China3D printingNet, June 2nd, by using heated metal wire,3D printingThe robot is able to carve exquisite models from polystyrene foam without any physical contact with the material. This technology has produced a series of complex 3D prototypes, these prototypes have double-curved surfaces, and traditional straight-line cutting is difficult or even impossible to achieve.
YuMi IRB 14000 3D printingrobot
The use of hot wire to engrave foam is not a new production technology in itself, but the use of other tools usually requires a lot of time and energy to improve manufacturing. In addition, the traditional cutting method is to use a straight hot wire to cut polystyrene into a certain shape, but this method only allows basic cutting and cannot produce models with complex geometric shapes.
For this reason, hot wire cutters are usually installed on machines in milling workshops, but they can only produce straight-grained surfaces. CNC machine tools are used in a similar way (although drill bits are used instead of wires), but it is difficult to program the path that generates the desired surface while taking into account the constraints imposed by the machine tool. Danish engineers conducted related research in the 2016 project, which used hot wire cutting to produce hyperboloids in one scan. However, according to Swiss researchers, the limitations of this method require that the cutting blade must remain flat, and the system requires user input to solve non-trivial problems.
The Zurich-based researcher’s new method uses the YuMi IRB 140003D printingRobot, the robot is equipped with two arms to improve processing efficiency. An inextensible elastic metal rod is waved at the end of each limb, and its “hand” moves with seven degrees of freedom, giving it excellent flexibility. By programming the robot’s accessories to work together effectively, researchers can create 3D designs with precision.
Given the target shape, the robot’s customized software will generate a series of trajectories and sweep one of the rods across the workpiece for cutting. The trajectory is optimized, the “hand” is moved in the most effective way, and the difference between the current workpiece and the target shape is reduced. Used in conjunction with the sequential path planning tool, this can make the movement fully automated or controlled by the user.
YuMi 14000 can perform many precision tasks. The picture comes from ABB Robotics.
use3D printingCreate robot works
The method was evaluated by creating a diverse set of simulation examples and multiple physical prototypes including hand, heart, shark and hummingbird models. During the test, a cubic polystyrene foam block with a side length of 290mm was installed on a tripod and rotated manually between two cuts. Connect a wire with a diameter of 1 mm to a power source of 6.6 amps and 4.6 volts and heat it to approximately 250°C. The researchers say that heating the wire can ensure that the material melts before it comes in contact, and creates a surface that cannot be achieved using traditional methods.
The time to create a model varies with hardware and complexity, so a more complex manual model takes four hours to complete, while a rabbit model only takes two hours and twenty minutes. Compared with the corresponding simulated shapes, the average average errors of the rabbit and heart models are 1.97 mm and 0.76 mm, respectively. The researchers attributed this to the lack of rigidity of the robot arm and the use of a tripod for mounting, which limits the accuracy of its positioning.
The Zurich researchers also acknowledged other limitations of the design, such as the rod used to manipulate the material, which can only bend and warp a certain amount before it needs to be replaced. In addition, the existing software for programming robots only allows the robot’s arms to make a series of cuts, and cannot create works in a sitting position.Although untested, Swiss researchers admitted that despite the reduced cutting quality, the increased wire temperature may still lead to higher cutting speeds. The technology may also be applicable to other materials in the future, but at present, the technology is still in the early stages of development, a few years away from the first Picasso robot.
The visualization shows the error rate in the rabbit and heart models generated during the test. Picture from ETH Zurich.
Robotic arms produced using additive manufacturing
3D printingIt has been used to create robotic arms for many purposes, from biological hands for holding tools to complete robotic humanoids.China’s Shenzhen Yuejiang Technology Co., Ltd. demonstrated three generations for the first time at CES in 20183D printingDOBOT robotic arm. The DOBOTMagician variant is compatible with five different tool heads:3D printingMachine hot end, laser, pen holder, vacuum cup and holder.
Desktop3D printingMachine manufacturer BCN3D Technologies released in July 2016 with3D printingStructure of an open source robotic arm. The technology is developed for educational purposes, it can be edited, improved and changed to adapt to the needs of users, while at low cost.
Italian technology start-up Youbionic used additive manufacturing technology to create an enhanced humanoid robot in November 2018. The “Centaur” design was created by adding an arm attachment developed by the company a year ago to the spine of the robot.
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