Building the Arm!

Now that we have installed the arm connector, we can build out the “skeleton” of the arm. For this step you will need the following parts:

• Completed Base and Arm Connector
• Plate 4
• Plate 5
• 2x M3 x 10 Screws
• 2x M3 Self-Locking Nuts

Plate 4 will be attached to Plate 3 (the Arm Connector) and Plate 5 will be attached to the other end of Plate 4. Take a look at the picture below to see how the parts fit together. Be careful not to over-tighten these nuts so that the arms can still move.

Note: Make sure that the self-locking nuts are placed on the outside of the arm like in the picture. Otherwise, the servos will not be able to fit in place.

Now that we have the basic “skeleton” built, we need to add the rocker arms that will allow the servos to move the arm. For this step you will need the following parts:

• 2x One-Arm Rocker Arms
• 4x M1.5 x 5 Self-Tapping Screws

These rocked arms will need to be installed according to the picture below. Make sure that you place the rocker arms in the correct orientation before screwing them down.

Installing the Servos

Now it is time to install the last three remaining servos to the arm. First, you need to plug each servo into the board the same way you did with the first servo. Take a look at the picture below to see how this should look.

Note: Be careful to note where each servo is plugged in because that will become important when you attach the servos to the arm!

Once you have plugged the servos in you should hear them all calibrate the correct positions. If you do not hear a sound, simply upload the Servo.ino file to the Arduino again to be sure. Once the servos are calibrated be carefully not to to turn them.

Now that the servos are calibrated we can start attaching them to the robot arm. Remember how I said to keep track of where each servo is plugged in? Now is when that becomes important. You want to install the servos from right to left meaning start with the servo that is plugged in closest to the arm connector servo.

To attach the servos, simply push the first two servos into the appropriate rocker arms and fasten with the accompanying smallest screw.

Note: Make sure to have your arm in the exact same position as the picture below when installing the servos. This will make sure that your robot has the correct default position.

Now that the first two servos are installed and fastened to the rocker arm, we need to make sure they are fastened to the plates as well. For this step, you will need the following parts:

• 4x M2 x 8 Screws
• 4x M2 Self-Locking Nuts

After fastening the servos to the plate, we can attach the final servo to Plate 4. For this step, you will need the following parts:

• 2x M2 x 8 Screws
• 2x M2 Self-Locking Nuts

Make sure that you orient the final servo as shown in the picture below before tightening the nuts.

Building and Attaching the Grippers!

Now that the servos are installed we can start building and installing the grippers!

The first step in this process requires attaching a rocker arm to one of our grippers. For this step, you will need the following parts:

• Plate 7
• 1x One-Arm Rocker Arm
• 2x M1.5 x 5 Self-Tapping Screws

Attach the rocker arm to the gripper like you see in the following picture.

Once you have built the gripper, you simply need to slide the rocker arm onto the last servo and fasten it with the smallest accompanying screw. Make sure to keep the gripper in parallel to the plate you are attaching it to just like in the picture below.

To complete the gripper installation, we need to attach the other gripper to the robot arm. This step requires the following parts:

• Plate 6
• M3 x 12 Aluminum Column
• 2x M3 x 6 Screw
• Band Edge Bearing
• 3*10*1 Washer

Look at the following picture to see the order in which they must be sandwiched.

Note: Make sure that the second gripper is also in parallel and that the teeth that connect the grippers are in mesh.

Congratulations! You have completed building the robot arm! All that is left to do is to attach the knobs and flash the code onto the Arduino!