Spiderbot

[robotic_ants]

They look like a standard MR16 GX5.3 spot light fittings although depending on their actual size they could be MR11 with a GU4 base.

I wouldn't recommend fitting a Halogen bulb as they are pressurized with halogen gas, reach very high temperatures and are actually quite prone to contamination from grease and finger prints reducing the bulbs life. If you are looking for a replacement you could get LED ones which are alot safer, last longer and run alot cooler.

[craig_colliass]

http://www.energylightbulbs.co.uk/produ ... -Connector

Yes thanks they do look like these I was thinking of using the LED type as I don't like the Halogen lamp in my house let alone in a robot!

Also if anyone dose 3D print some leg mechanisms for an ant robot I would like some too It would be nice to make a miniature version of Spiderbot

[craig_colliass]

Some pictures showing some progress

First a picture of the leg linkage nothing too complex there.



The Sidewinder now has the cables and plugs attached



There are two large steel box sections running across the robot not doing much these will be replaced with Aluminium channel to save weight.

[archie2000]

a Sidewinder in a walker :shock:
sidewinders are awesome
looking good though

[blazerbotics]

looking good Craig, going have to put a walker on my list of things to make, do like how Arac walks.

[craig_colliass]

Hi Alan

I like the walking action of this type of robot too it dose look like a spider.

It's not as efficient as the pilgrim design, as the robot tends to bounce up and down as it walks (this uses a lot of the available energy and why I'm trying to loose weight). with the pilgrim design this problem is reduced to a minimum.

Also with the sets of legs so close together they tend to get tangled when you turn. one reason Pilgrim has the legs equidistant.

Hi Archie

With regard to the Sidewinder this came with the robot so I am putting it in to start with. the motors are only 240w 24v, so a Sidewinder is a little over kill.

In Pilgrim I used the Dimension Sabertooth 2X25 with the same setup and the controller never even gets warm. I may go with a small Wotty 100 I have and see how that dose in the robot.

I did get the robot moving yestarday but only on 12v.

[archie2000]

OK hope you put it to good use

[craig_colliass]

I was trying to leave as much of the robot as I could untouched.
But the spacer arrangement with its carnival colours was just too much for me.
I have decided to re-do them as they made the legs a little too loose for my liking anyway.




For some reason the 12mm nuts on the robot had been cut across the flats. I could not see any advantage to this so they were changed.




A picture of the side with all the legs removed the crank and the con-rods are a welded unit so there is nothing to be done with these.
They were replaced very recently and are in very good condition.




The start of the new spacer bushes




You can see they have a recess cut in one side to accommodate a hose clip,
these are being used as a retaining clip so I can adjust clearances.
The old method was a plastic collar with a retaining screw.

[craig_colliass]

Got feed up of making lots of bushes so for a change I turned my eye to the chassis on Spiderbot.
It is made from two lengths of thick walled steel box section and some heavy gauge aluminium angle about 50mm I think!
Anyway the Old chassis weighed in at a massive 4.77Kg and seemed to be made for a fighting robot rather than a walker.



The new chassis is all aluminium with the heavy gauge aluminium angle replaced with something more suited for the task. the box sections on the old chassis have been replaced by aluminium channel fabricated for the task with the ends folded up to produce leg plate mountings to support the sides of the robot better. also Fitting an aluminium plate for the batteries.

All this weighed in at a respectable 1.87Kg



Also an electronics tray has been made to fit over the drive motors.







I haven't sorted out how to fix it yet but I am sure something will come to me.

Also a picture of the Chassis dummied in place with some batteries showing how the mountings should work.



Hope you found this interesting or informative.

Craig

[archie2000]

do fw walkers have extra weight allowance?
those are quite big drive motors