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Getting the main parts

A project log for Project Octo

An octopodal robotic platform for rough terrain exploration

pinomeleanPinomelean 06/26/2017 at 11:560 Comments

To make the parts and not get old while doing so, i decided to have them laser cut out of sheet stock instead of making them myself.

I designed all the parts needed for the Klann linkage and main structure in AutoCAD, and spreaded them to send out to the laser cutter shop. I also added a bunch of washers filling the gaps, just because i could, and i was paying for that metal anyway.

After dropping almost 150€ and spending a full week hoping i got the dimensions right, the aluminium parts were done.

They were left with quite rough edges, so i had to spend a lot of time filing and sanding them all.

Although i did it mostly for mechanical reasons (to avoid parts rubbing against raised edges), aesthetics and not getting cut when handling the parts were important reasons too. I think it was especially important for the gears, since the oxide left by the laser is much harder than the aluminium itself and it would work as an abrasive.

Since i ordered the parts and while i was building the mechanism, i made some design changes in the parts, such as more holes. This changes will be included in the .dxf files of the project which could be updated as i keep building. This wil be noticeable in future puctures of the build process.

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