Home >> Toys >> Educational Toys

DIY: Robot Joints

Robot joints are the point on a robot arm where the arm bends and rotates on its axis. Depending on the detail of the robot or robotic arm you are creating, there may be several joints or only one. For the robot joint to function, hydraulics, electronics or electrical-hydraulics will have to be created. The arm will use a push-and-pull function to bend and move on the joint you are creating.

Things You'll Need

Aluminum "I" beams with RAM attachments
Single sheet of aluminum
Unidirectional robotic hinge joints
Bidirectional hydraulic RAMS
Shoulder Support
Ram attachment link on aluminum trapezoid.
Welder

Instructions

- 1
  Weld the flat sheet of aluminum, also called the manipulator-stator, to an aluminum "I" beam.
- 2
  Weld one of the unidirectional hinge joints to the end of the aluminum "I" beam and the manipulator-stator.
- 3
  Weld the aluminum trapezoid block directly to the hinge joint, making sure that the RAM attachment -- on one side of the aluminum trapezoid -- is on top.
- 4
  Close the hinge by locking the joints in place and closing both the stator and unidirectional hinges.
- 5
  Weld two additional "I" beams -- used as the upper and lower arms of the robot -- to the main hinge found on the aluminum trapezoid.
- 6
  Weld the upper shoulder portion of the arm to the shoulder support.

Educational Toys