suitcase for easy transport.
• total cost of arm and controller: under € 3.000,=

The arms are aluminium, with sturdy wormwheel drives. All arm joints are powered by stepper motors through timing belts for very accurate and repeatable movements, and all joints have ball bearings. The hand is powered by 3 servo's for pan, tilt and grip. A webcam is mounted just above the gripper, giving it a wide range of view and accurate positioning of the gripper.
	The robot arm can be fitted in a Peli Storm case iM2700, measuring 625*500*218mm. The arm itself weighs approximately 3,5kg, the suitcase weighs 5kg. The Storm Case is watertight, very strong and has a pressure release valve. It will even float with all equipment inside!
Open the netbook PC and power-up the equipment: the arm will unfold itself, ready for action.
	Using the arm to inspect an object: it lifts the camera about a meter higher than the table, makes a turn to look around, test its gripper and looks down and up at the inspected object. Then it returns to its suitcase.
What did a camera inspect? A coffee machine.....
	Another application of the arm, this time mounted on a small table: picking up a full 330ml can of coke and dropping it in a box:
View from the arm mounted camera while handling the can:

The motors are controlled by the netbook PC, through a USB port. The controller can be DIN rail mounted and contains a powerful ARM-7 processor running at 48MHz. Additionally, the controller can receive Modbus commands over the RS485 port, or share an RS485 port with other DIN rail mounted ConSensus modules.



For more information: info@exatech.nl, tel. +31-78-6148792.