https://github.com/PCrnjak/PAROL6-Desktop-robot-arm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiBCbHtvbpE https://piped.video/watch?v=PiBCbHtvbpE
I’m not sure what the “fill out form if you are interested in building” link is all about on github, but at a glace, this looks like a solid project to build IMO.
Oooo this looks cool as hell! I’ve always wanted to design my own robotic arm but the electronics part always intimidated me.
The link that OP mentioned looks like they are trying to sell you various components. Also the gripper is a separate item altogether. While it says it is Open, if yiu have to buy that PCB, it seems less interesting. I figured it would be running off a raspberry Pi or something like that.
It isn’t a bait scam or anything. The full Gerbers and schematics are present. It uses a STM32F446 and TMC2209’s. This is really standard stuff. No raspberry pi or anything like that is capable of running steppers. This is like standard printer hardware. Offering the completed boards just saves the user a ton of time and money compared to ordering your own or etching something.
Gerbers: https://github.com/PCrnjak/PAROL6-Desktop-robot-arm/tree/main/GERBERS_PRODUCTION
I didn’t think it was a scam, but I figured it was a way for them to make some money while still stating it is Open.
How many others are considering building one?
No one is making money off of small run hardware like this. The time invested in such a project will never be recuperated. This is a passion and/or university graduate project. The boards available are likely just extras from a small run they did with a prototyping service and were close to a minimum order quantity. If you order the same type of thing from somewhere like PCBway, you’ll be stuck with extras too.
I’m too busy learning AI for a project like this ATM, but I would like to build this at some point in the future.
What would be your use for it? I agree it’s super cool, I just struggle to think of how to use it if I’m not manufacturing something.
That’s always the thing, right?!
In my younger days,I was so quick to say “cool,I want one” and before I even came up with a need for it, i’d zlready have one on order. Bought so much useless junk that way. I stopped doing that years back.
I think in this case, I might make an exception. I design stuff for a living, but it’s all (or mostly) mechanical. Just to mess around more with the electronics side of things, I might build one eventually.
If only for holding the antenna during a satellite pass.
I wish I could get a hold of an antenna rotator either fully assembled, or at least a complete kit, without significant number of parts missing.
I don’t want to tinker with stepper motors and automation integration while tinkering with radios. Damn missing dependencies all the way down!